Meditation
is a simple, effective and convenient way to calm your busy mind, relax your
body, become grounded and find inner peace amidst the chaos of day-to-day life.
Food
nourishes the body yet the mind drives it. The body does as the mind tells it.
Without a filter, our senses are on overdrive and our mind becomes dominated by
what is happening around us. Continuous stimulation from sight, smell, sound,
taste and touch tends to result in a speedy mind and contributes to physical
exhaustion. We need to create relaxing thoughts, as used in these one minute
meditations, to consciously free the mind from the noise of the outer world.
Thus, we are strengthened, the body relaxed and the senses cooled. My mind is
quiet.
The Story of Two Wolves
A
Grandfather from the Cherokee Nation was talking with his grandson. "A
fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible
fight and it is between two wolves." "One wolf is evil and ugly: He
is anger, envy, war, greed, self-pity, sorrow, regret, guilt, resentment,
inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, selfishness and arrogance."
"The other wolf is beautiful and good: He is friendly, full of joy, peace,
love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, justice, fairness,
empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, gratitude, and deep vision."
"This same fight is going on inside you and inside every other human as
well." The grandson paused in deep reflection because of what his
grandfather had just said. Then he finally cried out; "Oyee! Grandfather,
which wolf will win?" The elder Cherokee replied, "The one I
feed."
Thoughtful Choice
It’s
important to choose which thoughts we give our time and attention to. A thought
leads to a feeling, which leads to an awareness and that leads to our
experience of life. When we tune into our true, natural self the experience of
happiness bubbles up, having relaxed and
freed ourselves from the noise of the outer world, we are ready to look into
our inner world of thoughts and feelings and begin to nourish “the good wolf”.
This works like magic! A mind well nourished becomes our friend.
Strengthening the mind
By
focusing on our beautiful thoughts and feelings we develop natural
concentration. Using the one minute meditations regularly strengthen this. It
is then easy to keep an appreciative outlook, hold interest and use time
successfully.
Train a wandering mind
What
to do when the mind still wanders? We can step back and observe our own
negative or unhelpful thoughts, as if they are clouds passing by, without
getting caught up in them. Then we gently focus our mind on positive empowering
thoughts. With practice our natural habit of concentrating on the positive
returns and our mind wanders less.
Meditation is focusing our concentration and remembering deeply
our eternal identity and re-awakening a wonderful state of well-being. It is
the soul, I the soul, who is a tiny, subtle point of pure, living energy, spark
like, that uses the body to express itself. We are seated in the pilot seat,
behind the eyes, in the centre of the forehead – distinct from the brain.
Experience the self in this way and emerge an incredible feeling of lightness.
Meditating on the self as a soul, we start to experience the power
of true silence, which is sweet, peaceful, rich and powerful. It is the
‘language of the soul’, being able to feel supremely comfortable and stable.
When we are touching the ‘heart’ of our selves we are light and vibrant...we
are silent.
THINGS
TO REMEMBER:
·
Consistency is more important than quantity. Meditating for
5 minutes every day will reward you with far greater benefits than meditating
for two hours, one day a week.
·
During breathing engage your diaphragm and fill your lungs, but do
not force your breath.
·
A mantra is a sound, word or phrase that can be repeated
throughout your meditation. Mantras can have spiritual, vibrational and
transformative benefits, or they can simply provide a point of focus during
meditation. Here we use OM as a mantra.
·
During meditation don’t dwell on your thoughts.
·
When you are ready to end your practice, slowing bring your
conscious attention back to your surroundings. Acknowledge your presence
in the space around you. Gently wiggle your fingers and toes. Begin
to move your hands, feet, arms and legs. Open your eyes. Move
slowly and take your time getting up.
·
While relaxing body don’t forget to relax each part of body.
·
As far as possible, the back, the neck and the head should be in a
straight line.
·
At the end, By GOD’S grace, our period of silence is over. And now
let us rub the palms of our hands together and gently, very gently, softly,
very softly, touch them on the eyes and open them. “OM, BRAHMA KIRPA HEE
KEWALAM, KRISHNA KIRPA HEE KEWALAM, GURU KIRPA HEE KEWALAM, OM SHANTI, SHANTI,
SHANTI”
MEDITATION
STEPS:
1.
Be still,
silent, Relax your body, Rhythmic breathing. Breathe in slowly, easily,
evenly, and deeply and then breathe out slowly, easily, evenly, and deeply. As
your breathing becomes rhythmic, your tensions will relax. It may be better if
you blend the repetition of “OM” with your breathing. As you inhale, take in
the breath, utter the sacred syllable “OM” silently. Then exhale, take out the
breath and as you do so, utter the sacred syllable “OM” orally i.e. with sound.
2.
Just watch the mind. Observe the mind without any judgment,
without any criticism. You are but a silent observer; observe without judgment,
without criticism. You will find that as you detach yourself from the mind and
just keep on watching it, its movements, gradually the mind will cease its
activities.
3.
The third step is the step of serenity, the step of peace. In this
third step, you may imagine yourself as a rock in the midst of an ocean. Waves
arise. They dash against the rock. The rock is unaffected, is calm, tranquil,
peaceful, serene. Waves arise. Waves are the distracting thoughts. They dash
against the rock. The rock is unaffected, calm, tranquil, peaceful and serene.
4.
It is the step where you realize your oneness with all that is,
all men, all creatures, all things, all conditions. You are in every unit of
life, in every bird and animal, in every foul & fish, in every insect, in
every shrub, in every plant. You belong to all countries and communities, all
races and religions. You are at one with the universe. This type of meditation
will fill your heart with loving kindness & a spirit of compassion so that
a stage may come when you will not wish to snuff out the life even of the
smallest insect.
5.
In the fifth step you must realize that you are immortal. If you
are at one with all humanity, then even if there is one human being alive, you
are alive. If you are at one with all living creatures, then even if there is
but one creature breathing the breath of life, you are alive. Yes, you are
immortal, immutable, eternal, and deathless!
6.
In this step you breathe out peace and happiness, goodwill and
bliss to all. May all be happy and full of peace and bliss. Think of all who
dwell in the Northern lands and pray in the heart within: “may all who dwell in
the Northern lands be happy and full of peace and bliss.” Then think of all who
dwell in the Southern lands and offer the prayer “may all who dwell in the
Southern lands be happy and full of peace and bliss.” Likewise, “may all who
dwell in Eastern lands and all who dwell in Western lands, may they all be
happy and full of peace and bliss.” Breathe out peace and goodwill to all. May
all be happy and full of peace and bliss. All living things whether they be
near or far, tall or tiny, rich or poor, educated or illiterate, whether they
be born or are still in the womb unborn, may all, all, all be happy and full of
peace and bliss. May those that love and those that for some reason or the
other are unable to love you, may those that speak well of you, and those that
for some reason or the other are unable to speak well of you, may all, all,
all, without exception, be happy and full of peace and bliss. You are in them
all. It is only when they become happy that you are happy. May all be free from
disease, ignorance, sorrow. As you get up from this meditation, you will find
that you yourself are happy and full of peace and bliss.