Meditation/Relaxation Practices
What is Meditation?
Meditation= is “an act of reflection and contemplation”. But to me it is much = more than this. You find a place within yourself where all is serene, the still place. You connect to the Universe. You gain wisdom and understanding; a feeling of Bliss.
Meditation= is not seen as something to be worked at or perfected, but as an act of “letting go” as we slip into a state of mind as effortless as we sink into a sleep.
Meditation= can be achieved by anyone.
Benefits of Meditation<= o:p>
Meditation is for everyone. All ag= e groups and walks of life and or lifestyles.
Meditation is practised by= elite athletes, mothers, executives, doctors, students, celebrities and retirees.=
Why Meditate
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To experience a =
direct
mental, physical and emotional health benefit
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To learn how to =
relax
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To relieve stres=
s
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To improve
concentration
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To achieve great=
er
self-awareness
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To gain a clearer
sense of purpose
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To enjoy a susta=
ined
sense of well-being
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To foster a more
positive attitude to life
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To open your hea=
rt
chakra
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To align all cha=
kras
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To align to the
Universe and what it has to offer you in your stillness
Meditation is also being used to restore emotional bal= ance in conditions such as depression, anxiety, hyperactivity and attention defi= cit disorder.
An Inner Centre of Pe=
ace
As the pressure of the world incre= ase and multiply, many people are turning to the practice of meditation as a step toward a calmer life, toward the release of strength and wisdom in their li= ves, and most important, toward direct realization of the wellspring of strength= and peace within themselves.
To find stillness of mind we have to learn the delicat= e art of allowing our actions, our thoughts and our feelings to be whatever they = are, but not let them control us. We cannot force the mind to be still, but we c= an withdraw our consciousness from its restlessness.
Meditation is our deepest natural state – our pu= re consciousness – which we experience once our minds stop being busy. I= t is difficult for us because it is really doing “nothing” – i= t is just being what we are.
A Science Centuries Old<= o:p>
Meditation has been a central focus of most spiritual traditions, but because it takes place in silence and alone, it is less well known than more social practices like preaching and singing. However, preci= se instructions in meditations set down thousands of years ago by the Indian s= age Patanjali, are still available to us today, stressing= the need for a pure life based not on greed and sensuality, but on harmlessness, simplicity, and contentment.
Patanjali’s first instruction to the meditator is to “hinder” or slow down the “modification” of the mind – to stop it from identifying with, or responding to, stimuli. He then sets out the following four steps necessary to master the art of meditation= .
These four steps are:
Observation (Awareness)
Concentration = Meditation = Contemplation
How do we Meditate
Each person tends to have his or her own way of medita= tion, but the following general techniques are common to all traditional methods:=
1. Meditate regularly at the same time each day in a p= rivate place.
2. Sit in a comfortable position with the spine erect = or lay down comfortably if that is
more suited to the particular type of meditation being practiced.
3. Relax all muscles – deep breathing is helpful= .
4. Deliberately withdraw your attention from all outer stimuli.
5. Practice one of the specific techniques outlined sh= ortly.
6. Radiate the peace you have experience outward to the world.
7. After about 15 to 40 minutes slowly come back to no= rmal consciousness.
As aids to stilling the min=
d,
several specific methods are used by meditators=
, some
of these are:
A. Concentration On Breathing<= o:p>
Here we focus our
awareness on our breath.
This keeps
concentration in the present moment – the only gateway to higher
consciousness.
B. Using
Mantras
Mantras are word=
s that
by their special vibrational qualities, link us=
with
the spiritual
levels of consciousness. Chanting a mantra like the ancient Indian “<=
st1:place
w:st=3D"on">Om”(amen is the En=
glish
equivalent) is a powerful aid in meditation.
C. Focusing
on an Object or Idea
A symbol or an aphoris=
m such
as “I am one with the Divine” can be used as a focus to initiate
meditation.
D. Emptying
the Mind
Many meditators
simply try to empty the mind or still its activities, knowing that if this =
can
be achieved an expansion of awareness will follow.
E. Guided
Meditation
=
These fully guided breathing, relax=
ation
and meditation sessions will transport y=
ou to
a place of pure relaxation of mind, body and heart.
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Guided
deep relaxation and meditation will calm the mind and relax the body. These=
are
often undertaken with a facilitator or leader.
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Following
on from this, other aids and practices can be followed with direction from =
a suitably
qualified teacher.
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Benefits of Meditation =
By building up good habits=
of the
mind in meditation, our daily life behavior gradually changes. We are better
able to make decisions and are less dissatisfied and restless.
We should always try to ha=
ve a
broader and more encompassing motivation to meditate than just our own pres=
ent
happiness. If we genera=
te the
motivation to meditate in order to attain liberation from the cycle of
constantly recurring problems, or to reach the state of complete wisdom for=
the
benefit of all, then naturally our mind will also be peaceful now. In addit=
ion
we will be able to attain those high and noble goals.
It is very beneficial to h= ave a regular meditation practice, even if it is only for a short time each day.<= o:p>
If meditation is helpful t=
o us, we
should make time for it every day. Even if we do not want to meditate, it is
important to keep some “quiet time” for ourselves each day: time
when we sit and reflect upon what we do and why, time when we read the bibl=
e or
some other uplifting, spiritual book or commentary, or recite a holy mantra=
. It
is extremely important that we learn to like ourselves and are happy to be
alone. Keeping aside some quiet time, preferably in the morning before the
activities of the day are underway, is necessary, especially in modern
societies where people are so busy. We always have time to nourish our bodi=
es;
we never skip a meal because we see it is important. Likewise, we should
reserve time to nourish our mind and our inner being as well, because it is=
too
important.
Benefits of Meditation f=
or
children & students
The Purpose of Medita=
tion
The ultimate goal of med=
itation is to allow the individual self to experience the gr=
eater
Self, the Oneness which we can think of as God or Nature.
This experience is the gre=
atest
spiritual achievement any individual can enjoy.
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Christine
Convery
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sp; Health
‘n’ Harmony
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Grenfell.
2810
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NSW