Meditation A Way of life
Meditation has become a globally recognised practice with diverse methods, and discussions on it have become pretty commonplace in spiritual circles. It’s essential to deepen our understanding of meditation to integrate it into our daily routine for a more balanced and fulfilling life, says Jamuna Rangachari
Meditation is often sold as the panacea
of all ills plaguing human life. It is considered to heal and discipline the mind; increase the sattvik quotient; sharpen analysis, focus, and intuition; expand consciousness; help a person connect with the Divine; and optimise the experience of life.
Meditation works for everyone, for all age groups and backgrounds, making us stronger by connecting to our inner Self. However, these benefits happen over time and after you have mastered the relevant technique. Beginners might find it challenging to calm their tumultuous thoughts and touch the zone of bliss and serenity existing within themselves. Secondly, since individuals differ in temperament, one meditation technique might not work for all.
To suit different people with different inclinations, abilities, and mental levels, various techniques are available, which we present here along with their benefits.
Raja Yoga
Raja Yoga is a form of meditation that is accessible to people from all backgrounds. It’s a meditation practice without rituals or mantras and can be practised anywhere at any time. One of the unique aspects of Raj Yoga is that it is practised with ‘open eyes,’ making it versatile, simple, and easy to practise.
In Sanskrit, ‘Raj,’ means ‘King,’ and ‘Yoga,’ means ‘union.’ This meditation technique is sometimes referred to as the ‘Supreme Yoga’ because, in Raj Yoga, the soul becomes the king or master. The practice involves two main aspects: Self-realisation and God-realisation.
Self-realisation is about understanding yourself to know one’s soul, which leads to discipline, a sharpened mind, and control over your senses. By knowing your soul, you can rule yourself and achieve oneness with God. God-realisation is the belief that when you achieve mastery over yourself, you achieve oneness with God, which can be reached through meditation.
Raj Yoga meditation aims to slow down the chaos of the mind to a point where there is only one continuous thought, leading to total absorption into the nature of Reality, known as samadhi. However, this state often requires dedicated practice for a long time.
Method
The method involves a series of steps that help you connect with your inner Self, the Supreme Soul. Here’s a simplified guide to practising Raj Yoga meditation:
• Choose a place where you can sit comfortably without distractions.
Unlike many other forms of meditation, Raj Yoga is practised with open eyes. This helps in training the mind to remain calm and focussed amidst distractions.
• Your attention to the centre of your forehead, just above the eyebrows. This is considered the seat of the soul.
• Awaken a spiritual thought such as “I am a peaceful soul.” Visualise yourself as a point of light or energy in this space.
• Allow yourself to feel the peace and purity of this thought. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to this affirmation.
• Visualise a connection with a Higher Power or the Supreme Soul, often visualised as a point of light. Feel the exchange of pure energy and peace.
• Absorb the positive energy and peace from this connection. Then, imagine radiating this energy outwards to your surroundings.
• Consistency is key. Practise this meditation daily to experience its benefits over time.
Benefits
Both Vedanta and Nididhyasana Meditation
encourage a deeper understanding of the Self and the universe, leading to spiritual awakening and enlightenment. These practices might resonate with you as they offer a path to profound personal transformation and insight into the nature of existence.
‘Vipassana,’ means ‘insight.’ It’s a form of Helps us understand that everything is a play of the Divine and we can handle anything through faith. Meena Sharma from New Delhi regularly and diligently practised Raja Yoga meditation. She faced many challenges in her personal life but remained calm and quiet all through, attributing it to her Raja Yoga practice.
Even President Draupadi Murmu has made Raja Yoga a part of her life and affirms that, with its help, she was able to overcome the biggest hurdles of her life.
Anapanasati cum Vipassana meditation Anapanasati cum Vipassana meditation combines two significant Buddhist practices: Anapanasati and Vipassana.
Anapanasati, often referred to as ‘mindful breathing’, is the practice of focussing on the breath as it enters and exits the body. This technique is used to develop concentration and mindfulness, serving as the foundation for deeper meditation practices. meditation that aims to cultivate a deep, penetrative understanding of the nature of Reality. It involves observing the body and mind to gain insight into the true nature of existence.
Anapanasati meditation starts with the focus on breathing to calm the mind and achieve a state of concentration. Once the mind is settled and focussed, the meditator transitions into Vipassana, observing sensations, thoughts, and emotions without attachment or aversion. This dual practice leads to the development of both samadhi (concentration resulting in absorption with the Source) and panna (wisdom), which are essential for the attainment of enlightenment.
Method
Anapanasati
Sit comfortably. Observe your breath while ignoring all happenings around you.
Vipassana
Sit quietly and peacefully and keep observing your breath for as long as you can. Thoughts need to be only observed and ignored while you meditate.
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Benefits
• Makes us remain calm and collected • Relieves stress
• Reduces anxiety
• Improves Self-awareness
• Enables peaceful sleep
Shreya Sridharan Mhatre from Mumbai was extremely stressed about her studies and life in general. She changed courses and adopted many hobbies but still felt depressed.
Fortunately, Shreya’s classmate suggested that she explore Vipassana for peace of mind. After doing a course in Vipassana, Shreya calmed down and began to do well in her studies. She made a career as a psychotherapist and had a love marriage. Even in her in-laws’ home, she is doing well, though hers is a love marriage into a family of people from different state, rituals, and lifestyle. Despite facing many challenges in life, including the untimely demise of her sister-in-law, the practice of Vipassana has made her handle life with equanimity.
Shreya has also become a kind of counsellor in her family and friend circles. She is now a role model for everyone and has motivated others to learn and practise Vipassana too.
The practice of Vipassana was introduced in Tihar jail by former IPS Kiran Bedi when she was in charge. The positive change observed in the inmates led to the meditation being promoted in other jails as well. It is considered one of the best steps taken in the area of reformative justice till today.
Theta Meditation
Theta Meditation is a practice that involves reaching a state of deep relaxation where the brain produces theta waves, typically within the frequency range of 4 to 8 Hz. These waves are associated with the early stages of sleep, deep meditation, and REM sleep. The goal of theta meditation is to consciously access this state while remaining awake, which can lead to various benefits.
Practitioners often use techniques like guided visualisation, deep breathing, or listening to binaural beats to encourage the production of theta waves. This state is believed to facilitate a deeper connection with the subconscious mind, allowing for profound personal insights and spiritual experiences.
Theta Meditation might prove to be a valuable tool for exploring the deeper aspects of consciousness and personal growth.
Method
Centre yourself and visualise a dot of light at the centre of your heart. Visualise this dot of light growing into a ray, travelling downwards, through your heart, chest, abdomen, pelvis, hips, thighs, knees, calves, and ankles, and from the sole of your feet enter Mother Earth, growing roots of light, going deep, all the way to the core of Mother Earth. You are now grounded, centred, and anchored beautifully in Mother Earth.
Visualise this grounding, nurturing Mother Earth energy, now travelling back upwards through your legs, torso, and all your chakras, exiting from the top of your head, your Crown Chakra, forming a beautiful golden ball of light right above you.
Visualise yourself entering this beautiful golden ball of light and floating up towards the sky. Past the sky, through layers of light and dark, past a golden light, past a rainbow-coloured layer into a beautiful pink light.
This is the light of compassion. Breathe in this beautiful compassionate energy, and as you do so, you look up and see a large rectangular window. Past this window is a pearly iridescent, white light.
Visualise you are the light and the light is you, you are love and love is you, you are in the energy of nothingness, the energy of unconditional love, the energy of Creation, you are a creator, the creator of your own life.
Benefits
• Enhanced creativity
• Deep relaxation and stress reduction • Improved emotional connection
• Increased intuition and insight
• Better problem-solving abilities
• Healing of trauma
Rupal Sheth from Bangalore struggled with career issues and post-partum depression after the birth of her son in 2014. After exploring many options, in 2016, she met a Theta healer. The Theta healer blew her away with her connection to the Universe. Rupal learned Theta Meditation from her and moved from pain to a life of alignment.
Now, Rupal works for the well-being of individuals and organisations to help them navigate their emotions, experiences, and belief systems using Theta Meditation.
Vedantic or Nididhyasana Meditation Vedanta is a spiritual philosophy based on the ancient Indian texts that form the core of Hindu teachings. It addresses the nature of Reality, the Self, and the Universe. Vedanta Meditation, therefore, involves meditative practices that are aligned with the principles of Vedanta, focussing on Self-enquiry and the realisation of one’s true nature.
‘Nididhyasana’ is a Sanskrit term that refers to profound and repeated meditation on the great Upanishadic statements (mahavakyas), such as “Thou Art That” (Tat Tvam Asi). Nididhyasana is considered the final step in the traditional teaching methodology of Vedanta, following the stages of listening (shravana) and reflection (manana). It involves deep contemplation and absorption in the truth of the mahavakyas to achieve liberation (moksha).
Both Vedanta and Nididhyasana Meditation encourage a deeper understanding of the Self and the universe, leading to spiritual awakening and enlightenment. These practices might resonate with you as they offer a path to profound personal transformation and insight into the nature of existence.
Method
• Sit in a comfortable position, preferably in a quiet place. Close your eyes, and meditate profoundly on “Tat Tvam Asi” (That Thou Art), to internalise the identity of Atman (Self) and Brahman (Ultimate Reality).
• Apply the knowledge “I am awareness” to your daily life, reorienting your identity from the individual self to the universal Self.
• Continue the practice of Nididhyasana even after the formal study of Vedanta to prevent a fall back into ignorance.
• Incorporate other practices like pranayama (breath control) and dharana (focussed attention) to help quiet the mind and support your contemplation.
Remember, Nididhyasana is an ongoing process that may take time and consistent effort. It’s about shifting your sense of identity to awareness itself, which is a significant undertaking due to the deep-rooted nature of ignorance. Be patient and persistent in your practice.
Benefits
Reduction in emotional upsets, their intensity, and the recovery time to a normal state. Our internal state becomes equanimous, and our priorities in life change from worldly things and people to spirituality.
Uma Valluri from Sun City, Tamil Nadu, practises this meditation as much as possible. Doing this regularly has made her less judgemental, and she has also become more tolerant, patient, and forgiving. She understands herself as a spiritual being and begins each day with this practice, doing it again whenever she gets time or needs to calm down in a situation that can make her angry.
Loving Kindness Meditation
Loving Kindness Meditation, also known as Metta Meditation, is a practice that cultivates compassion and goodwill towards oneself and others.
Method
This meditation technique asks us to keep some quiet time for ourselves (even a few minutes will work) and sit comfortably. We need to encourage Metta bhava and compassion by mentally saying,
May all be happy
May all be safe
May all be healthy, peaceful, and strong May all give and receive appreciation today
Benefits
• Reduces physical pain
• Improves longevity
• Enhances social connections
• Cultivates emotional resilience
• Improves relationships
• Encourages forgiveness and empathy
Mahalakshmi Anand from Hyderabad had a tough time forgiving her former lover and adjusting to her current in-laws. She blamed herself and the others till she found wellness through meditation. Now a meditator for 19 years, she practises and teaches Loving Kindness Meditation.
Mahalakshmi says that the practice of Loving Kindness Meditation is a profound encounter with the gentle and tender essence of the Divine that resides within us. She further elaborates that it awakens us to the realisation that we are, in essence, an infinite wellspring of unconditional love, empowering us to extend forgiveness to others and to graciously accept forgiveness in return.
Conclusion
Considering we have various material goals in life, should we not make knowing our real Self a goal too? We are essentially souls with infinite power, potential, and possibilities, collecting experiences and learnings through multiple incarnations across yugas. Meditation helps us realise our true nature and can liberate us from a life of lack and scarcity. Even people in jail have remained peaceful through the practice of Vipassana meditation. Let us remain peaceful while in the jail of material life through meditation.
Jamuna Rangachari, the former assistant editor of Life Positive, has authored two books for children, and compiled and interpreted Teaching Stories-I and II for Life Positive. Write to her at jamunarangachari@gmail.com.
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