Learn to Meditate
A Simple Meditation Technique
Here is a very simple meditation technique you can learn in five minutes.
Sit upright with a straight spine, and relax your body. With your eyes
closed, look at the point midway between the eyebrows on your forehead.
Inhale
slowly, counting to eight. Hold the breath for the same eight counts
while concentrating your attention at the point between the eyebrows.
Exhale slowly to the same count of eight. Repeat three to six
times.
After
inhaling and exhaling completely, wait for the next breath to come in. When it does, mentally
say Hong (rhymes with song). Then, as you exhale,
mentally say Sau (rhymes with saw). Hong Sau is a mantra (Sanksrit term). It means
'I am He' or 'I am Spirit'.
Make no attempt to control
your breathing. Let flow completely naturally. Try to
feel that your breath itself is silently making the sounds of Hong and Sau. Initially try to feel the breath at the point where
it enters the nostrils.
Be
as attentive as possible. If you have difficulty feeling the breath,
you can concentrate, for a while, on the breathing process itself,
feeling your diaphragm and chest expanding and contracting.
Gradually,
as you become calmer, try to feel the breath higher and higher
in the nose. Be sure that your gaze is kept steady at the point
between the eyebrows throughout your practice. Don't allow your
eyes to follow the movement of the breath. If you find that your
mind has wandered off, simply bring it back to an awareness of the breath
and the mantra.
By concentration
on the breath, the breath actually diminishes; its gradual refinement
leads naturally to an interiorized meditative state.
Practice this
technique as long as you feel to. As a boy, Paramhansa Yogananda
used to practice it for hours at a time, until he found himself without breath altogether.
He had ascended into soul-consciousness…and a higher reality
took over…
Tips to Help Your Meditation
Regarding
Your Breath:
- At no time during the practice of this technique
should you make any effort to control the breath. Let it flow naturally.
Gradually, you may notice that the pauses between the inhalation
and exhalation are becoming longer. Enjoy these pauses, for they
are a glimpse of the deep peace attained in advanced meditation. As
you grow very calm, you may notice that the breath is becoming so
shallow (or the pauses so prolonged), that it hardly seems necessary
to breathe at all.
How Long
to Meditate:
- The amount of time you practice is entirely up to
you. End your practice of the technique by taking a deep breath,
and exhaling three times. Then, keeping your mind focused, and your
energy completely internalized, try to feel peace, love and joy
within your Self. Sit for at least five minutes enjoying your deeply
relaxed state.
Where to
Meditate:
- If possible, set aside an area that is used only to
meditate. This will create a meditative mood. A small room or closet
is ideal, as long as it can be well ventilated. Your area can be
kept very simple. All you really need is a chair or small cushion
to sit on.
Meditation Posture:
- There are many ways of sitting that are equally
good. You can sit either in a straight-backed chair, or on the floor
in any of several poses. Two things, however, are essential: Your
spine must be straight, and you must be able to relax completely.
Eyes Position:
- Focus your attention at the point between the
eyebrows. This area, called "the spiritual eye," is a center of
great spiritual energy. Your eyes should be closed, held steady,
and looking slightly upwards, as if gazing at a point about an
arm's length away, level with the top of your head.
Would You Like to Learn More?
Above is an
abbreviated version of the Hong-Sau Technique of Concentration
described in full detail in the Ananda Course in
Self-Realization.
This technique uses the Hong-Sau mantra,
and has been practiced by students of yoga for millennia. Hong-Sau and other techniques
in the Ananda Course have a scientifically proven effect on the brain and body, as well as the spiritual development of the aspirant.
Watch "The Gift of Inner Peace" movie and experience the joys and benefits of meditation. This beautiful movie has inspired thousands to meditate. (Five minutes of serenity!)
Watch "Meditation for Starters," a 25-minute video on meditation by Swami Kriyananda. In his powerful talk, Kriyananda clarifies the practice of meditation, and offers advise for beginners and experienced meditators.
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