This article is cross posted from Post #5 and Post #6 of Orignal thread 'Questions : First Session'
Namaste,
When I began meditation before 12 years, in 45 minutes, I could at max meditate for 10 minutes, on an average 3-5 minutes. Rest was all thoughts.
I would like to share my experience how I came out:
1. Do not force to push thoughts away.
2. Do not expect to be still in a moment
3. Try to convince mind that at this time, I am meditating and should chant the mantra and not get involved in daily issues.
4. Do not try to stretch yourself and forcefully meditate. It is good if you could sit straight, but not compulsory. Important is mind and not body.
5. Read / listen to shastras, repeatedly. I have read one 400 page - Sri Ramakrishna Jivan charitra for 8 years. Constant reading will store words in your mind strongly and click when you are in meditation and even when you are doing routine work. The discriminative mind will keep hinting you – that inner voice – Always listen to it with attention and follow it. Trust this voice.
6. If thoughts overpower you, Just open your eyes and leave the premises. After a minute, come back again and try to meditate
7. If still the mind is agitated, read shastras, any book which you like the most.
8. Do you pray and surrender before you begin meditation? Even when mind is upset, full of thoughts , and meditation is broken, repeat prayers that you do before meditation. Pray to God to take away all thoughts and help you chant thy holy name
10. Pray to God to teach how to meditate – I used to do it almost daily.
Please note that in prayers, the result depends upon your faith and which how much force you surrender. Keep God's vision vision as the ONLY Goal of Life. Pray to God about this too. Pray to God to Give direction in meditation and in practical life. Prayer is an integral part of spirituality.
11. … and Always Remember God Exists - Have Faith in God. To the one whom you surrender, whose divine name you are chanting, to whom you have dedicated your life and surrendered yourself, can you have his divine vision if you do not have faith in Him? God can and is capable of doing anything and everything – keep your logic apart. Please do not limit God by our limited understanding. No one can limit God. I don to say expect miracles, though they may happen, but Have Faith in the name of God.
12. If there are too many thoughts in beginning and you even cannot pray properly, try ot listen to devotional songs for 15-20 minutes. If you still cannot meditate, meditation is not for you. Please follow path of Action – Karma Yog.
13. Meditate same time, same place, preferably in early morning – as early as possible. Between 3:30 – 5:30 – before sunrise, there are very little or thoughts floating in environment. So ther is peace. Also sattva Guna is at peak i.e. most active. If you cannot wake up at 3:300 try to wake up as early as possible, say 6:00 and then later on wake up 15 minutes early after every 2 weeks or even 1 week.
In the beginning, people search too much and meditate less. They are not settled. It is a phase of Life. Do not worry too much. Things will settle. Faith does not build in one day. One day you will also settle and the curiosity of knowing everything and anything you here or encounter will fade away.
Please note that I am talking from spiritual standpoint and not practical standpoint.
Pain in neck, etc is temporary. Do not worry. Have back rest. If needed, keep a pillow behind back.
Always meditate with closed eyes. Do not use light instrumental music or any background music for meditation. This is not a solution.
Do not concentrate on erd eye / Ajna chakra / Agya Chakra, centre between eye brows. It produces strain, unless you are under guidance of a Yog master
If at all you want meditate or be aware on Anahat chakra / Heart chakra – Centre between chest
Use Japa mala and count beeds along with mantra. This will be helpful.
Please understand. Meditation is not like any other activity. When you are listening to any meditation on PC, you are just listening and the voice directs you to do it. When there is no external guidance, you have to do it all alone by yourself. This is the reason why you do not experience as you experience when you listen to any meditation guide.
In Japa or meditation, mind calms down. So there is agitation. Mind wants to be active. This is natural. So the common complain that 'as soon as I start meditating, my mind begins to wonder' is natural, as mind is not habituated to be still and calm. It has habit of being extrovert, being active, constantly thinking and analyzing, running behind 5 senses – see a beautiful girl and you get attracted and filled with … I guess you know it - see or smell favorite food and mouth becomes watery no matter you are hungry or not. We keep thinking. In meditation, we are doing exactly opposite, trying to rest the mind. Mind is nothing but continuous flow of thoughts, will mind like it? No, so it will try to break loose. More you try to force it to become still, more violently it reacts. So it's not advisable to sit in one place for long hours. One should not force, but convince your mind that it is better to be still then to keep hunting for any activity.
This takes time. Give yourself some time to settle. It's not a one day job, but It will happen. Be patient. Have faith (in God) ... Keep praying
Some useful posts are:
refer to the post Sadhana
My thoughts in
Post #8
Post #9
Post #12
Post #13
Post #30
Post #40
Another thread Serious questions relating to having eyes closed in meditation
Post #6
Yet another thread
Questions : First Session in Post #5
And Thread
Meditation & The Restless Mind
Post #6 and Post #11
Hope this helps.
Aum
IS
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