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Meditation
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Meditation
The desired purpose of each meditation technique is to channel our awareness into a more positive direction by totally transforming one's state of mind. To meditate is to turn inwards, to concentrate on the inner self.
There are many forms of meditation. While the forms of meditation vary, they all use concentration techniques, which help us to becoming a witness of our thoughts. Indulge in the articles on this site and you will find the path that is just right for you.
Sub topics
Meditation for beginners, Meditation Techniques, Meditation and Health, Meditation Obstacles, Benefits Of Meditation
Meditation and Concentration (Dhayana), Meditation and Relaxation, Meditation and Visualisation, Meditation and Stress
There are many forms of meditation, such as chakra meditation, yantra meditation, vipassana meditation and mantra meditation. While the forms of meditation vary, they all use concentration techniques, which help us to becoming a witness of our thoughts. The idea is that when the mind is calm, like a lake without any ripples, we experience total peace and empowerment.
The tradition of meditation dates back to the begining of human history. Thousands of years ago, Patanjali, an Indian Sage of legend, described the process by which the capacity to meditate is actualised. He called it "Self Realisation" since, in the state of meditation, he experienced an absolute awareness of his "Self".
The mechanism by which "Self Realisation" occured was a closely kept secret that was handed down from a Guru to his disciple after long penences, discipline and purification.
In the 14 th century the great saint Gyaneshwara of Central India took permission from his Guru to translate the secret texts written in Sanskrit into the popular vernacular.Thus the tradition of mysticism and meditation began within the populace in India.
The process of meditation
The entire process of meditation usually entails the three stages of concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana) and enlightenment or absorption (samadhi). The individual preparing to meditate usually starts off by harnessing his awareness, such as focussing his mind onto a certain object. Once attention gets engaged, concentration turns into meditation or dhyana. And through continuous meditation, the meditator merges with the object of concentration, which might either be the present moment or the Divine Entity.
In some branches of Indian philosopohy, direct perception from the inner self (mana) together with perception that is filtered through the five senses (pancha indriya) form a part of their valid epistemology (pratyaksha jnana). And this self-realization or self-awareness (as popularized by Paramahansa Yogananda), is nothing but the knowledge of the "pure being"—the Self.
Meditation in modern society
Humanity is increasingly turning towards various meditative techniques in order to cope with the increasing stress of modern-day lifestyles. Unable to locate stability in the outside world, people have directed their gaze inwards in a bid to attain peace of mind. Modern psychotherapists have begun to discover various therapeutic benefits of meditation practices. The state of relaxation and the altered state of consciousness—both induced by meditation—are especially effective in psychotherapy.
But more than anything else, meditation is being used as a personal growth device these days—for inculcating a more positive attitude towards life at large.
Meditation as a universal tool
Meditation is not necessarily a religious practice, but because of its spiritual element it forms an integral part of most religions. And even though the basic objective of most meditation styles remain the same and are performed in a state of inner and outer stillness, they all vary according to the specific religious framework within which they are placed. Preparation, posture, length of period of meditation, particular verbal or visual elements—all contribute to the various forms of meditation. Some of the more popular methods are, Transcendental Meditation, yoga nidra, vipassana and mindfulness meditation.
Topics within Meditation
Sub topics
Meditation for beginners, Meditation Techniques, Meditation and Health, Meditation Obstacles
Meditation and Concentration (Dhayana), Meditation and Relaxation, Meditation and Visualisation
Meditation is an ocean and its benefits will depend on the regularity and continuity you maintain, and on the depths to which you plumb in each practical session. The power of meditation is in its experience.
Meditation is not to be considered as an option in life. Whatever your age, vocation, or role in life, meditation must become a mandatory practice in your daily routine. Just as you brush and bathe each day, take time out to think of God. You owe your Creator a gift; that gift can be willing meditation. Try it and take to it! But meditation is better done without an attitude of expectancy.
Meditation is an intensely personal and spiritual experience. The desired purpose of each meditation technique is to channel our awareness into a more positive direction by totally transforming one's state of mind. To meditate is to turn inwards, to concentrate on the inner self. There are many forms of meditation, such as chakra meditation, yantra meditation, vipassana meditation and mantra meditation. While the forms of meditation vary, they all use concentration techniques, which help us to becoming a witness of our thoughts. The idea is that when the mind is calm, like a lake without any ripples, we experience total peace and empowerment.
Meditation like yoga originated in Vedic Hinduism many centuries ago, it was much later adopted into a wide variety of practices of religious and non-religious formats which emphasize mental activity or quiesscence.
The English word comes from the Latin meditatio, which originally indicated every type of physical or intellectual exercise, but which later could perhaps be better translated as "contemplation." This usage is found in Christian spirituality, for example, when one "meditates" on the sufferings of Christ; as w ...
Much of the world today confuses meditation with a lot many exercises that are geared to relaxing the mind or releasing stress. Meditation is not music therapy and nor is it rhythmical dancing, though these can and do have their own inherent benefits.
Simply put, as Paramahansa Yogananda described it, "meditation really is a scientific technique of concentration on God." And while there are paths and ways that take you into the sublime lake of meditation, once you get into it, meditation really can be the one golden Light that will dissolve the darkness of incarnations.
The world over, many have confused meditation with concentration and relaxation with meditation. Techniques using music, dance, other forms of creative expression, an array of therapies (both physical and mental), have all been synchronised into one basket - Meditation!
But truly speaking, many of these work more at the intellectual level while others are only channels for relaxation and prepare you for the more serious stages of true meditation. From the point of view of the advanced Yogis, meditation really is a scientific technique for communion with God, and is the seventh step (dhyanai) in Patanjali's eightfold path. To a host of new age and other spiritualists, however, techniques that encourage you to manifest mindfulness and be aware also fall under the gamut of meditation.
Meditation can either be on an object, or otherwise, can be objectless. In the initial stages, it is easier if you start by concentrating your mind on a selected object. Later, if you have brought over karma of spiritual practices from the past, you will yourself quickly be led to another technique that might be more appropriate to you inner nature.
The selected object may be a symbol, a flame, an image of a deity, a saint, or if you initially prefer, even an animal or ordinary individual you really love ... This really is the right approach too, for in each and every thing in Nature is the Light of God. What really is essential is that we inherently feel a great drawing towards the chosen object, symbol, image, person ...
Mantra meditation involves channeling one's consciousness from a low level to a high level of purer thought. "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and God was the word." Word, sound, and mantra, are all integral parts of the manifest cosmos. By constantly meditating on a chosen mantra, one is, in due course, released from the compulsory round of births and deaths.
The word 'mantra' is a mix of the root 'man' meaning 'to think' and 'tra' meaning 'to protect or free'. Repeated regularly, a mantra awakens and expands one's consciousness. Once we comprehend that everything in nature is energy, we realise that a mantra too is pure divine energy encased in the vacuum of sound structure.
According to Swami Kriyananda, Paramhansa Yogananda often urged his students to be steadfast in meditation: "Practice night and day. It is the greatest key to salvation. Meditation is the most effective way of destroying temptation. Once you can feel the inner joy it gives you, no evil will be able to touch you."
The following tips will help beginning meditators to acquire a taste for the joys of which Yogananda spoke:
Call to your guru in meditation. At the start of your meditation, ask one of these great souls to help you in your meditative efforts.
After your practice of the techniques, ask him to help you go deep in the Spirit, or to give you a clear perception of truth, or a solution to some spiritual problem.
Above all, pray to him, "Introduce me to God." Draw from him, by the magnetic power of your devotion, the power to become like him - an awakened child of the Infinite.
We begin the process of Meditation as propogated by Swami Vishvas Ji.
Meditation is the natural, simplest and original form of meditation, very secular in nature. It is the most easy form, beyond all self efforts- a direct approach to the mind. We all have been blessed with the third eye or the Shiv Netra to look within directly. On closing the outer eyes, 80 percent of your energy is accumulated within, your awareness turns inwards and the inner eye starts looking within, automatically.
Everything in the universe is impermanent. Like the waves in the sea that ascend and descend, so to creation is made up of electromagnetic and subtler forces that are seemingly being created and then dissipating. The manifest existence as we know it, finds one level of its source in the molecular structure nourished by God's love where change is not so clearly obvious. However, on the more perceptible plane, humans change, our thoughts change, our desires change, seasons change, our relationships change, as also do the forms of inanimate objects: vehicles that break down, walls that crack, stones that break; not to mention the shapes of the clouds in the sky and the positions of the planets and the stars.
For those who do not find the sitting posture appealing enough and prefer movement, walking meditation is a very powerful alternative. Walking and sitting meditation can even be practiced alternatively, if desired.
Walking meditation is probably as old as the first time we ever had to walk solely by ourselves, when we were naturally in the 'present'. On growing up too, sometimes we get our best ideas while walking! Vishvas Meditation makes your walking a very beautiful and peaceful experience. Here's how:
Understanding a few quick steps of Chair meditation will make Vishvas Meditation even more accessible for you to practice daily at work, school, college, home or even at your kitchen table. A few minutes session in your lunch break will do wonders for your work time.
Meditation in sitting posture may not be feasible in every situation like in school or at work but that does not mean that you deny yourself its benefits. On the contrary, it makes work much more enjoyable and enhances your performance tremendously, if you devote a few minutes to Vishvas Meditation, suitably during work breaks, school breaks, or short breaks. Chair meditation is ideal in these situations.
Osho has used dance as a meditation because he says that dance is the only activity in which the ego can disappear easily. But dance can only become meditation if the dance is not contrived. Dance is good in itself - as far as it goes. After it, you will feel fresh, young. But it is not meditation yet. The dancer must go, until only the dance remains.
So what to do? Be totally in the dance, because division can exist only if you are not totally in it. If you are standing aside and looking at your own dance, the division will remain: you are the dancer and you are dancing. Then dancing is just an act, something you are doing; it is not your being. So get involved totally, be merged in it.
The approaches to the path are many and different personalities are satisfied by different techniques and methods. Each one of us may be advised to experiment with the variety of streams and then to choose to stay with the one that seems most comfortable. Of course, the more fortunate may intuitively be drawn to a select method fairly early in their search and can thus take off from where they left off in a past incarnation.
The many systems are like rivers that lead into the one sea. All will finally lead to the One goal. Yet, some techniques take you across slowly as with a boat, while others get you to the far side by plane.
Kundalini is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning either coiled up or coiling like a snake. It is a term in yoga, referring to a reservoir of psychic energy at the base of the spine. Kundalini is curled up in the back part of the root chakra in three and one-half turns.
"Kundalini is the energy of the Divine as it is experienced in the individual. Kundalini binds us when we project its energy into the world and yet, kundalini liberates us when we return this energy to its divine origin.
This video is a good attempt to get a feeling of the Kundalini rising:"
Spiritual Awakening and Enlightenment is the primary goal of almost all spiritual practices, traditions and religions and for any spiritual seeker. There are many names for this awakened state of Consciousness depending on what culture and tradition we belong to. This page will be continuously updated with information and personal experiences about Spiritual Awakening and Enlightenment.
Spiritual Practices exist in all traditions and cultures. The techniques are different but the goal is usually the same: to calm the mind and integrate the higer aspects of our being (higher self, Soul, Spirit) into our lower self (ego, personality, body).
Postures, breathing exercises, chanting, prayers, rituals, ceremonies, exercises, diet are all examples of ways of doing spiritual practices.
The ancient Yogis recognised long ago that in order to accomplish the highest stage of yoga, which is the realisation of the self, or God consciousness, a healthy physical body is essential. For when we are sick, our attention is seldom free enough to contemplate the larger reality, or to muster the energy for practice.
The masters of yoga also teach us that personal growth is possible only when we fully accept our embodiment and when we truly understand that the body is not merely skin and bones but a finely balanced system of energies.
