a) What Is Meditation
1. Understand meditation! Meditation is the flow of continuous thought on one thing. Meditation is the keeping up of one idea alone like the continuous flow of oil. Yogins call this Dhyana. Bhaktas call this adoration.
Concentration is to fix the mind on a point or an object, either internal as in the body or external (eg an image). Meditation is a natural outcome of concentration. In Dhyana the normal thoughts are closed of from the mind and the mind becomes saturated with Divine thoughts and presence.
(b) Find A Place
2. Have a room solely dedicated to meditation and do not allow anybody to enter. This keeps it holy and sanctified. Burn incense in the mornings and evenings and keep an icon of God or your Guru placing your chair in front. Keeping spiritual literature in the room is also good and will raise the resonance level of the room.
In deep meditation the vibrations produces will lodge themselves into the ether of the room. After six months you will feel deeply in peace in the atmosphere of the room. Whenever you feel your mind agitated or disturbed you can sit in the room and repeat a mantra for half an hour. You will feel an immediate change within your being.
Practice and feel the soothing spiritual influence it will have on yourself. Nothing compares to spiritual Sadhana. It will create a sacred place in your own house.
3. Solitude and intense meditation are two important requirements for Self-realization. A place of pilgrimage, a Himalayan scenery, a lovely flower-garden, a sacred temple, these are the places which elevate the mind for concentration and meditation. Use them when necessary.
4. Find a cool place with a mild climate. This is a must for concentration. As salt melts in water so too will the Sattvic (pure) mind melt in the silence that is brought by meditation with the Absolute.
(c) Time
5. Get up at 4 in the morning (the hour of Brahmamuhurta). It is very favourable for spiritual contemplation and devotional practices. Early in the morning the mind is calm, pure and quite refreshed after sleep. The mind is like a blank sheet of paper and comparatively free from worldly Samskaras (mental impressions).
It can be moulded very easily at this time. The atmosphere also is charged with more Sattva (purity, light) at this particular time. Wash your hands, feet and face with cold water if you find it difficult to take a bath. This will suffice.
6. Always choose the part of the day or night when your mind is clear and when you are least likely to be disturbed. The mind will be calmer and more malleable at this time.
7. Meditate on Sundays as the mind is more at ease on holidays. You will also find that your meditation improves if you only drink milk and eat fruit. Also fasting helps tremendously in the attainment of focused meditation.
(d) Place of Concentration
8. Concentrate gently either on the lotus of the heart (Anahata Chakra) or in the space between the two eyebrows (Trikuti). Close your eyes.
9. The mind is placed in Ajna Chakra in Trikuti. The mind is easily tamed by focusing on Trikuti. Devotional types (Bhaktas) should focus in the heart area and yogis should concentrate on Ajna Chakra.
10. Sahasrara at the crown of the head is another great place to focus. Vedantins concentrate here. Some yogis focus on the tip of their noses (a technique called Nasikagra Drishti). Stay with one place of focus and cling to it perseverantly.
If you decide to concentrate on the heart area, stay with it and don't change it. If you are a devotional type you can let your guru find the center you should focus upon, else you can find it yourself.
(e) What to eat
11. Keep your diet pure and light. To fill up the stomach with rice, bread and vegetables will make you very sleepy and will interfere with your sadhana. A diet of milk keeps the body light, pure and alert.
By following these guidelines you will find yourself being able to sit at ease in yoga positions for long periods of time, up til hours. If you feel weak though, you can take some milk and rice. Those with an intense program of keeping lectures and other spiritual activities should have a solid diet though.
(f) Yoga Positions
12. The body is stabilized through the practice of yoga positions (Asanas). The mind is strengthened through inner attitudes (Mudra) and contractions (Bandhas). The body will feel lighter after the practising breathing exercises (Pranayama). Once you can do these things with ease your mind can fix itself upon the Absolute and you will attain states of uplifted bliss and euphoria.
For meditation, concentration and Japa (verbal repetition of a mantra), Padmasana (the lotus position) or Siddhasana (the perfect position) are highly recommended. For your general health and to help you maintain Brahmacharya; Brahmacharyasana, Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana and Paschimottanasana are very useful.
1. Understand meditation! Meditation is the flow of continuous thought on one thing. Meditation is the keeping up of one idea alone like the continuous flow of oil. Yogins call this Dhyana. Bhaktas call this adoration.
Concentration is to fix the mind on a point or an object, either internal as in the body or external (eg an image). Meditation is a natural outcome of concentration. In Dhyana the normal thoughts are closed of from the mind and the mind becomes saturated with Divine thoughts and presence.
(b) Find A Place
2. Have a room solely dedicated to meditation and do not allow anybody to enter. This keeps it holy and sanctified. Burn incense in the mornings and evenings and keep an icon of God or your Guru placing your chair in front. Keeping spiritual literature in the room is also good and will raise the resonance level of the room.
In deep meditation the vibrations produces will lodge themselves into the ether of the room. After six months you will feel deeply in peace in the atmosphere of the room. Whenever you feel your mind agitated or disturbed you can sit in the room and repeat a mantra for half an hour. You will feel an immediate change within your being.
Practice and feel the soothing spiritual influence it will have on yourself. Nothing compares to spiritual Sadhana. It will create a sacred place in your own house.
3. Solitude and intense meditation are two important requirements for Self-realization. A place of pilgrimage, a Himalayan scenery, a lovely flower-garden, a sacred temple, these are the places which elevate the mind for concentration and meditation. Use them when necessary.
4. Find a cool place with a mild climate. This is a must for concentration. As salt melts in water so too will the Sattvic (pure) mind melt in the silence that is brought by meditation with the Absolute.
(c) Time
5. Get up at 4 in the morning (the hour of Brahmamuhurta). It is very favourable for spiritual contemplation and devotional practices. Early in the morning the mind is calm, pure and quite refreshed after sleep. The mind is like a blank sheet of paper and comparatively free from worldly Samskaras (mental impressions).
It can be moulded very easily at this time. The atmosphere also is charged with more Sattva (purity, light) at this particular time. Wash your hands, feet and face with cold water if you find it difficult to take a bath. This will suffice.
6. Always choose the part of the day or night when your mind is clear and when you are least likely to be disturbed. The mind will be calmer and more malleable at this time.
7. Meditate on Sundays as the mind is more at ease on holidays. You will also find that your meditation improves if you only drink milk and eat fruit. Also fasting helps tremendously in the attainment of focused meditation.
(d) Place of Concentration
8. Concentrate gently either on the lotus of the heart (Anahata Chakra) or in the space between the two eyebrows (Trikuti). Close your eyes.
9. The mind is placed in Ajna Chakra in Trikuti. The mind is easily tamed by focusing on Trikuti. Devotional types (Bhaktas) should focus in the heart area and yogis should concentrate on Ajna Chakra.
10. Sahasrara at the crown of the head is another great place to focus. Vedantins concentrate here. Some yogis focus on the tip of their noses (a technique called Nasikagra Drishti). Stay with one place of focus and cling to it perseverantly.
If you decide to concentrate on the heart area, stay with it and don't change it. If you are a devotional type you can let your guru find the center you should focus upon, else you can find it yourself.
(e) What to eat
11. Keep your diet pure and light. To fill up the stomach with rice, bread and vegetables will make you very sleepy and will interfere with your sadhana. A diet of milk keeps the body light, pure and alert.
By following these guidelines you will find yourself being able to sit at ease in yoga positions for long periods of time, up til hours. If you feel weak though, you can take some milk and rice. Those with an intense program of keeping lectures and other spiritual activities should have a solid diet though.
(f) Yoga Positions
12. The body is stabilized through the practice of yoga positions (Asanas). The mind is strengthened through inner attitudes (Mudra) and contractions (Bandhas). The body will feel lighter after the practising breathing exercises (Pranayama). Once you can do these things with ease your mind can fix itself upon the Absolute and you will attain states of uplifted bliss and euphoria.
For meditation, concentration and Japa (verbal repetition of a mantra), Padmasana (the lotus position) or Siddhasana (the perfect position) are highly recommended. For your general health and to help you maintain Brahmacharya; Brahmacharyasana, Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana and Paschimottanasana are very useful.
About the Author:
Hans Havasi is a Systems Developer at a major engineering company in Denmark, a yoga teacher and a musician in the group Ibis which makes tantric music for Goddesses. Together with his wife Mariah, Hans leads a yoga and tantric retreat and art center in the north of Copenhagen. Please click here to read more about yoga and tantra or go here to download free meditation music.
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