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Meditation
To understand how to meditate I feel it is most important to know what meditation is and why it is the cornerstone of our being awake. I feel there are many complex ways to explain it, but the one person who described it in the simplest and most profound way was Osho. Here is Osho’s description of what meditation is:
“When you are not doing anything at all -- bodily, mentally, on no level - when all activity has ceased and you simply are, just being, that's what meditation is. You cannot do it, you cannot practice it; you have only to understand it. Whenever you can find time for just being, drop all doing. Thinking is doing, concentration is also doing, and contemplation is also doing. Even if for a single moment you are not doing anything and you are just at your center, utterly relaxed -- that is meditation. And once you have got the knack of it, you can remain in that state as long as you want; finally you can remain in that state for twenty-four hours a day. Once you have become aware of the way your being can remain undisturbed, then slowly you can start doing things, keeping alert that your being is not stirred.
That is the second part of meditation. First, learning how to just to be, and then learning little actions: cleaning the floor, taking a shower, but keeping your self centered. Then you can do complicated things. For example, I am speaking to you, but my meditation is not disturbed. I can go on speaking, but at my very center there is not even a ripple; it is just silent, utterly silent. So meditation is not against action. It is not that you have to escape from life. It simply teaches you a new way of life:
You become the center of the cyclone.
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Your life goes on, it goes on really more intensely - with more joy, with more clarity, more vision, more creativity - yet you are aloof, just a watcher on the hills, simply seeing all that is happening around you. You are not the doer, you are the watcher. That's the whole secret of meditation - that you become the watcher.
Doing continues on its own level, there is no problem: chopping wood, drawing water from the well. You can do all small and big things; only one thing is not allowed and that is, your centering should not be lost. That awareness, that watchfulness, should remain absolutely unclouded, undisturbed.”
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“Meditation is not simply a technique. You cannot learn it. It is a growth: a growth of your total living, out of your total living. Meditation is not something that can be added to you as you are. It cannot be added to you; it can only come to you through a basic transformation. It is a flowering, a growth. And growth is always from the total; it is not an addition or an attachment. Just like Love, it cannot be added to you. It grows out of you, out of your totality. It is not something fictitious; it is a reality, and a reality that is already present in everyone and everything – we just never look in. Your inner world has its own taste, has its own fragrance, has its own light. And it is utterly silent, immensely silent, eternally silent. No words can reach there, but you can reach there.”
Meditation is being in the quiet, the silence, and the light of your true centered self; being mindful of, but not identifying with, the chaos and illusion revolving around you.
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Beginning Meditating
Daily meditation gets us in touch with the center of our being. We are not trying to achieve some lofty state nor are we trying to get into a “trance” of some type. Remember not to over complicate it and treat it very simply as a method; a method that starts with you as the beginner and the more you do it the more improvement and results you will see.
Try to sit every day at least once per day. Ten minutes is a good goal to start with. Later, as you gain experience and confidence, you can extend the periods up to 20 or 30 minutes. It’s a good idea to take a break after 25 or 30 minutes of sitting. Find a quiet comfortable spot. Not too hot and not too cold. Not too bright and not too dark. Turn off all electrical devices that you can that are near you or in the area you’ll be meditating in. Light a candle and some incense if you wish. Place some frankincense oil on the soles of your feet if you wish. Place a cushion, pillow, or folded up blanket on the floor. You may also sit in a comfortable chair or couch as long as it provides you control of your posture. There are many suggested sitting postures from sitting in your chair to the full lotus position. Whichever one you prefer it is suggested that you keep your spine straight, your buttocks out a bit, and your chin is tucked in. Place your arms comfortably close to your sides and your hands either comfortably in your lap or placed where the left hand rests on top of the right, with palms open and up. The joints of the two middle fingers are resting on top of one another. The tips of the thumbs are lightly touching. You may close your eyes or keep them half open focused on a point at about a 45-degree angle to the body.
If you have never meditated before, it is suggested that you begin your meditation by focusing or concentrating on your breaths; or count your breaths. Let all thoughts pass. If thoughts arise, treat them as “clouds passing by.” Acknowledge them, and let them pass. Focus your attention on your breath or on the counting. If you count breaths, you can count from one to ten, on each exhalation or inhalation. The more common method is to count as you exhale. But find the method that suits you. Count from one to ten, then start the sequence over, and continue this cycle.
If you follow your breaths, simply put your attention on your breath as you inhale and exhale. When, not if, your mind wanders, return your attention to the breath (or to the counting). Do not chastise yourself if your attention wanders. The purpose of the mind is to produce thoughts; they are with us always. The idea is to keep returning our attention to our breath or our counting, and our thoughts will settle down naturally. It is suggested that we sit for short periods in the beginning. Some consider 10 minutes to be a good minimum length of time. Others prefer 20, 30, or even 40 minutes or more as their own minimum. You should seek to find a time that works for you. As your confidence and experience grow, you may lengthen the time you sit.
You may sit at a time of day that suits you, when distractions will be at a minimum. For some, early morning works best. For others, evenings are preferable. Often, you may find that while sitting, your feet go to sleep, or you experience aches or cramps in the back and legs. Do not force yourself to endure serious pain. Learn your limits and don’t try to force yourself past them. Your endurance will build, the longer you meditate. It is best to wear loose clothing when you meditate. It is usually not advisable to sit after a big meal. A full stomach can create discomfort that is distracting to meditation.
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Advanced Meditation
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As you grow in your meditation practice you may want to try some different forms. This is a very welcome idea and we all should feel free to experiment with different methods and approaches. There are certain meditations for healing, relieving stress, energizing, for sudden insight, for devotion; all kinds of beautiful ways to try.
Instead of focusing on the many different kinds, I would rather offer up some helpful links to aid you in your new and personal discoveries. I would encourage you to play with as many as you can and spend some time with each. When you discover a certain practice that resonates the most with you keep doing it to see where you can go with it. See my links page for more helpful reference material.
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Resource: Meditation: The First and Last Freedom by Osho
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