Today on the blog, we are excited to share a video from Yogi Cameron, one of the most celebrated Ayurvedic and Yogic practitioners in the world. Enjoy :-)

How is meditation different from relaxation?
 

And, more-so, how is meditation different from thinking, contemplation, or even hypnosis? Well, the truth is, meditation doesn’t involve just sitting there with the intention to shut down your mind. In order to actually reap the benefits of meditation, there are steps you can take before hand that will help you get in to the right state of mind.

This could be yoga breathing, pranayama,  or various concentration practices. Once we’ve prepared ourselves, we can experience real, deep meditation. Think about it like this - before you build your house, you need to lay down a solid foundation. This foundation translates into the preparation required before you jump straight into mediation. 

I personally do mantras, some breathing exercises, and even yoga postures that help me open up my body to become focused and ready to begin meditating. One tip I have for you is to pick one single thing to focus on so your mind doesn’t get cluttered with thoughts, ideas and emotions. It could be something physical your mind focuses on, like a chair or a candle. Or it could be something on your body like your third eye that resides between your eyebrows. Or perhaps it’s something spiritual like one of your seven Chakras. 

The Heart Chakra, for example, is the spiritual location where past experiences and negative tribulations cannot harm us. The Heart Chakra is associated with the color green, which stands for transformation, love, and positive energy. Focusing on this specific Chakra can put you in the right state of mind to begin a powerful meditation.

As a result of the preparation I have discussed above, you eventually fall into meditation without having to actively try and shut your mind off. Give it a shot for yourself and share in the comments below or any other tips you may use in your meditation practices!