What is meditation - how to and its benefits
Help and aids to meditate and its practice

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Meditation has been a part of the human experience for time immemorial.

The contemplation of monks, saddhus, holy men, and mortals of every shape size and proficiency, have used quiet time and reflection to investigate the inner worlds.

Down the ages it has also been a part of those lives that recognise that a few moments of quiet contemplation will reap rewards vastly in excess of the time spent.

Quality is the rule of the day rather than quantity.

Today however, our lives are so full of doing, that the being has been left in the dressing room, the side line and for " later " and as a result our stress levels have risen to proportions whereby our health suffers and the whole world seems out of proportion in worries, concerns and hard times.

If we take just a few moments of 'me time' and quieten ourselves, we would find that a lot of that mind stuff will dissipate and our troubles would lessen considerably.

So, that is great to know, but how do we get to meditate, to slow down and relax into a state where we can begin to heal our troubled mind?

That is no great secret - although you would think that by the mystique, the razzamataz surrounding meditation, it is an acquired art.

What it does demand is a desire to want to be still - it also demands a desire to feel it is OK and possible.

Many feel the magic and mystic is not for them. This is nonsense. We are all gifted with the ability to still our selves. The question is - do we want to?

Are you willing to set aside some moments for this?

If the answer is "yes", then you are well on your way.

First find the time.

Next get comfortable - see how to set up a meditation space - then settle down and watch and feel how frenetic you are in yourself.

To whatever level of imbalance you feel, it is ok. Do not start beating yourself up as to how unsettled you are, how useless you are at this, etc - this is the old busy mental states that you have honed and practised for years, to be busy and preoccupied - rebelling against a little hush and quiet.

This, in all honesty is your greatest challenge. If you are able to quieten this response down to a quiet state you have really succeeded.

The way to do that is to give yourself a focus.

The best object to focus on is the breath - yes folks - the breath that goes on and

on whether you are aware of it or not.

That has been the problem. For years you have left it to operate on auto - and while it does that with ease, you have forgotten its greatest gift - that of being a point of focus. This point now becomes the single point of your attention.

Watch it flowing out. Watch it flowing in. In and out. Out and in.

Do that for a few minutes - even just a few seconds and you will be amazed at how it helps still your whole being.

This, in essence, is the basis of all meditation.

Again taking the focus element, concentrate on something, such as a candle flame.

Keep the eyes soft, do not strain, regard the flame as the breathing becomes steady. Allow the gaze to be fixed softly on the flame and when it becomes tiring then close the eyes gently for a few moments and see the flame image on the dark screen inside (if it does not exist do not worry, just be still).

After a few moments start over again and in a few minutes you will begin to feel wonderful.

Now that was easy was it not?

You have just begun to meditate. Well done.

For Vipassana meditation read these stories

Some personal experiences of meditation