Tips for Approaching Meditation
It is said that prayer is when you talk to God (Supreme Being, Wisdom, or however you define that), and meditation is when you listen. If something tells you that meditation would be beneficial to your life, honor that inspiration. Sitting quietly offers many valuable life lessons and benefits. Here are some tips to help the process:
1. You cannot control your thoughts. Do not try. Do not judge yourself harshly as thoughts pass through your awareness. Do not resist them. Sitting quietly is a practice in awareness and attention, not mind control. Wise gurus teach that if you want to tame a herd of wild horses, you don’t march in and start wrestling them. You observe them closely. Watch their behavior, their patterns, their natures, then use that information to enhance your training. That is how we tame our thoughts—with careful, curious observation.
2. Remember: while you are sitting quietly, there is nothing to do, nothing to change, nothing to control, nothing to accomplish. There is no need for an agenda or expectation. There is no need for fear.
3. Sit comfortably. If sitting comfortably isn’t an option, lie down. Either way, if you fall asleep during your practice, enjoy the nap. Sleep is a meditation for the tired.
4. Set a timer with a pleasant alarm, so that you don’t have to concern yourself with the time. It is natural to have such thoughts as, “Is this over yet?” Start with the shortest amount of time you can bare to imagine. Five minutes is a good start, but if that’s too much, do one minute. Once you get comfortable with your starting time, increase it by a minute until you are at the optimal time for you and your schedule. I do 20 minutes, but any amount of time is beneficial. It takes courage to sit quietly, so do what you can tolerate.
5. Focus your attention. You could focus on a prayer, a meditation, a visual cue like a candle flame, a meaningful picture, or an object, or it could be the breath. You could breathe in a word representing something you seek (“open” or "courage," for examples) and breathe out a word you wish to discard (“resistance" or "fear,” for examples). In The Yoga Sutras, Patanjali teaches that the mystic sound Om is a great option upon which to focus the mind. But he adds that you can focus on anything that inspires you.Whatever you choose, this focal point is your home base. When you become aware that your thoughts have wandered off, observe that and patiently return your attention to your focus. And repeat, over and over.
6. As you become more mindful of your thoughts, you will learn their behavior, their patterns, their natures. With practice, that information will help you release your attachment to the thoughts. They will become so familiar (and boring!) that you may be willing and able to let them go. You may find that you can take a break from them, if even for just a split second. And then that split second may lengthen, as you discover the freedom in the space between the thoughts.
You may find that the benefits of your meditation practice will spill into other moments of your life. And other mindful moments of your life will spill into your meditation practice. Practicing quiet supports itself. When you are walking across a parking lot, for example, your focus may become your feet touching the ground. When you are sitting at a desk, you may remember the peace of your mantra and return your focus to that. When you are standing in line to check-out, you may return to your breath.
Sitting quietly is a blessing you bestow upon yourself.
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