13 Frequently Asked Questions on How to Meditate Properly - Aboutmeditation.com-

8/13/2019 13 Frequently Asked Questions on How to Meditate Properly - Aboutmeditation.com-

1/5

aboutmeditation.com http://www.aboutmeditation.com/faq-how- to-m editate-proper

Thomas Dixon

13 Frequently Asked Questions On How to

Meditate Properly

If you have questions about meditation, youre not aloneand youve come to the right

place. This FAQ will expand over time, so if you dont see your question here (or dont

like our answer), please contact us.

Q: I cant sit longer than five minutes. How do I sit still?
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.aboutmeditation.com/faq-how-to-meditate-properly/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/


2/5

A:As with anything else in life, meditationjust takes practice. Theres no real trick to it

other than that. A lot of people have trouble sitting stillfor one minute, so consider

yourself ahead of the curve. But if you remind yourself that learning how to

meditate properlyis like exercising a new muscle, then youll be more patient with

yourself when you dont instantly get the results you want.

This pract ice just takes time, effort, and commitment. Commit to sitting still for f ive

minutes, day after day, until youre ready to try for six. If you dont make it the f irst t ime

try again the next day. Eventually, if youre serious enough, you will learn how to sit as

st ill as a Buddha for as long as you want.

Q: Do I needto be still to meditate? What about meditating while

walking, running, or while engaged in simple chores?

A: No, you dont need to be still to meditatebut it helps. A lot . Nevertheless, there is

plenty of benef it to be found through bringing what the Buddhists call mindfulness to

your activities whenever you can, and walking, running, or dishwashing are great

opportunities to try it. Just pay attention to whatever youre doing, bringing your

awareness to every nuance of what youre feeling and how youre moving, absorbing

yourself fully in the present moment and remaining undistracted by your thoughts.

If you find yourself daydreaming, bring your attention back to your bodyto your

footsteps, to the sound of your shoes on the pavement, or to your relaxed and steady

breathing as you scrub intractable grime of f a pan. In his bookA New Earth, EckhartTollecalls this awakening to stillness and f inding ones inner purpose. No matter

what youre doing outwardly, he says, you should try to remain inwardly attentive to the

unmovable essence of your being.

Q: If I choose to practice sitting meditation, does it matter if I sit on a

traditional cushion or in a chair?

A: Not really. But you may f ind that sitt ing in a traditional cross-legged posturehelps

(its been done that way for thousands of years for a reason). The most important

things are to be comfortable, so you can completely relax, and to keep your spine

straight, so you can stay alert and awake (and so you dont hurt your back).

Q: What do I do if I experience pain in my legs or back?
http://www.aboutmeditation.com/how-master-lotus-position/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/how-to-succeed-in-meditation/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/deceived-by-your-ego/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/whats-the-difference-between-daydreaming-and-meditating/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/zen-habits-success-meditation/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/how-to-succeed-in-meditation/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/how-to-meditate-properly/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/how-to-succeed-in-meditation/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/meditation-tips-buddha-mind/


3/5

A: Even when trying to be perfectly st ill, its okay to adjust your body a litt le bit if you

absolutely have to. But generally, any physical pain diminishes over time as your body

gets used to sitting in that posture for extended periods. If youve been at it for a long

time and still experience pain, then you may want to try a different posture, such as

sitting on a chair or kneeling on a wooden meditation bench.

Q: Do I need a meditation teacher or can I learn how to meditateproperly on my own?

A: If youre asking if you need to seek the services of a prof essional meditator, yoga

instructor, or spiritual master before you can start meditating, then the answer is no.

You can learn the basicsf rom this website or f rom many books and videos on the

subject. But if youre asking if a meditation teacher would help you more than books

alone, then the answer is most definitely yes.

Trying to learn meditation on your own, by yourself , f rom a book or website is not all

that dif ferent f rom trying to learn yoga or martial arts that way. You can get the basics

down with enough practice, but to really explore the deeper dimensions of the practice,

you typically need an in-person, expert guide to the territory.

Q: Whats a good length of time to meditate in order to actually reap

the benefits of the practice?

A: This really varies f rom individual to individual, depending on where youre at in yourdevelopment in the practice of meditation. For beginners, trying to meditate for even fiv

minutes straight is good, and twenty minutes is fantastic. For the more experienced,

pushing yourself to the one-hour mark is s ignif icant, and trying for 90-sessions is

admirable. Many meditation centers break their sessions into either 45- or 60-minute

periods, punctuated by leg stretches and bathroom breaks. But the general rule is: The

more you put in, the more youre going to get back.

Q: Is it better to meditate on ones own or with other people?

A: Both are needed to experience the full dimensions of the pract ice. I f you have the

opportunity to meditate with othersor even with one other personthen you should

take it, because mutual support only helps, and meditating with others can also reveal

new depths of meditation through the subtle f ield of consciousness that is generated

between everyone. But dont become so dependent on the support of others that you

begin to lose your own independent strength and autonomy in the practice.
http://www.aboutmeditation.com/how-to-meditate-5-things-every-meditator-must-know/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/meditation-for-beginners-3-step-guide/


4/5

Often youll find it more tempting to scratch an itch or move around on your cushion

when you know that no one is looking and you wont be disturbing anyone but yourself.

But learning to independently maintain your own internal resolve, willpower, and stillness

when youre all alone is a guaranteed way to build deep self-confidence and self-

reliance through the pract ice of meditation.

Q: How does anyone find the time to meditate? I, for one, amincredibly busy.

A: Like all things in life, this is ultimately just a matter of priorities. If you realize that

meditation actually provides you with important t raining for life, then youll start to see it

as less of a hobby and more of an essential component of your daily routine, even if it

only for f ive minutesin the morningwhen you wake up or before you go to bedat night.

Everyone is busier than ever these days, but those who have tasted the power and

benefits o f a consistent meditation practice just make the decision that its something

they cant af ford to skip.

Q: Is it better to meditate in the morning or evening?

A: This is a matter of personal preference. But if you cant decide which works best fo

you, why not t ry both?

Q: Should I be chanting a mantra while I meditate? What do I dowhile

sitting still?

A: There are dif ferent f orms of meditation practice, and some involve chanting mantras

while others would have you focus on absolutely nothing at all. For more guidance on

this topic, read this.

Q: Is it better to meditate with my eyes open or closed? If I close them

I tend to fall asleep.

A: This is another matter of personal taste, but its of ten easier when starting out to

keep your eyes open, or at least partially open. If youre sitting on a cushion on the

f loor, try placing a grain of rice or a small pebble on the f loor in f ront o f you and keepin

your eyes half-opened, gently gazing only at that small object and nothing else. Closing

your eyes does increase the likelihood of getting lost in mental fantasies and thoughts,

as well as falling asleep, but its also a good way to learn to t rain your attention and sta

focused. Soexperiment with it and see!
http://www.aboutmeditation.com/stand-by-your-mantra/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/power-of-mantra/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/go-sleep-minute-guided-meditation/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/wake-up-minute-guided-morning-meditation/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/meditation-to-relax/


5/5

Q: I cant stop my mind. I just keep thinking and thinking no matter wha

I try.

A: Congratulations! You are of f icially a human being. The idea that you should be able

to stop your mind completelyis a common myth in spiritual circles, and while there are

some arguments to be made for it, its generally not the case at all. Read thisfor more

on the topic.

Q: I dont know if Im actually meditating or not. How can I tell if Im

actually meditating?

A: Is your breathing relaxed and regular, and is the tension in your body slowly

disappearing even as you remain perfectly st ill? Are you deeply relaxed, completely at

ease, and at the same time fully awake and attentive? Does your awareness f eel wide-

open, spacious, and without any clear boundaries? Do thoughts and feelings come andgo f reely, as you f ind yourself able to observe them, detached, not getting caught up

and lost in them? If you can answer yes to any of these quest ions, then youre probab

meditating properlyand on the right track!

by Thomas Dixon

About the Author: Thomas is a freelance writer, student of martial arts, and an avid

pract itioner of meditation. He has been practicing for over 15 years in the traditions of

Zen Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta, and also cites Adi Da as one of his primary spirituainfluences. Thomas contributes articles on the fine points of how to meditate. He

comes toAbout Meditat ionwith a passion for writing about the nuts and bolts o f how to

meditate. You can read more of his work at www.aboutmeditation.com.

What do you think?

Share it now!
http://www.aboutmeditation.com/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/how-to-meditate-properly/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/monkey-mind/http://www.aboutmeditation.com/monkey-mind/

Documents

13 Frequently Asked Questions on How to Meditate Properly - Aboutmeditation.com-