The lack of success doesn't have anything to do with the viability of meditation, but rather my lack of willingness to work at it for any length of time. There are essentially three separate yet connected schools of meditation. Those are
1. Transcendental Meditation (TM): TM requires the use of the
mantra (a repeated word or phrase) to focus the mind and achieve a deep
state of relaxation. Thoughts that arise during TM are disregarded and
the attention is brought back to the mantra.
2. Mindfulness Meditation (also called Insight Meditation or Vipassana):
This type of meditation involves nonjudgmental observation of thoughts
as you focus on your breath, or an object or image (seen or visualized).
Mindfulness meditation has an element of inquiry -- you investigate and
compassionately "witness" whatever comes up.
3. Visualization Meditation: This technique is often used to relieve pain by visualizing a part of the body being healed through imagery and breath work.
And then there are a few other well known and practiced methods:
Mantra Meditation - The meditation techniques used here involve the conscious repetition of a certain sound that must appeal to the mind in order to achieve a meditative state.
Trataka Meditation - Trataka Meditation is used for balancing
the mind by means of focusing a steady gaze on any one particular
object and is an established yoga cleansing technique.
Chakra Meditation - Chakras represent a supreme level of energy
manifestation and development of self. Each of the seven chakras
represents the major nerve centers that branch off from the spinal
cord, serving the major organs of the body. The purpose of this
meditation technique is to help individuals discover and explore their
chakras, thereby awakening them on a conscious level in a balanced and
integrated way during a state of rumination.
Vipassana Meditation - The word Vipassana means ‘insight’. It
refers to the ability to see things as they really are, attained
through a process of self-observation and contemplation. The vipassana
meditation technique is free of rites and helps in identifying one’s
own nature, recognizing the bad elements and consciously eliminating
them from the system.
Raja Yoga meditation - This is a technique used for balancing
the mind by way of taking the person through to a higher level of
oneness and rumination. It is said to elevate the mind away from
pleasures of the flesh and reforming bad habits.
The steps to meditation are simple. OK, that's true only to a point. They seem simple. But in practice they are deceptively difficult to achieve. I don't think anyone realizes just how busy their mind and body are until they try to focus on one thing for a length of time.
Meditation is much like religion in that it is such an old practice it has branched many many times. The good thing about that is, you have so many different methods to choose from. If one doesn't work for you, try another.
1. Find a quiet spot that's free from distractions. Sit on a
cushion or a chair, or lie down if sitting for that length of time is
uncomfortable. Just be sure to maintain a straight spine.
2. Choose a focal point. An object to gaze softly upon (a
picture of a loved one, an icon, a flower), your breath, a soothing
mental image such as a waterfall, or a mantra -- a repeated phrase like
"love" or "om." If you are not gazing at something, close your eyes.
3. Gently allow yourself to bring your full attention to your focal point.
Your mind will naturally drift, thinking about what you must accomplish
that day, a dream you had the night before, and so on. Don't be upset
with yourself when you become distracted. Simply acknowledge the thought
without judgment and try to return to your focal point.
So, what do the various forms of meditation have in common? First, breathing. Breathing is very important in all forms. Second, calmness. Calming the body and the mind and spirit. And finally, focus. The focus may be a thought, a flame, a word, but it is one thing to poor your focus into.
From project-meditation.org
Visualization techniques work well for those who find it difficult to focus on a mantra or a particular topic. Although not always curative, by practicing imagery meditation and visualization techniques, 90 percent of the problems people bring to the attention of their primary care physicians can be relieved drastically. Imagery is the most fundamental language we have as everything we do is processed through the mind as an image.
From project-meditation.org
Visualization techniques work well for those who find it difficult to focus on a mantra or a particular topic. Although not always curative, by practicing imagery meditation and visualization techniques, 90 percent of the problems people bring to the attention of their primary care physicians can be relieved drastically. Imagery is the most fundamental language we have as everything we do is processed through the mind as an image.
Imagery meditation can be practiced in a group with one person describing a scene to imagine, followed by another person in the group giving consideration to and adding to the image and so forth, building on the images and deliberate thought in their minds. It may also be practiced individually, imagining your own scene and building on it. This state of deliberation remains until either the guide brings everybody back from meditation or until your individual time of rumination comes to an end. Following this session, as with all mediation techniques, spend some time of reflection on the experience, what you discovered and any questions that might have arisen. Often, many people who practice this enjoyable and simple technique find it very useful and rewarding to keep a journal of the experiences encountered to gain greater insight into themselves as well as creating a whole picture of a given topic or focus.
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How to do Mindfulness Meditation
From Shambhala Sun
In mindfulness, or shamatha, meditation, we are trying to achieve a mind that is stable and calm. What we begin to discover is that this calmness or harmony is a natural aspect of the mind. Through mindfulness practice we are just developing and strengthening it, and eventually we are able to remain peacefully in our mind without struggling. Our mind naturally feels content.
An important point is that when we are in a mindful state, there is still intelligence. It’s not as if we blank out. Sometimes people think that a person who is in deep meditation doesn’t know what’s going on—that it’s like being asleep. In fact, there are meditative states where you deny sense perceptions their function, but this is not the accomplishment of shamatha practice
Much information can be found on their web page. Follow the link above.
I would like to add one very important caveat. Emptor! Many scams and much douchebaggery exists out there. Use your head when reading and seeking knowledge. If a sight asks you for money, move on. If it claims to be trademarked or copy writed, it's most likely a scam. Take a deep breath, count to 10. Oh hell, count to 100. Relax. Gather your thoughts.
Zen Meditation
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Zen meditation allows the mind to relax, please follow theses easy instructions. Sit on the forward third of a chair or a cushion on the floor.
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Arrange your legs in a position you can maintain comfortably. In the half-lotus position, place your right leg on your left thigh.
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Take a deep breath, exhale fully, and take another deep breath, exhaling fully.
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With proper physical posture, your breathing will flow naturally into your lower abdomen. Breathe naturally, without judgment or trying to breathe a certain way.
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Keep your attention on your breath whilst practicing this zen meditation. When your attention wanders, bring it back to the breath again and again -- as many times as necessary! Remain as still as possible, following your breath and returning to it whenever thoughts arise.
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Be fully, vitally present with yourself. Simply do your very best. At the end of your sitting period, gently swing your body from right to left in increasing arcs. Stretch out your legs, and be sure they have feeling before standing.
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Practice easy Zen meditation every day for at least ten to fifteen minutes (or longer) and you will discover for yourself the treasure house of the timeless life of zazen -- your very life itself.
1. Posture
Whether you sit on a chair or cross-legged on the floor, make sure that your spine is upright with head up. If you are slumped your mind will drift. Mind and body are intertwined. If your body is well-balanced, your mind will also be in balance. To straighten up, imagine that your head is touching the sky.
2. Eyes
Try and keep you eyes open. Open eyes allow you to be more present. Just lower your eyes and let your gaze be sort. If you close your eyes you will be more likely to drift away on thoughts and stories. However, it’s important to do what is comfortable for you. Some people find closing their eyes much more effective. It’s good to experiment and see what feels best for you.
2. Focus
In ordinary consciousness we are hardly ever present. For example, sometimes we drive the car on autopilot while being preoccupied with thoughts. Suddenly we arrive at our destination and don’t remember anything about the drive!
So, meditation is a wonderful way of waking up to our life. Otherwise we miss most of our experiences because we are somewhere else in our mind! Let’s take a look at what focus is. In ordinary life, we tend to equate focus with concentration. That’s like using the mind like a concentrated beam of light. But in meditation, that kind of mind isn’t helpful. It’s too sharp and edgy. To focus in meditation means to pay soft attention to whatever you place in the centre of awareness. I suggest using the breath as a focus. It’s like a natural door that connects ‘inside’ and ‘outside’. Zen Master Toni Packer says:
Attention comes from nowhere. It has no cause. It belongs to no one
3. The breath
Paying attention to the breath is a great way to anchor yourself in the present moment.
Notice your breath streaming in and out. There’s no need to regulate the breath – just let it be natural.
4. Counting you breath
If you are having difficulties settling, you can try counting the breath – which is an ancient meditation practice. On your outbreath, silently count “one”, then “two”, and up to “four”. Then return to “one”. Whenever you notice your thoughts have strayed far away or you find yourself counting “thirtythree”, simply return to “one”. In this way, “one” is like coming home to the present moment. It’s good to return without a backward glance.
5. Thoughts
When you notice thoughts, gently let them go by returning yous focus to the breath. Don’t try and stop thoughts; this will just make you feel agitated. Imagine that they are unwelcome visitors at your door: acknowledge their presence and politely ask them to leave. Then shine the soft light of your attention on your breath.
6. Emotions
It’s difficult to settle into meditation if you are struggling with strong emotions. This is because some emotions tend to breed stories in the mind. Especially anger, shame and fear create stories that repeat over and over in the mind. Anger and shame make us keep looking at past events of the past. Fear looks at the future with stories that start with, “What if…”
The way to deal with strong emotions in meditation is to focus on the body feelings that accompany the emotion. For example, this could be the tight band of fear around the chest or the hot roiling of anger in the belly. Let go of the stories and refocus on your body. In this way you are honoring your emotions but not becoming entangled in stories.
7. Silence
Silence is healing. I know that there are is a lot of ‘meditation music’ around, but nothing beats simple silence. Otherwise the music or sounds on the tape just drown out the chatter in your mind. When we sit in silence we actually get to experience what our mind is doing. There is steadiness and calmness that comes from sitting in silence. In time outer and inner silence meet and you come to rest in the moment.
8. Length
Start with 10 minutes and only sit longer if you feel that that is too short. Don’t force yourself to meditate longer if you are not ready to do that. In time you might like to extend your meditation to 25 minutes. That’s a length that allows you to settle your mind without causing too much stress on your body. Most importantly, shrug off any ‘shoulds’. Some people enjoy sitting for an hour at a time. Others find that they can’t sit longer than 10 minutes. Do what feels right for you!
9. Place
It’s lovely to create a special place to sit. You can even make a shrine or an altar that you can face when you sit in meditation. You might like to place a candle on your altar and objects that have meaning to you. It’s lovely to find objects for your altar as you walk. Maybe you find stones, or seashells, or flowers that speak to you.
10. Enjoyment
Most of all it’s important to enjoy meditation. You might like to try sitting with a hint of a smile. Be kind to yourself. Start sitting just a little each day. It’s helpful to establish a daily habit.
If you want to start meditating the easy way, CLICK HERE to get the Goodlife ZEN Meditation Guide.
How to Begin Zen Meditation (Zazen)
Get a zafu or small pillow. This is optional, depending on your position and your preference.
In the full lotus position, put your feet on opposite
thighs. You may also sit simply with your legs tucked in close to your
body, but be sure that your weight is distributed on three points: both
of your knees on the ground and your buttocks on the round cushion.
On a chair, keep your knees apart about the width of your shoulders,
feet firmly planted on the floor.
Get into position. The literal translation for
zazen is "seated meditation". So, how you sit is very important. There
are a few different positions used in zazen:
- The Burmese Position. This is the simplest position in which the legs are crossed with both knees resting flat on the floor. One ankle is in front of the other, not over.
- The Half Lotus Position (Hankafuza). This is done by placing the left foot onto the right thigh and tucking the right leg under your left thigh.
- The Full Lotus Position (Kekkafuza). This is by far the most stable of all positions. It is done by placing each foot onto the opposite thigh. This might be slightly painful at first but keep trying and the muscles in your legs will loosen up. It is not recommended, however, if you have chronic knee pain.
- The Kneeling Position (Seiza). Kneel with your hips resting on your ankles.
- The Chair Position. It's perfectly fine to sit on a chair but it's essential that you keep your back straight.
- The Standing Position. This is helpful position, practiced in Korea and China, for people who cannot sit for long periods of time. Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Your heels should be slightly closer together than your big toes. Lay your hands over your belly, right hand over left. Do not lock your knees.
Begin by closing your eyes and thinking of nothing else but your breath. It is also acceptable to have your eyes only half closed.
Count each inhalation and each exhalation, until you get to ten.
Start back at one again. If your mind wanders, which it will, acknowledge the thought and then continue back counting from one again.
Continue this for about 15 minutes. When you are able to get to ten repeatedly without any intruding thoughts, it's time to start counting an inhalation and an exhalation as one rather than counting them separately. Eventually you will be able to just concentrate on the breath and abandon the counting. For this to happen you need to practice zazen on a daily basis
Open your eyes and warm up your legs and arms, so as to increase your blood pressure to its normal rate.
Meditate for 15 minutes for the first week and go up by 5 minutes each week until you reach 45 minutes to an hour, if you can. If you practice zazen regularly and gradually, your meditation sessions will be very relaxing and you will experience a wonderful stillness. Don't try to make your breath be any special way, let yourself breath in any way that is natural for you.
Explore the stillness. Zazen is more than quiet sitting and can lead to a profound uncovering of hidden awareness within us. This final step is achieved by exploring the stillness we create or discover within us through sitting. Take time to observe yourself and the world when sitting and afterward. Use all your senses. When you acknowledge thoughts as you sit in meditation or go about your day, observe what is acknowledged...and what acknowledges.
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