Like many people, I find difficulties to meditate as the mind is like a wild horse, running around endlessly. Shortly into meditation, the mind wonders off to some where, some issues, some ideas, past, present and the future. How to stop the wild horse running loose? How to get the mind to a stand-still, in order that we attain calm and stillness?
After being trained in energy healing and meditation, I see enormous power and benefits using meditation to mobilize universal energy to heal body and mind to self and others.
I need to learn the very basic of meditation first!
Below is an account of my learning journey in meditation
(hopefully it is useful to the beginners trying to learn to meditate)
1. Focusing the mind
As a beginner, I try to have a simple focus of the mind, so that the mind would not wonder off to many other places. Most practitioners advice focusing on the breathing : in and out and use counting to pre-occupy the mind.
Focusing on breathing is having awareness of the rhythm, process of breathing, something we take for granted.
After counting a short while the mind wonders off again and I lost count of the number. Another person advised me to count backward e.g. 1 to 30, then 30, 29, 28 etc. Then 30, 28, 26, …even
number followed by the odd number 29, 27 … etc. to complete counting a set of 30. This helps to improve my focus for a while,
Then another person gave a more logical comment : using the mind to do counting is using the brain again, not relaxing the mind. Stop counting, just have an object in mind, close the eyes and only see the object e.g. your
nose, or the chakra point. When the mind wonders off, bring the focus back to the object and be easy with oneself, don’t feel frustrated or impatient. Say to yourself “Even though my mind wonders off to xxxx, I totally accept and forgive myself.”,
"Let whatever happens be OK." Continue with the meditation.
2. In the state of Presence and Now
Later I found that focusing the mind is still getting the mind to do some struggling, which is not helpful in meditation. I try getting my whole self in the state of presence and now, that I am fully aware and conscious of my current presence : my body, my mind, my surrounding and nothing else.
To do that, before getting into meditation, I scan around my surrounding, slowly, capturing whatever present around me, room, furniture, my body and dress, ….. I close my eyes, getting into meditation. And slowly I
reproduce the images of the surrounding, with as much vivid details as possible. (I realize then I miss out many details, not being too observations most of the time of my surrounding, as
our mind is always busy thinking of something else.)
The purpose of me detecting the images, sound and whatever sensation around me is to remind me that I am in the presence and now.
This helps me to get into meditation.
After a few practices, I do not need too much time to do this exercise.
3. Timer – Duration of Meditation
The reality of our busy schedule is that we cannot afford to forget about time while doing meditation, as we may have to be at the office at certain time or attain an appointment.
Initially when I used counting for concentration while meditating, I could estimate by what count the duration of time has elapsed. Since I do away with counting so the brain does not need to work hard, I use timer, or alarm clock or using clock with chime.
Hence if I set the alarm clock to 60 min., I can go freely into meditation during the 60 min. and not worry about exceeding the duration.
Then the mind needs not worry about being late for another activity.
4. Focus Vs Background
There are aids that help one to get into deep meditation, e.g. chanting, rehearsing some phrase, “I am here” “Jesus Jesus ..” .. or some sound or tune, or visualizing an object, a serene place.
But these should be backgrounds to help meditation, not the focus as we do not want to get the mind to work or to struggle.
5. Fusion of Mind and Body
With the above, on some rare occasions I feel the fusion of the mind and body. Sinking or immerging into a state whereby I feel calm and light, breathing may become slower and natural.
Interestingly this happens when I pay attention
to my body, tilting my head slightly.
6. Latest experience
Very quickly I could establish my “presence” : that I am at the premise I am in (recognizing my surrounding with some objects). I tell myself “I am here, my body is here ….”. I also “put” my mind as a ball object in front of my chest.
Starting from the taught sequence of the chakra and energy flow, I get myself into the rhythm with my breathing. Relax
myself, especially the muscle around my eyes and face. And I detach myself (the body and mind, which was in an object in front of my chest) and “watch” them, without thinking. Just watching and observing.
With sequencing done on the location of the chakra and energy flow, time passes, as if the preset 60 min alarm is just 10 or 20 min.
7. Visualization Vs Observations
Many meditations recommend visualization techniques, which uses a lot of imagination, making pictures, motion, sound, taste, and hence creating a new world. This maybe helpful initially, especially for beginners, focusing the mind on the world created and not wonder into other areas.
This approach still utilizes the mind to work on something, which may not help to free the mind.
I am now trying “observations” and rather than “visualization”, i.e. I detach myself : with me (body and mind,
with my "mind" placed in front of my chest) meditating on a spot and the detached me making observations of “me” meditating. Picking up any minute phenomena
or changes in me,
Now I also include perceiving and sensing - say at a chakra point, I
try to "see" the flow of energy through, "feel"
the sensation, "hear" the sound / movement of energy through
the body. Initially a bit of visualization (imagination) is used to
assist, eventually it should be complete sensing. I use coaching
questions : "What do I see with regard to the energy?"
"wave-light?" "whirl pool?" "spiral?"
????, ... "What do I hear, besides whatever may be the sound
around?" sound of slow and steady energy movement, or fast speed.
.. how so I feel?"
Having goals, expectation in life is normal. We
want to be healthy, especially when are are sick. We aspire to be successfully
in life, to feel free and relax when when we are stressed. Now we
employ meditation to get what we want, to full fill our expectation.
However,
high state of meditation is to be free from expectations.
End.
QuaSyLaTic,
Andrew, andrew@360q.com
