Meditation – Starting with the basics
While today meditation is part of my daily life, as well as sharing what I have learnt from experience with others I like most have not always enjoyed it’s benefits. For me it did not happen over night, though with the right intent, frame of mind and some assistance, meditation is an achievement within everyones grasp.
I was introduced at very young age to the concept of meditation, alas my thinking mind was too caught up in control, achievement and thought to really have any meaningful benefits or to be able to meditate at all in my youth.
One of the difficult aspects about grasping meditation is that it’s not about being strong willed or determined. It’s not about your ability to control and master a situation through sheer hard work and effort or about being spiritual, intellectual or clever. It’s the simple act of attention, awareness and presents, feeling and observation without judgement or labeling.
Some of the many benefits associated with meditation is that it is refreshing, restorative and calming but it is not a state of just feeling or being relaxed. There is no mistaking or wondering whether you have been meditating or not. Unfortunately if there is any ambiguity then it’s just not happening. Which is neither good or bad and happens to most in the early stages and even to seasoned meditators.
While we are all different we can all learn to enjoy and benefit from meditation.The most common barrier is trying too hard or over thinking the process making it in that instance an impossibility to meditate.
Our western world is full of all types of mental stimulation and in some cases even overload, poor diets, lack of exercise and not enough sleep. The ability to sit quietly still is so foreign that just attempting to start to meditate is a massive hurdle for many.
To embark on meditation half heartedly or because someone else is driving you to try it is likely to end in frustration or simply to confirm what you thought in the first instance, that you can not meditate or that it is just a waste of time.
The simple desire to meditate is usually not enough as the guidance of a suitably experienced meditation teacher in most instances is critical to experience a meditative state. For most joining an interactive group meditation lead by an experienced teacher is the best opportunity to get a glimpse of what it feels like to meditate.
A good meditation teacher will interact with those present to share both difficulties and triumphs in a non competitive manner as well as gently guiding those who are either blocked or lost in a daydream and fantasizing that they are meditating. Circumstances if not handled delicately unfortunately serve only to distract or discourage other learners in the group. Having visions, seeing colours or out of body experiences are all very real states of mind but they are not meditation.
Guided meditations are probably the best way to start and for most the best way to simply continue the practice of meditation either alone or in a group. Many teachers in group situations start by guiding the group into a meditative state before dropping their guidance and just allowing the meditation to flow in silence, occasionally breaking the silence to guide those in the group that may have drifted off into their thoughts or a day dream.
Very experienced teachers and attuned meditators can actually feel how the group is going during the meditation. They know when some gentle guidance is needed to get the distracted meditators back on track.
Back ground music can be helpful in guided meditations but is not essential and totally irrelevant when in a deep meditative state. The most successful background music usually does not contain singing and has a flowing tempo and mood that is both gentle and soothing in quality. Music is also used as a tool to guide the meditator as to the passing of time. If you only have 15-20 minutes then when the music is finished it gives you a clear marker for you to stop rather than give your mind another opportunity to interrupt.
Being comfortable is very, very important so that you are not distracted by your own discomfort. Firstly the process of meditation only occurs when the spine is upright so it is not advisable to be lying down. My recommendation is to be comfortably seated in a firm chair, back slightly supported, feet flat on the ground. Sitting crossed legged on the floors is the image that comes to mind when most of us think of meditation but that image is from an associate with ancient cultures that in many cases only sat that way and did so in comfort for hours. If seated cross legged on the floor is comfortable then by all means use it while meditating.
Falling asleep is not an uncommon problem for some and it is usually a sign that you are too tired from not getting enough sleep. If you are overtired then the chances of successfully meditating in the evening are limited. Try and arrange your day so you have some time set aside first thing in the morning to meditate
I hope that you find my own first hand observations on meditation of use in your own personal journey with meditation.