Meditation and Buddhism classes
The best way to get started in meditation is to try it out with the guidance of an experienced meditation teacher - so find a class in your area and go along. FWBO Centres offer introductory meditation classes. Alternatively, Wildmind Buddhist Meditation offers courses that you can take on-line, or you could use an introductory meditation video.
If you can get to us, come along to an Open Session or an Open Day at the Ipswich Buddhist Centre, where you will receive personal attention to get you started.
If you decide (perhaps after coming to the Open Sessions for a while) that this is something you want to pursue more thoroughly, the next step is to attend one of our Meditation and Buddhism courses.
At some point you may want to start practising at home, and this is highly recommended. It's a good idea to set up a special space for this, perhaps with a candle and flowers (these have a calming effect). You will also need to take steps to prevent yourself from being disturbed - it can be very jarring when in a concentrated state to be disturbed by the doorbell or telephone! This could well require some sensitive negotiations with one's nearest and dearest. Also, it's most helpful to meditate at the same time or same point in the day, thus setting up a positive habit.
You may also find it helpful to get a book on meditation, to fill in some of the background and be a reference. However, there are a couple of cautions here:
