Beginning a Mindful Meditation Practice
Several years ago, there was a popular television show that aired called Legend of the Seeker. Although the series was short lived, it captivated the attention of countless individuals who enjoyed fantasy based entertainment. In one of the early episodes, a wizard was trying to teach his student how to connect to mystical powers and use them. In an awe-inspiring moment, the wizard said something along the lines of, “To see the invisible, focus on what’s not.” What the wizard was really saying, was to be mindful of your environment if you want to become aware of the less obvious.
In a sense, students of mindful meditation are much like the wizard’s pupil, we are constantly trying to connect to the unseen world to understand ourselves better. Often an individual who is just starting a meditation routine, has difficulties because they are overly focused on what others have done, and they expect what has worked for others will work for them. In most cases, what works for one person will not work for another. Once the new pupil realizes this, they will save themselves a great deal of headache. Additionally, they will then feel more comfortable modifying their meditation routine when they determine it is necessary.
The individual should start, by choosing a meditation time and location which is convenient for them. Next, they should position themselves in a posture which is comfortable, and they shouldn’t worry themselves if they are unable to hold traditional postures. It doesn’t matter if you’re unable to go into a lotus stance, what matters is you’re comfortable. For example, the individual may want to sit in their favorite chair, or they may even lay down. If they do decide to lay down, they may find themselves dosing off during the mediation, and if this occurs they may want to adjust themselves. Ideally, the place the individual chooses to meditate should have a calming atmosphere, and be as free of unnecessary distractions as possible.
Once the individual has begun their meditation practice, they will quickly discover quieting the mind is much more difficult than it seems. We are constantly being bombarded by various physical sensations of our body, thoughts, and emotions. At first someone new to meditation may want to block out these annoying sensations, or they may feel that meditation is a hopeless effort for them. Instead of thinking these sensations make for a perilous effort, the pupil should embrace them. They should let themselves become aware of every discomfort, thought, and emotion they have. However, they shouldn’t overly dwell on any one of them, they should let them come into their awareness, acknowledge them, and then release them.
Picture an expressway full of automobiles, during rush-hour there will naturally be more traffic, but if traffic keeps flowing conditions will improve fairly quickly. The sensations we have during meditation are like an expressway, we may become overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings for a while, but if we acknowledge them and keep them moving then meditation will become easier. Eventually the individual will be able to quiet their mind much more easily, and they will find meditation becomes much more enjoyable the more they practice it. It’s also important to mention, that an individual should never feel bad if they cut a meditation session short because of unwanted stimulus. Meditation is an evolving practice, and it may take many attempts before mastery of a meditation routine is achieved.
While not every practitioner will be aware of the concept of a peak experience, chances are at some point the concept will present itself. These are drastic mystical experiences that often occur during meditation, but are not limited to only occurring during a meditation session. Profound feelings on oneness, out of body experiences, and other psychic experiences are only a few characteristics of a peak experience. While they often provide wonderful insight, they can also lead to a quest for constant peak experience. During which, if the peak experience doesn’t occur, the individual may become frustrated and think they are doing something wrong. If this occurs, remember to acknowledge the sensation, and then to release it.
Overall, the purpose of mindful meditation is to become aware of every sensation during meditation, but to also learn to release each sensation after it has been acknowledged. Mindful meditation is also about determining what works for you, and this is done by listening to the sensations of the body. It truly is a multifaceted process, and will continue to evolve as more people communicate their insights as they work on their own meditation routines.
