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Following meditation, mental and physical refreshment result - and benefits are cumulative with regular practice

How to Meditate

Meditation is both simple and complex. It's like defining the color orange: When you see it you know it. Similarly, the experience of meditation is best, well.experienced. In an article in New View magazine, Shippensburg University's Dr. C. George Boeree describes the basics of Buddhist meditation. In summary, the beginner's technique is as follows:

* Sit or kneel comfortably.

* The hands are loose and open with the palms up, one atop the other and thumbs lightly touching.

* Head is upright. Eyes may be closed or open. If open they should focus on your hands or a spot nearby.

* Beginning meditators should count upwards to ten on each exhale. Breathe in a relaxed and natural way. Then begin again at one and repeat. Continue to breathe naturally.

* Continue for 15 minutes.


In my personal experience, I don't find that the specific length of time is as important as repetition and persistence. To paraphrase, 10 minutes daily beats 15 minutes once a week. This brings me to another point: We all have different personalities and as such, different meditation approaches suit some more than others. Thankfully there are many varieties of meditation. Some varieties have sub-varieties.

Mindfulness meditation is one of these versatile practices. Perhaps it's because its essence-awareness of the present moment-is so versatile. Mindfulness in our daily life can be practiced by slowing down and attending to our surroundings. What are our 5 senses telling us? We can use mindfulness in the middle of a hectic day, such as paying attention to our breathing when stopped at a traffic light. We can also use other everyday events as triggers for mindfulness. Buckling your seatbelt? Make this a reminder to return to the present. Really think about what you're doing and the details of the experience.

The more traditional may benefit from a more formal mindfulness practice. You may sit in the identical form as in traditional Buddhist meditation- on a chair or kneeling. However, you may also sit with your legs crossed. Your eyes are closed and your posture is both straight and relaxed while your head remains upright. Focus on your breath and allow mental chatter to float by without regard. Thoughts, emotions and sensations will come, but don't be influenced by them. Keep focused on your breath. If you are getting involved with your thoughts don't worry-your efforts aren't destroyed. The key thing is to bring your attention back to breathing and continue. This can go on for 5 minutes to 5 hours. It's up to you.

Transcendental Meditation is another popular form of meditation. Generally, this type is practiced twice daily for a period of 15-20 minutes. Again, this technique involves sitting comfortably. Yet in contrast to basic Buddhist the eyes stay closed. Each student is given a mantra and is instructed to induce relaxation through use of this mantra. Since many of either can't or won't go to a formal TM class, a no-fail mantra I recommend is the classic OM. In The Heart of Yoga, T.K.V Desikachar writes that repetition of "OM" enables us to maintain mental and emotional calmness, overcome obstacles and enable understanding. It is the shortest of the mantras, and is said to be suggestive of God. If you're uncomfortable with the religious aspects of OM I suggest a word that has positive meaning for you, such as love, calm or peace. Calm is an ideal substitute, since vocally it resembles OM.

Final Word

You may never, ever choose to meditate. Yet if this is your choice it may be valuable to question why. For a long time I was reluctant because of images of the dropout hippie 60's. Yet when I tried it the experience overcame my reservations. If you try it the same may happen to you. If it doesn't you haven't lost any money, and you've gained a new experience.

Resources:

Getting in the Gap: Making Conscious Contact with God Through Meditation (Hay House Inc., 2003)
he Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh (Beacon Press, 1975)

About The Author

Galina Pembroke is the editor and publisher of New View magazine online. New View offers articles on spirituality, health, self-help, animal rights, green living and more. For the complete text of Dr. Boeree's meditation article visit their Spirituality section. Visit New View at http://www.nuvunow.ca.

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