Meditating On Ram: A Spiritual Practice

Meditation is a way of listening more deeply. It helps you quiet your mind, enhance your ability to be insightful and understanding, and gives you a sense of inner peace.

To meditate, you can follow your breath to bring your mind to quiet one-pointedness. This loosens the hold of all your worldly thoughts.

- Find a place to meditate that is not distracting.

- Sit properly. You can sit in a chair or on the floor.

- Focus on your breathing.

- Keep bringing yourself back. It's normal for your mind to wander.

- Try deep breathing.

- Try a guided meditation.

- Change it up. You can also try a walking meditation.

Relaxation and concentration

The mind is often described as being "wayward and uncontrollable as the movement of air", so it's important to learn how to still it. Concentration is 'one-point attention', and meditation is 'objectless concentration'. To still the mind, it's necessary to focus your consciousness on a single point.

The first step is to choose a form of meditation. This could be focusing on the breath, or on the name or physical form of a god.

If you choose to focus on the breath, you can follow these steps:

• Bring your attention to the motion of your breath as it enters and leaves your nostrils.
• Keep your focus at the nostrils, noting the full passage of each in-breath and out-breath from beginning to end.
• Don't follow the breath into your lungs or out into the air; just watch its flow in and out of the nostrils.
• If you can, notice the subtle sensations of the breath as it comes and goes.
• Be aware of each in-breath and out-breath as it passes by the nostrils, just as the doorman watches each person who comes and goes through a door.
• Don't try to control your breath. Simply watch it.
• If you have trouble keeping your mind on the breath, count each one up to ten, then start over again at one.
• If sounds distract you, let them be and simply start watching your breath again.
• Your mind will wander, and when you first start to meditate you may be acutely aware of how active it is. Don't worry about it. Just keep returning your attention to your breath, letting go of whatever the mind wanders to.

If you choose to focus on the name or physical form of a god, you can follow these steps:

• Choose any name of the Lord that is dear to you, and make this your mantra (a word or group of words chanted repeatedly).
• Start with concentration on any form of God.
• Gradually squeeze the range of perception from the whole form to a single point, perhaps the eyes, lips, nails or feet of the Lord. This is called JATAN or pursuit towards manifestation.
• Develop the feeling that strength, bliss, knowledge and love are emanating from the point of concentration and are entering your body, mind and intellect. This is known as NIROOPAN (Intrinsic Worth).
• After some time of this NIROOPAN, the aspirant will gradually lose consciousness of what they are focusing on until nothing remains. At this time, they will have established contact with God or entered the Super-Conscious State.

How to begin meditating

Meditation is a way of listening more deeply, of quieting your mind, enhancing your ability to be insightful and understanding, and giving you a sense of inner peace. Regular meditation will help you see how your thoughts impose limits on you.

Find a Quiet Place

Find a quiet place to meditate, away from distractions. You can sit on a chair or on the floor, whichever is more comfortable for you. Just make sure you are relatively comfortable and that there isn't a lot of pressure on one part of your body. Try to sit up straight, though not so much that it feels like a strain.

Focus on Your Breathing

Once you've settled into your chosen space, try paying attention to just your breathing. Focus on it going in and out. You don't have to change it, just keep your attention on it, focusing all of yourself on breathing in and out. As your mind wanders, bring it back to your breath.

Keep Bringing Your Mind Back

It's normal for your mind to wander during meditation, so don't worry if this happens. Simply acknowledge that your mind has wandered and gently bring it back to your focus. Try labelling it when your mind wanders, such as saying "thinking" in your head, and then refocusing on your breath.

Try Deep Breathing

One simple way to get started with meditation is to try deep breathing. Start by placing a hand on your chest and a hand on your stomach. Breathe in slowly through your nose, noticing how your stomach expands more than your chest as you breathe in deeply. Hold the breath for a moment, then let it out slowly through your mouth. Try taking five deep breaths each time you try this practice.

Consider Taking a Class

If you're not sure where to begin with meditation, consider taking a class. You can find meditation classes at yoga studios, Buddhist temples or centres, libraries, parks and recreation departments, and some churches.

Don't Be Hard on Yourself

It's normal for your mind to wander during meditation, so don't become angry at yourself if this happens. Just acknowledge that your mind has wandered and gently bring it back to your focus.

Be Consistent

Practising meditation every day is ideal, but if you can't manage that, do it as often as you can. Even a little meditation can help improve your memory, so try to meditate when you can, even if you don't do it every day.

Try a Guided Meditation

If you don't want to take a class, you can still benefit from the wisdom of others by trying a guided meditation. You can find many of these online, or you can download free apps that will walk you through a meditation process.

Change It Up

You don't have to meditate the same way every time. For example, some people find a walking meditation helpful. Take a ten-minute walk, focusing on different sensations in turn. Start with feeling your body walking, then move on to the feeling of breathing, then focus on what the air feels like on your skin, then try thinking about just what you see and hear.

The mechanics of meditation

Meditation is a way of listening more deeply, of quieting your mind, enhancing your ability to be insightful and understanding, and giving you a sense of inner peace. It is a way of coming home to the quietness of the deepest part of your heart. The mechanics of meditation are the steps and techniques that help you to achieve this.

Concentration and One-Pointedness

Meditation is about bringing your mind to one point and keeping it there. This is done very gently. The mind must remain soft, subtle, buoyant, and light. You can focus on your breath, either at the tip of your nose or in your abdomen, and keep your awareness gently but firmly on the breath. You can also focus on a mantra, a word or group of words that are chanted repeatedly.

The Witness

The Witness is the part of your mind that is not lost in the drama of your thoughts. It is the part that notices your thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them. The Witness is not self-conscious, it is just awareness. When you start to notice your mind wandering, gently bring your awareness back to your breath or your mantra.

Fasting and Distribution

Fasting and distribution are also important aspects of meditation. Fasting helps to remove impurities from the body, and distribution, or service, leads to a reduction in the formation of new samskars (mental impressions or traces left by experience).

Mantras

Mantras are words or phrases that are chanted repeatedly. They can be used to help you focus your mind. Some examples of mantras include "Om Namah Shivaya", "Aditya Hridayam Punyam Sarva Shatru Vinashanam", and "Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha".

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is about paying attention to the present moment. It can be practised during meditation, for example, by focusing on the sensations of your breath. It can also be incorporated into your daily life, for example, by paying attention to the taste of your food or the feel of your clothes against your skin.

Relaxation

Relaxation is another technique that can be used in meditation. This involves focusing on the Holy Feet of the Guru, or on the name or physical form of God.

Meditation Techniques

There are many different meditation techniques, and you may need to try a few to find the one that works best for you. Some examples include mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, and visualizations. You can also try walking meditation, where you focus on different sensations as you walk, or deep breathing, where you breathe slowly and deeply, holding your breath for a count of seven before exhaling slowly to the count of eight.

Regular Practice

It is important to practise meditation regularly, even if you can only spare a few minutes each day. Consistency is key when it comes to meditation.

The benefits of meditation

Meditation has been a practice for thousands of years in Hindu, Buddhist, Zen/Chan and Taoist communities. It is a set of techniques to calm the mind and enhance overall well-being.

Meditation can help you develop a stronger understanding of yourself and help you grow into your best self. It can also help you develop other beneficial habits and feelings, such as a positive mood and outlook, self-discipline, healthy sleep patterns, and even increased pain tolerance.

Reducing Stress and Anxiety

Meditation is well-known as a technique to reduce stress and anxiety. Research shows that it may also help enhance your mood, promote healthy sleep patterns, and boost cognitive skills. It can help bring calm and insight to people who often feel anxious.

Enhancing Self-Awareness and Emotional Health

Some forms of meditation can lead to improved self-image and a more positive outlook on life. It can help you be kind to yourself and more caring towards others. It can also help you be less reactive when tough situations arise.

Lengthening Attention Span

Focused-attention meditation can increase the strength and endurance of your attention. It can also help reverse patterns in the brain that contribute to mind-wandering, worrying, and poor attention.

Reducing Age-Related Memory Loss

Meditation can improve attention and clarity of thinking, which may help keep your mind young. It can also help fight age-related memory loss and dementia.

Generating Kindness

Some types of meditation may increase positive feelings and actions towards yourself and others. Metta, or loving-kindness meditation, can increase compassion and positive feelings.

Helping Fight Addictions

The mental discipline developed through meditation may help break dependencies by increasing self-control and awareness of triggers for addictive behaviours. It can also help redirect attention, manage emotions and impulses, and increase understanding of their causes.

Improving Sleep

Meditation can help shorten the time it takes to fall asleep and improve sleep quality. It can help relax the body and place you in a peaceful state, making it easier to fall asleep.

Controlling Pain

Meditation can help control pain by reducing stress and improving emotion regulation. It can be beneficial for treating chronic pain when used alongside medical care or physical therapy.

Lowering Blood Pressure

Meditation can reduce strain on the heart and blood vessels, helping to prevent heart disease. It can also help control blood pressure, especially in older adults or those with higher blood pressure.

Accessibility

Meditation is accessible to everyone and can be practiced anywhere, without specialised equipment or space. There are many different forms of meditation to choose from, and it can be done for just a few minutes each day.

How to use meditation to improve memory

Meditation is a mind-training technique that helps you reach a state of awareness described as calm, steady, and present-focused. It teaches you to focus your mind and, when you're able to focus better, you're also better able to solidify concepts in your short-term memory.

How to meditate

• Pick a place to meditate - somewhere with few distractions.
• Sit properly - you can sit in a chair or on the floor, but make sure you are relatively comfortable. Try to sit up straight, though not so much that it feels like a strain.
• Get settled - spend a few minutes just bringing yourself into the right state of mind. Focus on a candle, if that helps.
• Focus on your breathing - when you've situated yourself, try paying attention to just your breathing. Focus on it going in and out. As your mind wanders, bring it back to your breath.
• Keep bringing yourself back - acknowledge that your mind has wandered and move it back to the meditation. Try labeling it when your mind wanders, such as saying "thinking" in your head, and then refocusing on your breath.
• Try deep breathing - place a hand on your chest and a hand on your stomach. Breathe in slowly through your nose, hold the breath to the count of seven, then let it slowly out through your mouth to the count of eight.
• Consider taking a class - if you don't want to take a class, you can still benefit from the wisdom of others. Try doing a guided meditation.
• Change it up - you don't have to meditate the same way every time. For instance, some people find a walking meditation helpful. Take a ten-minute walk, focusing on different sensations in turn.

Frequently asked questions