We’re surrounded by stimulation all day, every day. Whether it’s your children asking you what’s for dinner, your boss reminding you of a deadline, or simply your conscience nudging you to get up and exercise.
Meditation allows us to escape these outside distractions for a while and reconnect with our physical, mental, and emotional condition.
For some people, the idea of meditating might seem a little daunting. Others simply don’t know where to begin.
This guide shares how to begin meditation for beginners, using a method first developed in Korea called Brain Wave Vibration.
• How to Meditate Effectively for Beginners Using Brain Wave Vibration • 7 Tips on How to Meditate for Beginners • Learn How to Meditate for Beginners With Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi
The beauty of Brain Wave Vibration (BWV) is that it can be done in as little as 3-5 minutes a day, making it the perfect practice for beginners — especially anyone hesitant to start meditating due to time constraints.
Brain Wave Vibration helps clear your mind and return your brain to a relaxed and focused state. Developed in Korea by Ilchi Lee, founder of Body & Brain Yoga and Tai Chi, BWV has been shown to improve mood, vitality, and mindfulness.
Through the process of Brain Wave Vibration, the goal is for emotions and thoughts to subside, creating the sense of a calm and clear mind.
• Fewer negative thoughts and emotions • Feeling less stressed; • A sense of increased calm and clarity; • Feeling a cooler head and warmer body; • Feeling more awake and aware.
This kind of meditation is not complicated. Below are the five simple steps on how to meditate for beginners using the Brain Wave Vibration meditation.
Find a comfortable and preferably quiet space to sit cross-legged; sitting upright in a chair with your feet on the floor or standing is also fine if you’re more comfortable that way.
Your spine should be straight with your chin tilted slightly down for the best energetic balance and flow throughout your practice.
Using comfortable, loose fists, begin rhythmically tapping your lower core (or dahn jon, in Korean) approximately 2 inches below your navel.
Keep your eyes closed, your shoulders and jaw relaxed, and with every exhale relax your chest even more.
The purpose of Dahn Jon Tapping is to anchor and ground your energy and keep you from getting dizzy as you begin moving your head from side to side.
Once you are seated in position and comfortable, begin moving your head left and right, as if you’re shaking your head, “No.”
We suggest you close your eyes to remove any outside distractions. Focus on finding a rhythm of tapping your abdomen and shaking your head simultaneously.
Remember to breathe comfortably throughout your practice. You may want to allow your spine to sway gently from side to side, keeping your posture straight, but your body relaxed.
Using your imagination to visualize the benefit of breathing while you’re moving can also be beneficial. Try this: as you breathe, imagine your brain is gathering oxygen that is ventilating your brain as you breathe in, and releasing stress as you breathe out.
At the completion of your BWV practice, gently rub your abdomen down and to the left a couple of times while breathing into the abdomen and back out again. Relax and take notice of any sensations, such as tingling, you may feel.
If you still feel pressure or fogginess in your brain, you may want to repeat the steps above using the video below from our friends at Brain Education TV as your guide. Brain Wave Meditation is also often included in yoga classes at a Body & Brain Yoga and Tai Chi location near you.
• Develop the ability to focus on energy sensations; • Direct your awareness; and, • Bring your mind into a state of deep centeredness and peace.
The truth is, most people fail the first time they try meditation. Sitting still is difficult, and there are so many outside distractions to keep us from focusing on meditation.
This is one of the advantages of Brain Wave Vibration. Not only can you complete the practice in just a few minutes a day to start, but you’re also using your own body to get grounded and find your focus and calm.
If you have a hard time sitting still or find yourself constantly distracted, BWV is perfect for you because this meditation method is based on movement.
Brain Wave Vibration can be done sitting or standing, making it accessible to anyone who wants to try meditation.
Especially for beginners, a quiet, peaceful space will allow you to relax, slow your mind, and find your inner peace.
When you turn off the distractions, stimulation, and noise that surround you every day, you’ll be more likely to follow through with and benefit from the practice.
We’ve all heard the expression, “practice makes perfect,” right? That’s because nobody gets good at something without practicing.
However, meditation isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. The more you practice, the better you will get, and the easier it will become to slip into a meditative state.
There is no “one-size-fits-all in meditation, so you may find that a few minutes a few times a week is perfect, whereas another may prefer to meditate once a week for an hour.
Find your flow and stick to it.
Try meditating a few minutes every day to start, and slowly increase the amount of time you spend in meditation.
It can be discouraging to go "all-in" when starting something new. Start slow and find your pace.
Breathing is an essential part of meditation and is key to drawing your attention inward. As you practice Brain Wave Vibration, remember to breathe intentionally.
Imagine breathing new, fresh oxygen into your brain to wash out the negative, stressed emotions as you breathe out.
It may feel difficult or awkward at first to put so much attention into your breath, but the more you practice, the more natural it will become.
You don’t have to do this alone. If you’re the type of person who finds motivation in a group setting, why not try group meditation?
Guided meditation allows you to focus on the words of the instructor, rather than trying to remember what to do or finding your mind has wandered back to your to-do list.
It’s not always easy to start something new. Meditation can seem like an impossible task for those of us with busy minds, but Body & Brain Yoga and Tai Chi instructors are here to support you on your journey.
We have more than 20 years of experience, as well as locations across the country that can teach you how to meditate as a beginner.
With Body & Brain Yoga and Tai Chi, our goal is to help others connect their mind and body as one, and meditation is the perfect way to do this.
Through Brain Wave Vibration, you’ll learn to “check in” with yourself, reduce stress, and free your mind of negativity and distractions.
Not sure if meditation is right for you? Try a 50-minute introductory session! We’ll work with you to evaluate your current energy condition and will guide you on how to utilize our programs to your benefit.
Contact us or visit one of our many locations today.