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Before each meditation exercise it is worth spending a few minutes relaxing the body. One way is to imagine/feel the tension moving out of your muscles and down your body so that all the tension finally runs through your feet and into the ground. Sit with a straight back, but do not overdo it so that the back becomes tense. Concentrate on focusing your awareness/attention on specific muscles of your body. Starting with your head, feel the tension drain downward out of your face. Move your awareness down the neck imagine that you can push the tension downward and that the muscles relax and soften. Continue down the body, especially work on the shoulders and stomach muscles. Keep moving the tension downward until you reach your feet. At this point imagine all the accumulated tension is forced out of your feet and into the floor. Now bring your awareness to the centre of your chest. Imagine that there is a vast sea of peace in the centre of your chest. Spend a few minutes enjoying the tranquillity within yourself. Key points of exercise * * Get rid of the tension within the body. Be aware of the tension - and the tranquillity - within yourself.
Purpose of exercise * Relaxing helps us to centre and to feel that we are in the present moment.
Breathing Exercises
1. Breathing into the heart centre
Please breathe in and hold your breath for a couple of seconds, and feel that you are holding the breath, which is life-energy, in your heart centre. This will help you to develop your inner meditation capacity.
4. Cosmic energy
Feel that you are breathing in not air but cosmic energy. Feel that tremendous cosmic energy is entering into you with each breath, and that you are going to use it to purify your body, vital, mind and heart. Feel that there is not a single place in your being that is not being occupied by the flow of cosmic energy. It is flowing like a river inside you, washing and purifying your entire being. Then, when you breathe out, feel that you are breathing out all the rubbish inside youall your undivine thoughts, obscure ideas and impure actions. Anything inside your system that you call undivine, anything that you do not want to claim as your own, feel that you are exhaling. This is not the traditional yogic pranayama, which is more complicated and systematised, but it is a most effective spiritual method of breathing. If you practise this method of breathing, you will soon see the results. In the beginning you will have to use your imagination, but after a while you will see and feel that it is not imagination at all but reality. You are consciously breathing in the energy which is flowing all around you, purifying yourself and emptying yourself of everything undivine. If you can breathe this way for five minutes every day, you will be able to make very fast progress. But it has to be done in a very conscious way, not mechanically.
5. Total breathing
When you reach a more advanced stage, you can try to feel that your breath is coming in and going out through every part of your bodythrough your heart, through your eyes, through your nose and even through your pores. Right now you can breathe only through your nose or your mouth, but a time will come when you will be able to breathe through every part of your body. Spiritual Masters can breathe even with their nose and mouth closed. When you have perfected this spiritual breathing, all your impurity and ignorance will be replaced by God's light, peace and power.
out from the centre of the chest and entering into the candle. In this way, you concentrate on the object to such an extent that you feel no separation between you and the object; your existence has expanded to include the candle. In this way you can identify ourself with the entire world. Start off with a modest goal i.e 3-5 minutes a day, and then gradually increase with time. After only a couple of weeks of doing this exercise, you should notice the progress a clearer mind, better ability to cope with tasks, less stress, more serenity. If you are inspired to try, please let us know how you got on! Good luck!
Exercises in Concentration
1. The dot
If you want to develop the power of concentration, then here is an exercise you can try. First wash your face and eyes properly with cold water. Then make a black dot on the wall at eye level. Stand facing the dot, about ten inches away, and concentrate on it. After a few minutes, try to feel that when you are breathing in, your breath is actually coming from the dot, and that the dot is also breathing in, getting its breath from you. Try to feel that there are two persons: you and the black dot. Your breath is coming from the dot and its breath is coming from you. In ten minutes, if your concentration is very powerful, you will feel that your soul has left you and entered into the black dot on the wall. At this time try to feel that you and your soul are conversing. Your soul is taking you into the soul's world for realisation, and you are bringing the soul into the physical world for manifestation. In this way you can develop your power of concentration very easily. But this method has to be practised. There are many things which are very easy with practice, but just because we do not practise them we do not get the result.
feel that the dot is another part of your own existence. Then enter into the dot, pierce through it and go to the other side. From the other side of the dot, look back and see your own body. Your physical body is on one side, but on the strength of your concentration you have sent your subtle body to the other side of the dot. Through your subtle body you are seeing your physical body, and through your physical body you are seeing your subtle body. When you began to concentrate, your physical body became all vision. At that time the dot was your reality. When you entered into the dot, then vision and reality became one. You were the vision and you were also the reality. When you looked back at yourself from the dot, the process was reversed. At that time you became the vision outside yourself, and the place to which you returnedyour bodywas the reality. Then, the vision and the reality became one again. When you can see the vision and the reality in this way, your concentration is absolutely perfect. When your power of concentration can bring you to the other side of the point which you were calling reality, at that time your whole existence will be far beyond both vision and reality. And when you can feel that you have transcended your vision and your reality, you will have boundless power.
3. My heart-friend
Just as you can concentrate on the tip of your finger, or on a candle or any other material object, you can also concentrate on your heart. You may close your eyes or look at a wall, but all the time you are thinking of your heart as a dear friend. When this thinking becomes most intense, when it absorbs your entire attention, then you have gone beyond ordinary thinking and entered into concentration. You cannot look physically at your spiritual heart, but you can focus all your attention on it. Then gradually the power of your concentration enters into the heart and takes you completely out of the realm of the mind. If you do not have purity in abundant measure, if countless earthly desires are in possession of the heart, then before concentrating on the heart you should invoke purity. Purity is the feeling of having a living shrine deep in the inmost recesses of your heart. When you feel the divine presence of an inner shrine, automatically you are purified. At that time your concentration on the heart will be most effective.
Chanting AUM
- AUM is said to be underlying sound of the universe. If we go very deep within during meditation we will hear AUM the cosmic sound with our inner ear. To attain a quite mind try chanting AUM a set number of times every day. You could choose 100 or 500. Chanting a mantra will give the mind something to focus on and improve our concentration. If you prefer you could choose another mantra, for example you might like to focus on a particular quality such as "Peace" or "Love" by chanting these mantras you can feel like you are energising your system with peace or love. The important thing when chanting mantras is not to do it mechanically like a robot. You should feel the need to concentrate only on this mantra and have the feeling you are bringing this quality to the fore.
- Sri Chinmoy Music for meditation can give us real inspiration but we should make sure the music is composed and played in a meditative consciousness. If the music creates restlessness and excitement then this will not help in any way our meditation. 2. Meditate on Nature. Nature embodies a dynamic peace. The beauty, expanse and scale of nature are very conducive to meditation. The Spiritual Master Sri Ramakrishna told his disciples to always meditate when they came across an expanse of water. Water signifies consciousness and purity; this consciousness and purity are the essence of meditation. If we can meditate at the oceans edge we will also feel a sense of infinity and expanse. It is hard for the human mind to conceive of concepts like infinity and immortality, but when we see the ocean stretching into the distance we can definitely be inspired by this concept of infinity. 3. Meditate with an adept of Meditation. If we can have the opportunity to meditate with a real expert in meditation we will definitely feel something in their meditation. When we meditate in the presence of a real Spiritual Master we can benefit from the peace and light that they bring down. If we do not have the opportunity to meditate in the presence of a living spiritual master we can meditate on the photo of some Teacher, whom we have the utmost faith. If the photo was taken during meditation the picture will embody a meditative consciousness. If we can enter into this meditative consciousness it will bring our own inner meditative power to the fore. This consciousness is the secret of meditation. 4. Meditate with others. If we meditate in a group with other like minded people who enjoy meditation we will gain increased inspiration and confidence in the power of meditation. If we only meditate on our own it can feel like we are battling against the world. However when we meditate in a group our own meditation will be heightened because we benefit from the meditative consciousness that occurs in a group meditation. 5. Regularity. If we meditate on a regular basis then we will gain an increased meditative capacity. We should not be in a hurry to judge our own meditation. If we feel we have meditated badly and start feeling we are hopeless then we will definitely lose inspiration. Instead we should feel that each time we meditate there is a golden opportunity to feed our inner being. Even if we dont feel as if we are making much progress, we should remember that each time we meditate, we are taking an important and necessary step to improving our own meditation.
meditate once a week, learning new meditative songs, or chanting a series of mantras over a couple of weeks. Rather than sitting on ones laurels and being content with the same measure of inner peace you had yesterday, a meditation practice should always have a sense of adventure and exploration deeper into the self. Meditative company In Buddhism, the sangha or community is regarded as one of the three main pillars of that tradition, and for very good reason. When we meet together with a group of like-minded people to meditate, the intensity of the meditations are often more powerful. In addition, it can be very helpful to have friends who have also had meditative experiences so you can share the ups and downs of your meditation practice and inspire each other to greater heights. Dont give up Spiritual progress is not like instant coffee., writes meditation teacher Sri Chinmoy. It is a slow and steady process. Slowly, steadily and unerringly we have to walk along Eternitys Road in order to reach Infinitys Goal. A meditation practice as much in common with playing an instrument or training to run a marathon there will be plenty of ups and downs, times when you are having wonderful experiences and times that you think that nothing is happening. However, it is often the case that when we persist during those lean times that we make the most inner progress, and we can look back and see that it has all been worth it.
This post is inspired by an email from a reader. The reader mentioned that he found it very difficult to concentrate. He felt his mind was random and is in utter chaos. Firstly, you are not alone; generally it is the nature of the mind to be unruly. However, it is possible to slowly and steadily improve your concentration. Do not expect instant results, and do not get despondent if it is more difficult than you would like. Perseverance is important. These are some tips: Some Places are more conducive to concentration. Some students have great difficulty working in certain environments yet, when they are placed under timed conditions in an exam hall they often find concentration much easier. If you are getting distracted in one place, trying working somewhere else. Generally, the less distractions the better.
One Pointedness With any form of concentration it is important to concentrate on only one thing at a time. If you are working, but half your attention is elsewhere, you will always struggle to maintain good concentration. Set aside time for work and focus only on that and nothing else. You need to make a conscious decision to concentrate on your work. If you just drift into work, with a relaxed care free attitude you will probably start thinking about other things. If you sit an exam, feel that nothing else exists or matters apart from doing the exam. Dont Allow Thoughts to take you away. This is the key to concentration dont allow your mind to distract you with random thoughts. When unrelated thoughts appear in the mind, pay no attention to them and try to immediately switch off. Even if thoughts keep coming, you must distance yourself and detach from them. It is important not to get mad with yourself or frustrated if thoughts are persistent. If you persevere in rejecting useless and unhelpful thoughts, there will come a time when they stop bothering you. It is important never to give up in your attempt to control your thoughts it is possible. See: How To Control Your Thoughts Understand What You are trying to Do. Concentration is particularly difficult if you have uncertainties about what you are doing or if you find the task perplexing. When work is difficult, the mind looks for easier things to do. If this is the case try to get a general overview try simplifying it so you understand the basic concepts and framework. If you can conceptualise the whole project in question, it is easier to concentrate on the small details. When I was studying for an Economics degree at Oxford University, the most useful book was always my high school revision notes. Understand the essentials and then work on the complexities; this made work and therefore concentration easier. Meditation Regular readers of this blog will know I believe in the benefits of meditation. I began meditating in my final year of university (8 years ago), and I felt it definitely helped. One thing I noticed was that I would work with great concentration for 5 hours a day; my friends would often work for 10-12 hours but still felt they hadnt done enough work. Meditation is not a miracle cure; but, if you can practice sincerely and learn to control the mind you will notice a difference. Introduction to Meditation Slow but Steady Progress
If you feel you are hopeless at concentration, try to make small improvements every week. If you get distracted for 50% of the time, make a conscious effort to get distracted for less time each week. Even if you make small improvements you will feel a sense of progress. Like anything else concentration is something that will improve through practise. The other option is to try and concentrate 100% for say just 10 minutes; then try to increase this time period each time you practise. The reader also asked a question about Meditation Music. I think the right music can be of help in quietening the mind. Here is some meditation music compiled at Radio Sri Chinmoy Music for Meditation
Quite often we find ourselves with many negative thoughts going through our mind. These trains of thoughts can become very powerful as we endlessly repeat them in our mind. The problem is that that the more we focus on the thoughts, the more powerful they become. Therefore, it can become very difficult to stop these endless cycles of thoughts. However, it is definitely possible and these are a few tips to control our thoughts. 1. Make a conscious decision to Stop the thoughts The problem is that sometimes we attach ourselves to certain ideas and problems, and we subconsciously get a kind of pleasure from going through a certain problem / issue. If we subconsciously keep inviting the thoughts, we will never be able to stop them. Therefore, the first stage is to make a clear and conscious decision to stop the repetition of the thoughts. Be aware of their negative impact and dont allow them to come any more. This conscious step is an indispensable stage in controlling our thoughts. 2. Look upon the Thoughts as being Outside of yourself. When we first try to stop the thoughts, it seems very difficult because they feel such a strong part of our mind. Therefore, the second stage is to feel that the thoughts are separate to our self. When a thought appears in your mind, look upon the thought as coming from outside yourself. This is a very powerful way to reduce the impact of thoughts on our mind. Once we realise our thoughts are separate to ourselves it becomes possible to stop them. 3. Who is it who listens to thoughts?
This is a technique to try and discover the origination of your thoughts. Whenever a thought appears, just ask yourself, who is it who is thinking this? What we do is to try and discover the source of thoughts. Through asking this question we realise that there is an I which can decide to accept or reject thoughts. By asking this question we will be able to stop the thoughts as soon as they enter. You are not a victim of your own thoughts, it is you who either rejects or gives life to thoughts. 4. Catch thoughts as soon as they appear. This exercise requires a determined effort on our part. We need to be vigilant and watch every thought that enters our mind. As soon as we see a negative thought enter, we must immediately discard it and refuse to follow it. The more we follow thoughts, the more difficult it becomes to stop them later. Therefore, it is best to catch them as soon as possible. 5. Concentrate on Something else. If we have a train of thoughts which have gained a stranglehold over our mind, the best solution is often to just try and do something completely different. Dont just sit around, go and do something which gives you no opportunity to ruminate over your thoughts. By doing this we ignore the thoughts completely, and they lose there hold over us. Wrong thoughts are inside us just because we identify ourselves with these thoughts. If we identify with something else, immediately they have to leave us. - Sri Chinmoy [1] 6. Meditation Meditation is the best way to learn how to control our thoughts. Meditation involves the art of concentration and quietening the mind. In meditation we not only try to control our thoughts but we also can bring to the fore our inner qualities of peace and oneness. If we can invoke the calming power of our own heart, then we use an alternative force to take the place of the negative mind. The mind has its own power, and right now this power is stronger than your present eagerness and determination to meditate. But if you can get help from your heart, then gradually you will be able to control your mind. The heart, in turn, gets constant assistance from the soul, which is all light and all power. - Sri Chinmoy [2] We should meditate every day so that we can bring to the fore as much as peace as possible into our mind. If we only meditate when we are overrun with thoughts, we will find meditation very difficult. But, if we gain peace of mind through our daily meditation then we develop our inner capacities to control our thoughts.