Starting Meditation.

I have been asked by some about meditating, so here are some of my thoughts on how to get started.

This is a definition of meditation to begin with: "Meditation refers to any of a family of practices in which the practitioner trains his or her mind or self-induces a mode of consciousness in order to realize some benefit". (Wikipedia).

From that definition we can see that a large number of practices could be called meditation, inluding relaxation; yoga; musical practice; chanting and mantra, and so on.

We all know meditation already, although not in such a deliberate fashion. We all (I hope) played as children. Remember when you lay on the grass and gazed at the clouds in a zone of timelesness? That was a form of meditation. So, in a sense, we try to reach that part of ourselves agian, although in a more designed way. Meditation is the art of being completely involved with what is going on in your head. Absorbed. Then influencing it. Deep thought is a meditation.

So, before going on, please re-read the thread I posted on deep relaxation. It helps a lot to carry out deep relaxation before beginning to meditate, - clears the canvas as it were.

Continuing. When you have prepared, you should feel relaxed and refreshed. Many people start off with candles, - this may well work for you. This is best done sitting, simply because if you happen to fall asleep (I never do) there could be a fire risk.

Make sure the flame of the candle is not too big, or it will blind you, as well as being a distraction if it is dancing about too much. Staying aware of the sound, feel, and movement of your breath, gaze at the flame. As with the relaxation, let thoughts pass, and focus on the flame. This is exercising your focus and concentration.

After a while, close your eyes. In your minds eye, remember the flame, and see how strongly you can make it "re-appear" in your mind. This is exercising your visualisation. Repeat this exercise until you have had your fill.

Now, when you are comfortable with this exercise, try this one:

Lie on your bed in a star postion. I like to be naked for this one. Make sure that nothing will distract you, like interruptions, or temperatures, or any discomfort. Carry out the relaxion, then you are ready to begin.

Now that your visualisation skills are working, here you can push them further. Remember that the word 'visualisation' also refers to other senses, like feeling, scent and sound. (It is not a good umbrella term).

Start to see, and feel, a powerful white light in your belly. Use your concentration (which you have practiced) to make it grow upwards and downwards at the same time, like a powerful stream of water. This may take a few practices, - the goal is that it flows through your crown and out through your root chakra (between your legs). So, where does it go?

Now you can see a web around you, a beautiful web of white shining threads. The web can be as big as you like. It could be just around you, or around your room, around the planet or even a web around the universe. Your choice.

When your web is made, you can connect with it with with the energy you first made. Again, this may take a few attempts. When you do make the connection, it is time to absorb yourself in the experience. What can you feel? What can you see? Can you move? Perhaps it makes a song to you. Do you feel the connection?

So, here is a start. Much of the art is in creating your own methods. If you lost sense of where you were, and what the time was, then you probably succeeded XD

~ Zebrah.

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Very nice. Some people that fall asleep find it easier to sit in a warm shower to My husband always draws a bath or lays down with the shower on to meditate.

I personally love the flame. When I started seriously practicing meditation around the age of 12, I didn't use any candles and just sat with relaxing music playing. I would breathe in sync with the music. Don't forget that the sound of nature is the best music! I love to sit in a quiet place with the birds chirping and leaves rustling to this day. But it isn't always possible! The weather isn't nice 365 days of the year, not even half of that.

I practice yoga but I don't find it very good for meditating. Although it does make your muscles and mind feel great! I think yoga is good to do before meditation, sort of like a preparation for it.

But I found that candles really work best for me and I've used them ever since. Like you, Zebrah, I eventually close my eyes and still see the flame.

I can meditate anywhere though, trains are great!

Chanting isn't for everyone but its definitely a worthy investment to try. Once you research a chant that suits you, I suggest searching for it on youtube so that you can hear the professionals doing it. Try to chant along with the recording until you can get the rhythm of it down and memorize it. Sometimes you have to search a bit to find a speed that is comfortable for you. They can get very fast!

That's a really good point Raven, about preparing for meditation. Same goes for relaxation, - if you haven't tired yourself out, niether will work so well. Yoga, as you said, is a great preparation. Combined yoga/meditation sounds like a good morning to me :)