How Do You Meditate? – Meditation is Simple

If you’re wondering how to meditate, consider this. You’ve heard the expression “lost in thought.” How often does that describe your experience? You can realize you’re not lost when you reclaim the simple role of observer.

Unencumbered By Rational Thought

Often, every thought that arises in consciousness can seem so enthralling that you feel you must follow it. There is another way. Your natural insight and presence, as Click and Clack like to say is “unencumbered by rational thought.”

Clearly, rational thought has its uses and value, yet surprisingly, it can also be an encumbrance. Here’s why. Just as classical Newtonian physics accurately described the world for centuries, when more sophisticated instrumentation appeared, a deeper level of reality was discovered.

The limitation of rational thought says Alan Watts, is that we are always reasoning from the known to the known. Rational thought is a construct. When we read or say the word “red” we understand we are representing the color. As Shakespeare remarked, a rose by any name smells as sweet. So we need to dissociate language and reality to perceive and experience directly.

The Direct Experience

The direct wordless experience of an idea or problem reveals vistas heretofore unknown. It is a deeper, more profound, revelation of the inward nature, and it is the source of Love, Joy and Peace. Plus, you simply cannot understand infinity, and the reality beneath surface form, the true nature of your own being and of the universe, without entering stillness.

How do you meditate? It’s simple. You are simply releasing your attachment to the parade of passing ideas for now. You can always return to them later, and if something noteworthy arises, just write it down on a piece of paper, then continue. Set aside a fixed amount of time to begin to discover a far wider and more expansive realm that is available to you when you are truly still. All you need is the intention to begin and continue.

There is a depth, and breadth and grandeur to your own being, and Life, that goes unnoticed when unexamined. Here’s something interesting. Ever notice how you can have a mental conversation with yourself? “Should I do this?” and so forth. Interesting, isn’t it? Who is talking to whom?

I can give you the answer, or you can feel your way through it for yourself. Hmmm.

Eckhart Tolle built his career on this breakthrough. Perhaps I would be depriving you to try writing the answer, because you would be just reading words. Try this inner silence. Ask yourself the question. And patiently wait for your own insight. Being inwardly silent.

Practical Meditation Tips and Suggestions

If you have intelligently read this far, you are well on your way now. Here are some helpful suggestions. Sit up straight. You want to have attention, but be relaxed. If you’re lying down you well may fall asleep, which may be fine, too, but you’re no longer in meditation. Let your breathing be relaxed. Focus your eyes to the third eye point in the center of the forehead. Your eyes have to look somewhere, even when they’re closed. You can look at the tip of your nose but that doesn’t work as well. The third eye point at the center of the forehead is like seeing yourself looking out while you’re looking in and you can meet and be aware at that point more effectively than any other. So try putting your attention there.

You are going to be amazed at the results of simple meditation when you put it into practice.

Now comes the question of a mantra. A mantra is a special word you repeat to yourself. Personally, I’m not too fond of these. I find them distracting. The idea is that by giving your attention to a phrase you help your mind to be focused and less easily distracted by other ideas. I like to explore Mary Baker Eddy’s definition of the Absolute: incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite, Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love.

Let’s begin with incorporeal and infinite. These are ideas that are incomprehensible without silent exploration. We know the outward appearance of the universe is immense. Distances are measured in light years – light moving so fast (186,000 miles per second) for a year. Even our own sun is 93 million miles away. Infinite means without limit, which also means you can find it within you. So why not begin your exploration of the beauty and magnificence of your own true being and nature?

Perhaps it’s just me, but I like to prove things for myself rather than taking someone’s word for it. They may be right. They may be wrong. Most people will tell you there is no absolute truth. Whatever you call truth is simply your belief. Find out for yourself. Throughout the ages, wisdom has disclosed the nature of Reality is One. As you begin to master the art and science of inward silence, you will begin to discover for yourself the actuality of everything.

For additional guidance and assistance in fully understanding how to meditate, go to Amazon.com and search for the phrase “How do I find inner peace?” to locate my book of the same name, which you can browse, buy or borrow if you like.

© 2012, daniel_dreifus. All rights reserved.

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