The Mind

Once you have prepared your body and your space, how do you meditate?  What exactly is it anyway?

It is important to know that meditation is not contemplation or thinking.  The more you force the mind to think of a particular thought such as religion, the more the mind will fight and the body will become tense.  Instead we want to keep the mind open.  By doing this the body will stay calm and relaxed. 

Meditation means the condition of paying attention to.  What is it that we pay attention to, and how exactly are we paying attention to this thing?  These questions lead us to the subtle differences that separate meditation from contemplation and thinking.  First off, any sort of activity that allows you to focus your mind in a gentle and calm way helps to reduce stress and alleviates bodily tension.  This includes meditation and contemplation as well as other disciplines.  They all act on the gross physiology and mind in the same major ways to accomplish stress reduction.  If we are not creating stress in our body and minds by the content of the thoughts we are having, our stress level decreases.  If we are focused solely on one thing, there is no room for other things like stressful thoughts and concerns.  This gives us a respite from the bombardment of stressful thoughts and feelings and allows us to rest and get back into a better space where we can deal with these stresses more efficiently.  It is for this reason that we definitely do advocate things that provide this benefit, like journaling, walking contemplation, meditation, good communication, etc...

However, meditation is focusing on something special, something that helps us accomplish the goals of spirituality as well as providing stress reduction.  In other words, proper meditation uses an object and methodology that helps to lead us to understand our selves and our world. This is different from contemplation and other methods in that proper meditation provides a guide, the object that spontaneously leads you out of whatever darkness is clouding your mind. Things like contemplation and thinking can help lead you to your spiritual goals, however they can also lead you around in circles and even further into the darkness; these things can be of great benefit or hindrance depending on your situation and who you allow to influence you.  It is for this reason that proper meditation is considered so important by spiritual seekers.  It always leads you towards the light of understanding and knowledge.

How do you meditate?

We have already touched upon the idea that the conscious mind can only really do one thing at a time well. So much of what is involved with meditation relates to this one idea. Why the goofy shawl, the cushions and other toys like the mala beads? They are all used to remove distractions from the mind so you can give 100% of your focus towards the object of meditation, not how your legs feel or how tired your back is. The how of meditation is really quite simple, even if the toys used and the language involved seems to make it quite complicated.

To meditate, focus on a special sound or shape.  Do your best to remove all distractions.  Continue to perfect and intensify your focus.  As this process continues examine and observe the journey.  The object leads you and as you remain mindful of the changes and internal experiences that try to distract you, you begin to ask questions about the workings of your inner world.

When you boil it down, meditation is really this simple, however the science of meditation and the findings brought forth from experiencing its experiments are as complicated and profound as the meaning of life and the nature of creation.  Learning the details of our minds and bodies helps to lead us towards peace of mind.  With an understanding of ourselves we can then have a greater understanding for others and for our world.  This process gently leads us towards the light of knowledge and allows us to see everything more clearly from its glow. 

What is the object of our meditation?

We focus our mind on a particular sound. By doing this it gives the mind one thing to focus on instead of thinking about the groceries or when you have to pick up the kids. It quiets the mind.  The sound is called a Mantra. Mantras can be a word, phrase, or a sound.

You could use So Hum if you are a beginner.  When breathing in you will hear a noise and it sounds like so, on exhalation you will hear another sound, this sounds like hum.  On your next inhalation pay attention to the so and then the hum.  Breathing in and out through your nose.  Do this for the next minute and then write down what you have noticed. 

Another way of calming the mind is through journal writing. By writing in a journal either throughout the day or just before you go to bed this will calm your mind.  It is transferring all of your thoughts that might be distracting you through out the day. This will allow your mind to be calm at night so you sleep better.  Any time there might be a worry or a distraction write it in a journal.  Journaling will also help you in your meditation process.  What the mind will do is create obstacles for you and this might be frustrating. Before you sit and meditate, write down everything that might be on your mind and allow it to be expressed and let go.