Beginning Meditation - Simply

Meditation is a quiet time of self-reflection, mental and emotional centering, and a calming of the physical body to a peaceful state of non-activity. It is the act of focusing the mind on an object, specific thought, or state of awareness. If you practice for as little as fifteen minutes a day, this journey inward can relieve stress, lower blood pressure, and even alleviate physical pains and discomforts.

Eastern practices of meditation have become more common in our Western culture since the 1920’s when a pioneer of yoga, Paramahansa Yogananda, founded the Self Realization Fellowship in California. SRF brought Kriya Yoga, a form of yoga meditation, to the West. The Sanskrit definition for yoga means “yoke” or “union”. It is a yoking or uniting of oneself to God through certain disciplines. There are over 15 forms of yoga, most of which are mental disciplines and may or may not include “asanas,” the physical postures with which Westerners are familiar.

Instruction for meditation is widely available and the type you choose should be based on your reason for meditating. If this is for spiritual reasons, you may check with your church to see if they offer instruction and would therefore be in accord with your belief system. You can also attend open meditations at your local monastery. If this is strictly for stress-reduction and relaxation, there are numerous DVDs and CDs available on-line that offer guided meditations. A guided meditation is led by an instructor or spiritual initiate who will talk you through your session and help you to focus your mind on their voice, bells, music, or other audible methods.

Meditation can be done anywhere you can find a quiet space. It can be achieved with little-to-no props or tools. It can be practiced with a lavish cushion or animal skin in front of an ornate altar. The surrounding and tools you choose should be ones that are conducive to you.

Start simply by selecting an uncluttered area of your home. Distractions should be kept to a minimum. You will want to turn your telephone off and put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door. Seat yourself on a small cushion in front of a low table. Have a white candle lit in front of you on the table.

Seated in front of the candle, focus on the flame. Begin by taking long, deep breaths inward through your nose, then exhale completely through your mouth. Do this multiple times, centering yourself as you think of nothing but your breath going in, then going out. Next, notice the thoughts as they go through your mind and into consciousness. Try not to focus on any one thought. Just allow them to flow through and out, having an awareness of them, but from just out of their range. See how your mind tends to bring things in and out of consciousness without your control. Eventually, this is what you will want to learn to get control of, but in the beginning, just observe.

Meditation is an ongoing process that develops through self-discipline and consistency. This is something that may not come easily to the beginner, as the conscious mind has been allowed to wander freely for your entire life. And yet, with any form of exercise you do, you will become stronger and more adept as your practice develops. Trust that you are about to embark on a new and incredible journey of inner space, breath deeply, and begin.