Calm Mind - II

Meditation is best done when the night meets the day and the day meets the night i.e at dawn and dusk. Depending on your suitability you can choose your timing the only requirement being choosing a time when you will not be disturbed. Cut off external sounds even if it is necessary to plug your ears in the first few days. 

There are primarily two levels in meditation. The first level is thinking on a single object or thought and the second level is thinking on nothing, making your mind thoughtless. We are limiting our discussion to the first level.

As I have experienced, it is easier to enter the meditative state with visualising the single object of our choice. In the initial period, it will be very difficult to hold your concentration on a single object even for a few seconds. No problem. Just see what you are thinking. Do not resist the floating thoughts. Let them come. They will subside quickly as you progress. Perseverance is important.

I will give you examples of three meditations which I personally followed when I started on this journey. These are not binding.  You can form your own method.

1/ Close your eyes. Start with a few deep breaths. Slowly inhale with your belly and exhale. Will your body to relax. With each exhalation of breath, feel the stress flowing out of your muscles and body, feel the body relaxing. 

Visualise a brilliant white ball floating  or an "Om" symbol over your head emitting bright white light. Hold the ball over your head for some time. Visualise the ball entering your body through your crown and moving down slowly inside your body. Visualise the ball resting in each of the chakra locations for some time before it starts moving down again.  (if you are not aware of chakra locations, visualise the ball resting near your heart  also solar plexus area for some time before it moves down. The speed of movement of the ball depends on your comfort level. In the initial days it may be that the speed will be fast as you will tend to complete meditation faster. As you grow, you will be able to do it slowly without losing focus). Visualise the ball exiting from the sole of your feet. Visualise your body emitting a bright white halo.

Come out of the meditation slowly. Sit in the same posture for a few minutes before getting up.

We will discuss the other two meditation methods in the next post.

Ciao. See you again.

Prabir