Meditation

How to sit.

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Read this through a few times before sitting down to practice.

Take a deep breath and sit with a straight back. Slightly tuck the chin in towards the chest and roll the shoulders back making sure that you do not overextend the back when you roll the shoulders and open the chest. The belly is relaxed and soft. Now to add dimension to this meditation pose press down with your buttocks into the seat and pull up at the same time with your spine (having your eyes closed here really helps). This will stretch the spine creating space in between the ribs, vertebrae and the internal organs. Now imagine there are tennis balls under your armpits – the arms will move away from the body, again creating more space. You may place your hands on your knees or in your lap. Keep these body pointers in mind as you begin to breath in to your body getting ready to meditate. The practice of aligning your body will greatly enhance your experience of meditation.

I am meditating.

This is a simple meditation to practice. It directs the mind towards the essence of meditation. Even if you have never meditated before, try this and see what happens. Simply, in your daily life, whether you are working or walking, cooking or talking, just say, "I am meditating". You can say it inwardly or out loud. Practice this as much as you can. At first, you will just become aware of what you have said, then the mind, followed by your body will begin to move towards that sensation or association or experience of meditation. Repeat the words as many times as you are inspired to, and feel the difference you have achieved by directing your awareness.

Meditation of observation

Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and exhale out softly. Do this a couple of times. Now allow yourself to sit there and observe your thoughts and feelings. Let these sensations move through your consciousness. What do you "see, hear, know or feel" ? Allow these qualities to arise and dissolve in their own pattern. I would recommend doing this for a few minutes and then begin to breathe consciously until you feel peaceful. As you practice this meditation you will begin to notice that your being actually prefers silence and a quality of equilibrium over sensations.

Breathing as meditation

Our bodies come equipped with all the essential tools we need to lead balanced and healthy lives. When we think of breathing, we tend to think of the automatic processes that go on - we are barely aware of all that happens. Yet, within that exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, inhalation and exhalation, lie the pathways to peace and illumination.

Try this simple breathing exercise:
Take a deep breath into your body (see how deeply you can breathe comfortably) and exhale. Do this a few more times to become acquainted with your own breathing pattern. When you feel comfortable, take a deep breath and close your eyes. Continue with your deep breathing, in and out. Listen to your body and observe the sensations that are going on. Whatever happens, remember to continue with your breathing. Try this exercise for a few minutes to get the excellent, rejuvenating benefits.

Some of you may think that you will have to sit for hours to achieve a "state of meditation", but that is not the case. You can actually start by practicing for 30 seconds if you want. The important thing is to remind your mind how refreshing and easy meditation can be. Meditation does not have to be a chore or a formality. Also, know that you can vary the amount of time that you meditate. Some days you may feel like sitting down for half an hour. Other days, you may want to meditate for just a few minutes. Create your own meditation style.

Sighing

This is a very simple and effective technique for beginners or long time meditators. In fact, our bodies perform this technique naturally…

Take a deep breath and let out a deep sigh. Let your body release the tension through the exhalation, without feeling any embarrassment or self-consciousness. If you are feeling shy or resistant, you can start off by inhaling deeply through your nose and exhaling through the nose fully. Do this several times until you feel a shift in your body and mind. The shift can be experienced as a sense of stillness and peace, or the calming of the chattering mind.

When you are ready, sigh audibly - it really does make a difference to the whole body. Sighing allows the lungs to fill up, open the chest and make more room for your heart. As you breathe more deeply you also bring in more life-affirming oxygen into your blood and thus decrease the 'squeezing' that lack of oxygen creates. There are so many benefits to this. See how your body responds and consciously note what other benefits you experience.

Walking

This is a very useful technique because of its simplicity and applicability in our daily lives. When you are walking next time take a moment to connect to your breath and allow yourself to continue practicing conscious breathing as you move. Direct your breathing to fill up your whole body, keeping your eyes open and aware of the sensations arising in you. Keep breathing. It is a delicious way to nourish your body with oxygen and also give your mind a breather!

For those who experience difficulty in walking or need assistance you can still practice this meditation. Simply practice conscious breathing as you move from one place to another. The idea here is to introduce conscious breathing into an every day activity and allow that activity to be beneficial on many levels.

Silence

A little more daring is what we are going to be! If you have been doing a bit of meditation here and there and still feel as if you have not really experienced its essence then try this exercise. Before we begin, however, I want to point out that meditation is not just one kind of experience. It is very different for each practitioner and each experience can be completely different. Sometimes meditation can create a sense of peace and wellness while at other times it may make you feel energized and filled with love. Keep that in mind in your inner adventures of meditation.

Ok now back to the exercise. Pick a day in advance for this exercise where you are not going to be needed on the phone or have appointments to keep. On the chosen day begin to create an environment of silence. Turn off the TV, music, noise making appliances(eg computers, phones, beepers, washing machines etc.) Next create an ambience of silence - light candles, clear away clutter, make a comfortable place to spend your time in silence.

When planning this day decide whether you would like to spend a whole day in silence or half a day. Commit to it. If you live with others let them know in advance what you intend to do so that they can either leave for the day/afternoon or respect your silence. You will not speak to anyone in your time of silence or look anyone in the eyes. You cannot read books or write journals in this time. You cannot sleep or exercise. In terms of feeding yourself have something prepared so that you are not distracted by that activity. Your attention is inward.

I have done this practice over the years and each time I have found it to be illuminating and deeply cleansing. My mind is not always silent during the allotted time but somehow afterwards I feel freer and have a sense of accomplishment. Have fun!