Not happy with how you meditate? Maybe a change
in how you sit down could make a difference...
Image: Pixabay
The thought of writing this post has crossed my mind a few
times even as I sat meditating, in the middle of my own attempts to let go of
all thought and distraction—but somehow I couldn’t bring myself round to jotting
it down.
Today is Guru Purnima,
and what better day than the ‘Teacher’s Full Moon’ to give shape to a noble
thought! Guru is a Sanskrit word that means one who removes darkness or
ignorance, thus allowing the light of knowledge to shine through the disciple’s
intellect.
This post assumes that you are convinced of the value of
meditation in your life, and perhaps have even had a go or two at it, but are unable
to find the peace and tranquility that meditation entails (If you are curious
about what meditation really is, maybe you can find some clues here).
So let’s get on with it, without further ado.
At a very basic level, when you sit down to meditate, all
you need is comfortable clothing, a relaxed posture and a decent, quiet place.
After all, what could be there to really learn about “sitting down to meditate”?
But, believe me, at a deeper level, there’s a lot to it. And
I’m not saying it for the sake of it but drawing upon my close to three years
of regular practice (which, by the way, doesn’t make me an expert—though it should
lend a bit of credibility to what I’m going to say).
The first thing I would suggest is to review your approach
to the whole process of meditation. Are you meditating just because of peer pressure
or some vow you want to get over with? Or is it some deeply felt need that has
been pulling you close to setting aside some time regularly for being at peace
with yourself and your environment? Do you consider meditation more of a physical
act or a fad? Or do you realize the involvement of your whole being in its ‘practice’?
As they say of an arduous journey, “Well begun is half done,”
so it is with meditation. If you are able to start it on the right note—which essentially
means being able to “sit down” in the right frame of mind—you are more likely
to get up peaceful, rested or even feeling blessed at the end of your session
rather than find yourself wondering what went wrong.
What to do? Let’s do a mock-up. Suppose it is time for you
to meditate (while one can meditate any time of the day, I find setting aside a
regular time-frame to be of help in developing the practice). Typically, what
do you do? Do you sit down hurriedly, put on some music and close your eyes
quickly? Start telling beads or chanting some mantra, while shaking your body
with each repetition?
Instead, give some time to the process of sitting down. Make
sure your surroundings are quiet and comfortable (to the extent possible), you
have set your mental clock to the time available for the current session (I
vary mine depending on the other tasks and schedule of the day). And last but
not the least, sit down in peace, noticing your whereabouts and closing your
eyes gradually. (Before you sit, you can play some soothing music if it works
for you; it’s fine otherwise too.)
If you need to cough, regulate your unruly breathing or do
any fidgety thing to enhance your comfort, do it now. Do not jump headlong into
the process of chanting—nor should you worry too much about the flood of
thoughts that continues to lap at the shores of your mind even after you shut
your eyes.
On the contrary, after slowly closing your external eyes,
turn your attention to your mind’s eye and to all the thoughts coming to your
mind. Breathe deeply but simply a few times and gradually bring that same
attention to the act of inhaling, holding and exhaling of breath. While you do
that, pay attention to your spine and try to make it as straight as you can (but
hey, straight doesn’t mean rigid or taut like a bowstring!)
Once your breathing has stabilized, the tide of your
thoughts has turned to a slow ebb (or almost disappeared) and you are more or
less reconciled to your posture, you are ready.
Now, bow mentally before someone or something you highly
regard—anything you revere or respect or hold dear to your heart—and be grateful
for a moment. Be forgiving, too—of your own self and of the actions right or
wrong of others. Sit like this for a while, suspended in thought, space and
time—mindful of your breath and thankful of the moment.
Keep still like this, breathe simply, with your back
straight and attention relaxed on breathing.
Now you are ready: go on, meditate...
