Still My Mind.net - meditation

Through the use of concentration, the mind begins to be exercises in a way that gathers and focuses it energy. When done on a regular basis, it gathers to itself the mental energies and resources which serve to illuminate the mind. This illumination is the 'seeing' or 'perceiving' ability associated with an expanded awareness, and will serve to bring vital self understanding to the meditator. This self understanding is the key to personal empowerment. I have found that the self understanding obtained of myself, enables me to understand the world so very clearly. This has also allowed love and compassion to bloom as I see so many travel through and struggle with life as I have and do.

An ability to perceive spiritual realities.

Primarily, we are talking about the ability to perceive and UNDERSTAND or COMPREHEND the deeper message of spiritual teachings and philosophies. So often, parables and teachings etc, are taken at their face or literal value. This can lead to incorrect interpretations of the essential message buried within the text. "Let those that have ears hear" is an often quoted phrase of Jesus. That particular message is directed at people with a sufficient foundation of intellectual and spiritually mature. This is very important for the person wishing to engage in contemplation. An enhanced faithAs consciousness becomes illumined and elevated, spiritual realities become clearer as discernment becomes keener. The mental opposition that tends to undermine the best efforts of acting with faith begin to subside. The efforts of living with faith start to bear fruits of peace, contentment, and a sense of connectedness to God. Faith mainly leads to a sense of security and confidence in the reality of an intimate relationship with God.

The authentic personal experience that goes beyond all teachings.

The experience sought from meditation is a revelation of self discovery or self recognition, bringing an ability to penetrate and understand the source of religion or philosophy. This recognition is in fact two-fold; the union between God and yourself, and a new and deep understanding of yourself through the gradual unfolding of self-knowledge. These experiences do not suddenly come upon you in some grand mystical experience, but rather, they are so sublime that one day you realise you've become NEW, whilst also being aware that you have been so for some time. It's seems old and familiar, yet new and refreshing. For myself, I realised one day that my thinking and spiritual perceptions had become refined, but in looking back, I could not pin-point any particular date where I could have said 'I am new NOW!".

Having said that, I can now truly say that "I am definitely new NOW!" (Quite a delightful conundrum).

How to Meditate

Begin by choosing a time and place that is without distractions whilst assuming a comfortable posture. This can be in a chair or the crossed legged sitting position often associated with yoga, (the lotus position). The important point to consider is to allow and maintain breathing with minimum restrictions. This is done most effectively through a posture that keeps a straight back. All though meditation may be achieved by lying flat on the floor, gravity can act to introduce a certain amount of resistance to the natural breathing process. Also, there is a tendency for the individual to go into deep relaxation and sleep. It is not the aim of this meditation to cultivate relaxation or to reduce stress. Our aim is to develop and elevate the mind and spiritual consciousness. Awareness, (the opposite of sleep), is to be maintained at all times.

WITNESSING.

This single word is the essence of meditation.

Concentration is the greater part of meditation where the meditator enters a frame of mind whereby an attitude is assumed that all thoughts are to be watched or witnessed. That is, rather than entertain the thought and expand on it and follow it into another thought, it is 'watched' as if you are observing something external and apart from yourself.

Some Important points.

Never is the meditator to attempt to control or stop the flow of thoughts. · Never is the meditator to pursue feelings of frustration, disappointment or anger that will arise out of the perception of little or no progress. When such feelings arise, the witnessing mode that we are trying to assume MUST be quickly re-asserted. You must be WATCHFUL!

Consider also that the Mind of the individual who is new to meditation, will have had years and years of getting its own way. Mental discipline would therefore be a process that is alien to most people in this day and age. By implementing the mental discipline of meditation, one will require tenacity, endurance and the cultivation of a sense of 'important purpose' in an effort to overcome the mind's reluctance to this form of discipline. Meditation is concentration, and any concentration requires energy.

It is easily understood that your performance at work suffers when your concentration is hampered by tiredness or a lack of energy. This also applies to Meditation, because the act of Witnessing is concentration to a high degree. You are in fact, concentrating on be able to maintain concentration. This is demanding to the beginner, so be content in the understanding that even 5 minutes of meditation is valuable. The early stages of meditation require careful attention to what you are able to achieve comfortably. If you are determined to achieve success, be believing that no effort is wasted. This is the experience of all serious meditators down through the ages, myself included. Take heart in the words and experience of those who have gone before you. No effort is wasted.

You can't meditate effectively when you're tired or low in energy because the ability to concentrate is hindered. If this is the case, then use the time you have to cultivate being peaceful, or expressing yourself in intimate communication with God. (however briefly)

The sense of connection to God WILL in time arise to the individual who is earnest and dedicated to this goal. Don't be misled into thinking that one day you might have a grand revelation in power and glory. the understanding of the experience you should aim for is the sense of a very subtle feeling that shall dispel doubt and uncertainties in regard to things such as. "Does God hear my prayers?" "God may exist but I'm to insignificant to matter." "I do the prescribed practices of my religion but I feel so dry and empty." "I've been told God is out there, but I cant see him." "I have faith in God but it's a struggle. I guess that's my blind faith." "Is God my Father?" "How much does God love me?"

So subtle is this connection, that you also need to cultivate being at peace with yourself and your world. To be able to see the bottom of the pond, you have to stop disturbing the surface of the water. In time, the struggle with accepting the reality of God in YOUR life shall come to an end. Upon the establishment of this connection, spiritual progress becomes accelerated as the most fundamental obstacle to spiritual development has been overcome. This is real faith made mature through the experience of 'inner knowledge', cultivated and nurtured through intelligent effort and dedication.

Daily Meditation
As with any skill including meditation, it is important to be regular in your efforts at sitting for meditation. Naturally, you will only ever gain the expertise by actually doing it. The benefits of meditation will only ever be of limited value if you only practice it on-and-off. Always begin with some form of personal prayer for assistance in the cultivation of a higher consciousness and the intimate union with God. Ask for this freely as a young child would come to a loving Parent and knows with confidence that the request has been heard. Indeed, who would deny any good if not noble request. especially when it is in the parents capacity to give.

Everybody has the same difficulty in the first few months of practicing meditation so it is important to follow the formula which has been found successful by meditators who are still progressing in the meditation practice after many years of experience:

The following is a descriptive metaphor of an experience many many meditators including myself have had.

The experience of meditation to the beginner is likened to a Spinning Top. When the Top is spinning at its fastest, there appears to be a form of stillness born out of the furious activity of the motion of the Top. However, when the Top loses speed, it begins to wobble and it's apparent motion seems to increase. there seems to be more activity. This illustrates the behaviour of the Mind through the application of meditation. The high speed motion of the Top is likened to the Mind of someone who does not meditate. Once the practise of meditation begins with its associated effect of reducing mental activity, the meditator will perceive this sense of more apparent motion or activity in the mind.
My own feeling was, "This meditation!!!... My mind is even more active than it was before I started meditating."

This description is virtually identical to thousands of other meditators who have walked this road before me. The experience can be off putting to the meditator since it can introduce a fair degree of anxiety. It is important to remember that it does not indicate any degree of unsuitability or failure in meditation. Quite the opposite is true. THIS IS A VERY POSITIVE INDICATOR OF YOUR PROGRESS. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. HANG IN THERE. DON'T STOP NOW. YOUR MIND IS WINDING DOWN. HOORAY!

Please be encouraged at this point.

Initially you should meditate at least twice a day. Try to pick quiet times. Five minutes is very good for beginners. Extend it if you feel you have the capacity. In time, you will be able to meditate in any environment. I meditate on the train to work every day since my focus has become strong enough that external noises don't' bother or distract me any more. It will be the same for you one day if you persist.

Some other benefits of Meditation.

Practising the ability to Witness, will flow on to an ability to stand back and be more objective. Emotionally, you will find you can step back from potentially anxious situations and respond with clarity and poise, as opposed to the state of mind of an emotionally distraut person. Meditation gives you the ability to detach.

Meditation can also expand creative abilities as your perceptive powers become keener or deeper.

AND FINALLY... All your meditations will bear much fruit when they are done in a frame of mind where Love for God is maintained. Humility also, in the presence of this Holy Silence will reap its rewards.

Be Peaceful,
Adrian

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