An interview with leading meditation teacher Vikas Malkani

Vikas was recently interviewed for a magazine. He explained what meditation is and shared a few simple, yet profound meditation techniques as well! We are happy to share this article with you. Enjoy the read!

The Chinese New Year is around the corner. How do I prep myself for a good year ahead?

If you want to have a good year ahead with positive results, the most important element to get right is your mind-set. You start each day with your own thoughts, and end everyday with your own thoughts too. The thoughts you have create the emotional states you experience which then drive your actions and behaviours. The results you get in life are due to the actions you take. Thus it’s clear that your mind-set is the start of the results you achieve in your life.

It is no surprise that meditation is used by professionals in many fields to assure optimum performance. Hollywood Stars, Professional Athletes, Business Leaders, Investment Legends, Entrepreneurs and A-listers such as Oprah Winfrey, Ray Dalio, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Gordon Summers (Sting), Cameron Diaz, Paul McCartney, Robert Kiyosaki (Rich Dad Poor Dad), Eckhart Tolle, Anthony Robbins, Deepak Chopra and Wayne Dyer, are all people who meditate.

In my recent meeting with Hollywood Stars John Travolta and Mark Wahlberg, I was happy to hear that both of them give a high priority to wisdom and meditate on a daily basis.

The lesson is clear - Create a positive mind-set, and you have primed yourself to have a great year ahead.

What is mindfulness and meditation? How do I practise it? Are they the same?

Meditation is an ancient science of understanding our mind and training it to be our friend, not our enemy. Doing this is necessary if we value our happiness, peace, clarity, compassion and the many other positive emotional states of life, because our thoughts create our emotional states. We can choose our own emotions only if we can choose our own thoughts and that’s what meditation trains us to do.

You can also think of meditation as a way of training the mind, just as you would use various exercises to train the body.

Mindfulness is just a subset of the science of meditation. It started in the US about 50 years ago, and includes a few of the techniques that are taught in meditation and also some of its wisdom concepts.

How do I incorporate mindfulness and meditation into my daily life?

It’s necessary to start your meditation training with the right understanding. Think of meditation as getting more mentally fit and in balance; more in control of your emotions and personal peace.

Here are 2 easy ways to incorporate meditation and mindfulness into your daily life.

Beginners Meditation 1

One of the easiest ways to begin meditating is by focusing on the breath, which is a great way to improve focus and concentration. By focusing on a single thing, like the action of following the breath, repeating a single word (mantra) or staring at a specific object (a painting, a tree or a candle flame), a beginner can start to meditate.
Focus your attention on the chosen object, and each time you notice your mind wandering off, simply bring your attention back to the object of your focus. Start with only a few minutes at a time and slowly increase the duration.

Beginners Meditation 2

Another easy way for beginners is by practicing Mindfulness Meditation, which involves observing your thoughts with attention but without judgement or engagement. The intention is not to get involved with the thoughts that crop by in your mind, or to judge them, but simply to be aware of each thought as it arises. You may begin to realise you have a tendency to quickly judge an experience, thought, or person as good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant. You may also notice that your thoughts and feelings move in particular patterns. With practice, an inner stillness and balance begins to develop, and the mind quietens down from its erratic, active and agitated way of being.

There are many other techniques of meditation, but the 2 that I have described above are sufficient to get you started.

I also highly recommend you to find a good teacher, someone you resonate with and who can explain the intricacies of meditation to you in a logical and scientific manner.

Learn from such a teacher and you will soon begin to experience the powerful and positive effects meditation can have in your life.

What sort of good practices would you recommend for my daily life?

A few simple habits will also support your happiness, peace of mind, focus and mental clarity:

1) Limit your time on social media, and checking into other people’s lives
2) Set yourself 5 important things to accomplish, at the start of the day
3) Set aside enough time for those important to you (partner, kids, family etc.)
4) Spend some time daily reading inspirational material; it is nourishment to your soul
5) Take time out to meditate everyday (or a few times a day). 5 minutes at a time, 3 times a day is ideal to start with.
6) Don’t hang out with negative people, they are toxic to your happiness and success
7) Eat food that is nourishing and healthy

Any other tips or advise to share?

Come to SoulCentre (www.soulcentre.org) and let me teach you the secrets of meditation. It’s the fastest and most efficient way to maximize your happiness and success!

Vikas Malkani has been called the World’s #1 Wisdom Coach. He is an authority and best-selling author on wisdom to create a life of happiness, success, significance and legacy. He is also one of the world’s leading teachers of meditation and mindfulness.

Attend ‘Meditation Made Simple’ with Vikas and empower yourself to create a life of happiness, peace and fulfilment. Click here to register on Meditation Made Simple
http://www.soulcentre.org/events