Meditation

Meditation can be very formalized or very informal. Formal traditions are established to produce faster and more effective results.

I have done many forms of meditation in over 40 years of practice. In different parts of my life different practices have worked better than others. My suggestion to anyone who is beginning meditation is to try several different styles initially and seek to be patient and persistent with the practice you establish.

All of life's activities especially yoga can be practiced as a meditation by completely joining the present moment. To me this is manifesting and joining the perfection of the universe. Just be here now baby!

Meditation Practice

Stress is the biggest problem facing modern humans. It is so pervasive that we are rarely aware of it and its devastating effects. Often the circumstances of our life mask how truly stressed we are. Meditation is a practice and way of life introduced within yoga practice. Yoga postures are done with awareness of our bodies within the present moment. The balancing practice of the tree pose among others provides the yoga practitioner clear feedback on how quiet the mind is. Without a quiet mind we lose our balance quickly. With the balancing practice one quickly learns how to concentrate the mind. At the end of every yoga class there is a progressive relaxation exercise followed by a brief silent meditation. This serves many purposes. First the body gets a chance to integrate the benefits of the preceding yoga practice. Then the breath release some of the toxins developed in the muscles. Finally we get a chance to quiet and concentrate the mind on the present moment.

Meditation Techniques

The following meditation techniques can be combined or used separately. Your body should be comfortable, usually lying on your back or sitting in a chair for a western person. Understand the simplicity of these techniques can make it hard for your personality to accept and embrace fully as a practice over a long time, which is what is needed to be successful. Meditation is a subtle experience best practiced in a quiet place for about 20 minutes. Mornings work best for me.

Progressive Relaxation

Lie on your back, set your heels hip or shoulder width apart. Bring your hands down by the side of your body, palms facing up. Close your eyes and relax. Relax your feet. Relax your ankles. Relax your shins and calves. Relax your knees. Relax your thighs and hamstrings. Relax your hips. Relax your lower back, your middle back and your upper back. Relax your lower abs, your upper abs and chest. Relax your fingers. Relax your wrists. Relax your forearms, elbows and upper arms. Relax your shoulders and neck. Relax your jaw, your face, your forehead and scalp.

Feel your body floating on top of the floor, totally relaxed. Let your in breath gently flow into your out breath and back into your in breath, for a nice gentle circular breath.

Observe your thoughts and let them gently wash over you. Notice the thinker who creates these thoughts. Observe the thinker and just be here now.

Mantra Meditation

Sit or lie quietly and comfortably and bring into your attention a mantra such as Om or Amen or any mantra that has special signifigance to you. Repeat this mantra silently and gently bring your focus to the mantra. If the mind wanders and you notice you are no longer focused on the mantra, regain the focus with out judging your performance by silently repeating the mantra until the focus is regained.

Counting Meditation

Lie or sit quietly. Count slowly from 10 to 1 with the intention of relaxing a little more and quieting the mind with each count.

Breath

Lie or sit quietly. Focus your attention on your breath. If your mind wanders bring the focus back on the breath.

Hemi-Sync

Go to the links page and click on Monroe Institute and purchase a cd that produces hemi-sync sounds and listen to it in a comfortable place

Commentary

All meditation techniques are fairly simple but are frequently difficult to practice. Don't become discouraged, persist. Quieting the mind is difficult, short periods of a quiet mind should be celebrated, without disturbing the mind.