The Life School - Meditation

Sitting Meditations
As described in the last chapter, a sitting meditation is a much more formal way of meditating. However, this has the effect of taking the mind to much deeper levels, the benefits of which are far more pronounced and longer lasting. If you want to relax yourself for longer periods, stimulate the mind and calm the soul, then these are the techniques for you.

1. Bodyscan

7. Visualisation

2. Music

8. Naming

3. Affirmations

9. Cleaning

4. Mantra

10. Walking Meditation

5. Body Asleep, Mind Awake

11. Metta Bhavana

6. Natural Object

1. Bodyscan
Another way to meditate is to focus on a systematic task, a list of rules or a cource of actions you can easily follow. This will help concentration as you will become aware of your prgress stage by stage. Bodyscanning is a way of relaxing the whole body and can be used as a preparation for other techniques. The Process can be done in a number of ways, requiring a focus on a specific body part or region before moving onto the next. As you scan each area of the body you should examine any sensations that arise there - such as pain, tingling, heat, tension, the pulse, moisture - anything at all. As you do so, whatever lies there will slowly be soothed and balanced away, leaving a feeling of relaxation or even knumbness. You can scan the body upwards (which helps stimulate the body) or downwards (which helps relaxation), quickly or slowly and in as much detail as you feel you need. You could shift from region to region on the outbreath or you could count five or ten breaths in each region.
As usual, start as with any sitting meditation and relax any obvious tensions such as the mouth, the shoulders and the tongue. Now focus your attention on each area of the body, making particular note of each subtile sensation which resids there:

Scalp and forehead
The face and lower part of the head
Neck, throat, shoulders, arms and hands
The heart area of the chest and back
Diaphram and the solar plexus
The stomach
Hips, legs and feet

Centre yourself on the breath as it flows though these areas, and follow its path through the body. Be aware as well of the background sensations of heaviness, lightness, expansion and contraction. When you reach the feet you may wish to return to the head for a deeper detail scan, this time seeing if any areas feel different after the first pass. Remember, scanning upwards has the effect of rising the energy and keeps you more alert, downwards gives the opposite effect. You may wish to scan upwards as a way of coming back to the world as a meditation ends. TOP

2. Music
Music can be quite an easy mediation medium as it will never fade or go away so long as it plays. Gentle music can promote relaxation by its very nature, and rich, detailed music can help our consentration and alertness. Many of us use music as muzak (background noise), or relax by drifting along with it, letting imagination go where it will. Unfortunately, this is not meditation - just a means of spacing out and relaxing without the clarity of mind. Meditating to music should be more like attending a live concert - we consentrate on every detail so we get our full moneys worth. The type of music you choose can be any non-vocal type or anything where vocals can be ignored. This is because vocals automatically evoke imagery and feelings which deepen our absorbtion but take us away from the task of focusing on the sounds, the quality of your focus is more important than the music itself. New age music is often too subtile or unsubstantial to meditate on, being designed to be dreamy rather than focused, yet even this can be useful as background ambience while you consentrate on something else. Also be aware that modern music rarely uses real instruments and can effect the quality of the meditation.

First relax your posture and breathing for a minute of two to get your mind into feeling mode. Now switch to the music and enjoy it. Feel the detail and colour of the instruments and pick up on any faint sounds you don't usually pick up on. If images or colours spontaneously arise you can use them to deepen the meditation, but keep half an ear always open to the music. Feel it flow though and resonate within your body.

Occationally, you may need to ask yourself if you are still with the music and notice when you drift away. If you can tune in completely you may see the special 'live' quality the instruments take on, as if they are in the room with you.

When the music stops, come back to yourself but keep with the meditation until your breath returns to a soft and loose state, and your body is fully relaxed. TOP

3. Affirmations
Another quite simple way of meditating, and one which can help in a variety of other ways is to use this technique of word association. We are quite suggestable when we relax and just by saying the appropriate words, you can make the association happen without having to consentrate on it. For example, if we say 'relax' on the outbreath, we should find the mind performs the task of relaxation for us. For this reason, make sure the affirmation words you use are suitble for your needs, and customise the method described below. Other such words or phrases you can try include:

Slow Down
Let Go
Peace and Love
Wake Up
Calm Down
Let It Be
Warm and Heavy
Melt and Mellow
Body asleep - Mind awake.
Another very useful use of this mind trick is when encountering unsatisfactory sensations which we would like to remove from our phyche. For example, if you have an itch you can focus your attention on the itching feeling, repeat the words 'Itching, Itching, Itching...' and breath though the feeling until it softens and eventually goes away. This also works for Paining, Tensing, Fearing, and can also help our consentration with words such as Breathing, Consentrating, Focusing, Seeing, Hearing, Feeling and Loving.

Get comfortable in your favourite position, scan the body and let yourself go with two deep breaths. As soon as you feel in touch with the breath within you, say first the affirmation 'Slow Down'. Say the first word on the inbreath and the second on the outbreath. Don't try to focus on the breath by making it regular, fit the attirmation into the breathing. Pay attention to the words until they are ticking away automatically without effort.

Now notice your breathing. When the breath and body have slowed down sufficiently, switch your affirmation to 'Let Go' and feel as your awareness of time, sound and self drift slowly away.

Continue with whichever affirmation suits you best or invent one of your own. If you continue into the 'body asleep, mind awake' state, you can drop the words and focus on any part of the body instead, or the body itself as a whole. TOP

4. Mantra
Mantra chanting is a very ancient way of meditation, practiced since its inception many thousands of years ago. You can go straight into a mantra without relaxing first as the words will sweep away any thoughts you may be having at the time. You can say them in formal meditations or informally while walking or otherwise relaxing. You can use any mantra you know of so long as you have a clear understanding of how they are spoken. Some example are:

Om, Tam, Om Ah, Om Ah Hung Svaha, Soham,
Shalom (said on the in and out breaths)
Om Mani Peme Hung (Om Manee Paymay Hung) [envokes the light of Buddha]
Om Namah Shivaya [to shiva]
Hare Krishna [to Krishna]
Om Tare, Tu'ttare Tare So'ha [to the female Buddha, Tara]

Longer mantra give you much more detailed path to focus on and also keep you more alert when you relax deeply. People often like the tibetan mantra Om Mani Peme Hung for this reason and it also has a good rhythm as well. You can repeat a manta out loud in a chant or silently to yourself, said fast or slow, in time with the breath or footsteps or independednt of the body. Some people can find mantas boring - some find them more mystical and in the spirit of meditation.
Get into a comfortable position, select any manta and start to repeat it to yourself silently. It usually helps to say a manta in time with some natural rhythm such as the breath. Immerse yourself into the feel of the manta, the way it twists and stretches on some sounds. Try to weave the manta into whatever you are doing and let it carry your mind along. Keep everything else in the background without focusing your attention on anything specific except the words. If you find your mind has drifted away, try saying the syllables more precicely, always remembering that this is a light hearted exercise and used for enjoyment. TOP

5. Body Asleep, Mind Awake
One of the most effective ways of taking people to the 'body asleep, mind awake' state is this extention of the bodyscan method. Once mastered, the technique can be used in any situation requiring deep relaxation, especially when used to get you to sleep at night! It demands sharp focus and relaxation at the same time, so is often done best lying down. As with bodyscanning, we focus on individual parts of the body, this time as individual bodyparts rather than regional areas, and spend only two or three seconds on each. Although complex at first glance you can learn to first scan the right side of the body, then the left side, moving upwards on the outside and than moving very slowly down the inside of the body. After this, the body should be completely relaxed in every detail and the mind will be worn out as well (encouraging deep meditation or sleep).

Select your posture as usual, if lying flat make sure the palms of the hands are facing upwards, legs a little apart and a small pillow under your head. Spend the first minute just breathing and relaxing. Now move your minds focus like a spotlight around the body, noticing or imagining as you do any sensations which lye on that area, however subtle. Move lightly, first sensing than letting go, moving, sencing, letting go.

Start with the right side of the body and a two second focus time. Right: thumb, forefinger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger, palm, back of hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, right upper back, middle of back, small of back, buttock, thigh, knee, lower leg, ankle, heel, sole, top of foot, big toe, second toe, third toe, fourth toe, little toe. Then the whole of the right side of the body for 6 seconds. Notice if it feels any more relaxed than the left.

Now the left side of the body and a two second focus time. Left: thumb, forefinger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger, palm, back of hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, left upper back, middle of back, small of back, buttock, thigh, knee, lower leg, ankle, heel, sole, top of foot, big toe, second toe, third toe, fourth toe, little toe. Then the whole of the left side of the body for 6 seconds. Notice if it feels any more relaxed than the right or are they now the same.

Staying with the feet, and now using a three second focus time: Both feet and ankles, lower legs and knees, thighs and hips, stomach and small of back, solar plexus, chest and upper back, hands and forearms, elbows and upper arms, shoulders neck and throat, back and sides of head, crown of the head. Now feel the whole of the body at ease for 6 seconds.

Lastly, turn your focus inwards towards the inside of the body, letting the outside go to sleep. Give yourself three or four seconds this time as you focus on: forehead, eyes, ears, nose, cheeks, mouth, jaw, the whole face, inside the nasal passages, inside the mouth, the throat, the right lung, the left lung, the heart, the liver, stomach, kidneys, intestines, sexual organs, and the whole of the inside of the body at peace. Let your focus flow to some place inside the body and count the breaths to finish. TOP

6. Natural Object
When something catches your attention, your mind will automatically focus on it and force all other thoughts momentarily to take a back seat. This will usualy happen many times during the day and we can use this trick to form a meditation. By focusing on an object you find attractive or interesting, you can study it's form in a high detail, handling it with your mind and sensing it with your imagination. Eventaully you may even 'become' the object, to study from within. This method is a very good way to sharpen the mind similar to how you would clean specticles to see more clearly.

The easiest way to start is to sit at a table in a straight backed chair. Place anything on the table which interests you in some way. This could be a piece of fruit, a glowing candle, a vase of flowers, a crystal, a multi-coloured item of clothing, a singe rose etc. Once you have an object, place it at a comfortable distance away from you - not too close or far away, not too high or low. Close your eyes and relax for a minuite until your breath becomes noticably at ease.

Open your eyes but keep the body soft and loose. Settle your gaze on your object and make your eyes almost out of focus to avaoid staring at it. Now you can explore your prize at your own leasure, without particular effort, until you become familiar with it completely. Notice the colours, the shadows, the textures, and the patterns, allowing any associations arise naturally. Imagine yourself going within it and seeing what lies inside.

Now go to work with your imagination. Imagine touching it and smoothing it with your fingers. Imagine tasting it and smelling its oder. If you can bit it or handle it so it makes a noise, what noise would it make? If you wish you can do this with your eyes closed as well. Say the name of the object in your head to sharpen the image of it on the table. Continue saying the word while exploring with your imagination. If you loose it completely, open your eyes and take the image in again.

Occasionally scan though your body to make sure you haven't tensed up anywhere. If you have you can switch your thoughts to the area briefly to relax it. And if you become too dreamy, open your eyes. TOP

7. Visualisation
Visualisation is a way of letting your mind create it's own images freely, which you can then explore further. For example, take three deep breaths, pause, and read the following words slowly. Take the time to imagine any images associated with them:

A melting ice-cream
An open fire
A flowering Tree
Being at the breach
A baby's skin
The smell of petrol
Your grandmother
Being in bead with your partner (or teddy bear)
A dead animal
The smell of fresh cut grass on a hot day.

I'm sure there will have beens lots of associations there. Visualiastions take two forms, the forced creation of images and the spontainious arrising of an images evoked by a focus object/word. A good visualisation oject should help create not only an image response, but also an emotional and body response to it as well. For example, if you imagine a hot sun you may feel the heat as a warming feeling emotionally, and your body will relax and open up a bit more. Using this method, it is easy to take yourself away at any moment of the day - imagine a hot, sunny beach and take a holiday there for a while. Once you have developed the process further you may be able to evoke images for feelings or doubts you may be having, just ask "What is this I'm feeling?" and any spontanious image may help you understand what's going on.
Your visualisations can be very simple or elaborate but regardless of your inclinations, it helps to train on simple things first. There are various sequences you can start with:

The colours of the rainbow
The elements (air, fire, earth, water)
Objects for the five senses
Lifeforms, from viruses up
Recalling the sense details of the day (colours, smells, tastes, sounds, feelings, and the emotions what went with them)
Practicing these skills will build your ability to experience visualisations at will. The simplest of all objects to visualise is colour. Some people easily evoke pure colour, others prefer to imagine an object of the same colour, what's important is to keep your mind occupied and absorbed regardless.

An example of this is to imagine the colours of the rainbow. Start by getting comfortable and relax, eyes open or closed. After a time, begin with the first colour, red, and say the word "red" ech time you breath out. This can be done verbally or silently. Now wait for a shade of red to apprear or a red object to arise. When is does, explore the mood of it, without extreme focus or tensing up.

Work through the colours individually, spending a few minutes on each: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet (or purple), and white. Some colours or objects may come up more easily than others.

Now go deeper into which ever colour appealed most. Imagine the quality of that colour radiating throughout your body. Play with any associations which come up. Keep on saying the word like a mantra, but don't try to acheive anything specific or let your body tense up. Then let the colour go and rest the mind on the sensations of the body for a minute or two. TOP

8. Naming
In this meditation, nothing is a distraction. Whatever comes to mind or grabs your attention instantly becomes the meditation object. You focus on it for a second, name it and then let it go. If you name a distacting thought, you can hold it at a distance without exploring it. In the case of anger, this will have the effect of disarming the emotion, allowing your mood to level off and your mind to come back down to earth. In this way, naming is a great tool for increading insight and your self awareness. The method can be done in many ways but the usual way is to say the naming word two or three times to slow the momentum of the mind.
A naming word can be very precise or general, for example, if you were thinking about a past memory you would say "Past..Past.." or one about the future would be "Future..Future.." You can name the relevant sense: "Hearing..Hearing.." (for sounds) or "Thinking..Thinking.." etc. A pain can be eased with a focus on "Paining..Paining.." or even "Itching..Itching.." if you have a bother during meditation for instance. You could label the emotional state: "sad..Sad..", "Tired..Tired..", "Bored..Bored..", or your response: "Like..Like..", "Dislike..Dislike..". Or you could just name the object of your thought, "Mary..Mary..", "Assignment..Assignment..", "Music..Music..", "Coffee..Coffee..".
One way to put this method to good use is during a regular meditation. If your mind wanders, see where it goes. As soon as you see the distaction, shift your attention to it and name it two or three times on the outbreath before returning to the meditation. Don't think "Why am I thinking this?" or pursue your thoughts along a train of action, keep relaxed and quite loose. Also avoid holding a tight focus or trying to censor out some things, let everything come into your conciousness, including those things your habitually try to ignore, equally and with detachment. As you develop, your extraneous thoughts may become less insistant and you may be able to track the breath without distraction, or even enjoy the spaces where there are no thoughts. TOP

9. Cleaning
When the mind has matured into quite a strong element you may be able drop your object of meditation altogether, allowing everything to flow through your mind like an ever-flowing stream. All we have to do is be vigilant and discard whatever arised in the mind in favour of an open space for them to flow around. This meditation is like sweeping clear the leaves on a windy day. We we brush aside the dead leaves of our thoughts, others will blow in from behind. Or we can regard the mind as a mirror. It is perfectly clear in itself but reflects the clouds of thoughts which pass in front of it. Notice the mirror and ignore the clouds. This is an advanced method so it will take practice to master to any degree.

To illustrate this, start any meditation practice and wait for the mind to become clear enough that nothing distacts you. When this happens, drop your object (breath, etc) and let the mind open wide. Enjoy the space this gives you and let things pass throught it - emotion, thought, sensation, memory. Show no interest in any of it. Be aware of the slightest attention or aversion and try not to cling. It may help to say the "let go" affirmation as you breath out to centre you on the task.

You are truly disconnected if what arises is diverse and passes in an instant. If you think you are lost, then you are. Don't drift, just stop and immediately pick a focus object to continue. When you finish this practice, the mind often feels bland, spacious and quiet. TOP

10. Walking Meditation
Walking is just a posture, like sitting or lying down, so it is just as possible to meditate while on your feet. If is often best to name your object like a mantra as your breath out, to keep on track of things. For example, you may say:

"Sound". As you walk, conciously explore the full soundscape around you. You may be able to pick out sounds from very far away such as a voice or a dog barking as well as things just around the corner. Hold the sounds in your mind a little after they fade to aid your memory. You can also do this with "Smell" or "Sight".

"Sensing". Let your mind dwell on any sense object which grabs your attention. Let things arise and pass on their own. You mind will automatically pick things up for you to notice: the smell of perfume, a pubble, a cat on the wall, a dog barking, an apporaching vehicle. If you are conciously switching from one to the next, you are in meditation, but bring you mind back if it wanders into thought.

"Colour". Notice which colours attract you as you walk. Glance at them for a second and then hold the colour in your mind for a few yards until it fades.

"Wind". When walking, you may be able to feel the sensation of the air moving over your face.

"Space". Say the word Space as you take in the feeling of the sky above. Imagine the sky within you, expanding your body and becoming specious.

"Light". If the sun shines a golden light, it is easy to see it reflected on the things around you. See it shining thought the leaves of trees, on the sides of buildings and off the roofs of cars. Notice light everywhere. As with "Space", you may be able to imagine the light shining from within you.

"Peace". Feel yourself walking in harmony with yourself and the world. Let your feet fall softly on the ground.
During your next sitting meditation, you may be able to recall some of the things you have seen during the day as you walk. TOP

11. Metta Bhavana
Another meditation technique used as a key element in Buddhist practice. Metta, or the cultivation of universal friendliness, can be quite hard to grasp to begin with, but like all other skills, becomes much easier with regular practice. Rather like a Buddhist way of 'praying', Metta goes one step further as the meditator specifically wills well-wishing thoughts on the subjects involved. As you practice this method, you will be able to send Metta (loving) energy towards others as well as boosting the feelings of love within yourself. You will also find, the more you give Metta, the more you will be able to recieve from others. A truly heart-warming experience.

Get into your usual meditation position, with the back comfortably straight, and hands resting in front you. Close your eyes and relax for a few minutes. An easy way to drop into 'Metta mode' is to watch the breath first. While you bring your attention within yourself, bring your focus slowly down towards where you imagine your heart to be and rest it there. You may be able to feel your heart as it beats and imagine what it looks like.

With your mind resting in your heart area (without maintaining a hard concentration on it), try soften your mind and let your minds eye go blank. Feel the warmth coming from your body and notice it around the heart. In a small corner of the heart lies Metta (love). If you can't find this spot, repeat the word 'Metta' or 'Love' on the out-breath and feel the heat from the heart as you recognise the feeling. Slowly, focus more on the feeling and the warmth of Metta, and imagine the love flowing from the inside through a small hole in the heart. (As you practice Metta, this hole steadily grows bigger). You may also notice a ring of Metta as it surrounds your heart. You are now ready to follow the five stages of the Metta Bavanah. Give yourself about 10mins on each stage.

The first stage in the Metta Bavana practice is to wish this loving energy on yourself. Take the time to feel the warm and loving feeling spread though your body, down through the legs and up into the head if you can. Still keeping half-an-eye on the metta and the warmth, wish yourself well. For example, you may wish yourself love and happiness, peace, strength, success and all the luck in the world. As you do so, the metta in your heart will start to fade as you take this energy and distribute it within you. You may only be able to sustain a little metta at a time, constantly returning back to the heart to buildup more. Now return to the heart to recharge for the next stage.

Once recharged, still keep half your focus on the metta but this time bring into your mind an image of a friend. This can be anyone you know, including family, friends, lovers and children. Try to bring their image as close to you as possible and wish them well, just like you did for yourself, You may like to wish different things for specific needs , but remember, everyone is trying hard to cope with life, so don't wish them any nasty thoughts. Again, try to maintain a link between the source (the heart) and the object (your friend) so you can diectly the flow of energy from yourself towards them. In time, you will be able to make the Metta flow like a stream of healing energy. Then let the image of your friend slowly fade away and bring yourself back to the heart.

Stage three is to imagine someone you don't know too well, and send them Metta. This person can be someone you only say 'hello' to, such as a colleague, a neighbour, an assistant in a shop, a bus driver. Wish the person well and then fade the image away. If you have any metta left at the end of any stage, come back to wishing yourself well.

The fourth stage is to imaging a difficult person, someone who you dislike or find hard to deal with. Bring up an extra large pool or Metta an wish the person well. Understand their difficulties and accept them for the way they are. Wish them happiness and love. Feel it coming from within you and imagine them receiving this power like magic. Forgive them.

Before you move on to the last part, bring all three of your Metta people into your mind together. Gring up the metta and imagine all three people receiving the power equally and together. Wish tham all well and then fade the image away.

Finally, stage five is the practice of wishing 'everything' well-being and happiness. Spend a minute of two on each area, If you are meditating in a group, start by wishing all the people around you Metta. Then widen your view and wish the whole building Metta. Now imageing the town/city where you are as if looking down on if from space. Imagine all the people, animals and plants which life there and wish them all well. Broaden your mind still further and wish the whole county/region well, then the whole country, then the whole continent and finally imagine the whole world. Wish everything well and happy. Every bird, every bee, plant, tree, and fish in the sea. Every human, and every creature, large and small. Each living thing is struggling in life, and they all need a little love. Last of all, turn your attention to the universe, wish everything on every world, and every dimension, well. You have done very well. Bring your mind back slowly to earth, back to your country, back to your building, back to your room and then back to yourself. Take your time to feel your whole body again, moving each limb before slowly opening the eyes again. TOP

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