Meditation is defined as The act of meditating close or continued thought, the revolving of a subject in the mind.
To meditate is to focusmentally on one thought, idea, or concept.
It may also mean, to revolve an idea in your mind so as to change the way in which you think of that idea. Meditation is therefore, a tool with which you may manipulate thought in an organized manner.
Many people view meditationas a very difficult thing to learn. In
reality though, we do it often without even knowing it. When you daydream or find your mind fixed on one thought, that is a form of meditation. Have you ever watched a bird in flight, or stared up at the clouds in the sky, or maybe even found yourself watching a stream of water flow by? If you have and at that moment the rest of the world around you has seemed removed, then you were in a state of meditation.
The real key to this practice, is to be able to exercise control over your thoughts and awareness of the world around you.
Most all religions practice meditation in one way or another.
Eastern philosophies such as Yoga, and Buddism are not the only ones
to view meditation as a way of looking for the Truth found in one's own consciousness.
Now what can meditation actually do for you?Well, beyond just being a good way to really relax, which we can all use in this hectic world, it can be a doorway to the Truth inside yourself. It is a way of gaining wisdom. Knowledge has always been fairly easy to come by. Wisdom on the other hand, is a bit harder to grasp onto.
Meditation technique
You should pick a place which is as private and safe as possible. An altered state of mind, as in meditation, lessens your awareness of the outside
world. For this reason, it is not advisable to practice these techniques in a public place. If you are at home, with other family members or friends present, ask that you not be disturbed and that all other noise in the house be kept to a minimum. When you have found a place suitable for meditation, you may begin.
You want to be sure that the time you pick to practice your meditation is a time when you are least likely to be disturbed. You should not be overly tired or have just finished eating as both of those conditions may cause you to fall asleep. Even though you wish to acheive an altered state of consciousness, you do want to remain conscious to some degree. If you fall asleep when you are meditating,no harm is done and you will awaken quite refreshed and rested.
Unfortunately though, you may not be able to recall all the things you experienced while in trance.
If you are lying down,be sure your back and neck are properly
supported so as not to fatigue the body. If you are sitting, be sure that both feet are flat on the floor and that you are sitting as erect as possible without being too stiff or strained.
You should have your arms resting comfortably in your lap with palms up.
In eithercase, it is important that your body not become strained
or fatigued for at least thirty minutes. This is a good length of
time to begin with as it should put neither a physical or mental
strain on your being.
Next,visualize a yourself in a cocoon of whitelight. You should
surround yourself completely. See the light as bright and warm. You may play with this sphere of light making it bigger or smaller until
it ''feels'' right for you. Say to yourself, ''I am protected by the pure white light of all that is good and truthfull. I am surrounded by the pure light which keeps out all unwanted and evil influences.''
This is a good idea to do for several reasons.There are those, and I am definitely one of them,who believe that each of generates an aura which protects us from outside influences when we are in trance. This aura
may be strengthened by visualizing the light as growing brighter at our command. Even if you do not accept this idea, the practice lends a feeling of safety and security to you. Nothing which is outside of you may enter or touch you without your permission.
Learning to control and pay attention to your breathing is the next step. You should start by taking a deep breath in through your nose, hold it for the mental count of 4 and then let it all out slowly through your mouth. Repeat this until you begin to feel at rest and relaxed. Allow your breathing to settle into a steady, rythmic rate.
Just this simple technique can relax and refresh you at any time. When you are only doing the breathing exercise, it is not necessary to go
through the white light sphere visualization. Some people use a
muffled metronome or recording of some other rythmic sound, such asocean waves, to aid them in setting the pace of their breathing.
Now, as you are breathing,see yourself lying in the warmlight of
the sun. The light is warm and pleasant to be in. Starting with the tips of your toes, feel the light warming all of your body, slowly moving up into your legs, your trunk, and then into your arms and fingers. As you feel this warming become more and more relaxed, going deeper and deeper into a calm and quiet place.
When you fell totally relaxed and at peace, bring a single thought into your mind. It should be of a pleasant experience or of an idea such as love, joy, peace, or compassion. Focus on this one thought and if some other thought should try to intrude, picture it as being
written on a clear board between you and your focal thought. Then
picture it being erased from that board as it might be from a piece of paper. Deal with any thought, other than your focal thought, quickly Try to maintain concentration on your focal thought for at least five
minutes. Picture it as being real and experience it as if it were. When you are able to do this and can exclude all other thoughts as they attempt to enter your mind, you will have learned the single most important technique of meditation.
It is now time to begin coming back to normal consciousness. slowly let the thought fade from your mind and again become aware of the warm light of the sun. As you fell the light bathing you in its' warmth, start to reconnect your mind with the physical sensations of your body. Become aware of your breathing and the room around you. Do this slowly and calmly. When you are fully aware of your surroundings, open your eyes slowly. Enjoy the sense of calm and peace. That's it^.^
Meditation
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