Meditation is the process by which the practitioner learns to still the mind. Did you read that right – STILL THE MIND! I would call it one of the most challenging tasks you will undertake. Making pigs fly might seem like a walk in the park compared to this.
photo credit: Mara ~earth light~
Introduction
Your reading this article demonstrates your interest in the topic. Perhaps you are toying with it or at least finding out a bit more about it. So what is it that makes you want to try meditation?. Are you trying to connect with your consciousness or simply wanting to getting past the noise in your head to change the state of your mind? The reason is not relevant but your dedication to the task is. If you are only putting your feet in the water to try it out then that will be the depth of your experience. If on the other hand you are prepared to give yourself to the task then you are in for the time of your life. The state of mind that regular meditation will create for you is not something that can be described in words but only experienced through practice. One thing is for sure, unless you are prepared to release yourself to the experience and become a part of it, you may not benefit at all.
There is not a lot that you need to get started. The only ingredient for meditation is an open mind. The rest you can learn as you go along.
Meditation is not for hermits in the mountains but for each and every one of us. As humans we are at the mercy of our sensory perceptions. What we see, hear, smell and feel become our primary means of understanding the external world. Psychologist will tell you that our comprehension of the external world can be coloured by the state of our mind. Our perceptions are based on our experiences and they too will play a role in analysis of the situation despite what the senses tell you. So in fact the truth that the five senses tell us may not be so true after all. It is a misconception. Imagine that your are standing on a suspended platform. You cant see below the platform so you begin to think you are standing on the ground. It gives a false sense of security. The five senses will create an illusion exactly like that.
Meditation is the technique and practice with which you get past the five senses. And you do this by stilling the mind and getting in touch with your consciousness. Sound easy? No – it is not. Just to get that one glimpse can take months or years of practice. Your success will be dictated by your effort and what you brought to the party – in terms of attitude.
photo credit: SuperFantastic
Meditation is not easy but like anything in life, becomes easier with practice. Mastery on the other hand is not easily achieved. Those that have been practicing for years also find themselves victims of the tricks the mind plays to distract the practitioner from achieving your goal. Your mind will do everything to help you wander. Your task is to keep the focus.
Prepare to meditate
Not a lot is required to prepare for meditation. But you do need to put some basics in place.
Games the mind will play
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The mind wants to be a free bird and by meditation you are trying to bring some discipline to this mind. Of course you will run into resistance! The mind will try and find a reason to break that mediation. The cough, the itch, the thirst, the headache… you will find so many things to distract you which you would have never noticed during a retail therapy session perhaps. Get past the physical problems and the mind suddenly wanders to bring to your attention a bill not paid or a leaking tap in the kitchen or a million other things that you are better off thinking about. You have two strategies here. One is to let the mind run its course and do its dance. Become the observer of the games the mind is playing. Like a silent watchman. The other is to become an active player and bring the mind back to the meditation each time it wanders. Be forgiving when you see it happening initially but be prepared to give it penalties for wandering off as time goes by. It is only fair that a repeat offender, in the penal system, receives severe penalties. Why should you treat the mind any differently?
To mantra or not to mantra
Should you chant a mantra or not when you meditate. I believe it is not necessary. But the road ahead is a winding one and the driving
conditions are treacherous. In these circumstances, a mantra can act like a guide. You might find it very helpful to have something to work with at this early stage. There are many mantras and hymns available from the Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Islam and other religions of the world. Pick one that resonates with you. If you prefer having something that is not religious then find a poem or a song that sits well with you. The objective is to have a guiding light during the darkest hour. I personally tend to work with the Mool Mantra from the Sikh scriptures in my meditation. Repeating something over and over allows the message to get through to your soul and has a calming effect.
The experience
Have you ever been to a building site? Whenever you start a new build, a huge mess needs to be made before the new design and the new
structure begins to emerge. Even after the structure is ready, it takes a lot more sanding, painting and hard work to finish the job. All that will create more dust and mess. The project of meditation is not that different. When you first start to meditate, you will find a lot of emotions suddenly surface and you come across a lot of rubbish that you had stored away in your brain and were not aware of. Because your mind was never quiet for you to notice or to let those feelings surface, this might come as a surprise to you. As you meditate and begin to get in touch with yourself, you will find an overflow of thoughts. This is normal and is to be expected. If you persevere then the rewards will come. With time and experience, the thoughts will fade and a calmness that will begin to emerge. How long that will take is not something that can be easily answered. Days, months, years or even a lifetime! Again it comes down to how far you are prepared to go with it.
How long do I meditate for
There are many schools of thoughts on this. 11 minutes to begin with is fine. However your target should be 31 minutes as soon as possible. Do not exceed 31 minutes without some guidance from an expert. The most important thing however is that you do not get hung up about time. “Only 7 minutes to go…” will put your focus on the time and not the meditation itself. Let yourself go, let the mind go and be guided by your heart. You will know when you have done just the “right amount of time”. If this becomes an area of some concern to you then as a last resort use a timer but DO NOT watch the clock. Close your eyes and follow your instinct.
Summary
Meditation has a lot of benefits for the mind, body and soul and a few minutes of your time every day will improve the quality of your life and enhance the state of your mind. This guide is only intended to get you started. Good luck.
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