Meditation

What is Meditation?
Meditation is a good stress-reliever. It calms the senses, making the mind inactive and the body, passive. Meditation usually involves concentrating on an object - a flower, a burning candle, a circle, a sound or word, or even one’s own rhythm of breath. Over time, random thoughts peter off. Meditation could also be objectless - just sitting, doing nothing.

Most forms of meditation involve turning your attention inward, away from your usual preoccupations and activities. In the process, you make a simple but significant shift from thinking and doing, to just being. With repeated practice the mind begins to settle down and your breathing slows, and you get into a relaxed, peaceful, harmonious state.

According to Swami Vishnu Devananda, meditation is "….a continuous flow of perception or thought, just like the flow of water in a river." A practice wherein there is constant observation of the mind, meditation brings awareness, harmony and natural order into life. It helps you dig deep into your inner self to discover the wisdom and tranquility that lie within.

How do I meditate?
The basic points to be kept in mind in practicing meditation are:

• Have a special place and specific time for meditation. Try doing it daily.
• Choose a time when your mind is not clouded with worries.
• Sit up straight with your back, neck and head in one line. Face north or east.
• Condition your mind such so as to remain quiet for the duration of your meditation session.
• Regulate your breathing. Start with 5 minutes of deep breathing. Then gradually slow it down.
• Follow a rhythmic breathing pattern - inhale and exhale.
• Initially let your mind wander. It grows more restless if you force it to concentrate.
• Then slowly bring it to rest on the focal point of your choice.
• Hold your object of concentration at this focal point throughout your session.
• Meditation happens when you reach a state of pure thought. Even while retaining an awareness of duel self.

Tips on Concentration

• At the outset, it is hard to keep your attention to keep focussed on one object.
• So it is better to start off by limiting your field of concentration to a category of objects.
• Choose your objects with care e.g. any four flowers, fruits, trees...etc. You must feel at ease with what you choose.
• After concentrating on one, you can move on to the next, if & when your mind starts wandering.

This style of meditative exercise will help you control your mind down to a finer focus, teaching you the principle of single point concentration.

Meditative Postures

Yoni Mudra

• Close your ears with thumbs.
• Cover your eyes with your index finger.
• Close your nostrils with your middle fingers.
• Press your lips together with your remaining fingers.
• Release the middle fingers gently to inhale and exhale while you meditate.

Frontal & Nasal Gazing

• Gaze at a point between your eyebrows, seat of the 'Third Eye' or at the tip or your nose.
• This would improve your level of concentration. At the same time, strengthening your eye muscles. Nasal gazing has a positive effect on the central nervous system.
• Remember not to strain your eyes. Start with one minute of gazing and then slowly build it up to ten minutes.

Candle Gazing

• Place a candle at eye-level in a darkened, draught-free room.
• Close your eyes and hold an after-image of the bright flame.
• The practice steadies the wandering mind, leading you to focus with pin-point accuracy.