Getting Started With Meditation

“Man is very tiny if you look at his body, man is very foolish if you look at his mind, and man is tremendously vast if you look at his consciousness. Three things meet in man. The vast, the infinite, meet in his consciousness, in his awareness. That’s what you become aware of when you meditate: boundaries recede and disappear.” ~ Osho

Looking back, I can remember thinking that I wanted to give meditation a try because intuitively it seemed like something that I could evolve/benefit from. And like many of my good ideas, I never got around to it. None of my friends at the time were into this mindfulness stuff, and because meditation wasn’t really mainstream, it was kind of like an “0ut of sight, out of mind” situation.

Then one day, fate (law of attraction?) brought meditation into my life… I was tasked with developing my own meditation practice for a psychology class I was taking at the University of Michigan. What was nice about this assignment was that we were encouraged to experiment with a variety of different practices, and then decide which one/s that we would explore further. Additionally, we had to journal our experiences over a period of two weeks.

As I sit here recalling my first dance with meditation, it was no easy task trying not to think. The impossible task, right? Our ego is so used to running the show, we don’t become aware of how dominating it is until we actually try to quiet our minds. Make no mistake, chances are the first few times you try to meditate will seem virtually impossible, frustrating, and even painful. No worries though, this is perfectly natural.

Below you will find some of my personal advice if you’re curious about giving meditation a try… “Come on in, the water’s nice!”

START SMALL AND EASE INTO IT

• Try to meditate for only 4-5 minutes at first.
• Add one minute every 1-2 days until you can meditate at least 15-20 minutes.
• The more you practice, the easier and more enjoyable it becomes. Give it a little time and persist.

DON’T DO ANYTHING

• Meditation isn’t something you actually do, it’s the state of non-doing (our natural state).
• Don’t try to get it right, or have any expectations. You’re doing it and that’s all that matters.
• When thoughts enter your mind, gently/patiently return your awareness to your breath.

IT’S ALL ABOUT ROUTINE

• Build it into your schedule so that it’s automatic (like brushing your teeth, showering, etc.).
• Think of it as daily physical, mental, and spiritual nourishment—make it a MUST!

My challenge to you is the same one Professor Mann gave me:

1. Experiment with a few different kinds of meditation (TM, mindfulness, guided, music, etc.)
2. Choose one or more practices that you would like to explore further.
3. Journal your experiences over a period of two weeks (3-4 sentences).

Take me up on my two-week challenge, get a Mindful tee:

Submit your journals to Mindful Muscle via email to receive a free Mindful T-Shirt. Everyone’s invited, all levels of practitioners are welcome to accept my challenge.

Enjoy the gift of meditating. Namaste.

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About Author

Chris Willitts is the founder of Mindful Muscle and a prominent advocate of integrating mindful practices and strength training. He believes that meditation is one of the most important things you can do for your overall state of well-being, next to nutrition and exercise.

Be sure to check out Mindful Muscle’s philosophy on mindful strength training: The Mindful Method.

At the vibrant age of 30, strength training has been a vital part of Chris’s life for over 16 years. Since meditation has more recently entered his life, he has been compelled to explore the virtually untapped vastness of consciousness.

In addition to Chris’s role at Mindful Muscle, he is a part-time web designer (www.positivelywired.com) and a full-time student at the University of Michigan with concentrations in psychology, business, and Asian studies. He also serves as a student panelist for the university.

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