By: Don Tipon Date: Feb 17, 2018 Reading Time: 9 minutes Category: THINKING | Tags: MEDITATION Table of Contents (or click TOC in the top menu)
Is your stressful job filling your head with fear, anger, and hopelessness?
Are you worried about making enough money, paying the bills or a stock market collapse?
And how about your persistent conflicts with your co-workers, family, and friends?
These crippling mind problems are serious, and if you don’t find a fix, your physical and mental health will suffer, not to mention your ability to perform your best in your tough situations.
Well, the following quick, easy and powerful techniques will help eliminate negative emotions and thoughts.
These techniques are a combination of scientifically verified methods and Buddhism meditation practices.
These mind hacks are instructions on how to relax and change your mental state instantly. Meditation beginners and experienced people will benefit from these methods.
#1 How to calm your mind instantly
Has anyone ever told you to take a few deep breaths when having a panic attack or experiencing some extreme emotion?
Well, it really works, and recent scientific research has determined why.
Scientists have discovered special neurons in the brain which sense a person’s breathing pattern and then send messages to the arousal center of the brain to change the person’s mental state. Slow, deep breathing will automatically cause a person to relax while shallow, quick breathing can increase anxiety. So these brain cells will change your mental state according to your breathing pattern.
These brain cells can also sense the person’s mental state and change the breathing pattern to fit the mental state, creating a two-way connection between your breathing rate and your mental state. So you can be aware of your mental state by analyzing your breathing.
Instantly changing from an emotional state to a calm and relaxed state by breathing slowly and deeply will help you handle stress.
And the next suggestion will make this slow, deep breathing technique more powerful.
#2 How to enhance your mind-calming breathing technique
We can improve the power of slow, deep breathing by learning meditation techniques from ancient Buddhist monks. They suggest you put all your attention on the sensations of breathing in and out when meditating.
By focusing all your attention on your breath, your mind cannot think about the past, future or even problems in the present.
Your mind will only be aware of the incoming, flowing sensations of breathing.
It’s like an instant vacation, a disconnect from all worries. No past, no future, not even concerns about the present.
This instant mental reset is a powerful tool for you to improve your health and well being.
You can read many scientific studies that prove meditation reduces stress and anxiety at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This article also provides scientific information, 20 Scientific Reasons to Start Meditating Today.
But if you’re a beginner, you may need the following suggestions to improve your focus.
#3 How to increase your focus
The quickest way to learn how to focus your mind on your breath is to use the advice of Buddhist monks about how to meditate. They suggest you study every subtle sensation of your body as you slowly breathe in and breathe out.
When you breathe in you may notice how the air feels flowing through your nostrils. You may feel the cooling sensations in your nasal cavity from the passing air. Or your expanding lungs and chest. Notice any sensations in the entire body as the oxygen flows everywhere including how your brain feels.
Also, notice any emotional changes. The incoming oxygen might make you feel more energetic, aware and happy.
On your exhale, you can feel the air flowing out, the chest moving down, and the diaphragm muscles relaxing. This is a good time to notice any tense muscles and to relax them, which also helps relax the mind.
Your exhale can be through your mouth or nose, whichever you prefer.
If you have unpleasant sensations or emotions, that’s OK. Just be aware of them, don’t add to the discomfort by struggling to force them out of your mind.
To minimize any worldly problems that enter your mind, vowing to work on these after you finish your meditation and gently return your attention to your breath.
Conscious control of your breath and your attention are powerful tools for changing your physical and mental states so you can perform your best.
But how long does this mental state switch take? The next sections will help you get instant results.
#4 The instant meditation everyone can do
Most people have the wrong idea about meditation. They believe that meditation requires enormous sacrifices and suffering for years. And even then, only a few exceptional people achieve important benefits.
What you may not know is that for centuries, Tibetan Buddhist monks have recommended meditation in “Short moments, many times,” according to Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Also, Eckhart Tolle said, “One conscious breath in and out is a meditation.”
Yes, that is right, one breath cycle is meditation.
If you are busy, one breath meditation is all you can do. But you can do it anywhere, anytime and as many times a day as you like.
Single breath meditations can allow you to change your mental state several times a day and keep your entire day balanced, productive and enjoyable.
Tibetan monks say that short moments many times can be more helpful than one single meditation session for a long period.
The next technique will help motivate you to do these short moments many times.
#5 Make wins not losses
Whenever you want to create new positive habits, you must always discover and associate good feelings with your new desired behavior.
For one breath meditation, there are several immediate and good experiences.
You can immediately be calm and peaceful.
You can enjoy the energizing yet relaxing feelings in your body.
You can be proud of achieving each one breath meditation.
You can appreciate each moment of peacefulness like a valuable gift you now own.
You can look forward to the positive state of mind it creates and your higher performance.
You can appreciate that these benefits take so little time from your busy day.
Don’t make losses. Don’t compare your meditation to that of famous monks. Don’t have grandiose and unreasonable expectations of meditation results. Don’t think that you failed if your meditation is not perfect. Such thoughts will associate negative feelings with your meditation. Focus on your positive improvements.
When you associate only your wins and improvements with your meditation, then you will look forward to meditating again, and meditation will be easy.
But, there are still more benefits.
#6 How to instantly switch to your best state of mind
Life is tough. You are often under pressure to perform, and only your best will handle problems.
The stress and anxiety of these moments do not prove you or your meditation are failures. Stress and emotions may be necessary to engage all your mind-body energy to handle a crisis.
Like a fire-fighter in a burning building, you need the adrenaline and fear to get the job done. But when the job is done, you need to switch to a calm, relaxed state quickly to enjoy family and friends.
With one breath meditation, you can quickly reset your mind. Then you can calmly choose the most suitable state of mind for your next response.
One breath meditation for instantly switching states may take practice and the next technique will help.
#7 How to meditate like a monk
What allows a Buddhist monk to focus? He doesn’t think about how long he meditates or how many breaths he takes. Whether the monk takes one meditation breath or a thousand, each breath is independent of the past, future, and present.
To help you meditate like a monk, imagine each breath creates an infinite, eternal universe where absolutely nothing else exists but you, your awareness and your attention on your breath. Each breath will create a new and different universe. So, whether you take one breath or a thousand, each breath is a unique and individual event. You can revisit and enjoy any universe you created.
If you think about how many breaths you take, or how long you meditate, your mind may think about how difficult it is or about important things you need to do.
Focusing on one breath at a time eliminates thinking about all past and future breaths. Then each breath is as easy as the first.
And each breath can create an aha moment as explained next.
#8 Aha moments from one breath meditation
From the stories that you have heard about the ancient Buddhist monks, you may believe you will not have an aha moment unless you meditate for decades. Also, only special people are blessed with revelations.
Well, I want you to know, that it is not true.
I will give you one valuable example. But before you read the following explanation, repeat the one breath meditation until you are completely focused on your breath.
OK, so now you have completed a one breath meditation. Let me ask you, did you hear your inner voice talking to you? You know, that voice you hear in your mind speaking to you as if it was one of your parents.
If you focused on your sensations, your inner voice was quiet. Think about that. If you exist and are functioning without your inner voice, then what is the inner voice and what is it to you? Obviously, you can exist independent of the inner voice.
You can have many more revelations that change your viewpoint, launching unending explorations into your mind and how to improve it.
Instantly reduce stress and anxiety
I have shown you how you can instantly relax your body and calm your mind.
How you can change your mental state fast.
How you can instantly increase your awareness and focus.
How you can quickly put your attention on the present and drop regrets, anger, and fears about the past, present or future.
How you can calm your mind and relax your body in an instant even when you have waiting problems.
How you can improve your meditation practice significantly.
How you can make these new techniques your daily habit even if you are very busy.
I have also shown you how you can have ah-ha moments even with one breath meditation.
All these meditation techniques improve your mental abilities, performance, attitude, and your viewpoint of everything you experience.
These are powerful techniques, and if you apply them, you will instantly improve your life.