Meditation is easy to do and can give you an instant feeling of
calmness and relaxation.
Here we are going to outline a simple meditation technique that
can be practiced by all, with 5 - 20 minutes to spare each day.
This mediation technique is simple and very effective and only
takek you a few minutes to learn and will help you relax away
from the stresses of everyday life.
What is meditation?
A definition accepted in most dictionaries for meditation is,
continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or
series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature. This is really
reflection.
Meditation generally involves where one consciously discounts
wandering thoughts and fantasies, and calming and focusing the
mind, while controlling the breath, and sensory awareness.
So, the meaning in the dictionary is really referring to
reflection or concentration, both pre-requisites for meditation,
but not meditation itself.
For unless one can voluntarily control our basic life functions
(such as breathing) and meaningfully turn off the senses to
outside stimuli, one cannot even hope to enter into meditation.
Does this mean that meditation is open only for those who have
mastered control of their own life forces? Not exactly.
Meditation to relax and calm your mind
There is one meditation anyone can do, and by doing it, one's
life force itself comes under control; ones senses turn off, and
the mind becomes quiet. Then the peace and realization that
comes from true meditation comes to the practitioner. What is
the name of this meditation, and how is it done?
A simple meditation technique for all
Its name is Soham, or Hamsa if one is following the meditation
as taught by Paramhamsa Yogananda. Soham in sanskrit simply
means I am He.
Even spoken over and over, the syllables merge...so one is
saying Sohamsoham...I am He, He am I...it is a prayer and a
meditation mantra which are spiritually charged word or series
of words used a meditation theme.
If you but practice it once, you will see immediately its
positive effects. One feels calm, and de-stressed.
One feels close ones intuition, and one feels as if the world of
material things is less important due to its overbearing
insignificance when compared to the bliss one feels in
meditation.
How to mediate in simple steps
Let's see how it's done. Find a place where you feel most
comfortable, and private...with as few distractions as possible.
Sit up straight with your spine in a line...do not slouch. You
must be comfortable, so sit on a chair or on the floor with a
soft mat or carpet underneath you.
Close your eyes, but in a relaxed manner. Now relax your whole
body, part by part by first tensing that part, and then relaxing
it.
When you feel completely relaxed, command your mind to be
silent, your emotions to be still, keeping your body as relaxed
as possible.
Now focus on the sound of your breath coming in. Associate that
sound and feeling with the word So.
As you exhale, listen to the sound and associate it with the
word Ham. As a guide, So sounds as does if you are saying it in
English. Ham could actually be written as Hom, as the in Ham is
very weak.
As you do this meditation, actually imagine the air entering
your nose and traveling all the way down into your lungs. This
is one So. As you exhale, you can imagine the air traveling out
of the lungs, up to the nose and out of your body. This is one
Ham.
Beginners in this meditation usually silently say the word So
with each inhalation and the word Ham with each exhalation.
Continue in this way, as long as you are comfortable, but no
less than 5 minutes, and no longer than 20 minutes until the
meditation feels natural to go longer.
This meditation technique will give you instant calmness
As you practice this meditation, you will see that So Ham So Ham
becomes just Soham. Soham is by far the easiest meditation, and
not be done with the breath controlled, and the senses not
picking up stimuli.
As breathing is natural, and it comes to all living creatures
without any effort ang gives a feeling of instant relaxation and
calmness.
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