Meditation - Part I

[LoveGuinness]

Before we go deep in to the philosophical and technical aspects of meditation, let us delve into the practice of meditation for normal human beings.

Meditation can be practiced in two ways; one by sitting in a meditative pose and the second one by lying down. The second practice of meditation in a lying pose is actually slightly unhealthy and therefore it is not advisable. The following are the sitting poses or Asanas prescribed by ancients for Meditation.



Padmasana: This is the best asana for those really interested in meditation on the spiritual plane. Recommended for everybody.



Siddhasana: This is also equally recommended just like Padmasana but is most useful to those who go for advanced spiritual practice. This asana gives one ability and poise to conserve one's energy in celibacy.



Sukhasana: Those who cannot practice either of the above two asanas can sit in Sukhasana which is very easy to practice. The first two asanas require considerable practice to those in the western world. Even Sukhasana would be difficult for non-Asians, but one can gain proficiency in this asana in quicker time.


Swastikasana: This is a slight variation of Sidhasana.

Virasana: This is a slight variation of Sukhasana.

You can find content easily for all these asanas on the internet and learn how to do them. I would recommend Sukhasana for all to start meditation.

First put a yoga mat or a woolen blanket folded on the floor. Above that put a folded cotton cloth or towel and sit on it. Fold your right leg on the knee and bring the foot below the left knee and similarly fold the left leg on the other side. If you find it difficult to keep two legs in crossed posture, you may fold your legs one above the other. This should be more convenient.

Keep the body, neck and head in a straight line so that the spinal column remains erect. This is very important as in the final equation, energy centered around the bottom of spinal column will climb to the top. Also during Deep breathing or Pranayama practice, sitting erect will facilitate the flow of Prana or Energy through the spinal cord.

Before starting meditation, first take a few deep breaths in and out. Say about eleven breaths. The breaths should be such that the time element between inhaling and exhaling should be in the ratio of 1:2. In the beginning, maintaining this ration may not come easy but gradually build the ratio.

After breathing deep, try and relax for a few minutes and then close your eyes with a gradual shutting movement i.e. do not shut the eyes forcefully. Take at least 10 seconds to close the eyes completely.

After closing your eyes, try to concentrate in the center of the forehead just above your eyes and between the eye brows, which is called Ajna Chakra i.e. the Command Centre in Yoga.

Normally, when one closes the eyes, it will be very difficult to concentrate because the mind will not focus. The mind has been divided into four parts as per actions in philosophical and yoga texts as follows:



Ego: The feeling of body being the self and that all actions are connected to this self. Human beings do actions based on this blind notion. Sensitiveness of the human being comes under this part of the mind. Control of this part and the eventual removal of this notion through meditation is the ultimate objective.



Intellect: The capacity of the mind to differentiate the good and bad and make decisions. The will power to take actions comes under this. With this part only, meditation can be achieved.



Mind: This is the energy part that controls all the body movements automatically. The five intellectual senses and five working senses come under this. Control of this part is the first objective of meditation.



Chitha: This is the part where all vasanas i.e. attitudes and impressions which one brings along with him at the time of birth. This is also the storehouse of past lives and present life memory. One's action in this life depends upon the impressions encrypted in this part. These impressions can only be erased through Pranayama and meditation. Pranayama is a necessary part to achieve this. We will discuss in later articles.


Mind is always on movement from one object to other. It is just like a horse, very speedy. Allegorically, mind is equated to a monkey because it never remains concentrated on one subject and always fluctuates quite like a monkey changing from one action to another.

In the body, the spine is the most important part which controls one's life and actions. There are three Naadis or energy flowing channels within the spinal cord which are minute and cannot be seen with microscope. These are visible only in the advanced stage of meditation. In this three energy flowing channels or Naadis, the central one is very straight starting from the lowest end of spinal column and ending in the centre of head just above the Thalamus or above the upper portion of the throat which also is the centre of the brain. This channel is called Sushumna Naadi. The left channel is called Ida or Chandra Naadi as it is controlled by Moon, which also signifies mental energy. This portion also controls the coolness of the body. The third one is called Pingala or Surya Naadi i.e. Sun channel which is the physical energy of the body and controls the heat. When the practice is advanced in Pranayama, one attains the flow in Sushumna Naadi or the central channel. Physically the flow can be gauged as follows:

When the breath flows in the left nostrils it is called Chandra Naadi. When it flows on the right nostril it is called Surya Naadi. When flows in both nostrils it is called Sushumna Naadi. There is a separate science based on the flow of the Naadis, which we will discuss at a later stage.

When sitting for meditation, it is advisable to start Naadisuddhi Pranayama as it is very simple to practice. One should do atleast eleven Pranayamas before start of the meditation. This will be beneficial. Before starting Pranayama, one has to test the flow of breath. Normally breath flows ninety minutes alternating both nostrils. For some it can be less due to one or the other reason and discussion of this point is not necessary here.

Finding the flow, first see that the entire breath is exhaled and close the nostril in which there is no flow. For closing the nostril, it is recommended to use Thumb for right nostril and little and ring finger together for the left nostril. Take as deep a breath as possible without straining the flowing nostril while closing the other one. Then close the nostril through which you have taken the breath and release the finger from the other nostril and exhale. Through exhaled nostril, take deep breath inhaling and close that nostril and open the other nostril and exhale and again inhale and repeat the same way. One inhaling through one nostril exhaling through other nostril and inhaling and then exhaling through the first nostril is one full Naadisuddhi Pranayama. Similar eleven may be practiced.

One can do this practice either with closed eyes or with open eyes. This is very essential to purify the channels and ultimate results of meditation can come only after purification of the Naadis.

Once this part is over, gradually close your eyes. Try to concentrate on the centre of the forehead.
There are various types of meditation that are being marketed in the western world by various Ashrams and their disciples, who have branched out on their own. There are genuine teachers to help the humanity with free discourses and these need not be doubted.

Meditation is not a simple thing. Every body is exhorted to sit in a straight pose and close eyes and concentrate on a particular section or a symbol. It is not as easy to practice.

In meditation the ultimate objective is the state of Dhyana, which means one-pointed concentration. Can anyone attain that status immediately? The answer is No.

In the olden days and even these days with great yogis, there is still a practice to observe the disciple for a year and only then impart the ways and means to achieve the state of Dhyana. What are the requisites for that? Before analyzing Dhyana let us digress from here.

In Dhyana, the first thing that is achieved is complete relaxation. Then, practice withdrawing the senses from outside, which is called Pratyahara. Then comes Dharana which is an effort to concentrate. During Dharana, concentration goes out and in, just like an electric bulb switched off and on. When concentration is finally obtained, it is called Dhyana. Dhyana is real meditation.

Now we go back to the fourth paragraph. Each human being is quite separate in temperament, sensibility, ego and has his own Vasanas and Karmas embedded in the mind. The same type of meditation will not be suitable for all. There are different categories of mind as follows:


Highly developed intellect
Slightly developed intellect
Normal intellect
Below normal intellect
Very low intellect
When one closes the eyes, body may not relax immediately. The body may relax for people with suitable temperaments, but majority may not be able to. Similarly, the mind will not remain constantly in the state of concentration either. This will be a problem and we will have to be solve it.

For relaxing, you will find the following technique quite useful:

After sitting in the meditative pose (Asana) command mentally each of your body part to relax by commanding as follows (Remember that right from start, the eyes must remain closed): Big toe relax, second toe relax, middle toe relax, fourth toe relax and little toe relax. Similarly then take, lower sole, inside foot sole, outside leg sole, heels on all sides and top portion of foot then the bone joints of foot lower limb, then take the lower limb on all four sides from lower to knew portion. Thus the entire lower limb is relaxed.

Then take the knee round on the cap, left side, right side, inner side. Then go on four sides of upper limb on the thighs side and from bottom cover to the hip. Then cover the right buttock on inner sides, outer bottom etc. Similarly start with the left toe and come to hip. Then command the entire hip in a round fashion, relax the genital organ completely by running your mind all over.

Thereafter, take the entire stomach as if one is mentally placing the palm over the stomach and asking the entire stomach portion to relax. When this is completed, think about the Pancreas, liver, kidney, bladder, intestines and relax them. Mentally command your breasts to relax, left and right. Mentally command the heart to run in a smooth and relaxed way without strain. Cover the left side of the Torso from armpit to hip and then the right side of Torso also. In the way one has done the lower limbs do on the upper limbs starting from Thumb to small finger and upward to the joint in the shoulder. Thus both limbs are covered. Thereafter go the backside and relax the left portion imagining your palms running across the neck to hip and then the right portion. Here, it would be advisable to run two or three times in different parts of the left back. Similarly on the right back and then run through the spinal column from neck to bottom.

Now, come to the shoulders from arm joint to neck both left and right one by one. Then shoulder on four sides one by one to the head and chin. Relax the lower chin, then upper chin, lips, inside the mouth, tongue. Tell your teeth to remain strong and not to relax. Further go to the cheeks left and right and then to side portion of the nose left and right and take the ears on all four sides making a round of each ear then the nose, then gradually command the eyes to relax. Go the forehead first on the left and then right and center and finally the entire forehead mentally palming it to relax. Last relax the entire head taking front portion, back portion, left side and right side.

DO NOT GO BEYOND THIS AND NEVER PRACTICE TO RELAX INNER BRAIN AS IT HAS TO RELAX ITSELF AND NOT BY COMMANDING.

This is a method which is done during Savasaana as well as Yoga Nidra. It is a long procedure and will take atleast 15 minutes. Those who are interested to go for easier ways can adopt one of the following two practices:

Chant SO with inhaling and HUM with exhaling. Concentrate on your naval portion. Each breath start counting backwards from 27 to zero. In the initial state it may be slightly difficult. However, by practice one will be able to achieve it in about three months. If you are unable to maintain concentration, results may not come. Practice again. By the time Zero is counted body may relax in due course of practice.

Alternatively, concentrate on the breath counting as long as possible or without counting also. Counting while breathing gives more concentration. When body is completely relaxed or relaxed to the best of one's capability, meditation can be started.

To meditate, one has to concentrate on something. There is no hard and fast rule as to what one has to concentrate on. One can take any god of one's choice, or any particular object which is well liked or which is much known to the person. Alternate suggestions from the Yoga point of view is that one of the Chakras may be recommended. This will be elaborated later in this series. NOW MEDITATION STARTS

When relaxation is over meditation automatically has to start. On a given subject try see through the inner eye before your forehead and try concentrating. Mind will spring from one to another object and many memories will come back. Both the immediate past and previous past in the present life will be shown before one as if you are seeing a film on the screen. When such things come, do not apply your mental ego part on such scenes. Try to be aloof from them and watch impartially. Such impartial watching is as good as unwinding the memories. This will take a long duration of practice to get the mind to a purity level.

Some will start seeing a bright light like a sun, some will see thunders and lightning; some will see red hot lines, some will see blue sky, and such many phenomenon may come before you. Some may see horrible creatures, some may see good saints, some will see angels, and so on so forth. These are to be observed with dispassionately and without attachment.

Meditation of course calms the mind. There is no doubt about this and it has been proven scientifically too. For ordinary human beings, relaxation itself is quite sufficient in today's busy world. Those who are of the intellectual type can progress forward and this will come naturally to them, after few days of practice (To be continued.)