Here are 5 very effective meditation techniques (out of the millions out there!) I've picked up over time as being extremely effective in bringing me to stillness. Please feel free to share more techniques which you find effective in the comments section.
Staring is "a prolonged gaze or fixed look". Before you go to sleep, spend some time just staring at something with your eyes open. People usually like to meditate with their eyes closed, but why not try with your eyes open? When you see something happening, try not to look at it or blink, just keep staring and being present to the object you're staring at.
(2) Long, deep breathing
Want to get high and feel elated? Try this. Start by sitting in a cross-legged posture, or in a chair with a straight spine with feet flat on the ground. Then starting breathing in a full breath very slowly and filling up the lungs completely, then keep the breath in for as long as possible. Once you can't hold the breath any more, exhale slowly and keep the breath exhaled for as long as possible. One complete cycle of inhale, held in inhale, exhale and held out exhale should take around 1 - 2 minutes if done properly. On the inhale the stomach should come out a bit, and on the exhale it should go in a bit. The slower the breath the better the effects. Keeping a straight spine is extremely important too.
Note of caution: Never do this standing, whilst driving or in a public place because you will get dizzy and really high - and getting high at work is generally not a good thing and neither whilst driving ;).
If you're ever really out of place, really stressed or about to crack, take a few days off work and go to the countryside, take your shoes off and just walk, run or sleep in a field. Go to a place with lots of flowers, trees and grass. Mother nature just begins to heal us automatically when we connect to her. She is the mother we all have in common. Even if you don't have a chance to go to the countryside, spend some time in a garden or your local park, or even failing that, imagine being there in your mind - it's just as effective!
(4) Group meditation
I've personally always found individual meditation to be more effective than doing it in a group because I can concentrate better, but the effects of group meditation are always more powerful since its effect is multiplied by the number of people doing it together. The rule of synergy applies in a group: 1 + 1 = 3. Where possible, once a week, find a meditation group or get together with some friends and meditate! We all go for dinners evenings and movie nights, but why not have meditation parties and meditation nights? Ok, it doesn't sound as cool, but its much more useful and constructive and just another activity to experience something new!
When we laugh, I mean REALLY LAUGH like "HAHAHAHA HAHAHA HAH AH AHAH!!!!!" it unlocks our dormant Kundalini energy, and clears our 72,000 spiritual nerve channels (called "nadis") responsible for making us healthy and happy. Laughing and drinking some hot tea (ideally caffeine-free) along with some soothing background New Age or Classical music is just an ultimate meditation!!!
Many people are shy to dance, at least publically. But you can always do a quick dance to your favourite track in the comfort of your own home, in your own room. Ideally blast the music out loud and then just go crazy! Bust some moves, don't by shy! You'll find it's actually good exercise, releases endorphins and never fails to make you high and joyful.
To finish off, here is a nice video of a group meditation with children doing Kirtan Kriya from Kundalini Yoga. If they can do it, so can you!:
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