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How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners

10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation

What is Meditation?

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Becoming Non-Reactive

In this practice, learn to step back from thoughts and emotions, and observe what’s going on in the mind.

So finding your way now into

as comfortable a position as

possible for the meditation.

And when you're ready,

just closing the eyes.

And as a way of settling in,

taking three deep, slow breaths.

So breathing in now.

And breathing out.

And two more breaths in the same way.

And with each exhale, allowing yourself

to really arrive here and now more fully.

And just knowing that you can let

everything else go for a while.

And then letting the breath return

to its own natural rhythm and pace.

But just continuing to feel the sensations

of the breath moving in your body.

And finding that place in the body

where you feel the breath most vividly.

And letting your awareness just

take up residence here, inside

the feelings of the breath.

And as you maintain your attention on

the feeling of the breath, thoughts

will likely be coming and going in your

awareness, and that's totally normal.

We're not trying to clear the mind.

So simply allow any thoughts to

come and go freely as they please.

So don't try to hold on

to them or follow them.

And there's no need to

try and push them away.

Just simply acknowledge their presence,

a little bit like nodding at a

stranger passing by on the street.

And just let them be as you

gently, but persistently stay

in touch with the feeling of the

breath, just as best you can.

And if the mind wanders, just

notice the thought that distracted

you and then gently return

your attention to the breath.

And as this practice begins to draw to

a close, just take a deep breath in.

And as you breathe out, just gently

wiggling the fingers and toes.

And take a moment to notice how you feel

after taking some time out for meditation.

And when you're ready,

just opening the eyes.

Epictetus, a Greek philosopher,

once said, "We are not disturbed

by what happens to us, but by

our thoughts about what happens."

And what we're learning here is

to not become so caught up in

and disturbed by our thoughts.

And we're developing our ability

to uncover a sense of calm

and contentment from within.

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