Guided Meditation 101 - Pre-Meditation Preparation

Meditation. What is it? It is not easy to put into words exactly, but more of an experience. nnMeditation is that experience where one’s consciousness becomes engrossed and merged with the object of meditation. nnIf you are an absolute beginner and are interested in meditation, the guided meditation below is for you.nnPre-meditation PreparationnnYou will need a comfortable place to sit, and it must be absolutely quiet. If no such place exists in your home, you may try sitting in your car. nnYou must be comfortable, and you must have as little outside distractions as possible. nnWhen you have found this quiet place, sit and try to rid the body of any stress and muscular tension. nnThis is done by the following exercise. nnWhile you are doing it, someone with a calm voice should read it for you and guide you through the pre-meditation preparation.nnBeginning with the toes on your left foot, tense the muscles in those toes for a count of three, then slowly release the tension in the toes, and feel a calm return to the toe area. Do the same with the toes on the right foot.nnNext flex the muscles in the left foot for a count of three, then slowly release the tension in the foot. Feel the same relaxed feeling. Do the same with the right foot.nnNow move to the calf of the left leg. Isolate the muscles in the calf and tense them to a count of three, then slowly release the tension in the calf. Do the same with the calf of the right leg.nnMove to the thigh of the left leg, and repeat the tensing to a count of three, then slowly release the tension. Go the thigh of the right leg and do the same.nnNow tense the pelvic area to a count of three, and slowly release the tension. Feel the calmness.nMove to the small of the back. Tense it to a count of three and slowly release the tension.nnDo the same with your lower abdomen. Tense the muscles there to a count of three ,and then slowly release all the tension. nnMove on to your mid-back and lateral muscles. Tense them all to a count of three and slowly release the tension, feeling the calm return.nnGo to your chest muscles and tense them all, slowly to a count of three, then slowly release all the tension there, feeling the calm return.nnNow tense the muscles of your shoulders to a count of three, then slowly release the tension feeling a peaceful and calmness there.nnThe same is now done with your neck. Slowly to a count of three tense the neck and slowly release all the tension there.nnNow go to the left arm, and tense it up to the wrist to a count of three. Slowly release the tension then in the left arm.nnThe same now with the right arm, tensing to the wrist up to a count of three, then releasing all tension. nnNow clench the left hand, tension the whole hand to a count of three, then slowly releasing the tension. nnDo the same now with the right hand, tensing to a count of three and then releasing all tension feeling the calm.nnWe finish now with a general tension of the face muscles to a count of three, and slowly release all the tension there.nnNow sit in quiet for a moment, and we will begin the guided meditation.