| 1. Find a quiet secluded place to meditate. It is | | | | difficult. On the other hand it is not good to |
| best to meditate at the same place every day. | | | | meditate whilst very hungry because then you will |
| This enables you to build up a "meditative" | | | | be thinking of food whilst meditating. |
| atmosphere. If you can have a room just for | | | | 5. Regularity is very important. If you meditate |
| meditation this is ideal. However in practise this is | | | | every day at the same time your body and mind |
| likely to be difficult, instead a small corner of a | | | | will become used to this period of silence and |
| room could be set aside. This location for | | | | stillness. Over time it will become easier to train |
| meditation should be kept clean and beautiful. | | | | the mind to be still. If you can meditate early in |
| However flowers and candles will inspire you to | | | | the morning this is the best time. Early in the |
| enter into a meditative consciousness. If you have | | | | morning the world is less restless and the |
| a Teacher or Master you might like to keep their | | | | atmosphere more conducive to meditation. |
| picture on your shrine. | | | | 6. If the mind is very restless there are some |
| 2. When meditating it is best to meditate with a | | | | preliminary activities that will help you enter into |
| straight back and the spine straight. There are a | | | | meditation. Firstly reading spiritual books about |
| couple of reasons for this. Firstly if you try to | | | | meditation will help tune the mind into meditation. |
| meditate whilst lying down you may easily fall | | | | Inspiring words from meditation teacher will |
| asleep or start to doze off. This is a type of | | | | definitely help to motivate our meditation. |
| relaxation but very different to the inner peace | | | | "Meditation speaks. It speaks in silence. It reveals. |
| of meditation. Meditation also awakens the energy | | | | It reveals to the aspirant that matter and spirit |
| centres or Chakras. This flow of spiritual energy | | | | are one, quantity and quality are one, the |
| flows up the spine so this is another reason to | | | | immanent and the transcendent are one." |
| keep a straight back. However it is not necessary | | | | - Sri Chinmoy |
| to meditate seated in the lotus posture, it is fine | | | | 7. Secondly playing spiritual, meditative music will |
| to meditate in a chair. The most important thing is | | | | also have a calming influence on the mind. |
| to be comfortable so the body is not a | | | | However it is important to be careful with the |
| distraction. | | | | choice of music to make sure it is meditative and |
| 3. It is advisable to shower before meditating and | | | | not too dynamic. |
| wear light clean clothes. It is particularly helpful to | | | | 8. Sincerity. It is important to take your |
| change from work clothes. | | | | meditation time seriously. It is not the length of |
| 4. When meditating it is important to leave a gap | | | | meditation that is important. What is important is |
| of approximately 2 hours after eating a heavy | | | | how sincere your meditation is. When meditating |
| meal. After consuming a heavy meal the body will | | | | you should try to forget about everything else |
| be concentrating on absorbing the food. Thus you | | | | and concentrate only on stilling the mind and |
| will be more lethargic and meditation will be more | | | | entering into a meditative consciousness. |