Here is an ancient short cut for you, practiced by monks the world over, it is called the “Mahamantra” or King of meditations in Sanskrit.
Mahamantra: Making a sound gives the mind something to focus on, so that it is not wandering far and wide. The sound literally drowns out all thought! The vibrations of the sound resonate in the body, with the effect of quieting down the mind. This very rapidly leads to an intense silence within. When you stop the sound, the body/mind/spirit connection as in suspended animation, and quite relaxed.
Find a location where you will not be disturbed, where you can make noise and not distract others or yourself. Sit comfortably with your back straight either using a chair or, if you wish, in the Classic Lotus position. Proceed to hum intensely by making the sound of the letter M - almost like a bumble bee. Just Mmmmmmm. Make this sound long and loud. Approach making the sound as though you are working out. Do it with intensity and focus. If your mind wanders away, bring it back to the sound. This “workout” approach keeps your attention engaged. If your mind disengages, hum louder! Drown out those thoughts with the sound!
Do the sound meditation for 10- 20 minutes, and then sit quietly with soft music playing in the background. Relax to the music.
This meditation can cut through mind noise like a knife through warm butter and render you peaceful, relaxed and in quietness in a very short time. Variations on this meditation include changing the sound to a Huuu sound. The Huu sound resonates differently and many people report that the pitch changes automatically as they do it. This attunement to the sound/energy flow, gives a feeling of oneness with all.
Martyn Williams is a record-holding extreme explorer, author and successful entrepreneur. He is a yoga teacher and practices natural and Ayurveda healing. To learn more, check out his site, Haritaki.org.