Techniques in Meditation


by James Bowie - Date: 2007-01-29 - Word Count: 1112 Share This!

The term Meditation refers to a method of relaxation which will bring your body and mind into a connected state where your body and mind are totally relaxed and focused. People who Practice meditation feel an increased awareness of their body and surroundings, they find they can focus more clearly, and their concentration is heightened, and also gain a more positive outlook in life. The following is a Buddhist blessing, which I believe each and every one of us should learn and follow in an attempt to find that inner peace.

"May every creature abound in well being and peace?
May every living being, weak or strong, the long and the small, the short and the medium sized, the mean and the great.
May every living being, seen or unseen, those dwelling far off, those nearby, those already born, those waiting to be born, May all attain inward peace.

Let no one deceive another.
Let no one despise another in any situation.
Let no one, from antipathy or hatred, wish evil to anyone at all.

Just as a mother, with her own life, protects her only son from hurt, so within yourself foster a limitless concern for every living creature.

Display a heart of boundless love for all the world.

In all its height and depth and broad extent love unrestrained, without hate or enmity.

Then as you stand or walk, sit or lie, until overcome by drowsiness.

Devote your mind entirely to this, it is known as living here life divine."

Meditation is most commonly associated with spiritual leaders, mystics and other religious disciplines. It is however the case, that you do not need to be any of these to be able to enjoy its benefits. And you certainly do not have to be in a church or temple to be able to practice it. You can even meditate it in your own living room or bedroom!

Of course you will find that there are a large number of varied approaches to meditation, however the main principles remain the same. The most important things to learn when you begin your meditation is to remove negative thoughts, which obstruct your view of things, and clear your mind of wandering thoughts and fantasies, and then begin to calm your mind with a deep sense of focus. All of this will clear your mind of clutter and prepare you for a much higher quality of activity.

The types of negative thoughts you must clear from your mind are, the barking dog next door, irritating work colleagues, being stopped by the police for speeding, and the piles of junk mail which comes through your letter box. These are all negatives which pollute your mind, and by shutting them out you will allow your mind to be cleansed and this will then help you to focus on much deeper and more meaningful thoughts.

Many practitioners of meditation will go as far as to even shut out all sensory input, meaning, no sights i.e., go into a darkened room, no sounds, and nothing around them in which they can touch, in doing this they attempt to detach themselves from the world around them. You will now be able to focus on a much deeper and more profound thought, if this is your goal. The solitude may at first seem deafening, this is because we are all of us so used to hearing and seeing the constant hustle and bustle of the world around us, however the more times you practice this exercise you will find yourself becoming more attuned to everything around you.

Do not be worried about the meditating positions which you see on television, those with impossibly arched backs, and the painful looking contortions, the basic principle of meditation is to find a comfortable position which is conducive to concentration. This can be while sitting with your legs crossed, standing upright, lying down, or even walking, comfort is the key.

You should just find a position which allows you to relax and focus; this is your perfect starting point. If you are sitting or standing, then your back should be straight, but not tense or tight. While you are in other positions, you should never slouch or fall asleep.

Wear clothes which are loose and comfortable, these will help a great deal in the process, tight fitting clothes usually have a tendency to make you feel tense and choked.

The perfect place for you to perform your meditation should be somewhere which has a soothing atmosphere. This could be in your living room, or bedroom, or any place that you will feel comfortable and at ease. If you are going to try more challenging positions then an exercise mat may come in handy (it is possible that you will feel more focused doing this, and if the contortionist inside you is screaming for release). You should arrange to have a place which is soothing to your senses.

Solitude and complete silence does help most people relax and meditate, so it may be beneficial for you to find a quiet, isolated area far from the usual disturbances such as the phone, the screaming kids and the washing machine. Pleasing aromas also help in this regard, so stocking up on scented candles isn't such a bad idea either.

Those monks you often see on television who make those monotonous sounds are actually performing their mantra. In simple terms this is a short creed, a simple sound which, for these people, holds a mystic value.

It is not essential for you to perform this sort of thing; however, it would be beneficial for you to note that focusing on repeated actions such as breathing, and humming will help you to enter a higher state of consciousness.

The main principle here is focus. You could also try focusing on a particular object or thought, or even, while keeping your eyes open, focus on a single sight.

A sample routine would be to, while meditating quietly name every part of your body and focus your consciousness on that part. While you do this you will become aware of any tension on any part of your body. Mentally visualize yourself releasing this tension. You will find that it will work wonders.

All in all, meditation is quite a risk free practice and the benefits of which are well worth the effort (or non effort remember this is relaxation).

Many studies have been carried out, the results of which show that meditation does bring about beneficial physiological effects to the body. And there have been growing demands within the medical community for further research into the effects of such. So in the not to distant future, who knows, that mystical, esoteric thing we call meditation may well become a science in itself!


Related Tags: meditation, awareness, relaxation, spiritual, mantra, buddhist

James McLean Bowie is an author and book dealer who resides in East yorkshire England. He owns a number of websites, two of which are http://bowiebooks.com and http://jamesbowiebooks.com. Why not stop by and post a message on his message boards, or get to know others in his chat rooms.

Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles

© The article above is copyrighted by it's author. You're allowed to distribute this work according to the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs license.
 

Recent articles in this category:



Most viewed articles in this category: