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Re: meditation

Posted by Ann on October 24, 2000 at 12:01:22:

In Reply to: Re: meditation posted by Kieran on October 24, 2000 at 10:44:41:

I started meditating after reading the book, Minding the Body, Mending the Mind, by Joan Borysenko, Ph.D. There is a section on meditation.

Before meditating, I relax my muscles sequentially from feet to head. I raise each leg, hold for 10 seconds, then relax and continue tensing various muscles for 10 seconds each then relaxing, pelvic, arms, shoulders, scrunch face. Then I take 4 very deep breaths with long exhales. Then I meditate.

To meditate you need to focus on your breathing. She recommends choosing a mantra, or phrase, to repeat as you're breathing. If you can't think of one, she suggested "Ham Suh" (which I use), a very old Sanskrit mantra which mimics the sounds of incoming and outgoing breaths. As you breathe in you say "Ham" and your stomach goes out, as you breathe out you say "Suh" and your stomach goes in. Breathing gets slower and shallower as you progress. It takes practice and determination. Thoughts invade, just let them go in and out and try to focus on your breathing.

I highly recommend this book. Insomnia is definitely a mind/body experience.

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