| Congratulations! You have decided to investigate | | | | Notice if the breath is cooler as it goes in or as it |
| meditation and see what it can do for you. | | | | goes out. At first you may find it difficult to keep |
| Whether you are interested in it for stress relief, | | | | the focus on your breath with your own free will |
| to unwind or to attain higher planes of awareness, | | | | as thoughts and itchy feet, I can guarantee it, will |
| there is bound to be a technique which will appeal | | | | come and disturb you. It may be worthwhile |
| to you. | | | | investing in a CD or attend a class with a teacher |
| So what is meditation? Meditation aims to restore | | | | talking you through so that you can keep focusing |
| our internal balance through internal focus. There | | | | back to the external voice when your internal |
| are many ways to do that. I have outlined a few | | | | chatter takes over. |
| below: | | | | Then you have the witnessing type where all you |
| For people who like to express themselves | | | | do is witness thoughts and feelings as they arise |
| emotionally, devotional singing is a good one. | | | | (Vipassana again). To be able to sit for one hour |
| ."Kirtan" (mostly hinduism) is the conscious and | | | | and do this requires and develops extremely good |
| repetitive singing of mantras (words of power), | | | | mental focus. You may start with short 10 minute |
| often done in a group and accompanied with | | | | sessions and increase slowly over months. You |
| music. The same simple verse is repeated over | | | | can expect boredom to arise, mistrust in the |
| and over and over again. Eventually the mind gets | | | | process, emotions of all kinds. These are all good |
| bored with it and finally turns inwards. During a | | | | clearing although it doesn't feel that way at the |
| kirtan session, the different songs are punctuated | | | | time. But if you can put up with it, witnessing is |
| with silence. This helps further deepen the | | | | what will dissolve these disturbances. At times |
| introspection and facilitate the rise of awareness. | | | | you may also need the help of a therapist to help |
| There is often a buzzy feeling due to the singing | | | | deal with difficult situations which may arise from |
| which activates proper breath. | | | | the past. Very powerful stuff. |
| For people who are more intellectual, there is a | | | | Koans (buddhism) are also a good way stop the |
| good one called self-enquiry (buddhism, Kashmir | | | | mind in its tracks. It consists of pondering things |
| shaivism). This consists of repeatedly asking | | | | such as "what is the sound of one hand clapping?". |
| yourself who is feeling what is being felt, or who | | | | The mind gets into a short circuit and you may |
| is thinking what is being thought. For instance, you | | | | get a satori experience, a quick glimpse into a |
| may be sitting quietly on your meditation cushion | | | | higher reality. This is for those who are seriously |
| and a thought passes by, like a cloud in the sky | | | | interested in a meditative path or really really |
| of the mind. Just ask who is thinking this thought | | | | resonate with buddhism. |
| and wait for the answer to arise. When (and if) it | | | | Prayer is also another form of meditation, including |
| does, ask the same question again. Who is | | | | Christian prayer. There are different levels of |
| thinking this thought? | | | | prayer, from petitionary where one asks for |
| For people who like a little bit more action but not | | | | something to connecting with oneness and |
| too much, you can follow your breath. There are | | | | allowing what is to be and being thankful for it |
| countless books and meditation classes and | | | | rather than asking for something. |
| groups such as Vipassana as well as yoga classes | | | | As you can see, there are as many ways to |
| you can attend but here is one breath meditation | | | | meditate as there are personalities. But all roads |
| I like: as you breathe in say to yourself mentally | | | | lead to Rome and at the end of the day, all |
| "breathing in" and as you breathe out say to | | | | meditation techniques are ways to uncover the |
| yourself mentally "breathing out". And follow your | | | | truth of who you are. Once this has been |
| breath as it goes in and out of your nose. Notice | | | | achieved, most people relinquish their techniques |
| if there is more air in the right or in the left nostril. | | | | and life itself becomes a meditation. |