Of the hundreds of hours I have dedicated toward meditation, I have genuinely achieved meditation for maybe 2 of those hours. If you find this shocking, don't let it scare you off; just because I wasn't truly meditating all that time doesn't mean I wasn't benefitting from it. Also, there is a good chance that why this information might be shocking is because of the common, Western understanding of what "meditation" is in the first place. So let's start there.
Meditation is described in the yoga sutras as "A sustained concentraion on the Divine Light within" (Sutra iii.2) which essentially means that the individual is able to fully put aside ego, embrace stillness, and connect with Divine Consciousness. This may sound a bit different than the "meditation" you've been introduced to before, yes?
In the Western world, we often use "meditation", "focus", and "stillness" interchangably, when really those are 3 separate limbs of yoga. We start with stillness and withdrawal of senses: Pratyahara. Many days, during my daily meditation time, this might be as far as I am able to get. From there, the goal then becomes to move into single-pointed focus -- on a mantra, the flame of a candle, the breath, etc: Dharana. Only once there can we even begin to think about entering the true state of medtiation wherein we detach from our personal, ego-centric world in order to tap into the Divine (whether you believe in a god, collective unconscious, or maybe just love -- the Divine takes all shapes): Dhyana.
"In the Western world, we often use "meditation", "focus", and "stillness" interchangably, when really those are 3 separate limbs of yoga."
So now that we have established some of misconceptions surrounding and prerequisites supporting meditation, let's go over a few simple processes you can use to get there.
1. Establishing a Comfortable Seat
Sitting still is not something we often do. Even when we are seated at a desk or in the car, we are constantly adjusting and fidgetting, so when you try to sit still to meditate you may find that it is quite difficult to do so comfortably. It can be a huge help to do something physical (whether traditional yoga poses or a workout of your choosing) to help loosen the body and prepare it for sitting. In order to have blood, oxygen, and energy flow at their prime, it is imperative to keep an erect spine. This means no slouching forward or leaning back. It also means no lying down. Option 1: Sitting on a chair (scooted forward a bit so your back isn't leaning into the chair's back) -- keep your knees at about a 90 degree angle, with your feet a couple inches apart on the floor. Your hands can rest palms down on your thighs. Option 2: Sitting on a cushion -- there are meditation cushions made specifically for this, but you can just yes a firm pillow or a folded up blanket to sit on upon the floor. If you do this, you will want your ankles crossed in front of you (criss-cross-apple sauce) with the goal of your hips being slightly elevated in comparison to your knees. Again, you will place hands palms down on your thighs.
2. Drawing Awareness Inward
One of the simplest ways to begin drawing your focus inward is to either: 1) stare down your nose at a spot on the floor ~4 feet in front of you, or 2) close your eyes. Especially if you are just starting your meditation practice, you may find that closing your eyes makes it easier for you. From there, relax your jaw, let the tip of your tong rest lightly on the roof of your mouth (or the back of you top front teeth), and take a few deep, regulated breaths. Here are some breathing options you can start with:
1. Dirga Swasam Pranayama -- This is a 3-part breath where on your inhale you fill your diaphram (in your stomach), then up into your lungs, and lastly into your throat. You exhale in the opposite order (imagine water pouring from a pitcher - what is on top is what first exits) by emptying your throat, then lungs, and then your stomach. You may find that pulling your abdominal muscles in at the base of the exhale helps you to fully exhale. For maximun benefit, even out your inhales and exhales, and hold for a couple seconds at the top and bottom of each breath (eg - inhale for 7, hold for 2, exhale for 7, hold for 2, repeat).
2. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama -- This is a breathing technique wherein you channel your breath in an alternating pattern to each nostril. At any given moment in the day, one of our nostrils is dominant in our breathing. It switches every few minutes, but forcing a manual reset can have a notable effect on our bodies' energy. For this, you will place your right pointer and middle fingers between your eyebrows. Exhale fully, then use your thumb to close the right nostril while you inhale for a count of 5 through your left nostril, then use your ring and pinky fingers to close the left nostril, hold the breath for 2 seconds, then exhale for a count of 5 through your right nostril. Then you will inhale for 5 through your right nostril, hold for 2, and exhale for 5 through the left and repeat.
Either of these breathing techniques helps you to begin to focus on your inner workings of your body, and mindful breathing also slows the mind, helping you to settle into a calmer state. Whichever technique you choose (and there are many more out there -- these are just a couple of the simpler ones), do it for 5+ rounds before letting your breath go back to its normal rhythm.
3. Find a Point of Focus
Although our goal in meditation is to have an unfettered and quiet mind capable of accessing the Divine, we are simply oging to be distracted from time to time. It therefore helps to have a "tether point" to come back to. You may consider a traditional mantra like "om", but you may have a more specific mantra that comes to mind. For example, I recently adopted a puppy and the night before I woke at 3am with a mind racing from anxiety at how this commitment would change my day. I thought to myself "What is it I want out of this experience? Why am I doing it?" and the words "Love and Joy" came to mind. So to calm my mind into a meditative state, I used those words as my anchor. Whenever your mind wanders to other thoughts (which it will!), you can repeat your mantra to yourself as a way to refocus your energies. One thing that really helps me is to try and eliminate attachment to the words themselves and instead focus on the feeling. So if "Love and Joy" is my mantra, then I think of the feeling -- not of specific examples or of my dreams, etc: just what joy and love feel like in my body. I let that experiencial sensation wash over me and bring me back to my meditation.
4. Observe Thoughts Without Judgement
One huge misconception about meditation is that it is a state wherein either no thoughts exist OR all thoughts are repressed. But if you've ever tried to repress anything, you know how futile and helpless that effort is. In meditation, it is normal and okay for thoughts to arise. That's how our minds work. But rather than let ourselves get sucked into them, we simply observe them, notice why they may be there, and then come back. For example: I am sitting in meditation and find myself going over a lesson I have planned for an upcoming class. I observe this thought and think, "I am nervous about the class and want it to go well" and then I go back to my point of focus. Somedays, this will be a nonstop back and forth. But that is okay. You are trying. And you are training your mind to work differently than it has before. Be patient and kind to yourself in the process. All of these steps are to be done gently, lightly, with compassion. Don't get frustrated; just accept that the moment is how it is, and try to avoid assigning it labels.
"Somedays, this will be a nonstop back and forth. But that is okay. You are trying. And you are training your mind to work differently than it has before. Be patient and kind to yourself in the process. All of these steps are to be done gently, lightly, with compassion. Don't get frustrated; just accept that the moment is how it is, and try to avoid assigning it labels."
5. Notice Any Feelings or New Ideas That Arise
If you are able to make it through steps 1-4, you may reach a true state of meditation wherein you've stopped noticing anything about your body and self, and have instead tapped into whatever it is that connects all of us beings. It is not unusual to have strong feelings or creative ideas during this time. So pay attention to them. Notice them and the truth they represent for you. Consider reflecting in a journal or allowing yourself to think deeply on their implication at a later time.
Ultimately, meditation is not easy. It is not effortless, but it does become more so the more you do it. Start with just 5 minutes. Walk through the steps above. Consider using an App like Headspace or Insight Timer that allow you to time yourself or even listen to guided "meditations". This metacognitive process takes discipline and commitment, so setting aside daily time is what will allow you to see progress. Even if you are like me and most of your minutes are spend regulating breath and coming back to that point of focus, you will notice a change in both body and mind. It will be worth your time.
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