MEDITATION POSITIONS: SITTING UPRIGHT

If you are starting to meditate for the first time, doing it sitting down, is generally the best position. This is due to the fact that if we lie down, it is easy to lose awareness and fall asleep. Moreover, if we sit in an alert position we are more inclined to remain awake, and be able to focus on something, be it an image, a word, or the way our breath flows in and out... [1].

So How Does the Meditation Actually Work?

This incredibly beneficial ancient practice is all about keeping our mind still while simultaneously keeping our body awake and in a relaxed state. So what is the key? The first thing to do is to make our body perfectly still - and when this happens, mental stillness follows.

Soothing a Busy Mind

When you are new to meditation, you will most likely find that your mind will be all over the place. - Thoughts about what you are going to have for dinner; an issue that is troubling you, and a million other scenarios can come in here. So when they do, rest assured that this is completely normal.

This is where focus is so important - by focusing your mind on a single thing (for example, focusing on the flickering of a candle, repeating a certain word, or counting your in-breaths (either out loud or silently), you can calm your mind down, and stop it generating even more thoughts... 

Reference

[1]. Stibich, M. (2020). "How to Sit When Learning Meditation." VeryWellMind.https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-sit-when-learning-to-meditate-2224121#:~:text=Sitting%20is%20the%20best%20position,where%20to%20put%20your%20feet).