| Object meditation is an extremely popular form | | | | that you wish to use as the focus of your |
| of meditation, but it is also the one type of | | | | meditation and then try the following exercise. |
| meditation that causes more trouble than any of | | | | Choose a comfortable pose and start your |
| the others and this trouble stems from the | | | | meditation exercise with a series of deep, relaxing |
| selection of the object used as the focus of your | | | | breaths. |
| meditation. | | | | If your chosen object is in your line of sight, you |
| Each meditation exercise that you perform will | | | | can keep your eyes open but, if the object is |
| have a goal. You may, for example, be having | | | | being visualized, you should close your eyes and |
| trouble sleeping and decide to meditate before | | | | bring the object or scene into your mind's eye. |
| going to bed with the objective of falling asleep | | | | Take a moment to observe your emotional |
| shortly after your head hits the pillow. | | | | reaction to the object, if any. If at this point |
| Alternatively, you may decide to meditate before | | | | thoughts or associations threaten to interfere with |
| leaving home and heading off to work for a | | | | your meditation then simply acknowledge them |
| meeting with your boss who frightens the life out | | | | and then brush them to one side. |
| of you. In this case the object of your meditation | | | | Continue to return your concentration to the |
| might be to give you the strength and confidence | | | | object itself and observe the image closely, |
| to face this particular meeting. | | | | noticing any changes in the object. Does it, for |
| In both cases you should try to pick an object | | | | example, change size, orientation or color as you |
| that is associated with the goal of your meditation | | | | observe it? Let your imagination go to work at |
| and so here you might choose something like a | | | | this point, but keep your focus on your chosen |
| picture of waves lapping onto a tropical beach at | | | | object. |
| sunset and an iron or steel rod. | | | | As you continue your meditation notice how |
| So far so good. However, at this point, you also | | | | various changes to the object, which are being |
| have to be very careful that the object which | | | | created within your imagination, make you feel. |
| you choose doesn't conjure up images that are | | | | Once you feel yourself calm and relaxed you are |
| likely to intrude into your meditation. This is | | | | ready to end your meditation and, at this point, |
| especially true where the images that are likely to | | | | you should simply dismiss the object and return |
| appear are negative in nature. For example, if | | | | to concentrating on your breathing as you slowly |
| your boyfriend dumped you during a beach party | | | | bring the other objects around you back into your |
| on a holiday to Hawaii then picturing a tropical | | | | vision and regain an awareness of just where you |
| beach at sunset is probably not a good idea when | | | | are. |
| you are trying to relax in preparation for bed. | | | | Finish by stretching slowly before getting up. |
| Think carefully about the object, real or imaginary, | | | | |