NAMASTE
I honour the place in you in which the entire universe dwells.
I honour the place in you which is of love, of truth, of light and peace.
When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are one.
What is Meditation
It always amazes me that so many people I talk to say they have not meditated before. Meditation is simply the desire to be alone, finding a quiet place within, and remaining there in silence. From this place of silence I can observe the workings of nature. Yet I cannot hear the sound of silence till I stop talking. The techniques of meditation help stop this chatter of the mind.
Benefits of Meditation
Meditation is one of the most natural yet beneficial human activities. Regular practice brings amazing results.
The benefits have been known to man for thousands of years. Yogis and initiates to ancient priesthood could survive being shut in boxes and initiation chambers through practice as breath and brain waves slow blood pressure and heart rate decrease and detoxification and circulation of blood increase. Blood chemistry changes for example lactic acid falls and skin resistance rises - all the measurements of stress Therefore it will reduce stress, as well as strengthen the immune system and help the bodies’ natural healing process.
EEG studies have shown that during meditation the brain will soon go into a continuous state of Alpha then Theta Waves - associated with drowsiness and sleep. That state is known as "restful alertness" and within meditation one stays there, accessing dream-like images. Initially the right and left sides of the brain align themselves and then the back and front of the brain.
Regular practice of meditation not only helps in proactive health, personal development, healing work, and spiritual life but will bring that comfort of knowing you are a child of nature, secure, permanent and loved.
Guidelines for Meditation
As with relaxation:
Step one - find the time and space, somewhere comfortable where you will not be disturbed. With meditation be as fully awake as possible.
Step two – find a comfortable position. My yoga guru taught me the 5 Points Posture: 2 in the shoulders; 2 in the lower back and 1 in the back of the head. First get a comfortable seated position (the problem with lying down is the temptation to fall asleep). For beginners sitting in an upright chair is by far the best with the waist, chest, neck and head held in a straight line, the body being supported by the diaphragm if you can, with the back but not the neck supported. If you are experienced, prefer to and feel easily able to, sit on the floor and form a triangle with your lower body. You can do that either Burmese style which is simply kneeling with your feet together and knees apart so that your bum is on your heels; or for the virtuosos amongst us, in half Lotus with the cross at the lower leg or upper leg. This means of course that one leg has to travel much further than the other and can lead to a tiny twist in the spine and problems later on, so change which leg every time. The key is to find a position where you’ll be comfortable for the whole duration. So I would suggest to the yogis and yoginis amongst you that it’s best to work on opening up for lotus some other time, say while watching the TV - away from your practice and just concentrate on being comfy for now.
So then if you position yourself against a wall you’ll get a sense of what that the 5 points are for you. In other words if the 2 points on the shoulder blades; on the lower back at the top of your pelvis and 1 in the back of the head is touching the wall behind you, your spine will be in the correct position. You may wish to pull the point between your upper lip and tip of your nose back a tad so you feel your neck gently lengthening. Then remember how that is for you and do it when you sit for practice.
Close the eyes so that the attention goes inwards.
Step three – regulate the breath. Relax, take a couple of deep breaths, let go of any trying in your body, do whatever it is you do to find that space within yourself.
Step four - silence thought. One cannot force the mind to be still. If your mind drifts to some thoughts observe them but don't get involved. Just observe. This means don't judge the thoughts as good, bad or interesting. Don't force the thoughts in or out. After some time your attention will drift back to the focus of your meditation. According to Eastern philosophy the obstructions to perfection are because of agitation within the mind. By controlling the activities of the mind and by keeping it calm, we are able to control our inner nature.
Other tips:
* Meditate before eating
* Avoid caffeinated drinks beforehand
* Meditate regularly
* If you are an exerciser do it after mediation, if not do some movement anyway
* and practice, practice, practice!!!!
But listen why not treat yourself to my MP3 “An Introduction to Meditation” then simply lock the door, switch the phone off, and take note of how you feel before, so you can compare it to how you feel after, I’ll guide you through the rest.
Zen master says 30 seconds is enough to begin!
Process of Meditation
The mind is just a thought-generating machine, the body is just a chemical factory. We are the ones whom control the machine and the factory. So how do we get beyond the thoughts - by going through the spaces between the thoughts. We dive through the spaces between the thoughts to access the next impulse that comes out as a thought - we dive through again and so on.
All methods of meditation are designed to allow us to slip into the silent spaces between the thoughts. We do this by putting our attention on some object that doesn't carry any meaning. We can interrupt the eternal cycle of thought by concentrating on an object that allows us to temporarily disconnect the meaning which keeps us in that association or train of thought.
Methods of Meditation
Concentrative Techniques
Are techniques where one chooses an object of meditation, for example a mantra, observing or counting the breath, an image, say, a candle-flame. More examples:
Breath Counting Meditation
Focus totally on your own breathing, concentrating on the inhalation and exhalation. With each exhalation start counting, count up to 5 and repeat.
Breath Awareness Meditation
Close your eyes and request that you want to be present and observing nature. Take your attention to your breathing. Simply observe your inhalations and exhalations. Remain aware of your breathing without trying to alter it in any way. It may vary in speed, rhythm and depth, or even stop. Without resisting, calmly observe. Relinquish any expectations, treat them as any other thought.
A Mantra
Is simply a word or sound that you repeat over and over.
Flame Meditation
Place a candle 12-18 inches from the face, take a deep breath and centre yourself. Imagine yourself surrounded by the light. Gaze with a minimum of blinking. Imagine the flame is like a vacuum cleaner sucking all negative thoughts from your energy field into the flame and up into the ethers. Continue for 1-3 minutes until you feel a sense of release.
Contemplative techniques
Aim to provide a means of gaining first hand knowledge of the way things are without reliance on theories or opinions. This gives a sense of deep understanding that comes from knowing something for oneself without any doubt. Contemplative techniques build on concentrative techniques. Once the mind is calm the object of concentration is put to one side and the flow of mental images and sensations are observed as they arise. This is the method used in Buddhism and takes more practice. Remember thinking is just a subtle form of hearing.
for more on breathing techniques:
The Power Breath For High Blood Pressure, Cancer, Heart Disease
Keep Breathing
