| Meditation is an intensely personal and spiritual | | | | calm, clear, and non-reactive state of mind. |
| experience. The purpose of each meditation | | | | Mantra meditation forms the heart of the Hindu |
| technique is to channel awareness into a more | | | | faith and it's effectiveness has also been proven |
| positive direction by totally transforming one's | | | | by centuries of successful application. In mantra |
| state of mind. The mediation is to turn inwards | | | | meditation, you pick a mantra that suits you and |
| and to concentrate on the inner self. | | | | then repeat it mentally or out loud continuously. |
| There are many meditation techniques for | | | | This technique, just like Zen Meditation, will help |
| beginners, I believe that guided meditation is the | | | | develop your concentration, mental focus and |
| best for learning how to meditate. In order to | | | | awareness. |
| keep your mind from racing and to focus your | | | | Controlling Your Breath At no time during the |
| attention you can create a guided meditation using | | | | practice of this technique should you make any |
| a simple recording device. The key is to speak | | | | effort to control the breath. Let it flow naturally. |
| slowly and clearly in a calm and relaxing voice. | | | | Gradually, you may notice that the pauses |
| Begin by relaxing your body starting at your head, | | | | between the inhalation and exhalation are |
| and moving down your scalp, face, neck, throat | | | | becoming longer. Enjoy these pauses, for they |
| chest back, arms, hands, abdomen, pelvic girdle, | | | | are a glimpse of the deep peace state of |
| buttocks, legs, feet toes. Talk gently and slowly | | | | advanced meditation. As you grow very calm you |
| and use the word relax many times. | | | | may notice that the breath is becoming so |
| When learning how to meditate the important | | | | shallow (or the pauses so prolonged) that it hardly |
| thing is to start somewhere. You can always | | | | seems necessary to breathe at all. |
| improve your meditation techniques once | | | | Taoist meditation methods have many points in |
| you’ve started but if you don’t apply any | | | | common with Hindu and Buddhist systems, but |
| techniques on how to meditate then you’ve | | | | the Taoist way is less abstract and far more |
| got nowhere. | | | | down-to-earth than the contemplative traditions |
| Mindfulness meditation involves opening the | | | | which evolved in India. The primary hallmark of |
| attention to become aware of the continuously | | | | Taoist meditation is the generation, |
| passing parade of sensations and feelings, images, | | | | transformation, and circulation of internal energy. |
| thoughts, sounds, smells, and so forth without | | | | Once the meditator has 'achieved energy' |
| becoming involved in thinking about them. The | | | | (deh-chee), it can be applied to promoting health |
| meditator sits quietly and simply witnesses | | | | and longevity, nurturing the 'spiritual embryo' of |
| whatever goes through the mind, not reacting or | | | | immortality, martial arts, healing, painting and |
| becoming involved with thoughts, memories, | | | | poetry, sensual self-indulgence, or whatever else |
| worries, or images. This helps to gain a more | | | | the adept wishes to do with it. |