how to meditate?

Answer 1

Hi,

Choose a location for your meditation practice that is quiet and comfortable, with fresh air and free of distraction (including lights or sounds). Set aside a time for your practice, and turn off the telephone, dim the lights, and let others know that this is your time, and not to interrupt you frivolously.
Set aside a specific time every day for meditation, even if it is just for a few minutes.
Find a comfortable seated position.
Breathing: Have a relaxed body, and gradually begin with some breathing exercises: Focus only on the breath flowing into and out of your body. Let any other thoughts go. The mind tries to distract you with thoughts - it is the nature of the mind. Release the thoughts. The nature of the mind is to wander - being aware of the wandering mind indicates that you are alert and attentive.
Return the awareness back to the sensation of the breath again and again. As the mind wanders, gently guide its attention back to the breath, without judgment.
This next meditation is good for spiritual awareness and heightened consciousness. You may meditate on the object of your choice. Some suggested object are a candle, a spiritual picture or figurine, a flower, religious symbols or any object that is sacred or special to you.
Meditation on a Candle: This is a particularly strong technique for learning to meditate. Self-Realization and spirituality are often described in terms of light: enlightenment, illumination, radiance, glow, halo, brilliance. The element of light appears in many descriptions of spirituality, and meditation on a candle can awaken the spiritual element by conveying an impression of this illumined condition.
The candle flame attracts the eyes to increase your ability to focus on a single object. The light makes an impression on the retina that can be retained when the eyes are closed, heightening awareness and illuminating consciousness.
Light a candle and place it in front of you, preferable at eye level so you will not need to tilt your neck. Focus only on the breath flowing into and out of your body. Let any other thoughts go. Fix your gaze on the flame of the candle. Hold your gaze steadily on the light of the flame for several minutes. Continue to let any intruding thoughts go, keeping your awareness on the flame. Allow the flame to hold your full attention.
Close your eyes. You may choose to place your palms over your eyelids, to block external light. Keep your hands and arms relaxed. Retain the image of the candle flame - holding the image steady. If the attention wanders, guide it back to the image of the flame without judgment. If the image fades, concentrate to bring the image back. You may need to open your eyes and gaze softly at the candle for a few moments to refresh the image. Then close your eyes and focus on the image of the flame inside your eyelids. Hold this image for 5 to 7 minutes.
After several practice sessions, you may find it easier to focus and retain the image of the flame. As you become proficient, add this next step. As you focus on the image of the flame, use your concentration to bring the image forward slowly. Gradually, bring the image closer and closer, until you are enveloped by the image.
Merge with the image of the flame - become completely absorbed by it. At this point, there is no longer "Flame" and "ME". You are one. There is no more subject or object - there is only light and unity. Remain in this state as long as you desire.
When you are ready, slowly open your eyes. Take a few moments to become fully present in your body. Stretch your legs and arms, turn your head side to side to release the neck. Rest a few moments before standing.

Polly

Answer 2

*There is an Excellent Book to learn How To meditate from called:
"Mindfulness in Plain English"
by: Bhante Henepola Gunaratana.
-It it a Manuel on How To meditate. It also effectively goes over How To deal
successfully with the Hindrances one will
encounter at times, while practicing
Mindfulness Meditation. Great book.

*It is also Available Online for FREE to read
or to download at the site below:

http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/mindfulness_in_plain_english.php

Hope this helps. Have a great week, and coming weekend.

-Namaste.

Answer 3

This is my technique:

Before starting, eliminate distractions: pee, get a drink of water.

Listening to Baroque music is very helping for meditating (Handel, Pacobel)

Get comfortable. Deep breathing. Think about being a bird and flying over the meadow, the forest, etc.

Enjoy your mind's eye journey

Answer 4

Imagine an orb like the moon for instance shrinking to a small sphere so that it can enter your nostril the left for females and the right for males . As the sphere is fixed into your mind after it enters the nose let it remain stationary while chanting nom myoho renge kyo next imagine it moving to the throat again allowing it to remain while chanting after a while let it progress to the abdomen say behind the naval all the time in a lotus position with hands in the standard cupped position and once more chanting never losing site of the orb in your minds eye .peace out

Answer 5

a quite place either during dawn or when the sun is about setting. do not sit on bare ground, have a wooden plank, on that a cloth may be spread. plank need to be 2 or 3" above floor. sit in cross legged and if adept, in Padmasan. Keep a candle light or any lamp with wick and lighted. your sitting must be in a comfortable posture. relax , watch the light a few minutes. close your eye, visualize the light between the eye brows above the nose. move the jyothi to your heart. let all the petals of your heart open(imagine heart as a lotus) Let it spread light in your heart remove the darkness inside. bring it slowly to both the eyes. Let it illumine your eye so that you wont religh any more bad visuals or vision. be it tv, internet or people around you. bring the jyothi to ears. let it illumine your audition. i.e., you wont relish gossip any more. do not listen to unwanted talks. do not listen to criticism of others in their absence. bring the jyothi to nostrils. let it illumine the breath. hence forth you breath with the thought that god is with the breath. Hence you inhale god and you exhale all the bad in you, all bad thoughts etc is breathed out. let the jyothi be on the tongue. henceforth you wont relish falsehood. you will maintain silence instead of telling lies. let your tongue talk only truth and no scandals etc.let your tongue relish 'prasadam' i.e, food offered to god and partake it with holy feelings. do not eat flesh or mutton or fish or even egg. let your food be vegetables, fruits, cereals, green leaves etc. , a little milk or curd or fruit juices. by that you will have good and holy thoughts. take the jyothi to hand and feet. let your hand serve the fellow beings, poor, downtrodden , handicapped, etc. help them. let your feet lead you to temples places of service etc. Thus practice jyothi(light meditation)

Answer 6

Aloha from Down Unda!

"Our Father, which art in Heaven, hollowed be Thy name,Thy Kindom Come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Thank you this day for our Daily Bread, & please forgive us our sins as we strive to forgive those who have sinned against us. Please lead us not into temptation & thank you for delivering us from evil. We know Thine is the Power, The Glory for Ever & Always, Thanking you in the name & the blood of our Saviour Christ Jesus, so beit & amen!"

But lots of people don't recognize it as meditation....maybe it ain't but it's been working for me since Vacation Bible School, 1958...

Best wishes ~
K-den, M1/NSWMoke ;-)
aka: [e-mail] 8-o
aka: Dorfus :O)) Chucklenose :O))
aka: [e-mail] :-)

Answer 7

i have been told that prayer is when we talk to god, meditation is when we listen.

Answer 8

pick a quiet place.

clear your mind. concentrate on the silence.

concentrate on the stillness.

again, keep your mind clear.