Aum is one of the most popular chants in India. From time to time Osho has suggested many ways of doing it; if done properly, it can be a door to silence.

A caution from Osho: A mantra has to be chanted and then dropped. A mantra is complete only when you can drop it. Do not cling to it!

Here we discuss one of the ways of chanting the Aum mantra.

(See also: Meditation Techniques , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Chanting The Mantra 'Aum'

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.

(See also: Meditation for Beginners , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation for Beginners: Meditation on the Guru

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.

(See also: Meditation Techniques , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Techniques In Meditation

Meditation is the best medicine, an instant medicine for mental health.

In order to understand the real approach and significance of Meditation, one must first understand what health signifies. Complete health is a symphony of both physical and mental well being.

(See also: Meditation for Beginners , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation for Beginners: Meditation by Swami Vishvas

What I really want is for people who have waited well to know that their wait was worth it, I want those who have been righteous and good to know that these sterling principles paid off, I want those who have prayed to know that they did not pray in vain.

I want very much for unhappy people to be happy; for Heaven's greatest movers like Santa Theresa to look down and find that a world which rejected God still has a God which has not rejected the world. I want to see justice done.

(See also: Essence of Meditation , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Essence of Meditation: What I Really Want

Meditation isn't some sort of magical panacea. It is a direct and powerful way to engage in your own growth and evolution.

The life-stories of most of the great saints and sages, from all cultures, show tremendous struggle and pain that comes into their life after they have progressed in meditation, not before.

There are both extra-ordinary benefits and extra-ordinary pains on this path. For meditation does what nothing else can it introduces you to yourself!

(See also: Meditation for Beginners , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation for Beginners: The Hows and Whys of Meditation

Over the last century, it is in the realm of art that a contrarian movement developed - towards spirituality, a movement that has been sought to be described by one word: 'Abstract'.

One of the first to define the abstract was W Kandinsky, who explained it as non-materialism in art, the exploration of the spiritual entity of things, when art, stripped of its theatricality, and its "bait of entertainment" reached a pure core. The dictionary splits the word abstract into the Latin 'abs', meaning 'away from', and 'tractum', meaning 'to draw'. Clearly, it means to draw away from the external to the internal entity of things.

(See also: Masti , Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Masti: Music Of Masti And Meditation  

To seek the Divine within, is it necessary to withdraw from worldly affairs/ Does it not imply running away from one's responsibilities?

It all depends on what it is that you are calling worldly affairs. What kind of worldly affairs you want to do is your choice.... Somebody is in politics, somebody is just a clerk in an office, somebody is running a whole industry and somebody is just sweeping the floors. All of them are doing worldly affairs. So you cannot really withdraw from worldly affairs.

(See also: Essence of Meditation , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Essence of Meditation: One needs maturity to simply sit quietly

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:

(See also: Meditation for Beginners , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation for Beginners: Meditation for beginners

The best form of visualisation is when you try and affirm your oneness with the Divine Spirit. Sit, relaxed and comfortable, in a chair with your spine straight, or on a mattress in the meditative/cross-legged posture. Focus your gaze on the area of the third eye in between your eyebrows.

This in yogic terms is the seat of concentration and will power. Fill your heart and your mind with the joy of God or any other happy feeling that you are able to relate with. Know yourself to be a being of light. Forget the heaviness of the body. See yourself surrounded by this ball of light. It is immersing you in its warmth and permeates you into the space around. This light is the presence and consciousness of God.

(See also: Meditation and Visualisation , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation and Visualisation: Visualisation - Visualising exercise

Are you relaxed when you are relaxed? Most people are not! Relaxing does not mean dumping yourself into your Grandpa's rocking chair. That is dumping . You do not have to fall into something to relax, but if you do not make it a habit to relax, soon you will be falling all over the place!

(See also: Meditation and Relaxation , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation and Relaxation: How to find Relaxation

It is important to understand this simple distinction between meditation techniques and meditation itself. The techniques bring us to the point where meditation can happen. The processes are important and are helpful in bringing us to a point where meditation can dawn upon us. But, meditation cannot be forced upon me or you. It is always spontaneous.

(See also: Meditation for Beginners , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation for Beginners: A Process for Nothing and a Journey To Nowhere

Meditation

Ideal for disciplining the mind and removing stress & strain, it is best done after a quick bath to cleanse yourself. Critical in satisfying the mind's hunger, when done well it is so nourishing that even the body can survive on less. Control of desire, or mental hunger, is the key to longevity and immortality. Anything can be meditation so long it is sincere and heartfelt. The simplest and healthiest involves the sun and its golden colour is deemed the most nourishing and productive.

While this routine acts as a critical shield of defence against the destabilising influences of an external environment, by using selective choice in some of the other factors mentioned below you can easily improve upon the condition of your total health.

(See also: Meditation , Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Meditation Dictionary

Meditation

According to Swami Vishnu Devananda, meditation is "….a continuous flow of perception or thought, just like the flow of water in a river." A practice wherein there is constant observation of the mind, meditation brings awareness, harmony and natural order into life. It helps you dig deep into your inner self to discover the wisdom and tranquility that lie within.

Principles of Meditation

The basic points to be kept in mind in practicing meditation are:

·      Have a special place and specific time for meditation. Try doing it daily.

·      Choose a time when your mind is not clouded with worries.

·      Sit up straight with your back, neck and head in one line. Facing north or east.

·      Condition your mind such so as to remain quiet for the duration of your meditation session.

·      Regulate your breathing. Start with 5 minutes of deep breathing. Then gradually slow it down.

·      Follow a rhythmic breathing pattern - inhale and exhale.

·      Initially let your mind wander. It grows more restless if you force to concentrate.

·      Then slowly bring it to rest on the focal point of your choice.

·      Hold your object of concentration at this focal point throughout your session.

·      Meditation happens when you reach a state of pure thought. Even while retaining an awareness of duel self.

Followed diligently you will soon be able to attain a super-conscious state.

Tips on Concentration

·      At the outset, it is hard to keep your attention to keep focussed on one object.

·      So it is better to start off by limiting your field of concentration to a category of objects.

·      Choose your objects with care e.g. any four flowers, fruits, trees...etc. You must feel at ease with what you choose.

·      After concentrating on one, you can move on to the next, if & when your mind starts wandering.

This style of meditative exercise will help you control your mind down to a finer focus, teaching you the principle of single point concentration.

Meditative Postures

Yoni Mudra

·  Close your ears with thumbs.

·  Cover your eyes with your index finger.

·  Close your nostrils with your middle fingers.

·  Press your lips together with your remaining fingers.

·  Release the middle fingers gently to inhale and exhale while you meditate.

Frontal & Nasal Gazing

·  Gaze at a point between your eyebrows, seat of the 'Third Eye' or at the tip or your nose.

·  This would improve your level of concentration. At the same time, strengthening your eye muscles. Nasal gazing has a positive effect on the central nervous system.

·  Remember not to strain your eyes. Start with one minute of gazing and then slowly build it up to ten minutes.

Candle Gazing

• Place a candle at eye-level in a darkened, draught-free room.
• Close your eyes and hold an after-image of the bright flame.
• The practice steadies the wandering mind, leading you to focus with pin-point accuracy.

(See also: Meditation , Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Meditation Dictionary

In order to understand the approach and significance of Meditation, one must first understand what health signifies. Complete health is a symphony of both physical and mental well being. Considering physical health alone as one's sole purpose is the highest form of ignorance, for it is very temporary. At the first instance of any adverse situation, if you are not mentally strong to face it, you will readily fall prey to stress that comes along with it and then, even all the physical health gained, will be lost.

(See also: Meditation for Beginners , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation for Beginners: Meditation - Frees you of the mind

In the true sense, cosmic consciousness and the life force emanating from it through the medium of the will is the source of life. But in creation, breath is the chord that ties the soul to the body. When breath stops, the body is just an inanimate corpse; the nervous system no longer works, the mind is extinguished, and life (as we understand it) comes to an end.

On the physical level, the breath is the manifestation of more subtle energies of the subtle bodies of the being. The breath itself is not cosmic energy. The cosmic energy in fact breaks up the breath into the force that can be used by the body to sustain it, and it is the same same energy that forces out of our body, the unwanted residue of unedible mass that has accumulated therein.

(See also: Meditation and Relaxation , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation and Relaxation: Relaxation thru breathing techniques

Real strength is not what the physical eyes perceive. Real strength is the inner strength, the true self of the being. And the secret to this is the inner stability or sthirta. Strength is a very deep and subtle concept and is not just about physical appearance.

It is that which is sthir, which is silent, is pure energy. Just by the strength of one's sthirta one develops the capacity to draw any kind of force inside.

We now give you an intense and very effective technique for building the real strength which is all about maintaining inner silence, the technique of "Sound of the Inner Void."

(See also: Meditation Techniques , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Sound of the Inner Void

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.

(See also: Meditation Techniques , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Meditating Scientifically

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 ...

(See also: Meditation Techniques , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Meditation on an object

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.

(See also: Meditation Techniques , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Dance Meditation

The Hong-Sau technique will help you to convert ego-consciousness into the complete awareness of who and what you truly are: a manifestation of Pure Consciousness.

(See also: Hong-Sau , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Hong-Sau: Hong-Sau Technique of Meditation

According to the renowned German scholar Max Mueller, the study of mental states is unique to India. He also opined that ekagrata or one-pointedness that India spoke of was unknown, and to a large extent, incomprehensible to the Western world. And this viewpoint holds true even today.

Dhayana or meditation is a state of concentration or mental activity in which the mind can stay focused on an object chosen for concentration without wavering and without getting distracted. When we are engaged in an activity, which will increase our attention span on `our chosen object of concentration' then we are trying to generate a meditative experience by improving our concentration or attention span.

(See also: Meditation and Concentration , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Meditation and Concentration: Concentration - Dhayana