Meditation

Meditation is one of the easiest ways to give your mind a break from an endless stream of thoughts and sensory impressions. The practice of meditation is found around the globe and is not bound to any one correct method. In fact, any person of any culture or faith can meditate.

Modern scientific research has shown regular meditation practices increase positive emotions and immunity, and have the ability to reduce anxiety, blood pressure, cholesterol, and muscle tension.

Health Benefits of Meditation

• Slows breathing, heart rate

• Helps lower blood pressure

• Minimizes muscle tension and headaches

• Reduces anxiety attacks

• Elevates mood

• Allows the body and mind to relax

• Mitigates symptoms of chronic conditions like allergies and arthritis

• Speeds post-operative healing

• Reduces premenstrual symptoms

• Boosts the immune system

Early morning and early evening are particularly good times to meditate. We recommend spending a few minutes each day in meditation and focusing on breathing.

There are a number of techniques that people use to achieve a meditative state: Some use relaxed concentration; others allow a free flow of thoughts and observations.

• Sitting Meditation: Sitting on a floor mat or pillow with the legs folded into a lotus position. (A variant is sitting upright in a chair.)

• Walking Meditation: Walking mindfully while remaining aware of your surroundings.

• Mantra Meditation: Specific sounds or words are repeated to achieve a meditative state.

• Gazing Meditation: A steady gaze is placed onto an object.

Vedic Meditation instructions

• Allow yourself 15-20 minutes of undisturbed silence in a calm, peaceful environment.

• Start by sitting comfortably and relaxing with the eyes closed for a few minutes.

• Have the intention to meditate – this means putting aside any ideas of using the time allocated to simply rest, sleep or mull things over.

• Now slowly, innocently and effortlessly become aware of your breath.

• Notice the gentle sound of ‘so’ on each in breath and the sound of ‘hum’ on each out breath.

• Do not deliberately mentally repeat the sound – just allow it to be there in your awareness – it should almost seem to repeat itself - just observe it and allow it to become naturally independent of the breath - allow it to become fainter and fainter, quieter and quieter, more and more distant until it almost fades away. Allow it to eventually fade away.

• As it fades away the mind settles down, relaxes and occasionally transcends – often stresses are released as this happens. Stresses are released on the back of thoughts – thus, as you release stress you will have thoughts. The more powerful the stress being released the more powerful and absorbing the thoughts will be that surface in your awareness.

• As soon as you become aware of thoughts other than the mantra (‘so-hum’) gently ‘favour’ the mantra again – i.e, gently, innocently and effortlessly go back to witnessing the mantra. The bigger the stress being released the more your mind will present you with thoughts – just innocently and effortlessly let them go rather than staying with them and turn your awareness back towards the mantra (so – hum) instead.

• It is important to realise that it is rare to meditate without lots of thoughts also being present. This is a sign of correct meditation. Meditation releases stress – hence thoughts will frequently arise.

• Meditation is only experienced as ‘difficult’ or ‘boring’ when we start straining to ‘hold’ the mantra in our awareness and ‘try’ to ‘focus’ or ‘concentrate’ on keeping the mantra present in our mind and ‘keeping’ or ‘forcing’ other thoughts out. Thoughts are part of meditation – thoughts are good – thoughts are stresses disappearing forever.

• Meditation is not about concentrating, focusing, contemplating or forcing the mind. Meditation is about gently, innocently and effortlessly ‘favouring’ a sound (mantra) – it is about quietly witnessing and allowing thoughts to flow unhindered and then effortlessly coming back to the sound (mantra) when other thoughts have taken its place.

• After 15-20 minutes stop ‘favouring’ the mantra and sit quietly with the eyes still closed for 2-3 minutes. This allows the mind and body to fully integrate and process the experience to gain maximum benefits.

• If there have been many thoughts during the meditation, rest for longer (up to ten minutes) as it is a sign that you have released lots of stresses and need longer to integrate the experience.

• Practice for 15-20 minutes twice a day. Dawn and dusk are the best times as the mind and body are more alert and relaxed. Avoid practicing immediately after a large meal or before bedtime (it wakes you up!).

• Try and practice at the same times each day so that the mind already comes prepared. Have the intention to meditate and then allow a few minutes for the mantra to appear of its own accord – if it doesn’t spontaneously appear then quietly and innocently introduce it as a ‘vague’, distant idea. It may or may not follow the breath and it is unimportant whether it does or not – some people find it easier if it does and some don’t. Don’t worry about how often the sound disappears and other thoughts arise; just simply bring the mantra back again as quietly as possible.