Meditation

The Newsy Neighbour
September Issue 107
www.thenewsyneighbour.com

I don’t know if you have noticed lately, but if you watch Dr. Oz, The Doctors or Oprah’s Life Lessons, everyone seems to be talking about ‘Meditation’. I have taken a couple stabs at it over the years and can never stay committed; but I’m thinking I may give it another try. Meditation is the art of silencing the mind. When the mind is silent, concentration is increased and we experience inner peace in the midst of every day stress. This elusive inner peace is what attracts so many people to meditation and is something everyone can benefit from. These are some of the benefits of meditation:

Improved concentration. A clear mind makes you more productive, especially in creative disciplines
like writing.

Less bothered by little things. Do you sometimes allow yourself to get upset by little things? It is the nature of the mind to magnify small things into serious problems. Meditation helps us detach. We learn to live in the here and now, rather than worrying about the past or future. We do not worry about meaningless things, but see the bigger picture.

Better Health. There have been numerous studies pointing to the health benefits of meditation. The
reason is that meditation reduces stress levels and alleviates anxiety. If we can reduce stress, many
health benefits follow.

Knowledge of Self. Meditation enables us to havemeditation, we can gain a better understanding of
our life’s purpose. The great thing about meditation is that our philosophy/religious belief is not important. Meditation is about consciousness. The beliefs of the mind become trivial. We dive deep into the heart of the matter to gain access to our soul – our inner reality. Therefore, mediation can (and is) practiced by people of different religions or no religion.

Many people like the idea of meditation, but feel they don’t have enough time. When you really want to do something, you can find time. Get up earlier or watch 30 minutes less TV. Meditation requires an investment of time, but clearing the mind makes the rest of the day more productive. Nothing is better than the feeling of inner peace. What is the point in being tremendously busy but unable to enjoy it? Meditation is not about retreating from the world; it gives us inspiration. Whatever you do, if you have peace of mind, your work will be more enjoyable and productive. Like anything worthwhile, meditation requires practice. To get the most from meditation, you need to do it every day. This requires a place and time where you will not be disturbed. Sit with a straight back. Don’t try
to meditate lying down because you are likely to fall asleep. Meditation brings relaxation and peace but at the same time this is a dynamic peace. Meditation is quite different than the relaxation of sleep. When we really meditate, we are fully alert and conscious. Our sense of awareness is heightened. Afterwards you’ll have a positive feeling for the world and a renewed sense of dynamism. Don’t eat before meditating. After a heavy meal your body will be lethargic with digestion. It is not necessary to mediate in the lotus posture. It is fine to meditate in a chair, as long as the back is straight. Burning incense and having a candle are not necessary, but they can add a little extra inspiration. It is good to meditate early in the morning. However you learn to meditate, you must learn to concentrate on one thing at a time. Usually, the mind tries to hold several different thoughts and ideas at once. When you sit down to meditate for the first time, you realize how cluttered the mind is. Mediation teachers have described the mind as a “mad monkey”. However, the mind can be tamed and forced to concentrate on a single thought.

One helpful technique is concentrating on a candle flame. Narrow your gaze to the small tip and block out all other thoughts. When you get distracted, go back to focusing on the candle flame. The important thing is that you concentrate only on one thing at a time. Another way to learn concentration is through the use of mantra. A mantra is the repetition of a sacred word. For example, you might repeat the mantra ‘AUM’ a certain number of times. Repeating a mantra forces the mind to focus on a single thought. After you’ve practiced concentration and learned to focus on one thing at a time, you can proceed to the next stage: no thought at all. Achieving a silent mind is difficult, but
when you attain it, the experience is powerful. Try to view your thoughts as separate from yourself. When a thought appears, make a conscious decision to throw it out of your mind. Over time you realize that you are capable of allowing or rejecting thoughts. Your real “I” is not a collection of thoughts, but something far deeper. This is the most significant realization of meditation – that you do not have to be a slave to your thoughts. Through meditation, you attain the power to control your
thoughts, and on occasion stop them completely. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t attain a silent mind straightaway. It takes time and practice. There is nothing really else to it; meditation is a simple and spontaneous action. Unfortunately, our mind is used to complication and it takes time to unlearn bad habits.

Have fun with it and realize anything worthwhile takes time!

Kathryn Hartwell