How to Meditate

For centuries meditation has provided the pathway to enlightenment for many of the most advanced souls ever to visit this earth plane. Meditation may take many forms not everyone will wish, or be able, to sit in the lotus position chanting a mantra for hours on end. However, it should not be beyond any of us to devote a few minutes each day to simply block out external distractions and to focus our attention inwardly.

What is Meditation?

There are many forms of meditation but all share the goal of promoting an altered state of consciousness in which our attention is temporarily removed from the external world. Meditation is associated with relaxation, and meditation usually begins with a period of relaxation. However, meditation goes further than mere relaxation, it requires some kind of conscious and active mind control.

Why Meditate

Many of us try to take care of our physical bodies by eating healthily and taking regular exercise. But we often fail to pay the same attention to that (at least) equally important part of ourselves, ie our inner, or mental, world.

Perhaps we feel stressed, or mentally washed out, but feel the demands of daily life leave little or no time for introspection. Mental distress can easily cause physical illness. But the much-neglected inner world can become a powerful ally if shown just a little tender loving care. We've all heard the expressions "healthy mind, healthy body" and "mind over matter". Meditation can help promote these.

Meditation creates a private space or time in which we can step back from the physical realm and re-connect with our true, inner self.

In addition to promoting inner peace meditation can also unlock the door to our subconscious, the seat of our intuition and source of much creativity and inspiration. By temporarily distancing ourselves from the constant distractions of daily life we allow ourselves to become more aware of our Spiritual essence. This awareness, if we wish to make it so, is the seed of psychic ability and mediumship.

Meditation Techniques

There are numerous meditation techniques and books on how to meditate. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the techniques introduced here and those described in the literature. However, what works for one doesn't necessarily work for all. Try several techniques until you find one which feels comfortable and beneficial.

The first requirement for a successful meditation regime is self-discipline. It can often seem we are too busy to spare even a few moments a day in meditation, and even when the demands of the physical realm die down we would rather just flop in front of the TV screen than make the conscious effort required. Keep it regular. Just 5 minutes a day, every day, is better than forced meditations of 30 minutes once or twice a week.

Try to avoid any disturbances, which can cause quite a shock to our system once in the meditative state. Disconnect the phone and politely ask your family members to respect your "quiet time".

You may, if you wish, like to play some gentle background music - classical or new age music is excellent for this purpose. Instrumentals work better than songs with words as you may find it hard not to focus on the lyrics.

Books invariably recommend a particular posture for effective meditation. Aim to make yourself comfortable enough to relax, but not so comfortable you will drift into sleep - a common response to the removal of the external stimuli to which we are so accustomed.

The mind often feels like a contrary child, determined to wreck all efforts designed to help it.

If you find that you keep falling asleep while trying to meditate this might indicate you need more sleep at night, or would even benefit from a nap during the day. Most of us probably would benefit from a mid-day nap but are prevented from taking one by convention. Sleep is a great healer and always beneficial, but sleep is not meditation. In meditation the mind is under the control of our conscious will.

The techniques described here are for very mild meditation; meditation for beginners or busy people, if you like.

Begin by breathing deeply. In through nose and out through the mouth. Do this for 10, 20, or 50 times. Try to concentrate on your breathing.

And/or try to relax the body. Focus on each part of the body in turn allowing it to relax. It might help if you move or tighten that part of the body before releasing it into relaxation. Focus on the toes, feet, lower legs, upper legs, hips, abdomen, chest, shoulders, upper arms, lower arms, hands, fingers, back up to the neck and head. If it helps, take it back down again, from the head to the toes.

And/or silently say a prayer to yourself. Not only does this focus the mind inwards but it also reaffirms and gives expression to inner feelings, intentions and desires as well as bringing you closer to your own deity.

You may try the Lord's Prayer, familiar to Christians, or create something more personal to yourself.

For the meditation itself try one or more of the techniques below.

You might repeat a mantra (a word or phrase that is meaningful to you) over and over, or just count - eg to 100, 500, 1000 or whatever. If counting is too automatic, try counting backwards, or in multiples, eg of 7, 9, 11... Try to keep your attention on numbers and don't let mind wander off.

But if your mind does wander off, it's OK. When you notice it, just bring it back.

You might find part of your mind wandering off while another part continues repeating the mantra or counting.

Slightly more difficult is to fix your mind on one thing, perhaps a color or an image, (eg a candle burning).

Try to visualize a place - somewhere you know, maybe the very room you're sitting in, or somewhere you know or used to know. Try to see it in as much detail as possible. Experience the sights, the sounds, the smells, the feel of it.

Or try to visualize a desired outcome, eg see yourself opening and reading a letter saying you got a job you would like, then see yourself successfully doing that job.

Visualize a journey. You can use our meditations - The beach or The forest - or create your own.

You can describe your journey on tape - at least to begin with - but these meditations work better if you can memorize, or internalize, them so they can become part of you. They can then be modified and improvised, and develop as you do.

If you would like to develop your psychic powers, devote part of your meditation to visualizing something that you can't know at the time, eg it could be tomorrow's lottery numbers, or where a friends or loved one is and what they are doing at the time of your meditation etc etc. Compare your visualization with reality.

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What is meditation?

Meditation usually refers to a state in which the body is consciously relaxed and the mind is allowed to become calm and focused. Several major religions include ritual meditation; however, meditation itself need not be a religious or spiritual activity. Most of the more popular systems of meditation are of Eastern origin, though there exists also various forms of Christian, Jewish and Muslim meditation.
Meditation as a form of alternative medicine brings about mental calmness and physical relaxation by suspending the stream of thoughts that normally occupy the mind. Generally performed once or twice a day for approximately 20 minutes at a time, meditation is used to reduce stress, alter hormone levels, and elevate one's mood.
A discipline in which the mind is focused on a single point of reference. Employed since ancient times in various forms by all religions, the practice gained greater notice in the post war US as interest in Zen Buddhism rose. Meditation is now used by many nonreligious adherents as a method of stress reduction; known to lower levels of cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress. Enhances recuperation and improves the body’s resistance to disease.
Meditation is an easy and simple way to balance a person's physical, emotional, and mental states. It is easily learned and has been used as an aid in treating stress, anxiety, pain management, and as part of an overall treatment for other conditions including hypertension and heart disease. Research shows that meditation decreases the heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen consumption, and even decreases blood pressure.