Useful Tools and Resources
Here are some things to consider investing in if you are going to
begin meditating regularly:
Headspace: Headspace (headspace.com) is an app that provides easy
guided mediations for beginners. The full version is not free to use, but
the first ten sessions can be accessed for free, meaning you can see if
you like it.
Calm: Calm (calm.com) is another alternative to Headspace that is very
similar in concept. See which one you prefer.
YouTube: You don’t need to pay a cent to try a guided meditation.
You can simply head over to YouTube (YouTube.com) and find a
whole lot of them for free.
Floor Cushion for Meditation: Not essential, but can help you to feel
more comfortable as you get to work feeling calm.
Book On Yoga: A book on yoga is a useful resource if you want
to practice kundalini or other yogic forms of meditation.
How to Get Started
This quick guide should remind you how to get started with meditation:
• Find a quiet place to sit with your legs crossed, on your knees, or
in the lotus position. Make sure you won’t be disturbed and there
are no distracting sounds.
• Choose something to focus on, popular options include:
o Music
o The sound of a stream or crackling fire
o A candle flame
o Your own breath
o A meditation script (see below)
o Feelings of love and kindness
• Set a timer or another way to alert yourself when the time is up
• If you notice your attention start to wander, simply bring it
back gently – no drama
An Example Meditation Script
If you’re struggling to get started, try following this simple meditation
script. This is a script designed to take you through a progressive
relaxation/body scan. From there, you will then practice a little
mindful meditation. It is rejuvenating, and very good for cultivating
self-awareness.
You can use this by getting someone to read it to you, or by
reading it yourself and recording it. Alternatively, read through it
and try to remember the basic process.
The script should take about 10 minutes to complete. Leave
adequate time in the pauses, and be sure to speak with a calm voice
if you are reading it out!
Make sure you are sitting comfortably. Try to relax your body and close
your eyes. Allow your breathing to fall into a gentle rhythm. Your
tongue should be gently against the roof of your mouth. Breathing
through the nose, making sure to take deep belly-breaths each time by
relaxing the diaphragm and the stomach.
In.
And out.
In.
And out.
Good, keep that going.
Now we’re going to relax the body, so that the mind will follow. Become
aware of your body. Feel where there is pressure. Feel where you are
holding yourself up. Feel the ground or the chair against your legs.
How much pressure do you notice?
We’re going to relax the body now from the head to the toe.
Start by focusing on the forehead. Is it feeling stiff or tense? Make
sure that you release any tension in the muscles and let your brow just
sink into a limp state.
Now feel your ears and do the same. Let them sag
completely, releasing any stored tension.
Now the jaw. Let your lower jaw hang slightly open keeping your
mouth closed.
Doesn’t feel good to release all that tension?
Feel a wave caressing down your body, melting away any tension
in your body as it goes.
Feel it loosen and relax the neck.
Let your shoulders finally let go of the day’s stress on
that outwards breath. Doesn’t it feel good?
Relax the chest, the biceps, the triceps.
Relax the forearms and the fingers and the stomach and the back.
Now feel the tension in your hips and your buttocks. And release.
Let it just melt away.
Travelling further now, the wave is going through your upper legs –
your quadriceps and hamstrings. It’s starting to reach your calves
which are going completely loose and relaxed.
Feel it in your shins. Feel it in your toes and even the bottoms of
your feet.
Now as you next exhale, release any further pressure that is still
there. Each time you breathe out, you are melting a little more and
more into the ground.
In.
And out.
In.
And out.
We’re just going to sit and relax for a couple of minutes now.
Listen to your breathing.
[PAUSE]
Now you’re going to take a moment to watch your thoughts going past.
Don’t try to interrupt those thoughts or stop them.
Don’t judge them.
There is no such thing as a bad thought.
But nor can they harm you. You are detached from those thoughts now.
They are simply drifting by like clouds in the sky.
Where does your mind lead you to?
Enjoy that sense of calm for a few minutes while you watch the
contents of your mind.
[PAUSE]
Okay, and now we’re going to start coming back around.
Imagine yourself deep under water.
With each inhalation, you’re going to start swimming a little higher
to the surface.
Feel the energy and tone return to your body as you do, as
the light breaks through the surface.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
Now you can open your eyes.
