How to Meditate
These down to earth instructions on how to meditate will clarify what meditation is really all about. Read on as I demystify some of the most common myths about meditation, and get you on the right path to enjoying the benefits of meditation. 
Learning how to meditate is one of the most fantastic gifts you can give to yourself, and regardless of your age, race, religion, sex or political persuasion, the peace and fulfillment that meditation provides are available to you right now. In this section of The Guided Meditation Site, I will explain how to meditate using traditional, but simple meditation techniques. These techniques will give you the ability to relax and become still anywhere, anytime. On of the most common things I hear people say when I talk to them about how to meditate is this: I can’t stop my mind from thinking”. 
I can certainly understand why so many people think this. Most of us have a lot on our minds these days, so it can be difficult to stop all our thoughts from taking place. But it might surprise you to know that stopping your mind from thinking is not something you have to worry too much about when you meditate. "What???" I hear you say. Does this all sound a bit like the opposite of what you've been led to believe? Probably! Well please read on so that I can clarify one of the great misconceptions about meditation for you.
When you learn how to meditate, you learn to step out of the river, and let your thoughts flow past you effortlessly. When you learn to do this, you will find that your river of thoughts slows down all by itself. No effort is required. This might sound just a little bit abstract to start with, but the idea will become clearer. Trust me when I say that learning how to meditate is probably a lot easier than you might think. Sure, if you have never meditated before then it will take a little practice to get into the swing of things, but even if you are a beginner, getting started with meditation can be enjoyable and rewarding. The most important thing to know at this early stage is that meditation is NOT something that you can measure in terms of success or failure. Meditation is a process, a journey. Many people mistakenly think that they are failing at meditation because thoughts arise in their mind when they try it. But thoughts are a totally natural phenomenon, and it's folly to think that you can completely shut them all off! When you climb a mountain, you journey upwards towards the apex. Depending on the weather, you may or may not achieve your goal, but whether you make it to the top or not, you are still a mountain climber. You still elevated yourself to a new, higher perspective along the way. When you meditate, you journey inwards towards silence. Depending on your state of mind, you may or may not reach your goal, but whether you achieve total silence or not, you are still a meditator! You still elevated yourself to a new, higher perspective along the way.
Meditation is an effortless experience. It requires no exertion. For some people, this is an unexpected realization. But the fact is that meditation is one of the easiest things to do and most people expect it to be harder than it really is. We live in a society that believes in the adage “no pain, no gain”, and most of the time we assume that in order to accomplish anything worthwhile we must exert ourselves and expend energy in some way. When it comes to meditation, all you’ll need to do is find a little time to put aside to sit quietly. The experience of meditation itself is effortless. It’s a nice realization isn't it? It's nice to know that you can really develop a greater sense of peace and happiness in your life by doing something as simple as sitting still. Perhaps the reason why many people think that meditation is hard to do is because many people find it difficult to just sit still. Most of us are very preoccupied with DOING. But you are not a Human Doing, you are a Human Being. When you meditate, you are taking time out to just “be”. To sit quietly and experience life without action, life without exertion…life pure and simple. Meditation...it's totally natural, wonderfully peaceful, and it's extremely healthy. It's also a lot easier than you might think, in fact, you can meditate right now if you like. If you are willing to read a little more, why not take this free short course in how to meditate.
You can also jump directly to any of the four lessons via the following links: • Meditation Instructions Part 1 - Understanding Your Mind • Meditation Instructions Part 2 - The Meditation Process • Meditation Instructions Part 3 - The Experience of Meditation • Meditation Instructions Part 4 - Finishing up and Making Progress
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