BEGINNING YOUR MEDITATION JOURNEY. Part 1 of 5

Meditation is fantastic because it is pretty simple. Simply sit down, be silent, gaze inside, and focus your consciousness. That's all there is to it. So, why do people create so many books and articles about meditation? Why not just provide a few basic instructions and skip the rest of the jargon? Assume you're planning a long journey to a scenic place via car, van or bus. Simply note down the instructions and follow them one by one. After a few hours or days, you'll arrive at your destination. However, you'll have a better time if you have a travel guide to point out the attractions along the way. You may also feel more confident if you take a troubleshooting handbook to show you what to do if your vehicle breaks down. Perhaps you'd want to take some lovely side trips or possibly modify your plan totally and arrive by a different route or mode of transport!

Meditation is simply the discipline of directing your attention to a specific object – usually something basic, such as a word or phrase, a candle flame or geometrical shape, or the coming and going of your breath. Your mind is bombarded with sensations, visual perceptions, emotions, and ideas in everyday life. Meditation focuses your concentration, minimises the stimuli that overwhelm your nervous system, and quiets your mind.

Follow these steps to get a short taste of meditation.

1. Find a quiet spot and sit comfortably with your back straight. Find something more supportive if you have a habit of disappearing into your favourite chair.

2. Take a few deep breaths, close your eyes, and allow yourself to relax as much as possible.

3. Select a word or phrase that has personal or spiritual significance for you. Examples could be, “peace & love”, “I am grateful for all that I have”, “I am worthy”, etc.

4. Begin to breathe through your nose, silently repeating the word or phrase to yourself. You may whisper it, subvocalise it (move your tongue as if you're saying it but don't utter it), or repeat it in your thoughts. Return to repeating the word or phrase if you become sidetracked. (If you have trouble breathing through your nose, breathe through your mouth instead.) Alternatively, you can focus on your breath entering and exiting your nostrils, returning to your breathing when you become distracted.

5. Keep the meditation for five minutes, gently stand up, and go about your day.

How did you feel throughout your meditation session? Did it feel strange to repeat yourself or follow your breath? Did you find it difficult to concentrate? Did you continually switch up the phrase? Don't be concerned. You'll eventually get the hang of it with frequent practice and the help of this blog. Of course, you could spend many fruitful and enjoyable years learning the nuances and complexities of meditation. But the good news is that the fundamental technique is pretty easy, and you don't need to be an expert to conduct it or get its tremendous advantages. Similarly, you might think of meditation as a journey, with the blog you’re now reading as your guide. This blog series gives you an overview of your trip, suggests alternate paths to your destination, discusses the essential abilities you'll need to get there, and warns you about specific detours that promise similar benefits but don't deliver—getting a Glimpse of How the Journey Will Play Out You probably started reading this blog because you want more out of life: more peace of mind, more energy, more well-being, more significance, more happiness, more joy. You've heard of meditation and are curious about its benefits. As an adventurer, I prefer to imagine meditation as a mountain trek. You've seen photos of the peak, albeit you can only see it through the clouds from the bottom. But the only way up is up - one step at a time. Various routes up the same peak. Assume you're getting ready to climb a mountain. How do you plan to reach the top? You may take climbing classes, get the necessary equipment, and work your way up one of the rugged cliffs. You might also stroll to the peak on one of the many routes that meander up the mountain. (Of course, you could always drive your car, but that would ruin my metaphor!) Even though they all go to the exact location, each trail has distinct qualities. One may lead you uphill gradually through forests and meadows. In contrast, another may lead you rapidly uphill through dry, stony terrain. Views of beautiful valleys loaded with flowers may be seen from one. In contrast, agriculture or desert may be seen from another.

Depending on your stamina and drive, you may decide to stop at a picnic along the road and spend a few hours (or days) enjoying the peace. You could appreciate that one location so much that you decide not to continue climbing. Perhaps you'd like to climb one of the lesser peaks along the route rather than go the distance to the summit. Alternatively, you may opt to rush to the peak as rapidly as possible without stopping. Well, the path of meditation has a lot in common with mountain climbing. You can aim for the top or settle for a grassy knoll or a smaller peak halfway up the slope. Whatever your goal, you may have fun while reaping the advantages of just breathing deeply and working muscles you were unaware you had. For thousands of years, people have ascended the mountain of meditation in various regions. As a result, topographic maps and guidebooks abound, each with its distinct interpretation of how to climb the peak and advice on how to trek and what to bring. The guidebooks have traditionally described a spiritual path involving a set of beliefs and practise, often hidden, that have been passed down from generation to generation. However, in recent decades, Western academics and teachers have extracted meditation from its spiritual roots and now promote it as a treatment for many 21st-century illnesses. Although different maps and books describe the summit differently — some emphasise the vast open spaces, others the peace or exhilaration you feel when you arrive, and some even claim that there are multiple peaks — I happen to agree with the ancient sage who said, "Meditation techniques are just different paths up the same mountain."

Here are a handful of the various approaches that have evolved:

·         Mantra is the repetition of a significant word or phrase

·         Mindful attention to the current moment

·         Counting or following your breath

·         Observing the flow of feelings in your body

·         Developing loving kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and other healing emotions

·         Focus on a geometric form or another basic visual object

·         Visualisation of a serene location or healing energy or entity

·         Reading and contemplating inspiring or religious writings

·         Looking at a representation of a holy creature or saint

·         Nature contemplation

Come back tomorrow for part 2 of this blog

Be well.

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