Confused about various meditation techniques?
Confused about various meditation techniques?
It is very common for a newbie in
the path of spirituality to attempt to gain a lot of knowledge about meditation
and various methods of doing the meditation. When I started to explore about
meditation through various books, interviews of spiritual gurus and teachers, numerous
youtube videos and other sources, it was quite amazing. I wanted to read more
and more to gain all the knowledge. However, gradually this excess flow of
information resulted into frustration and confusion. I was totally confused
about which meditation method to be practiced. Somehow I was more inclined
towards buddhist practices. But within buddhism also, range of practices are prevalent
like watching your breath, scanning your body, observing body senses, chanting
mantras, walking meditation and other mindfulness practices. When it comes to breathe,
some teachers want you to watch breathe in navel area and while other wants you
to concentrate near nose area. Same situation prevails in hinduism like chakra
mediation, kundalini yoga, raja yoga, kriya yoga etc.
It is more frustrating when
learned teacher claims that their method is the only one to achieve the
liberation. Infact, I was spending more time in analysis of various meditation
methods than spending time in actual meditation. This was kind of becoming
stress booster rather than stress buster for me.
Way out
And then I got the way out. One
learned man gave me a metaphor. Let me try to
produce our conversation below:
Learned Man: Do you drink alcohol?
Me: Occasionally
Learned Man: What you prefer? whisky,
vodka, wine, rum, beer or any other alcohol based drink?
Me: whisky mostly
Learned Man: Why not other
drinks?
Me: I think whisky suits my body
Learned Man: and why you drink
whisky.
Me: to get high.
Learned Man: so other drinks do
not have capability to make you high?
Me: any alcohol based drink can
make me high.
Learned Man: so what is important
whisky or alcohol content in it?
Me: but obvious, alcohol content
Learned Man: similarly, it is
important you to understand what is the essence in each of the meditation
technique. Once you are clear about the essence, technique will not have any
meaning for you.
Me: but how…
Learned Man: in any of the
meditation technique, prime objective is to occupy your mind in some form of subject
so that your mind does not dwell in past or future. Subject can be in form of
breathe, body scanning, yoga postures, mantras, pictures of god or gurus,
candle light or any other subject. Essence here is that your mind should not be
analyzing the past moment nor planning the future moment. Meditation is
mindfulness. Meditation is present moment.
Meditation is now moment. Meditation is awareness. Meditation is consciousness.
Subject of meditation is not
important. What is important is how long you stay in present moment. If you stay
longer in the present moment, you can see the path of liberation. Purpose of
subject is to make you stay in present moment. If you stay longer in the
present moment (through whatever form of subject), you will be going to be
liberated.
Me: wow. Making some sense. But how do you stay in present moment for long
hours. Mind is always running here and there.
Learned Man: Practice. Period.
Only constant practice will help you to stay longer in mindfulness. You need to
take baby steps. It is impossible of a new aspirant to be in mindfulness for
more than 5 minutes. It happens gradually. Start with 30 seconds then move to 1
minute,2 minute, 3 minute and so on. It is a gradual process. Today I can be in
present moment for continuous period of 2 hours. This is because in my earlier days,
I successfully meditated for 30 seconds, then successfully meditated for 1
minute and then successfully meditated for 2 minutes and so on.
Me: What is your mediation
practice.
Learned Man: I practice vipassana
meditation i.e. mindfulness of breathe and mindfulness of body sensations. This
is when I sit for long meditation sessions. During entire day, I try to be mindful
of the activity that I am performing.
Whatever state of mind I am in,
without fail I try to remain mindful of following activity:
·
Early in the morning, first thing that I do is
drink 1.5 litre of warm water. I do it mindfully with complete awareness of my
hand holding the glass, water touching my mouth, warmth of the water, water moving
downwards through throat. Completely merge in the process. Believe me when I complete this activity, I get
the same high as you get drinking 180 ml of neat whisky. This is how I turn
water into whisky.
·
Mindful of each of my activity while brushing
teeth. I am aware that I have taken brush in my hand. I am aware of taking
paste. I am aware of the fact that brush is touching the teeth. I remain aware
of each and every process associated with brushing.
Me: Amazing. I should also try
turning water into whisky. Is this a easy process?
Learned Man: This is a simple
process but not easy. As I said earlier only constant practice will make this
happen. Even today before I start
meditation I pray to following being and ask for their blessing for successful attempt
of the mindfulness. This gives lot of strength.
·
Pray to all souls who have attained Arihanthood
(free from wordly desire)
·
Pray to all gurus and teachers who guide us
through this path.
·
Pray to all brothers and sisters who are walking
in this path.
For example, if I want sit for 20
minutes meditation, I pray like thus:
·
I pray to all souls who have attained Arihanthood
for their blessing and help me attempt my 20 minutes meditation session.
·
I pray to all gurus and teachers who guide us
through this path for their blessing and help me attempt my 20 minutes
meditation session.
·
I pray to all brothers and sisters who are
walking in this path for their blessing and help me attempt my 20 minutes
meditation session.
In my earlier days, even out of
20 minutes, if my mind remains in present moment for 2 minutes, it is a huge success.
Those 2 minutes are so precious. Atleast for 2 minutes I was awakened, I was
enlightened, I was liberated. Most beautiful 2 minutes of my life.
With practice, this 2 minutes
became 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes and gradually I started feeling another dimension
of life.
Me: I pray to you. Please give
your blessings.
Learned Man: Please note that
life has simple rule. There are only two options in life. Mindfulness and
Unmindfulness. Mindfulness is also known as present moment, now, consciousness,
pure awareness, no mind, observant.
Unmindfulness is also known as
past, future, unconscious, ego mind and unobservant.
More you stay with mindfulness,
you are bound to achieve enlightenment.
More you stay with unmindfulness,
you are bound to achieve suffering.