1,find a quite place
2,put on some quiet music
3,write down somethings that are on your mind
4, do at least for 30 minutes
Or I meditating when I'm in the right mood.
This might sound on a bit deeper level.
To begin with, and in simple words, Meditation = Concentration / Attention
As you know that we have to be Attentive and Concentrated while performing various tasks of the day or thinking about various things, this means that we have to/will be Meditative also for all these things, or vice versa.
What I mean to say is, try doing every little thing in your daily routine with Meditation, or in simpler words, with Concentration /Attention.
Let's understand this with a simple example of Brushing your teeth.
Since, the data about 'how to brush my teeth' is already stored in our mind, our mind doesn't have to think about it anymore while doing it. Ok?
So what does our mind do then while brushing?
It either thinks of the past or the future. Right?
But, where do we live? We live in the present!
But we have put our minds on Autopilot mode for our present day tasks and are living in past or future!
That's how things are going wrong.
So, we can say that Meditation = Mindfulness = Attention/Concentration = LIVING THE PRESENT.
But yes meditation is also sitting in a quite place, closing your eyes and going void. And that's what your question was about.
But the reason I brought up about the Real meditation was to make you understand why you are not able to 'concentrate' while meditating ; remember the body's Autopilot mode, and your thoughts jumping from past to present?
So, the solution.
Mind sound like very cliche, but it is what it is.
Let's begin with the starting of your day.
When you wake up, there are two choices :
1. Thinking about the things from yesterday and the plans for today.
2. Realising that you are awake, not dead! You are breathing, you have a fine body, it's not the end of the world, it's not the end of You!
You should choose option 2 and Smile.
Easier said than done, I know.
But hey, we have to get started from somewhere or somehow!
Then while brushing :
1. You know what it is.
2. Look at the tooth brush. See how the bristles are. Are they hard or soft? Look at the toothpaste. What is the color? Does it also have some colored particles also? Feel the work of your brush and the paste inside your mouth. Run your imagination how these two will be working inside.
Choose option 2. and enjoy!
Then while eating :
1. Thinking about schedules for the day, meetings or whatever.
2. Looking at your food. Seeing it! How many greens, reds or yellows or any other colors are there? Is it salty? Is it sweet? Is it sour? How does the bite feels inside your mouth? Where is going from there? Etc.
Choose option 2. and be thankful for the food you are having or you can also thank the person who prepared the food for you.
Let's leave the options now, I think you now understand what I'm trying to say.
While working out, feel the movements working on different muscles of your body.
While sleeping, let go of your whole body as of you are dead, and try to sleep, I mean think only about sleep.
You might wonder, how this all is going to help with Concentration while meditating.
Gradually your mind will learn that you whole attention and concentration is required only for the task at hand, not for future or past thoughts. And so when you'll sit for meditation, your brain will automatically say "Okay sir, I'm shutting world down in 3, 2,1, 0", and you'll be in your desired state of meditation.
Or you know what, you may not even need the sitting practice or mediation! Shhhhh!
Now there's one more question.
So does it mean forget everything about the past and furure?
Well, the answer is obviously No.
And this is also not possible for a norma human.
So the thing is that while you're doing your present day tasks, you'll have to retrieve some information or experiences from the past or make plans about near future. That's it. That's all your past and future has to do in your present.
But of course there are times when you want to go down that memory lane, those good or bad days, and dive into the ocean of future possibilities or actions. And that's totally fine! Just do it this way. Assign a specific time of the day or the week to do this. Because you know, we need concentration in everything we do in the present! Since this is also going to be a part of our present, do it that way. But once the task is done, leave it there, OK?
And since we are humans and we live a life full of ups and downs, it's totally fine to get off track many a times. But, that's also fine.
Suppose you are feeling low today. It's ok. Don't push it too much. If the low energy is still there, then just accept it. But when you wake up the next day, don't thing about how low you were feeling yesterday, ok? We don't do that. We live in and think of the present. Of course if today also you are feeling the same, that's another thing and that's fine. But don't carry your low energy to your present day just because you were feeling low yesterday and now you are thinking about it and so you are in low energy today also. Got it?
Well, I hope this humongous answer would've helped you to understand mediation from a different perspective and will help you achieve what you want to.
Again, IT'S EASIER SAID THAN DONE!
I'm also just a beginner.
But I was able to answer because Ive understood this and also that it truly works.
But I'm at first step of the change right now.
And I hope you'll be there also.
Remember one thing, NO ONE ELSE WILL BE TAKING YOU THROUGH THE STAIRS OF THIS CHANGE, YOU YOURSELF HAVE TO MOVE, because it's about you, not about anyone else,it's your journey.
So take your time, go with your own pace, you don't have to do everything in just one day. Don't get too hard on yourself. Build these habits slowly,maybe just one for a whole week and then adding another one and then another one for the next week. You'll not even realise when and how you got to the first or third or whatever step of these stairs of Change.
Take it easy.
Live your present.
If your mind wanders that’s ok. Just bring yourself back to focus, back to centre. Our minds wander it is perfectly normal. Acknowledge and refocus
I have a big window in my sun room, so I bought an old couch cushion to put infront of the window to sit on. Turn off all devices that might intrude on your time of meditation, open the window and take a moment to listen to the wind, the birds, the white sounds, focus on those sounds and just breathe. Allow all thoughts to leave your mind.
Btw its still ok u accept those distractions and tell them to wait for u in the mind box, after it u can go for them and open the box and think again
I mean in the starting few days Or maybe weeks you will loose focus alot and you just need to relax and enjoy it, maybe start with short meditation and try guided meditation (it helps alot) and do it before sleeping or in the morning after you wake up(they are the best timings).
First of all you need to understand what you would like to achieve with meditation. relaxation, serenity and peace? You don’t need to concentrate on following the voice that guides you neither follow meditations where they make you imagine or take a long journey, the goal is to breathe, follow your breath, make it deeper and "heavier" making it reach every cell of your body, nourishing your body and spirit with energy, oxygen and light for as long as you deem it necessary.
You can use a simply piano melody when you do it.
If your goal is to free yourself from thoughts and worries you can try any meditation you like, but I suggest you start with some short ones to get used to following the directions and whenever you feel overwhelmed or distracted bring your attention back to how you are breathing or feeling how far your breath enters or leaves you. Let thoughts be passing clouds that flow without stopping to obscure the sun.
In the end, take small steps but never stop, start doing more short meditations throughout the day, even just for a few minutes. When you feel ready you can start increasing the time and reducing the number of sessions until you get to carry out meditations of 20/30 minutes … It takes patience and commitment, I'm sure you will reach your goal!