Preparing for Meditation.
Introduction
Our online meditation course is intended to help keep your meditation practice
new and fresh. If you are starting learning to meditate, it is important to keep practicing, at least 5 minutes a day,
even if you feel you are just sitting there at the beginning! Please give it a try
for at least 2 weeks and then assess the changes that have occurred in your
life. Most people find that
after some time the benefits of meditation are revealed, even
before they fully understand what meditation is. This is normal. Remember that
meditation is an experience of the heart and not of the mind. For us to learn
how to meditate, we need to trust the messages of our heart.
It is best to create a permanent meditation place. Your meditation place may be
anything from a quiet room in the house, a table or a corner of your study desk,
to the shade of your favourite tree in the backyard. It doesn't matter
where it is, just as long as you are able to find peace of mind there and access
it regularly.
Ideally on a little table, place a cloth and other inspirational objects - such
as a leaf from an amazing forest, a beautiful crystal, a crucifix or other
sacred object, or a picture of a spiritual figure. If you cannot have a
permanent meditation place, it is just as effective to create this space anew
with every meditation. Just have the components (e.g. cloth, inspirational
object, candle, incense) in a bundle, ready to go. Put simply, this place is an
entrance to your heart - think of it as a shrine to your soul. Whatever inspires
you spiritually is perfect.
Preparing for your meditation
Proper preparation for your meditation is important. Mentally, you are
unloading your mind of all extraneous thoughts and beginning to focus more on
your spirituality.
Physically, you can express this by taking a shower (to "wash away your
troubles"), brushing your teeth, and generally "purifying" yourself. If this is
impossible, try at least to wash your hands and face.
Ideally, you already have a permanent meditation place, in which case you might
like to make sure it is clean, and if possible, light a candle and some incense,
place some fresh flowers on the table. It is helpful to use this time to begin
to focus on your spirituality. Prepare the meditation place with reverence - pay
attention to your movements and feel the grace that comes with the joy of
spirituality. Light the candle and incense, place the flowers, with no other
thought but the now. If your meditation space is temporary then as you are
setting it up the same applies.
You might like to take 5-15minutes to read some spiritual writings, reflecting
on and absorbing their meanings, perhaps taking notes in a special diary
reserved only for spiritual reflection. Then - this is very important - sit with
straight back, relaxed but extremely alert and take at least seven, deep, slow
breaths. With each inward breath you are opening yourself to the true, peaceful
and loving nature of the universe. Your outward breath releases the frustrations
and tensions you unconsciously hold on to. Let them go. Now begin your chosen
meditation exercise (you will find a meditation exercise at the end of each
class). During all the exercises your focus should be
from your heart.
Afterwards
After your meditation, you might like to sit quietly for a while longer, to
gather the feelings from this session, to bring your experiences in to the "real
world" and not just forget about them. This is a time of assimilation, of
reflection and contemplation.
It is also a time where we can make ourselves very determined to live the
revelations of our meditation in our day to day life. You may wish to write some
notes or a poem in your diary, compose a song, paint a picture... Be conscious
of the revelations or intuitions that you may be feeling - it is crucial that
you listen to your "inner voice" so that your real self can begin to guide your
journey.
A piece of fruit, placed on the table and consumed with reverence afterward,
makes a tasty ending to a meditation!