Meditation Instructions

Daily Practice of Meditation

Meditate every morning and every evening for 15-30 minutes. It is best to meditate before you eat. Try to meditate in a quiet place but if you do not have a quiet place to meditate that is okay. Noise is not a barrier to meditating. 

Sit quietly, close your eyes, and do nothing for a minute or so. Thoughts will come and that is okay. It is natural to have thoughts during meditation. After a minute or so, in the same natural way that thoughts come, and without moving your tongue or lips, quietly inside start saying your mantra. Slowly repeat your mantra until you are done meditating. When thoughts come, gently return to saying your mantra. When you finish meditating, lay down and rest for 4-5 minutes.

At times you may be saying your mantra unclearly, and that is okay. At times you may not be saying your mantra at all, and instead your mantra may be a sense or a feeling of your mantra, and that is okay. At times all thoughts and your mantra may disappear and you may simply be aware, and that is okay.

You may go to sleep during meditation, and that is okay. When you wake up after being asleep, meditate for a few more minutes and then lay down and rest for 4-5 minutes.

Common Mistakes

Do not TRY to meditate. Trying to meditate is the biggest mistake people make. During meditation, just do nothing. It is very important to do absolutely nothing during meditation.

The benefits of meditation come from meditating regularly. The benefits come naturally over time, and there is nothing you can do to MAKE those benefits come. So avoid looking for particular experiences or signs of progress or failure with your meditation because that will block you from getting the benefits of meditation.

Meditation can make you happier, it can make you feel more at ease and calmer, and it can help you get along better with others. You may notice those changes soon, or you may meditate for six months before you notice any changes. So just get in the habit of meditating regularly twice every day, and then be patient. Getting in the habit of meditating regularly is very important.  And if you stop meditating, just start back meditating again. 

Side Effects and Cautions

There are side effects to meditating. Immediately after meditating you can be more vulnerable to suggestions and outside influences. So avoid making decisions or taking on things of importance immediately after meditating.

If you find that sitting quietly is difficult for you, stop meditating. Instead try walking in nature, doing yoga, or exercising to relax.    

If you find that meditating is disturbing, upsetting, or disquieting for you, stop meditating and do not meditate any more.  

Finally, meditation is not for solving serious emotional or psychiatric problems. So if you think you might have such problems, do not try to fix them by meditating but instead get professional help.

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