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What is meditation?
There are many types of meditation. The one definition that fits almost all
types is..."Consciously directing your attention to alter your state of
consciousness."
There's no limit to the things you can direct your attention toward... symbols,
sounds, colors, breath, uplifting thoughts, spiritual realms, etc. Meditation is
simply about attention... where you direct it, and how it alters your
consciousness.
What is the purpose of meditation?
Traditionally meditation was (and still is) used for spiritual growth...i.e.
becoming more conscious; unfolding our inner Light, Love, & Wisdom; becoming
more aware of the guiding Presence in our lives; accelerating our journey home
to our True Self... our Spirit.
More recently, meditation has become a valuable tool for finding a peaceful
oasis of relaxation and stress relief in a demanding, fast-paced world.
Other uses include:
Healing
Emotional cleansing & balancing
Deepening concentration & insight
Manifesting change
Developing intuition
Unlocking creativity
Exploring higher realities
Finding inner guidance
General Guidelines for Meditation
. Put your expectations aside, and don't worry about doing it right. There are
infinite possibilities and no fixed criterion for determining right meditation.
There are, however, a few things to avoid.
They are...
Trying to force something to happen.
Over-analyzing the meditation.
Trying to make your mind blank or chase thoughts away.
Putting too much emphasis on doing it right.
It's not necessary - or advisable - to meditate on a completely empty stomach.
If you're hungry, have a little something to eat before meditating.
. Find a quiet, comfortable place to meditate. You can sit in a comfortable
chair, on the bed, on the floor... anywhere that's comfortable. It's not
necessary to sit cross-legged. Your legs can be in any position that is
comfortable.
. Eliminate as much noise and as many potential distractions as possible. Don't
worry about those things that you can not control.
. When you sit to meditate, sit comfortably, with your spine reasonably
straight. This allows the spiritual energy to flow freely up the spine, which is
an important aspect of meditation. Leaning against a chair back, a wall,
headboard, etc. is perfectly all right. If, for physical reasons, you can't sit
up, lay flat on your back.
. Place your hands in any position that is comfortable.
. If it does not go against your beliefs, call on a "higher source" for
assistance in your meditation. Any form is all right. This can be quite helpful,
but is not absolutely necessary.
Some Misconceptions about Meditation
Misconception #1. Meditation is turning off your thoughts or making your mind a
blank.
Not True ...Inner quietness is experienced in meditation, but not by willfully
turning off thoughts. Quieting the mind results naturally from:
the effectiveness of the method used... and
an uplifting spiritual energy that is beyond our own efforts.
Misconception #2. Meditation is difficult and requires great concentration.
Not True ...Meditation can be easily learned and practiced. Meditation is only
difficult if we become too concerned with doing it correctly or incorrectly.
Although staying focussed in meditation does become easier with time and
practice, it is definitely not a requirement for beginning to meditate. Thinking
that we should be good at focussing when first starting out, is essentially
putting the cart before the horse.Misconception #3. Meditation is not successful
unless we see interesting things in our mind.Not True...Although some
meditations are specifically for visualizing, many are not. In those
meditations, seeing things may be entertaining, but is not essential. Even
visualization does not necessarily require seeing. Some people sense or feel
things inwardly, and that's all right.
Getting Started
If you wish to begin an ongoing meditation practice, here's what I suggest you
do to get started...
First, read all the material in this room, and then read the material in the
FAQs Room. This will provide you with various helpful tips and principles for
making meditation easy and enjoyable.
Next, try one of the "Core Meditations"...
The Inner Light Meditation or Mindfulness Meditation.
(Or you can try both, and then continue with whichever one you like best.)
These are both very easy and effective, produce a broad range of results, and
are great for practicing on a regular basis.
When beginning your meditation practice, the most important thing to remember,
is to approach meditation with "relaxed effort," and not to be concerned about
doing it correctly, or about what is supposed to happen.
Just follow the simple steps, and allow for whatever you experience. If you
follow these guidelines, you will find meditation to be easy and enjoyable, and
you will start noticing positive results in your life.
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A BIT ABOUT the “Third Eye”
The word Ajna means "command", in the sense of the Guru's command (spiritual
guidance). The Tantric Ajna or Brow chakra has two petals, is associated with
the tattwa of Manas or Mind (not to be confused with the Manas-Chakra), which is
beyond even the most subtle elements (although still part of embodied
existence). It is said to be white in colour. More recently in Western occult
and New Age thought the Ajna chakra has been identified with the "third eye"
(eye of psychic vision), and other such concepts not found in the original
Tantrika system.
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What is the function of the various brainwaves?
It is well known that the brain is an electrochemical organ; researchers have
speculated that a fully functioning brain can generate as much as 10 watts of
electrical power. Other more conservative investigators calculate that if all 10
billion interconnected nerve cells discharged at one time that a single
electrode placed on the human scalp would record something like five millionths
to 50 millionths of a volt. If you had enough scalps hooked up you might be able
to light a flashlight bulb.
Even though this electrical power is very limited, it does occur in very
specific ways that are characteristic of the human brain. Electrical activity
emanating from the brain is displayed in the form of brainwaves. There are four
categories of these brainwaves, ranging from the most activity to the least
activity. When the brain is aroused and actively engaged in mental activities,
it generates beta waves. These beta waves are of relatively low amplitude, and
are the fastest of the four different brainwaves. The frequency of beta waves
ranges from 15 to 40 cycles a second. Beta waves are characteristics of a
strongly engaged mind. A person in active conversation would be in beta. A
debater would be in high beta. A person making a speech, or a teacher, or a talk
show host would all be in beta when they are engaged in their work.
The next brainwave category in order of frequency is alpha. Where beta
represented arousal, alpha represents non-arousal. Alpha brainwaves are slower,
and higher in amplitude. Their frequency ranges from 9 to 14 cycles per second.
A person who has completed a task and sits down to rest is often in an alpha
state. A person who takes time out to reflect or meditate is usually in an alpha
state. A person who takes a break from a conference and walks in the garden is
often in an alpha state.
The next state, theta brainwaves, are typically of even greater amplitude and
slower frequency. This frequency range is normally between 5 and 8 cycles a
second. A person who has taken time off from a task and begins to daydream is
often in a theta brainwave state. A person who is driving on a freeway, and
discovers that they can't recall the last five miles, is often in a theta
state--induced by the process of freeway driving. The repetitious nature of that
form of driving compared to a country road would differentiate a theta state and
a beta state in order to perform the driving task safely.
Individuals who do a lot of freeway driving often get good ideas during those
periods when they are in theta. Individuals who run outdoors often are in the
state of mental relaxation that is slower than alpha and when in theta, they are
prone to a flow of ideas. This can also occur in the shower or tub or even while
shaving or brushing your hair. It is a state where tasks become so automatic
that you can mentally disengage from them. The ideation that can take place
during the theta state is often free flow and occurs without censorship or
guilt. It is typically a very positive mental state.
The final brainwave state is delta. Here the brainwaves are of the greatest
amplitude and slowest frequency. They typically center around a range of 1.5 to
4 cycles per second. They never go down to zero because that would mean that you
were brain dead. But, deep dreamless sleep would take you down to the lowest
frequency. Typically, 2 to 3 cycles a second.
When we go to bed and read for a few minutes before attempting sleep, we are
likely to be in low beta. When we put the book down, turn off the lights and
close our eyes, our brainwaves will descend from beta, to alpha, to theta and
finally, when we fall asleep, to delta.
It is a well known fact that humans dream in 90 minute cycles. When the delta
brainwave frequencies increase into the frequency of theta brainwaves, active
dreaming takes place and often becomes more experiential to the person.
Typically, when this occurs there is rapid eye movement, which is characteristic
of active dreaming. This is called REM, and is a well known phenomenon.
When an individual awakes from a deep sleep in preparation for getting up, their
brainwave frequencies will increase through the different specific stages of
brainwave activity. That is, they will increase from delta to theta and then to
alpha and finally, when the alarm goes off, into beta. If that individual hits
the snooze alarm button they will drop in frequency to a non-aroused state, or
even into theta, or sometimes fall back to sleep in delta. During this awakening
cycle it is possible for individuals to stay in the theta state for an extended
period of say, five to 15 minutes--which would allow them to have a free flow of
ideas about yesterday's events or to contemplate the activities of the
forthcoming day. This time can be an extremely productive and can be a period of
very meaningful and creative mental activity.
In summary, there are four brainwave states that range from the high amplitude,
low frequency delta to the low amplitude, high frequency beta. These brainwave
states range from deep dreamless sleep to high arousal. The same four brainwave
states are common to the human species. Men, women and children of all ages
experience the same characteristic brainwaves. They are consistent across
cultures and country boundaries.
Research has shown that although one brainwave state may predominate at any
given time, depending on the activity level of the individual, the remaining
three brain states are present in the mix of brainwaves at all times. In other
words, while somebody is an aroused state and exhibiting a beta brainwave
pattern, there also exists in that person's brain a component of alpha, theta
and delta, even though these may be present only at the trace level.
It has been my personal experience that knowledge of brainwave states enhances a
person's ability to make use of the specialized characteristics of those states:
these include being mentally productive across a wide range of activities, such
as being intensely focused, relaxed, creative and in restful sleep.
Yin And Yang
. The yin/yang symbol is one of the oldest and best known symbols in the world,
but few understand its meaning. It represents the two poles of existence which
are opposite but complementary, and which exist in everything. Yin represents
everything that is feminine, dark, withdrawn, receptive and passive and things
moving down and in. Yang represents the masculine, bright, forceful and
expansive, and movement out and up.
According to the philosophy, everything contains both yin and yang - this is why
we see a spot of white in the black segment of the yin/yang symbol and vice
versa. In fact, as something reaches an extreme it always becomes its opposite.
This is illustrated in nature in many ways, but applies to all things: a storm
is preceded and followed by a great stillness; cold replaces hot replaces cold
in the constant cycle of the seasons; an organisation that is too strict will
cause a rebellion when the rules become too tight; a balloon will burst if
overinflated.
These examples seem trivial, but a person who can spot yin and yang operating in
the world can predict the outcome of events. It also accounts for the Taoist's
sense of contentment - he has accepted that things change and evolve constantly,
moving first one way and then the other. Thus he does not feel upset or worried
when obstacles or hard times come - he knows that things will improve. Nor does
he get caught up with riches or power when they come his way. Though he might
enjoy them, he knows that they are not permanent, and willingly waves them
good-bye when the time is right.
In the internal arts the cultivation of the inner power (chi) can be seen as the
yang, while the development of softness represents the yin. Movements in the
T'ai Chi forms are constantly expanding then contracting, and practitioners are
taught not to put themselves in extreme positions to avoid being caught off
balance. The interplay of these forces forms the basis of Taoist philosophy, and
much has been written about them in the Taoist classics.
Chi - The ‘Vital Energy’Defining chi is extremely difficult - it is a concept
entirely foreign to Western thought. Referred to in ancient China as Dragon's
Breath, it cannot be seen or measured, but it is present in all things. It is
both matter or energy (the Chinese don’t tend to differentiate between the 2)
and it comprises and defines all life and all inanimate objects in the universe.
Chi has been called ‘vital energy’ but it is much more than that. The Chinese
word 'chi' literally translates as ‘energy’ or ‘breath’. In the body it is said
to flow through channels called 'meridians' in a similar way to blood flowing
through the veins. Traditional Chinese Medicine considers the blockage or
incorrect movement of chi through the body as the cause of mental and physical
disease, and internal arts such as meditation aim to increase the amount of chi
in the body.
A person’s chi can be experienced after training in meditation or the internal
arts, and its strength and power in a master is undoubtable. Those with strong
Chi have a healthy and youthful appearance, a strong immune system and are full
of energy. However, poor diet and hectic modern lifestyles take their toll, and
many of us suffer terrible health, tiredness, constant colds and depression due
to depletion of our vital energy, or disruption of its normal flow and function.
Chi is also manifest in the world around us, it is the life force of the natural
world and chi is strong where there are clear streams, rolling hills and
abundant plant life. The Chinese art of geomancy, called 'Feng Shui' is
increasingly popular all over the Western world - its practitioners seek to
promote a healthy and luck enhancing flow of chi through their homes with the
use of ancient formulae.
As I have said before, there are many interpretations of the concept of 'chi' by
Westerners who are attempting to integrate Eastern and Western methodology.
Believing the Chinese ideas to be unscientific, they attempt to fit the theory
into the biomedical framework, equating chi with electromagnetic energy and
meridians with nerves. Such theories may lead to interesting new discoveries but
the attempt is flawed. The approach used in TCM is fundamentally different to
that used in the West and attempted integration of the two is unlikely to be
very effective.
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