Why Regular and Consistent Meditation Practice is Important
Your journey into meditation has the power to reveal truth and peace in your life. Relaxation is just a by-product meditation practice. It is just the tip of the iceberg. As things continue to get faster, and more complicated in our world, it is even more important to get centred and grounded and deepen your meditation practice.
Only with regular and consistent practise in meditation will you achieve the full benefits of altered states of consciousness that lie within you. The more you practice, the easier it will be to deal with distractions and reach deeper meditation levels in a short timeframe. A consistent practice of 15 or 30 minutes each day will enable you to go deeper every time.
Deepening Your Meditation Practice
Deepening your practice simply means expanding your inner dimension, or inner experience itself. You could compare it to feeling deeply in love with someone. As you love for that person grows over time, you could say that your love has deepened, but that does not come without committed effort to build a deeper relationship.
Strategies for Deepening your Meditation Practice
Try these strategies to deepen your practice. They are suggestions that you can experiment with. Consider and test each one for yourself, and only use what works for you:
Posture. Your position when you meditate is of critical importance. Choose one that is comfortable and steady. Keep the back, the neck, and the head in a straight line. This alignment is more important than you might initially realize. Keeping the spine straight will improve the alertness of your mind. You will be less likely to lose focus or fall asleep. Remember that relaxation is only a by-product. The goal is to remain present. Even just making sure that you come back to your sitting posture every day, is already a success.
Focus. Improved focus comes from consistently bringing your attention back to the object of focus. If you are struggling to improve your focus, try this:
Eyes Open. Choose a physical object outside of you. Keep your gaze on the object you have chosen. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the object. You can even choose a scene to focus on, something that doesn’t have a specific focal point. This could be easier for you in the beginning, to help you keep your attention focused.
Eyes Closed. This may be initially more challenging, because it will be easier for the mind to drift off, or you may even fall asleep.
Test which one works for you and choose what feels right for you.
Breath. Your breath can also be a focus for your meditation practice. Your breath is the link between the conscious and unconscious mind. It is a very good process to observe. There are several different elements of the breath that you can choose to focus on.
Length and Rhythm. Observe the natural rhythm and length of your breath. Allow your focus to be gentle. Try not to control the breath. Notice what you are feeling and see how that is reflected in your breath.
Create your mantra or chose from the many that are available. The guidance here is to choose one and stick to that, don’t change your mantra very often.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
The most important thing is that you maintain a regular and consistent practice. Making small adjustments along the way is completely normal, and necessary as you go deeper. But you will only find these adjustments yourself when you practice consistently.