Meditation is the most important exercise to calm the mind. A calm mind can lead a healthy, happy and successful life. It can cure diseases and speed up the healing process. We describe the general technique called prana-dharana below. In Sanskrit, prana stands for the breath we take. It is the earliest work of life, from birth to death. But we are usually not aware of the breath until it catches our attention. Dharana means it's awareness.Prana-dharana means applying the mind to the flow of air while breathing. The procedure is as described below:
Sit in a suitable posture for meditation. Common postures are Siddhasana, Padmasana and Swastikasana. But if you can't do that, just sit cross-legged. Your back should be straight and eyes closed. Your knees should keep well on the ground. Do not back your shoulders. The whole body should be relaxed and the whole frame should be stable without any tension or pressure on the thighs, legs, knees, spine or neck. There should be no stretching along the tension along the abdominal wall.The abdominal wall is very comfortable with each breath and gently sway back and forth. The facial muscles should be relaxed and the mouth should be closed with a small gap between the two mouths so that the upper and lower teeth do not put pressure on each other. The back of the teeth above your tongue should touch the palate with a touch. Make sure the lips, tongue or lower jaw do not move. Your eyelids and eyelids should be stable and the forehead muscles should be relaxed.
Your entire posture should be comfortable, steady and relaxed. No part of your body should feel strained. Now start developing breathing awareness. The air flow should be uniform, slow and smooth. Do not make any effort or exercise any control. Never hold your breath. Do not utter a word or look at an image. It will calm your mind and help you achieve peace.