The New Way Of Leading Life

1. Prepare your body for meditation

Your physical condition has a tremendous influence on your mind. This is true for your day to day activity, but even more so when

it comes to meditation. You can prepare your body for meditation by eating the right food, and by coming to meditation with an

empty stomach. Eating the right food, means food which strengthens the body but doesn't have any adverse affect on the mind. If you

consume products that make the mind dull or over-stimulated then it will be much harder to meditate. And whatever your diet is,

when you sit down to meditate, it should be on an empty stomach. That is why one of the best times to meditate is in the morning,

before you have had your breakfast. Another good time is in the evening, before the evening meal.

2. Prepare Your Mind for Meditation

Just as your body must be prepared, so must your mind. Before you start meditation you must convince yourself, that this period of

meditation is your time for personal growth, and that it is important, as important as anything else in your life. When you close

your eyes to meditate, you should not jump up to answer the phone, or get ready to leave your meditation due to some slight

disturbance. If you convince yourself of the importance of meditation, then your example will also convince others around you and

they won't disturb you during meditation. So, remember your periods of meditation are

one of the most important parts of your daily routine, and treat them as such.

3. Sing Before Meditation

The Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore once said, "God respects me when I work, but He loves me when I sing. " That explains the place

ofsong and music in all the great spiritual traditions. Before you begin meditation you can sing spiritual songs, whose meaning

elevates your mind. It doesn't matter if you have "good" voice or a "bad" voice, sing from the heart, and your mind will go to a

point that will be the ideal starting point for your meditation.

4. Sit in a Proper Position

Remember when you were in school and the teacher looked around and saw someone slumping in his or her seat, and she said "sit up

straight!" She had a good point; when the back is straight the mind is alert. Sit in a position that will keep the back straight.

Sit with cross legs in a simple position, or a half-lotus or a full lotus. In addition to making the mind more alert, these

positions help you to rest the various motor organs, and provide a peaceful physical base for your meditation.

In the beginning these positions may seem difficult or uncomfortable, but if you can get used to them, they will help you to deepen

your meditation.

5. Follow the Meditation Instructions Exactly

Remember carefully what your meditation instructor taught you and do your best to carry it out, exactly according to the

instructions. Don't experiment and make up your own method. The various systems of meditation are based on thousands of years of

experience, so bilieve in yourself and meditate find yorself