Guided Meditation for Beginners: The Awakening

Clues to Improve Your Path:

• Meditate on your change, accept your being.

• The first step of this journey is to learn to be still.

• The first thing you must change is your need for change.

• The place you must go is within you.

• By looking out of new experiences, you will rediscover what is truly yours.

Initial Meditation

Look at your face in the mirror for a couple of minutes, fix your gaze on the reflection of your gaze, and get lost in your eyes.

Choose a comfortable position that allows you to be still for the time you dedicate to this meditation, which could be from 5 to 15 minutes.

Look at your surroundings without generating thoughts, focus on the sky or a plant. If you have a pet next to you, pet it.

All this will produce a pleasant feeling of happiness, turn it into tranquility.

Relax your body, stop moving and allow your body to fall carried by gravity, only try to maintain the chosen position.

Close your eyes and remember your surroundings, the sky, or your pet.

But without judging, without emerging thoughts about the future or pending responsibilities.

Stay with the feeling of calm and happiness.

Now start breathing consciously. Let your inhalation be three times longer than normal, without effort to give it depth, simply let it last longer.

Then hold the air inside you for a couple of seconds and finally exhale, taking three times the usual time.

Breathe in this way less than ten times, with your mind barely focused on breathing. Less and less focused.

Start breathing normally.

Listen and feel your breath until your thoughts finally disappear.

Look at the void, the darkness of your closed eyes, focus on the flashes of light, which can be light waves.

Do not analyze anything, just notice your interior.

And surrender to the rhythm of your breath, think only of that rhythm, let everything else disappear from your being.

Surely thoughts, doubts, memories and sensations will emerge, you will let them go without giving importance or delving into any of them.

And each time you will return to relax your body, to clear your mind.

You are going to repeat this phrase in your mind several times:

'I am alive and I am here'

For example, you can write it inside as on a blackboard, or on a sheet, and read it, or visualize it like a karaoke. Or you can simply repeat it without imagining the letters.

It is possible that ideas will appear while you imagine calmly this phrase over and over again.

Follow these thoughts if they refer to this phrase, if not, discard them without judging them.

Quietly reflect on each thought that arises about the phrase you are repeating. Let your mind go with them, one by one, and ask yourself: why did I think this when repeating the phrase?

Note how long it took you to have ideas about your phrase.

Are they positive or negative ideas?

Classify them: are they encouraging or discouraging, about the past or the future?

Perhaps they are sensations, not thoughts. Are these pleasant or uncomfortable?

Become aware that you are alone with your interior, and you are getting to know yourself.

Feel the pleasure of self-discovery

It can be a happy inner journey, or possibly you will find some kind of pain or anger that will make the ride a bit bitter.

If you feel happy and accept yourself, be grateful for your good life.

Do not judge yourself, do not feel less, and do not seek self-pity.

Do not compare yourself to anyone, do not place yourself higher or lower than others, just be an individual.

Simply visit your mind.

And remember that you feel happy and calm.

Let everything go and return to your breath.

Exist consciously here and now.

Your present is shown before your eyes, whatever it may be, it form does not matter, because it is your present.

Breathe with your mind blank for a few times and open your eyes. Move your neck, limbs. Return to the ordinary.

The purpose of this journey is for you to find your present.

Whether it may be happy or sad, complicated or committed, it is yours.

Progressively you will meditate your way deeper within you.

And your inner voice will become stronger and clearer.

The destination of your journey is within.

The Process

You will need several or perhaps many meditations to reach your interior and discover that the main progress is to understand your present life.

The journey really is about you learn to walk through your interior; you going around inside, looking and enjoying the landscape.

Perhaps you will take mental notes, to later understand that these will only serve you to burn them without rereading them.

This path has three stations:

Know yourself

Present you to yourself and feel the weight of your existence. Listen to your inner being.

To know yourself you meditate, it is the first step. Evaluate your interior.

Do not try to change, first accept your present as the starting point, as the basis for building better presents.

But remember that time passes, life is finite, and age brings changes.

Embrace change because nothing is still. Get used to letting go, and find pleasure in opening the door to the future.

Accept yourself

Whatever it may be, it is you, and it is yours. It is not about escaping, but about making peace with your present reality.

Forgive and love yourself, and accept your facts, your life, your environment, your family or your solitude.

Your health or illness, your assertions or your errors.

Surrender to your reality. Do not idealize it, not to hate it, just live it.

Be

Live in peace and be happy.

Build a better future, rescue the positive from the past and discard the rest.

Always noticing that the only thing you have is the present, but that it is the only thing necessary.

The future does not exist yet, and when it becomes substantial, it will not be the future, but the present.

The past, happy or sad, is over; it is not important in this context, let it go.

Your present is almost always committed. It is not much that we have the capacity to manipulate.

Could the blade carried by the wind choose where to go?

The Present

Understand that your only possession is the present, and these are your enemies: worry and expectation.

Do not worry, better get busy. Do not expect anything, strive and whatever will comes, just will come.

There is no justice or retribution, only destiny.

In your present, improve what is possible, but mostly focus on accepting your life.

You must be patient, because your path has an exact length that will take the necessary time. You cannot accelerate, everything is part of the process of discovering yourself.

That is why the best thing you can do is the following: enjoy the journey, make the encounter, and accept your present.

Strive to persevere in your meditation. Build a daily routine with meditation at the center.

Let this routine be productive and include all your duties and obligations.

Experiment with other types of meditation from time to time.

Deep Into Meditations.

Deepening Your Practice

"The Awakening" offers a wonderful foundation for meditation practice.

As you become more comfortable with these techniques, you can delve deeper into the world of meditation.

Here are some ways to enrich your practice:

• Explore Different Meditation Techniques: There are many meditation styles, each with its own focus. You might try mindfulness meditation, which emphasizes present-moment awareness, or loving-kindness meditation, which cultivates compassion for yourself and others.

• Learn About Meditation Philosophy: Meditation stems from ancient philosophical traditions. Understanding these roots can provide a deeper appreciation for the practice.

  Explore concepts like mindfulness, non-attachment, and the nature of reality. There are many paths to meditation, with some of the most well-established traditions including:

1. Buddhism: Mindfulness meditation is a core practice in Buddhism, aiming to cultivate awareness and inner peace.

2. Hinduism: Yoga incorporates meditation practices like focusing on mantras (sacred sounds) or achieving a state of deep stillness.

3. Taoism: This Chinese philosophy emphasizes living in harmony with nature and achieving balance through meditation techniques like mindful breathing.

• Join a Meditation Group or Class: Connecting with others who meditate can be a source of support and inspiration. Group practice can also offer opportunities to learn new techniques and ask questions.

The Power of Meditation

Meditation offers a wide range of benefits that extend beyond the initial feelings of relaxation.

Here are some ways meditation can positively impact your life:

• Reduced Stress and Anxiety: Numerous scientific studies have shown meditation's effectiveness in reducing stress hormones and promoting feelings of calm. A 2017 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine found that mindfulness meditation programs significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety.

• Improved Focus and Concentration: Regular meditation practice can enhance your ability to focus your attention and stay present in the moment.

• Increased Self-Awareness: Through meditation, you gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, emotions, and patterns of behavior.

• Greater Self-Compassion: Meditation fosters self-acceptance and allows you to relate to yourself with kindness and understanding.

• Enhanced Emotional Regulation: Meditation equips you with tools to manage difficult emotions in a healthy way.