Instructions on Meditation.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

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 This is a course in meditation. This course is for beginners and advanced alike. The process of meditation taught in these pages is easy and effortless. Anyone can do it because it is about finding out who you really are and bringing this realization into every moment of your life. We call this "Practicing the Presence." Your understanding will come from practicing the meditation taught here, and not from reading these words. The instructions in the lessons are as simple and straightforward as possible.

Read more here: » Introduction to Meditation: Introductory Class on 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 ...

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

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

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

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.

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

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Meditation on Impermanence

This meditation is a unique combination of breathing, looking, letting go and witnessing. Looking at the light with soft gaze is so relaxing, your fragmented energies are integrated.

This technique, for the night time, consists of four stages of fifteen minutes each. The first two stages are a preparation for the spontaneous Latihan (Latihan is a name of eastern meditation which means moving the body effortlessly in a "let go " state) of the third stage.

If the breathing is done correctly in the first stage, the carbon dioxide formed in the bloodstream will make you feel as high as the Himalayan peak, Gourishankar.

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

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Osho Gourishankar Meditation

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

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'

In a situation where you can't do active techniques of meditation, a simple but effective passive method will be useful. Breath-watching is a method that can be done anywhere, at any time, even if you have only a few minutes available.

You can simply watch the rise and fall of your chest or belly as the breath comes in and goes out, or try this version....

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

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Counting in breaths - Breathing 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

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

This method is from The Book of Secrets , Osho's talks on Vigyan Bhairav Tantra .

This technique is about using breath to calm the mind and for centering the energy. By practicing it regularly, you can find gaps between incoming and outgoing breaths which is the door to witnessing.

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

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Experiencing The Gap Between Two Breaths

Life is a continuous circle of giving and receiving. Usually we are more focussed on receiving than giving. But the mystery of receiving is: the more you give the more you receive.

Here is one Osho meditation in which he suggests small exercises to make an energy circle with everything around you and feel the magic of it!

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

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Let the energy flow into you

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.

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

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Understanding Meditation

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.

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

Read more here: » Meditation Techniques: Meditation through Mantras - Mantra Meditation

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Read more here: » Meditation for Beginners: The Process of Meditation