beginning meditation - swami veda bharati 11 08... · 3 introduction common to the practices of...
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The Himalayan Tradition
Beginning Meditation
Swami Veda Bharati
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Table of Content
1. Introduction
2. Steps to Meditation
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing
2. Correct Posture
3. Systematic Relaxation
4. Breath Awareness
5. The Sacred Word
3. Practical lesson on Meditation
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Table of Content
1. Introduction2. Steps to Meditation
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing
2. Correct Posture
3. Systematic Relaxation
4. Breath Awareness
5. The Sacred Word
3. Practical lesson on Meditation
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Introduction
Common to the practices of many
schools, the first step to meditation is
awareness of breath. Anyone can begin at any age; younger the better. The practice
should be done at least once a day.
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Table of Content
1. Introduction
2. Steps to Meditation1. Diaphragmatic Breathing
2. Correct Posture
3. Systematic Relaxation
4. Breath Awareness
5. The Sacred Word
3. Practical lesson on Meditation
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To Practice Meditation, learn.…
The first step to meditation is awareness of breath
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing – Breathe through diaphragm so that no pressure is felt in the lungs
2. Correct Posture – Keep the spine straight. No feeling of discomfort in the legs, back or the neck
3. Systematic Relaxation – Relax the neuro-muscular system step by step
4. Mindful Breathing – Be aware of breathing
5. Mantra – Japa of a mantra or a sacred word from one’s spiritual tradition
6Practice Makarasana and Shavasana for 5 to 15 minutes
…Cont/d
Makarasana: The Crocodile Position1. Lie on the stomach; Heels slightly apart
2. Cross the right arm over the left and place them in front of you to uplift the upper chest
3. Rest your forehead on the arms
4. Bring your awareness to the breathing process
5. Observe the flow of the breath
6. Let there be no jerks, no breaks in your breathing
7. Observe and feel the gentle movement in the stomach area as you breathe
8. Take note of the breathing process
To learn Diaphragmatic Breathing, Practice… 1a
Makarasana - Front View
Makarasana - Side View
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Shavasana: The Corpse Position 1. Lie on the back; Heels and hands slightly apart
2. Breathe and observe the rise and fall of the stomach and navel area
3. Place left palm on the chest and right palm on the stomach
4. Feel the rise and fall smoothly without jerks or breaks
5. Breathe uniformly - Length of inhalation and exhalation being equal
Practice either of the two asanas or both in sequence
1b
Shavasana
To learn Diaphragmatic Breathing, Practice…
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On the floor1. Fold a blanket and make it into a neat and firm cushion2. Place it under the sit bones with legs and knee on the floor3. Straighten your shoulder4. Straighten your spine. Straight spine is slightly “S” shape curve5. If any discomfort is felt in the back or neck, experiment with the height of the
cushion
2a
Practice correct posture
Folded blanket in two layers
On the floor - Side View On the floor - Front View
For a Correct Posture you may sit on the floor…
…Cont/d
9One need not try to sit in advanced postures
On the chair (Mitrasana)1. Sit on the edge of a hard chair with feet on
the ground2. If required, put a cushion under your feet3. Sit with straight spine 4. Place the hand in the front; on the thighs
2b
On the chair - Side View On the chair - Front View
OR you may sit on the chair…
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The basic methodical relaxation Lie in Shavasana with feet apart, arms separate from
body and palms up Continue breathing diaphragmatically Take a mental inventory of the body from forehead to
toe Ask each part of the body to relax as it is brought to
mind following the Sequence* Relax in the reverse order up the body. Remember
the sequence. Go over the body and relax each of these parts in this sequence.
Let the different parts go limp
Relax your body. Breathe only diaphragmatically
…Cont/d
3aRelax the body Sequentially
Relax your >>> Forehead >>> Eyebrows
>>> Eyes >>> Nostrils >>> Cheeks >>> Jaw
>>> Corner of the mouth >>> Chin >>>
Neck >>> Neck-joint >>> Shoulders >>>
Shoulder-joints >>> Upper arms >>>
Elbows >>> Lower arms >>> wrists >>>
hands >>> fingers >>> fingertips.
Fingertips >>> fingers >>>Hands >>>
Wrists >>> Lower arms >>> Elbows >>>
Upper arms >>> Shoulder joints >>>
Shoulders >>> Chest >>> Heart area >>>
Stomach >>> Navel >>> Abdomen >>>
Pelvis >>> Thigh joints >>> Thighs >>>
Knees >>> Calf muscles >>> Ankles >>>
Feet >>> Toes.
Toes >>> Feet >>> Ankles >>> Calf
muscles >>> Knees >>> Thighs >>> Thigh
joints >>> Pelvis >>> Abdomen >>> Navel
>>> Stomach >>> Heart Area >>> Chest >>>
Shoulder joints >>> Shoulders >>> Neck
joint >>> Neck >>> Chin >>> Corner of the
mouth >>> Jaw >>> Cheeks >>> Nostrils
>>> Eyes >>> Eyebrows >>> Forehead
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Avoid tensing muscles
other than the ones you
are working
with
Let there be no sign of any tension in the whole body
Lie in Shavasana When tensing, tense from the finger or toes upwards Tense and relax the right leg left leg right leg
left leg. Repeat Tense and relax both legs simultaneously. Repeat Tense and relax the right leg and arm left leg and
arm right leg and arm left leg and arm. Repeat Tense and relax the right arm left arm right arm
left arm. Repeat Tense and relax both arms simultaneously. Repeat Tense and relax all the limbs simultaneously. Repeat Lie in Shavasana for a few minutes, then sit up for
meditation
If body still does not relax, a different method of relaxation may be used called “Tension/Relaxation” method.
3bYou may also practice Tension/Relaxation method
12Let the flow of the breath be even and smooth
Sit on the floor or the chair with straight spine Establish diaphragmatic breathing Feel the flow and touch of the breath in the nostrils No Pause between the breath
Awareness of inhalation should immediately merge with the awareness of exhalation and vice versa
If the mind wanders off, straighten the spine again Relax quickly again Re-establish diaphragmatic breathing Continue with the awareness of the flow and touch of
the breath in the nostrils
Let the breath flow without……………
Jerks Breaks Sound Gasping
Let there be no break in the awareness of the breath flow
Practice Breath Awareness 4
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To begin with use “Soham” - I Am That
Those in different religious tradition may use the sacred word prescribed by their tradition
Observe how the breath, the word and the mind are flowing together
Remember, meditative
state cannot be entered by fighting
oneself Exhaling, mentally remember “HAAAMMM” Inhaling, mentally remember “SOOOOO” No interruptions in the breath awareness No interruptions in the awareness of the flow of the
word as a thought Slowly lengthen the time of being aware of the flow
without interruptions Let it flow. Let it happen. Observe and experience
Practice with a Mantra – The Sacred words 5
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Table of Content
1. Introduction
2. Steps to Meditation
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing
2. Correct Posture
3. Systematic Relaxation
4. Breath Awareness
5. The Sacred Word
3. Practical lesson on Meditation
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Meditation with So-ham Mantra
1. Sit in a comfortable posture – Floor or Chair
2. Be aware of yourself from head to toe
3. Draw around yourself, as it were, three circles of light
4. Resolve that the mind will not cross these circles, nor will any intruding thoughts and impression enter from outside
5. Exhale and Inhale by remaining aware of yourself from head to toe
6. Progressively relax your entire body with each exhalation
7. Now resolve in your mind, for the next 5 minutes - you will be aware of the movement of your stomach and navel area with the gentle rhythm of breathing
8. Now resolve that for 5 minutes there will be no other thought except for the awareness of the path of your breath from the navel to the nostrils, from nostrils to the navel
9. Now feel the flow and the touch of your breath in your active nostril
10. Now resolve that for 5 minutes there will be no intruding thoughts except the feel of the breath in your passive nostril
11. Now resolve that for 5 minutes there will be no other thought except the feel of the breath in your two nostrils
12. Now with you breath, exhale thinking the word haaammm, inhale thinking the word sooo
…Cont/d
PS: If you do not believe in God – Exhale counting ONE; Inhale counting TWO
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13. Resolve that for 5 minutes there be no other thought except the feel of the breath in both nostrils - inhaling sooo, exhaling haaammm
14. Maintain the resolve so that no break occurs between the exhalations and the inhalations
15. Observe how the mind and the word are flowing together in a single stream, the mind stream itself becoming a word and the breath
16. Now mentally feel the spot where the nose-bridge ends and the upper lip begins. Mentally feel the spot between the eyebrows
17. Now inhale as though you were inhaling from the spot in front of the nose-bridge, a subtle energy flowing to the spot between the eyebrows; exhale the same way. (This
flow between the two spots is known as sushumna breath)
18. Maintain the stream of the mind, word and the energy flow
19. Resolve that for 5 minutes you will only feel the flow of the stream in the sushumnachannel
20. Now using the center between the eyebrows as the gateway, enter the chamber of your mind and resolve for half a minute, there will be no exterior thoughts, only utter silence and absolute stillness
21. Resolve and maintain the enjoyment of such silence and stillness for half a minute
…Cont/d
Meditation with So-ham Mantra
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22. Now from the gateway between the eyebrows, resolve to be only in sushumnabreath for a minute
23. Maintain the same stream of the mind, word and the energy flow without the intrusion of any thought
24. Continue in silence and observe the mantra so-ham in the breath
25. Renew every minute, the resolve to permit no other exterior thought
26. If you have difficulty, practice the entire process you have just gone through
27. Sit as long as you wish
28. Without breaking the flow, gently open your eyes
29. Continue to feel the flow even with your eyes open
30. Resolve to calm the mind in this way many-many times in the day
31. Whatever you will do repeatedly with your mind; will become the mind’s habit and the mind will rediscover its original calm nature
Meditation with So-ham Mantra
18© 2010 Swami Veda Bharati. All Rights Reserved.
This presentation is from the book “Night Birds”written by Swami Veda Bharati and gives only an
overview on the select subject.
For a deeper understanding, please study the original work.
Pictorial depiction of asanas may be helpful but are better learnt under expert guidance.
May you receive the grace of the Himalayan Lineage
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What to do with overwhelming desire?
Nothing.Neither denounce
yourself nor indulge. Neither decry nor affirm.
Indifference calms a jumping dog.
- Swami Veda Bharati