What can you do after meditation. Hand position for meditation

What does meditation give? Meditation at home. Rules of meditation with the help of mantras and runes.

Today, Eastern practices have become very popular in our country. A large number of young people, as well as mature people, are introduced to such teachings and, thanks to them, radically change their lives. Meditation is one such miracle practice. But what do we know about her? How to learn to meditate? Why is meditation considered so beneficial to humanity?

• Experts in Eastern practices call meditation a set of exercises, knowledge and skills that allow you to completely relax the body and mind.
• With the help of meditation, a person is able to let go of everything earthly, to renounce social and financial problems and fully concentrate on his spiritual state.
• Meditation tempers the body, spirit and mind of a person.
• Only in moments of complete relaxation is a person able to relax as much as possible and draw new strength from himself, nature, and space.
• Just a few minutes of meditation can be equated to hours of sleep.
• At the same time, in the minutes of being in such a trance, the concentration of all vital forces is at the limit, which allows the brain to work at an unnatural level and solve even the most challenging tasks, not subject to anyone.
• During meditation, a person learns to clear his mind, put aside all urgent worries and fully concentrate only on his spiritual component.

Meditation fans claim that their favorite ritual is capable of a lot:

• Discipline.
• Enlighten.
• Lead to full awareness of yourself and everything around you.
• Help to live according to your own rhythm, and not to chase the rhythm that society sets.
• Get rid of the hassle.
• Sharpen all the senses and teach to separate your own own desires from the will of others.
• Fill with energy and inspiration.
• Form the inner rod according to your own moral concepts and not with the concepts of society.
• Reveal the creative data inherent in nature.
• Cleanse the mind and body of everything unnecessary, prepare the platform for something big.
• Take back yourself.

There are several types of meditation:

1. Concentration meditation or vipassana is a meditation practice based on the peaceful contemplation of everything around, as well as the perception of external sounds.
2. Breathing meditation is relaxation that occurs at the moment of absolute concentration of a person on his breath.
3. Walking meditation - complex view meditation, designed for professionals, based on focusing all attention on the body and sensations of a walking person.
4. Devastation meditation is a relaxation practice in which a person is completely removed from his thoughts, experiences and feelings.
5. Transcendental Meditation is a technique in which a person pronounces special words and phrases in Sanskrit (mantras).

How to Meditate the Right Way: 5 Steps

Of course, teaching from professionals is considered an ideal option, especially since today there is a meditation school in almost every city in our country. True, teachers in such schools do not always have the proper level of knowledge and practice. But, nevertheless, even not quite experienced theorists will be able to teach the basics of meditation - the main thing is to start, and then you can already practice on your own. For beginners in this field, 5 steps have been specially developed to learn how to meditate correctly:

1. Choosing a Time for Meditation.
2. Choosing a place for the procedure. The best option for beginners is quiet, cozy place without extraneous sounds. Over time, it will be possible to relax even in the noisiest and most crowded place. The sound of flowing water has a very good effect on the procedure for entering a trance - it can be a home fountain, an aquarium, or just a quiet stream of water from a tap. You can also use monotonous, smooth, quiet music. Experts do not recommend that beginners meditate in the bedroom, as in the process of relaxation, a person can fall asleep, feeling himself in the environment intended for sleep.
3. Choosing the right posture. Professionals often opt for the Lotus position. Beginners should not be the first to take a similar position, because their legs will numb out of habit, and instead of relaxation, only discomfort will result. The optimal postures for beginners are considered to be “half-lotus” (legs folded in Turkish style), sitting on a chair or lying on the floor with arms and legs outstretched. Whatever position is chosen, its main task is to completely relax the body. The back should be flat, but not tense - this position will allow you to breathe calmly, evenly and with full lungs.
4. Absolute relaxation of the body. To enter a trance, you must completely relax all the muscles. Correctly chosen, comfortable posture contributes to complete relaxation. Do not forget about the face - all its muscles should be at rest. Professionals most often use the “Buddha Smile” for meditation - a facial expression on which there is a barely noticeable half-smile, symbolizing happiness and repelling all negativity. It takes a long way to learn how to smile slightly in a relaxed state.
5. Focusing on the breath or reciting a mantra. The final stage of meditation is to close the eyes and concentrate all thoughts on the breath or mantras. In the process of meditation, the mind can be distracted by extraneous objects and reasoning - in such a situation, you simply need to return it to the point of concentration.

How long should you meditate and how many times a day?

• Teachers of Eastern practices recommend that beginners meditate twice a day - in the morning and in the evening.
• Morning meditation will allow you to recharge your batteries for the whole day, set the necessary goals, and also tune in to a positive mood.
• The best time to meditate in the morning is when the sun rises.
• Of course, such a time can scare many, especially in summer time However, once practiced, a person is unlikely to be able to refuse it.
• In the evening, meditation is extremely important in order to relax, relieve the stress of the day, analyze everything that has been done, and prepare for sleep.
• Beginners should start meditating with just a couple of minutes - gradually this interval is recommended to be increased.
• It is advisable to go into a trance for 2 minutes for the first week, and increase after a week. given time for another 2 minutes - and so every week add a few minutes.
• Do not despair if you do not immediately succeed in being in a state of complete relaxation for such a long time - professionalism comes with experience.
• Over time, it will be possible to learn to meditate for about half an hour anywhere, at any time of the day.

How to learn correctly and start meditating at home for beginners, a woman: tips

Here are a few rules and tips that can help in the early stages of learning the art of meditation:

• We begin to meditate with short sessions lasting from two to five minutes. Over time, the duration of meditations can be increased up to one hour or more - everything will depend on the needs of the brain and body.
• The best time for meditation in the morning is the first minutes after waking up. If immediately after sleep the mind is still asleep and it simply forgets about meditation, you can make yourself a memo that will remind you of the need to conduct a relaxing ritual.
• You should not get hung up on how to start meditating - everything will go by itself - you just have to start.
• During meditation, it is recommended to listen to your body - it will report how it feels and what is happening to it.
• In order to enter a trance, you need to concentrate all your attention on inhalations and exhalations - you can, as it were, trace the entire path that air passes from the mouth to the lungs and back.
• Don't worry about extraneous thoughts. The fact is that we are all people, and in any case we will be visited by certain thoughts. Let them be - you should not simply go in cycles in them.
• Catching yourself at the moment of thinking about something during meditation, it is advisable to return back to the breath.
• Don't get annoyed with thoughts. Thoughts are good. The presence of thoughts in our head indicates that our brain lives and functions normally. Therefore, distracted by any thought, you can simply smile at it and continue your path to purification.
• Sometimes it pays to be alone with your thoughts. If a thought has already surfaced in the subconscious, you should not immediately drive it away - you can watch it for a while, but not delve into it.
• During meditation, one should strive to know oneself and begin to love oneself infinitely. You should not criticize yourself for something, take offense at yourself, blame yourself for something - it is better to understand why this happened and forgive yourself.
• Physical knowledge of oneself is very important. Over time, you can mentally explore your entire body, part by part. In one session, it is desirable to carefully feel only one organ - in the next session, you can proceed to another organ.
• Meditation should be practiced regularly. Single sessions of relaxation will never give the proper result - you need to agree with yourself to do the exercises every day.
• You can meditate not only in the walls own house- over time, it will be possible to learn to relax even among a crowd of people or while moving (walking).
• Associates to help. It is much easier to learn oriental practices together with close people than on your own - mutual responsibility will be the key to the absence of missed classes.
• Help from professionals. If the first sessions did not give the desired result, or it is simply boring to meditate alone, you can contact one of the many communities that practice meditation.
• It is desirable to end the process of meditation with silence and a smile.

How to meditate while lying down?

• Meditation lying down is no different from meditation sitting in any of the relaxing postures.
• True, professionals do not advise starting to meditate in a lying position, as there are risks of falling asleep.
• In addition, it is undesirable to choose a bedroom and a bed for meditation lying down - then sleep will definitely be ensured.
• The lying meditation pose in Eastern practices is called Shavasana.
• In order to correctly take a lying position, it is necessary to place the legs shoulder-width apart, and the arms along the body, palms up.

How to meditate with mantras?

• Mantras are special words and expressions in Sanskrit.
• What is remarkable about mantras during meditation for our people is that we do not understand their meaning, and while reading them, no associations and plots arise in our brain.
• Mantras are spiritual and material.
• Material mantras must be chanted in order to achieve some material benefits.
• Spiritual mantras are most often uttered by people who are looking for themselves, or old people at sunset.
• In other words, spiritual mantras are recommended to be read only to those who are not interested in the material world.
• Most often, the following words in Sanskrit can be heard from meditating people: “Om”, “Soham”, “Krishna”, etc.
• The mantra "Om" is not suitable for family people, as it is a mantra for renunciation of all material things.
• The mantra "Soham" has a bewitching effect on meditating people. It means "I am" in Sanskrit. This statement applies to anyone. It allows you to know yourself and make friends with yourself.
• The mantra "Krishna" is naturally associated with the name of one of the Indian deities. It is believed that the pronunciation of such a mantra creates a kind of protective halo around a person.
• When reading mantras, the first syllable must be pronounced on the inhale, and the second on the exhale.
• If at the end of the session a person simply falls asleep, there is nothing wrong with that - sleep will be a continuation of the relaxation procedure.
• It is necessary to pronounce mantras a certain number of times or within a certain time period.
• While reading mantras, you can use a rosary - each bead will correspond to one pronunciation. Thus, you can not count how many words were said - one circle of the rosary is equal to 108 spoken words.
• For meditation under mantras, you can choose any of the known postures.
• In our country, the question of whether it is worth using mantras during meditation is quite acute, because in fact they can be considered Hindu prayers.
• Turning in prayers to other gods, Christians often experience discomfort and rejection. Although in fact, this procedure can hardly be called a kind of ritual or ceremony. Therefore, the choice is left to the people themselves.

How to meditate on the runes?

• Runes are a fairly complex magic item.
• Runes are special signs printed on stone or wood.
• In ancient times, magicians and sorcerers performed witchcraft with the help of runes.
• Many psychics still use these magical stones for their rites and rituals to this day.
• Runic meditation is a way to purify the human consciousness for the knowledge of the secrets of the runes.
• It is necessary to conduct meditation on the runes in a quiet, secluded place.
• The best posture for this type of meditation is sitting on a chair with a back.
• Most often, a lit candle is used in the process of runic meditation - fire, being the personification of one of the most powerful elements, will help you quickly enter a trance.
• For one ceremony, it is desirable to use only one rune - it is worth starting with the knowledge of the Feu (Fehu) rune, the rune of good.
• Lastly, you need to familiarize yourself with the Dagas rune or the rune of Fate.
• In the process of meditation, you may also need a blank sheet of paper and a pen or pencil - with the help of them you can later write down all your thoughts and feelings.

Runic meditation algorithm:

• We light a candle.
• We concentrate all our attention on the flame of fire.
• We close our eyes and mentally find ourselves in a favorite place where you can be alone with your thoughts and relax.
• When the mind calms down, and the round dance of thoughts subsides in the head, we imagine the rune.
• If the rune appeared before our eyes, we pronounce its name and ask it to open up to us.
• We try not to mix our own feelings and emotions with the image of the rune - all sensations should come from it itself.
• We contemplate, listen and feel everything that the rune will reveal to us.
• Feeling that the rune has already demonstrated everything, we open our eyes and return to the world around us.
• We use a leaf and a pen to record everything that the rune showed - it can be words, sentences, events, sensations, sounds.

It is also worth noting that working with runes may not succeed immediately - you need to go to it for a long time and persistently. It is also worth warning that not all runes are only an identification of something bright and good - there are very dangerous runes that can harm a person, therefore, before taking on such a difficult matter, you need to prepare for it as much as possible.

Summing up the results of the article, I would like to note that meditation is a very useful and necessary process. However, ignorance of all the subtleties, as well as the desire to try something new, can lead to irreversible processes ( misuse runes or mantras). That is why it is desirable to do everything under the guidance of knowledgeable, proven practitioners, and not charlatans.

What is Meditation: Video

How to Learn to Meditate: Video

Meditation for Beginners: Video

The word is one of the most mysterious and controversial in our world. Many Western scholars called this action nothing more than self-hypnosis and violence against the mind, while Eastern monks who have been practicing meditation for thousands of years described it as the only and unfailing path to complete self-knowledge and improvement of their mind and spirit. What is meditation? How will one join this ancient art, linking oneself with the cosmos and gaining complete peace and the ability to think soberly in any situation? How to meditate correctly? at home? Posture of a meditating person? Now, we will find out. First of all, it is worth noting that meditation is a truly unique phenomenon that requires you to just have a comfortable place and a desire to follow the path of knowing yourself and the world around you.

What exactly is meditation based on? And it was founded by one of the oldest human principles which, in one way or another, affects every person on the planet. And this principle is constant reflection on everything that happens around us, as well as outside our field of vision. Reflection is concentration and concentration, but first of all it is a dialogue. It doesn't matter if this dialogue is a conversation with another person, or a communication between your inner yin and yang, two opposing ones, but forever equal sides, in each of which there is a particle of the other. It is not surprising that such an action takes a lot of spiritual and mental energy from people, so meditation is designed to minimize the cost of this energy so that your thoughts become several thousand times more productive and meaningful.

How to meditate for a beginner? To begin with, you need to learn how to drown out these conversations that take place in your mind, since an unorganized mind that is not capable of correct concentration is not able to properly conduct and realize them, which leads to destructive consequences. To master meditation, you first have to become familiar with concentration. To develop this skill, you need to learn to focus on one object, turning off all your feelings and emotions, experiences and thoughts. How to meditate with the maximum result? The best objects for developing concentration are the stars, the flame of a candle, the slow running of water. Only when you learn to turn off all your 4 senses, touch, smell, taste and hearing, and partially use your vision, will you be ready for real meditation. Remember that before you begin to meditate, you must prepare the proper conditions at home. Create a separate corner that will always be clean and full of light, in which you will be comfortable both psychologically and physically.

Meditation classes should be done alone, since, first of all, this is a discussion with oneself, and outsiders can destroy the fragile balance of calmness. Accustom yourself to meditate at the same time and period of the day, as the cosmos does not like sudden and abrupt changes in the current flow of affairs. Now let's move on to the posture in which you need to be for meditation. As you know, the most correct is because as you reach it, your physical body will acquire an identical form with the spiritual one. If you find it difficult to sit in the lotus position, any other comfortable position that does not cause you discomfort from being stationary for a long time will do. After you have decided on a pose, you need to choose which meditation you need to practice, because, unlike the goals with which a person turns to this art, there are various methods meditation. The most common in our time is breath meditation, which, in fact, is a concentration on the rhythm of your breath, which will allow you to calm down and weed out unnecessary thoughts and find solutions for important matters. I hope our article answered your main question, how to meditate correctly? Good luck.

Meditation, which is fashionable today, is actually a great way to restore the energy of the body, control your life and find a solution to any problem.

From a practical point of view, meditation can relieve pain, relieve insomnia, depression, loss of strength.

To master the technique of contemplation to perfection, adepts practice meditation for years.

But for us ordinary people, a few minutes a day is enough.

The main thing is to know how to meditate correctly.

How to Meditate Properly: Basic Principles

If you do not delve into the wilds of philosophy and the depth of the Eastern teachings of Zen or Chan, you can quickly master the basic principles of meditation. Anyone who needs a deeper understanding of the essence of what is happening will go further: find a teacher, study literature.

Practical meditation can be understood even by a beginner. The main principle is the state of peace of mind, comfort, tranquility. During self-immersion, nothing should distract or cause discomfort. There are other equally important principles:

Comfortable clothes, loose and "not hot", which should neither hamper movements, nor rub or press;

Constant practice. You can’t meditate from time to time, you need at least daily immersion-contemplation once, and preferably twice: in the morning and in the evening. Ideally, you should practice meditation several times a day;

The right attitude and preparation of a place for meditation.

To learn how to meditate correctly, you need to purposefully and persistently train the ability to enter the state of inner contemplation. It may take several months to get the first positive practical results, that is, to feel that same inner insight akin to ecstasy. When a person is immersed in a meditative trance, endorphins, the hormones of happiness, begin to be produced. Hence the special state of weightlessness, joy, pleasure experienced by practitioners.

How to Meditate Properly: Body and Hand Position

There are many various techniques and techniques for entering a trance. You can do it lying down, sitting, taking special poses. The most simple and common is the lotus position. Sitting position, back straight, legs bent at the knees, crossed, the right foot rests on the left thigh, the left leg lies on the floor, its foot is pressed against the right thigh.

A simpler option is the half-lotus position, in which you do not need to achieve the ideal position of the foot on the thigh. There should be no pain or discomfort in the legs, knees, ankles.

The crown should seem to stretch up, while the chin is slightly lowered.

Keep your back straight for a beginner long time difficult. Therefore, you can lean against a flat vertical surface. Otherwise, the spinal column will be in constant tension, comfort will not be achieved, meditation will not work.

It is not necessary to artificially maintain a straight posture: keep your shoulders deployed, ideally stretch up. The back can even be slightly stooped, making it rounded.

The position of the body during meditation is called asana. At the same time, in order to meditate correctly, you need to perform mudra, that is, fold your hands and fingers in a special way. The bottom line is that there are points on the fingertips that are responsible for the energy of individual parts of the body. The special position of the fingers and hands activates these areas.

Interestingly, each finger also corresponds to some features of a person:

Thumb- will, character;

Index - wisdom, confidence, thinking;

Medium - control over emotions, harmonious attitude, patience, peace of mind;

Nameless - health, vitality;

Little finger - creativity, the desire for self-improvement.

Wise - great way force the energy of the body to recover and become more active. You can do them even without meditation, on your own, but in combination with asanas and pranayama (a special breathing technique), they give a person longevity and excellent health.

It is enough for beginners to master the four basic mudras in order to understand how to meditate correctly.

1. Wisdom of knowledge: the hands are turned palm up, resting on the knees. The thumb and index fingers are closed in a ring, the remaining fingers are in a natural slightly rounded position. This position improves memory, stimulates thought processes, relieves depression, relieves anxiety and anxiety, and increases the susceptibility of the brain to the assimilation of new knowledge.

2. Mudra of tranquility: one hand rests on the other, thumbs touching tips, arms crossed under the stomach, palms pointing up. Surprisingly, often people who are generally unaware of the existence of mudras find just such a position for their palms, and it becomes familiar.

3. Wisdom of life: the palms turned upwards rest on the knees, three fingers close: the thumb, little finger and ring finger. The two remaining fingers are extended horizontally, but without tension. Mudra enhances the surge of vitality, restores energy, makes a person vigorous, hardy, efficient, improves eyesight.

4. Mudra of strength: the position of the palms turned up on the knees, the ring is formed by large, medium and ring fingers. The little finger and index finger are extended, but without tension. This position relieves pain, cleanses the body of toxins.

How to Meditate Properly: Breath and Thought Control

Beginners do not need to try to master any special breathing techniques. By the way, this can be very dangerous, for example, it will end in convulsions. How to meditate so that the breath is under control? Breathe calmly, naturally, without tension. No artificial acceleration or deceleration of the respiratory rate or pauses should be done.

As you deepen into yourself, breathing itself will become slower, more measured, deeper. It is often called the lower, or diaphragmatic - that's how, "tummy", small children breathe.

The technique of correct meditation can be presented in a few steps:

Take the desired position, put your fingers in mudra (the muscles of the face, abdomen are absolutely relaxed);

Concentrate on breathing, mentally track inhalation and exhalation, gradually get rid of extraneous thoughts, dive into yourself;

Achieve the effect of contemplation, when there are no thoughts, but the feeling is very clear, clear;

Exit meditation with the help of special exercises.

Each stage requires explanation, but they are not difficult and quite achievable. Having learned to achieve a state of contemplation, you can get a daily sip of health, happiness and harmony with the world. How can this be achieved?

Main question which may arise for beginners - how to meditate correctly and deepen concentration. You can focus on the tip of the nose. You can imagine any subject and concentrate on it. However, there is a simple and visually understandable method of meditation called "fiery path". Here's what to do:

Feel two opposite points in your body: the crown and tailbone;

Imagine a small fireball;

While inhaling, imagine how the ball runs down, from the top of the head to the coccyx;

On exhalation, mentally, together with the ball, make the way back, from bottom to top;

Gradually, you can abandon the idea of ​​a fireball, continuing to mentally observe the movement from bottom to top during inhalation and exhalation.

Next important point- thought control. It is difficult to understand what it is and how to get rid of disturbing thoughts. In fact, you don't have to get rid of anything. If some thought stubbornly does not want to leave consciousness, prevents you from concentrating, you don’t need to fight it - still nothing will come of it. Accept it and think it through to the end, logically complete it, make some decision. The worked out thought will imperceptibly and in a completely natural way dissolve.

If a “girlfriend” appears, do the same with her: think it over and spend it. Gradually, the company of wandering thoughts will disappear, and the technique of the fiery path does require full attention to itself: there will simply be no time for extraneous thoughts.

The main meaning of correct meditation is to achieve a state of contemplation. It is quite difficult to describe it, but it is very easy to realize it at the moment of achievement. This is a special feeling of absolute peace, comfort, balance. It seems that a person is sleeping, he is so immersed in himself, his breathing is so slow. However, at this moment you continue to be aware of yourself, to control the situation.

When it's time to return to real world, you need to perform simple, but mandatory exercises. Experienced followers of meditation techniques recommend the following:

Shake your hands, relaxing them;

Run rotational movements eyes closed, and then open according to the scheme: 10 times in one direction and the same number in the other direction

Perform a “dry wash” by rubbing your face with your palms;

Comb hair with fingers from forehead to neck.

All this to allow you to recover after a deep dive. Regular exercise will very soon turn into a pleasant habit, will become a natural need of the soul and body.

By the way, a few more words about the body. You can accompany meditation with pleasant relaxing music. There are ready-made collections of meditative music, often combining a melody and natural sounds (the sound of the sea, birds singing, the murmur of a stream, etc.).

To sit comfortably, you need to adapt a special mat, blanket, towel for meditation. Sufficiently soft comfortable surface will allow you to quickly relax and not experience any discomfort.

If possible, it is best to conduct sessions outdoors, under the pleasant rays of the sun or in the patterned shade of trees. The ideal time for this is in the morning after waking up and in the evening, shortly before going to bed. You need to start with a small five-minute meditative immersion, which can then be extended by 15 or even thirty minutes.

Required condition- an empty stomach. After eating, at least two, and preferably four hours should pass. That is why morning sessions on an empty stomach make sense. You can eat 15 minutes after leaving the meditative trance.

Editor's note: in modern society the expression “how right...” can reflect a wide range of views on reality, which are due to the different worldview of each individual person. This article shows only a small segment of “how to meditate correctly”, which, of course, does not reflect the completeness of the entire process of meditation, because it will not be enough to cover it and the format of the book. But we are sure that this material for someone it may be enough to start the practice. Put in the effort and the result will be appropriate.

Meditation... and now you have already closed your eyelids, directed your mental gaze to the third eye area and assumed the Padmasana posture. We hear this word, and before us appear pictures of Indian ashrams, Buddhist temples and a string of monks in saffron robes, who went out into the street early in the morning. These images capture the person of the Western tradition, he looks at it as something outlandish, some want to learn more about it and enroll in meditation courses for beginners to increase their awareness.

Mind and Silence of Being in the Practice of Meditation

In fact, the term "meditation" comes from the Latin "meditatio", which means "thinking." If we want to get deeper information about where the practice of meditation came from in Western society, then we need to turn to the traditions of Buddhism and yoga. In these currents, it is actively practiced as an integral part of these teachings and is one of the steps in the system of self-development, self-knowledge, the goal of which is ultimately to free consciousness from bodily, emotional and mental layers; disidentify "I" with the images created by the mind; and prove in practice that this very “I”, in fact, does not exist, and our idea of ​​ourselves is nothing more than a product of the very mind that we cling to, afraid to be face to face with the silence of being , with the realization that we are not our body, we are not our feelings and not even our thinking. The last point is especially interesting, because since the time of Descartes we have been accustomed to take as a basis his definition of the existence of a person - Cogito, ergo sum (“I think, therefore I exist”). That is, having ceased to think, we cease to exist, right?

Probably, from the point of view of a Western philosopher, this is the truth, and therefore thinking, especially logical thinking, all intellectual processes and activities associated with them, are highly valued in our society. Identification of a person primarily with his mind and his definition of himself through his position in society leaves an imprint on the entire value system, which is responsible for what we put in the first place, and in the field of goal setting indicates to us those goals that correspond to this system. values. All this, taken together, led to the formation of the so-called scientific orientation of our consciousness, where the construction of theories, their evidence and, in general, the construction of reality based on facts and systems put into practice by the scientific community is dominant.

We simply cannot even imagine that our logically thought-out scientific paradigm is not only not the Holy Grail, but is generally ineffective. For centuries they have been trying to convince us of the success of the system, and especially with great success in recent times, when the achievements of technocratic society have risen to the highest level and so simplified the physical existence of a person that you can really believe that this is happiness - take it and use it.

Practicing Pure Vision in Raja Yoga

However, there are cultures that live by other principles. The mind is by no means king. It is the Ego that clings tightly to such a definition and makes us think that if there were no mind, no thought process, then everything would end. In fact, everything is just the opposite: having passed through the stage of the Mind, identifying ourselves with mental processes, analysis, we leave the Mind behind, go to a new level, where knowledge becomes direct, we come to a pure understanding of things and the world order. This can be called a transcendent transition, when suddenly our understanding, accustomed to building chains of logical discourse, passes to pure vision, and the true essence of things is revealed to us.

This is what the practice of meditation and yoga training are aimed at. Since we are talking about the yogic tradition, it should be noted that within it practices have been formed to improve the perception of the world, aimed at disidentifying the mind with the body, sensations, feelings and mental structures.

Within the direction of Raja Yoga, 8 steps are distinguished, among which the first 4 belong to the flow, and the highest 4 include pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi.

After learning these 4 higher components, you can start practicing meditation on your own.

How to meditate at home

Before signing up for Vipassana meditation courses, participating in retreats or gathering in, you can try to meditate at home on your own.

The essence of the four steps of Raja Yoga is precisely this, to guide the student along the path of spiritual self-knowledge through the disidentification of consciousness with external factors and with the Mind.

We will briefly look at what each stage of this system is and how you can use the techniques described in it. Indeed, in order to approach samadhi - the highest stage of the process of meditation, where spiritual unity with the Absolute is achieved - one must begin with the practice of pratyahara.

Pratyahara or Preparation for How to Meditate Properly

A practice through which you can learn to control your feelings. Separating consciousness from external factors, having ceased to feel their impact on yourself by entering a special state of consciousness, in which the alpha rhythms of the brain become dominant, you will automatically disidentify from the objects and feelings around you. The main thing is to enter this state and keep it.

At this first stage of preparation for the higher stages of meditation, you are still identifying yourself with your body and mind, but already gaining the experience that your consciousness is not determined by environmental factors, although this is a very common point of view that exists in the collective unconscious and in many ways defining our outlook on life.

To better understand what state we are talking about, you can immediately start with the practice of yoga nidra, which is precisely designed to prepare the mind for the next, more difficult steps of practice.

How to Learn to Meditate on an Object Properly

Through the practice of dharana, the next stage of raja yoga, you will learn to concentrate the mind on a particular object. All unnecessary thoughts go away, and your attention is directed to only one image. Many systems are based on this technique, although they may be called differently, such as metta meditation, some forms of zazen and qigong meditation, but the point is the same - to keep the wandering mind in a focused state for a while so that it does not jump from one thought to another.

It should be noted that shamatha corresponds to the preparatory stage. The principles of concentrating on the image or object in it are identical with the practice of dharana, and the mind also learns to concentrate. Shamatha acts as a preparation directly for the practice of meditation itself, which is known as vipashyana.

An object, a sound, an image, a certain mantra can be taken as an object, but the point is not to be distracted from the chosen one and keep attention on it for as long as possible. This disciplines your mind and prepares it for the next stage of meditation, dhyana.

The practice of contemplation will help you learn how to start meditating the right way.

To practice the third stage of Raja Yoga - dhyana - you need to prepare the mind with constant concentration exercises on the object: you can start with a couple of minutes, and then gradually increase the period of concentration to longer time periods. When you successfully cope with this, the mind itself seems to begin to dissolve, to merge with the object of your meditation. At this stage, bodily sensations disappear, the body becomes weightless, you, in fact, cease to feel it. This process, in which gravity seems to cease to exist, begins at the stage of pratyahara, through the practice of yoga nidra. In dhyana, it intensifies: the practitioner is no longer here, the consciousness is completely disidentified with the surrounding sensory experience, it has gone beyond the boundaries of ordinary concentration. This stage corresponds to the vipashyana itself from the Vipassana course. We will return to it, but for now let's move on to the final stage of raja yoga - samadhi.

For many adepts of yogic meditation, achieving samadhi is almost the main event in life. This final 4th step in the Raja Yoga tradition occurs when the practitioner's consciousness has completely merged with everything that exists or, in other words, with the Absolute, and the very idea of ​​"I" has ceased to exist for the practitioner.

The term "state" is best suited to describe samadhi. Because, having reached it, one can finally reach the level after samadhi and achieve complete insight, which is the goal of the Vipassana system. Thus, we understand that the path leading to “divine vision” is the highest goal of Vipassana practice, and it is achieved gradually, over several stages, starting from the disidentification of consciousness with the idea of ​​the body, sensations, psychological states (“higher” and "ordinary mind" in the terminology of satipatthana) and spheres of perception.

Awareness of yourself and your thoughts will teach you how to meditate at home

In order to start meditating correctly, you need to come to an understanding of the following: any meditation or preparation for it is aimed primarily at the process of contemplation and awareness. Whether you are doing yoga nidra or the first part of the Vipassana course, shamatha, you are always aware of your sensations through the body or through emotions and thoughts. This is the most important factor in meditation. In fact, he is the basis of it. You must learn to be aware of your thoughts and emotions, to see this flow and let it pass, let it go.

If your thoughts return to the daily routine during meditation practice, look at it easier. Do not forbid yourself these thoughts, but use the same technique of non-judgmental contemplation. You have noticed “unnecessary” thoughts that distract you from the chosen subject of concentration, as, say, in the practice of dharana or shamatha, but it is the very fact of being aware that you are distracted that is positive, since it signals that you are beginning to be aware and control the mental process.

How to start meditating on your own, based on the practice of satipatthana

All practice of awareness through meditation in one way or another involves main principle on which the practice of satipatthana is based is contemplation. You watch yourself as you move from the grosser levels, where you are aware of the physical body and sensations, to higher states. But these high states, movements of the mind, concepts will also be explored by you. Of course, we do not mean here "research" in the usual sense of the word. We are talking about the fact that all the details, images, states and ideas will be realized by you through the practice of directed attention. You are not a judge, but an observer, not an appraiser, but a contemplator. These words are the key to the practice of any meditation.

Starting the Process: How to Meditate Properly

In order to meditate properly, you just need to become aware of your actions, emotions and thoughts. From that moment the process of meditation is started. It is no coincidence that when one Buddhist monk was asked about the essence of meditation, he replied: "If you drink tea, then drink tea." What is meant here? The monk emphasizes the importance of being present and aware while performing any activity. You drink tea, and do not make plans for the next day during this. Your thoughts are directed and focused on the very process of tea drinking, you are tea drinking.

Realizing this principle, you can turn every ordinary action or activity into a process of meditation. You will begin to really become aware of yourself, while communicating with people you will stop acting reactively, but will behave as if it were not you at all that person who is involved in this situation.

Detachment and a look from the outside form the habit of meditating

Such a perception, a look at oneself from the outside, is also very valuable. practical use: in general, you will become calmer about everything that happens, contemplate more, evaluate less. Every moment of life will become fulfilled, no matter how paradoxical it may sound, given that one of the goals of the practice of meditation is detachment from external factors, their denial. But at the same time, the practice of awareness will bring meaning to every moment.

Stop chasing ghosts

You will stop chasing ghostly moments of pleasure, because the duality, or duality, of perception will gradually leave your life. After all, why does a person run through life in search of happiness, catching a brief moment of pleasure? All due to the fact that his life is divided into 2 parts: "the boredom of everyday life" and "a holiday of new sensations." There are 2 categories: the emptiness of life, and it is this that prevails in the average person (we will call it conditionally "boredom"), and that which gives meaning to this life (for each it is individual, but united by one thing - the search for and experience of new sensations). A person finds meaning for himself in special events, important events, gaining status in society, etc., but the rest of his life passes in anticipation of these moments of happiness, at best, in preparation for them, i.e., in fact , we are faced with the non-living of life itself. All that a person does is to move from one more or less significant point (event) to another.

There is another approach that prescribes to live on "rupture of the aorta", "Carpe diem" - this is how his followers proclaim. But let's think about why people choose this way of life? Is it because of a hidden fear of not being in time, of missing something, of not trying this or that, in the end, because of fear, literally interpreting the phrase “Seize the day”, that the next one may not come?

It may seem only at first glance that the second way differs from the first; it is probably more full external events, which stimulate the mind and heart, but he does not avoid inner emptiness either. Here we are not talking about the so-called emptiness of the mind, which is achieved in the process of meditation. We are talking about the fact that the meaninglessness of human existence is sometimes masked by bizarre forms, and the philosophy of "Carpe diem" is one of them.

Instead of a Conclusion: Practical Meaning from the Practice of Meditation

In order to get to the bottom of things, to really see what is what, mindfulness practices such as meditation, doing mindful breathing, using pranayama, solitude and silence will help you understand yourself better. Finding out hidden emotional problems, turning off those emotional attachments and blocks that have been holding you back from real self-development and self-realization for years - this is the benefit for practicing meditation.

More modern people strive to study ancient traditions and knowledge, including energy practice, which is especially relevant in recent times. That is why many are looking for answers to such questions: what is meditation for, how to practice this knowledge, and why do people need it at all?

What is meditation?

The concept of meditation refers to the process by which a person can go into a state of trance, but for this special techniques. That is, there is a transition from outside world, irritants disappear, the mind and unnecessary thoughts are cleared, complete calm is felt. In addition, we are now living in a difficult time, so this practice is simply a necessity, since we are practically deprived of a good rest.

What happens during meditation?

When we are in the process of meditation, our mind is cleared, we are not distracted by life's little things. Being in such a state, you can get answers to all the questions that interest you. After all, they are all hidden deep in your subconscious, you just do not pay attention to all the clues because of the modern pace and the influence of others. This state can always be used for rest and recuperation. If you spend only 15 minutes in meditation, then the rest will be so effective that it can be compared with several hours of sleep.

During meditation, you feel your body is completely different, breathing changes, time flows differently. It is these sensations that are called meditation, during this process the Kundalini is actively working. It can be said that during meditation you are in a state that is between sleep and wakefulness. It is on the same level with sound, when a person's consciousness is immersed in the secret.

What techniques are used for meditation?

Today you can find many real masters who teach meditation to their students using a certain number of techniques for this practice. Below we will consider the very essence of meditation, and everyone will independently choose the technique that suits him best.

What is meditation? This is the entrance to a trance state, or something close to it. A person goes into a state of complete rest, disconnects from any thoughts that distract him. Of course, it is very difficult to completely disconnect from the mundane, so only a few achieve this. It takes years of intense training for some students to achieve this state. However, even a slight decrease in the flow of thoughts can bring amazing results to a person.

Meditation is thinking at the level of time, which is between the worlds - ours and the cosmic, and a lot of energy is spent for this. And if you think more about meditation, the more time it will open up for you, plunging your mind into the experience of life. If a person looks into meditation, then he feels the energy and thinks about it. Meditation is a practice that works with the sound of the body.

In fact, meditation is a dialogue between a person and the subconscious. Opening meditation, you find yourself in a completely different world that is inside of us. Meditation is a kind of balance between energies. Regarding meditation techniques, there are not many of them. They are active and passive.

Types of Meditations

• Passive meditation is the process of going into a trance using static positions, i.e. Yoga position, Lotus position, either standing or lying down. AT this case distraction or self-hypnosis techniques are used. Quite often, in such cases, any distracting objects will be needed, it can be a mirror, a pendulum, a candle, or something else. They also use an internal dialogue or pressure gauges for this.
• Active meditation is the process of entering a trance by constantly repeating special exercise or through physical exertion, after which the person's thought process is blocked. As a result, he plunges into a trance. This technique is very often practiced by martial artists, and sometimes used in training.

Meditations are used for different purposes. For example, with its help, they are looking for answers to many questions of interest, are engaged in their recovery, and are struggling with old ailments. Meditation helps people become more self-confident, beautiful, stylish, in life. Below are a few meditation techniques that will help you decide on the most acceptable option.

Meditation Process

Set a timer or alarm clock in advance, 15-20 minutes is enough, less time is undesirable. Next, decide on an action that will not be a burden to you, it should be easy, without much effort. Do this exercise several times, focusing on what you are doing now.

At this time, be sure to watch your breathing, it should remain even. Need to know what correct breathing helps speed up the effect of meditation. And when you feel sharp fatigue, then never be distracted by it, still continue your actions, think about them and do not pay attention to the fact that fatigue began to be felt.

After a while, your fatigue will pass, and new sensations will be more pleasant, all your movements will become light and smooth. And if you did not wait for such an effect, and the alarm clock has already rung, then stop and just rest, a good option to sleep. At this time, your brain will be focused on the action that was previously programmed, so during the rest it will think about one thing.

Passive Meditation

There are a lot of similar techniques, below are the simplest and easiest of them. Before doing this technique, you need to choose the most comfortable position for yourself, for example, you can stand, lie down or sit, and then close your eyes. It is in this position that you need to clear your mind of obsessive thoughts to the maximum and completely calm down. Next, imagine that you are in our world, but in a completely different place, this is not your room, but some unfamiliar one.

Next, imagine that there is a staircase in the middle of the room, it leads down. Look around, mentally go through several levels in your mind. After each completed level, you will become more relaxed, peaceful and calm. Walk up the steps until you reach the very bottom, that's where you will feel yourself in a state of deep trance. It is at this moment that the alarm clock should ring, do not pay attention to it, slowly get out of the trance state and take with it all the positive emotions and feelings that you had there.

You can also use another method for meditation

The process of meditation begins with slow special music, the best option is meditative music. They choose it according to their taste, discs with such music are sold in specialized stores. The best option is the sounds of nature, for example, the singing of birds, the surf, the sound of a stream, and others.

Regarding the process of preparing for meditation, it consists in relaxing as much as possible. The most difficult thing will be with the eyes, it is they who are less amenable to relaxation. Therefore, many masters advise lighting a thick candle during meditation, its flame and warmth will help relax the eyes and concentrate on a small fire.
For these actions, you need to choose a secluded, quiet place where strangers and sounds will not interfere. It is very important to take care that during the meditation you are not disturbed by household members and animals. The place for this technique should be quiet and calm, and the clothes should be loose and comfortable so that they do not hinder movement and do not distract attention. Perfect option this is a free tracksuit. The lighting in the room should be subdued, so it is better to draw the curtains, you can leave it on table lamp. The next important attribute is incense sticks, which create a relaxed comfortable atmosphere in the room. In most cases, incense sticks with the smell of rose, ylang-ylang, sandalwood, jasmine are used for this. And if you do everything right, then you can enter the state of meditation simply and quickly.

Your actions

During meditation, mentally imagine something pleasant and beautiful, for example, a warm sea, a garden with bright wonderful flowers, a pleasant childhood memory. At first, it will be difficult for you to disconnect from obsessive thoughts, but calm music, calm breathing will help with this. Mentally imagine how a warm spring wind envelops you, warm drops of golden rain fall on your skin. you breathe clean air after the rain, which has the scent of spring flowers. With each new breath you receive a large flow of energy, it evenly and slowly fills your body, filling every cell with oxygen, all this brings you joy and. All the bad that you had goes away, fatigue, pain, all this disappears, you dissolve in rain, aroma, color and peace. And if you managed to enter such a state, then you have successfully passed the first stage of meditation.

You can practice further, try to smile from the inside. Of course, this is quite difficult to do, since the inner smile is like a ray of light that suddenly appears from behind the clouds. But, if you are in a state of rest and complete relaxation, then this is really possible. If you ever experience such a state of inner smile, then remember it for a long time. You will want to experience it again, and then again and again.

The third stage of meditation is the process of flying. Here you will feel the maximum lightness of the body and the enlightenment of the mind, so you experience the feeling of soaring or flying above the ground, and then flying into space. Those who managed to reach this experienced a wonderful state of freedom, gained inner peace and their own self.

Seven Benefits of Meditation

• Meditation will help you find. After you have received the higher self, you open your heart to the world, you are whole with it.
• Meditation helps people to distract themselves from the modern and meaningless bustle, from work, conflicts and worldly problems. You will open your inner world, your soul, you will feel a subtle connection with the divine power.

• Meditation benefits human health, keeps the mind and body in good shape, removes stress, has a beneficial effect on the heart, and helps lower blood pressure.
• Through meditation you will see the real life values, get rid of addiction to things and make your life easier, because many of our problems are artificial
• You will free yourself from the captivity of past mistakes, begin to appreciate life, every moment and your loved ones, their care.
• Meditation will teach you to see people for who they really are, along with their flaws. You will feel kinship with all people, love them with all your heart.
• With the help of meditation, you can find a lot of answers to the most important questions in life. Enlightenment will come to you, and life will be filled with joy.

By practicing meditation, your body and soul will be completely rested. You will be able to know spiritual world which is in the subconscious. The ability to meditate will only benefit you and will not interfere, so you can monitor your health, find answers to questions that tormented you from the inside, deep in your soul. Do not be lazy, find only 30 minutes a day for a good rest, improve yourself, this will only benefit you personally.