Learning To Meditate

Robert Fettgather has a bachelor's degree in psychology from San Jose State University, as well as a master's degree in education and a Ph.D. in psychology. With an interest in psychology, spirituality and religion, Robert Fettgather practices meditation and is co-founder of the Tashi Lhunpo Sangha in Palo Alto, California.

Meditation can help practitioners unwind from the stress of their daily lives. Anyone can use spiritual meditation at home or in a house of worship. Various forms of meditation exist across a wide variety of religious and secular traditions. Certain types of prayer are also recognized as a form of meditation.

Focused attention meditation may be the easiest form for beginners. It entails focusing on a particular thing, sound, or sensation. A common stimulus is breath awareness, in which practitioners gently dismiss all other thoughts and focus on their breathing. Primordial Sound Meditation (PSM) or mantra-based meditation uses a mantra unique to each practitioner. Individuals silently repeat the mantra, which helps them focus. Transcendental meditation is also a mantra-based meditation. It uses mantras to promote inner calmness, creativity, energy, mind clarity, and happiness.

There are many resources available to help learn to meditate including popular Apps and guided meditation presentations on YouTube. Perhaps the best path is to work with an established meditation teacher.