Starting Meditation

How To Begin Meditation.

To start meditation we need to feel a desire to grow into something more fulfilling and illumining. If we are satisfied with what we have and what we are then we will not feel the necessity for meditation. But even if we come to meditation out of curiosity we may find that our mind does not give us satisfaction but through practising meditation we can start to feel something which bring us happiness in a lasting way.

To begin meditation we should not feel the necessity of learning many complex exercises. To have the attitude of a complete beginner is good. We can increase our receptivity to meditation by emptying out any preconceived ideas of what meditation is and can give. However if we can read spiritual books then it will help. When we read sacred scriptures and books by Masters of meditation we enter into their consciousness and we get real inspiration to meditate.

Also it is a good idea if we can associate with other people who meditate. These people will not teach us how to meditate but they will encourage and inspire us. When we meditate in a group we feel that the meditation is more productive and powerful. This is because when a group of people concentrate on doing a particular task then it creates a more powerful meditative vibration. If we see others are benefiting from meditation it will remind us of the benefits we can get.

To begin meditation we need to establish a regular routine. Initially this should just involve sitting still and quiet for 5 minutes. We should make this a regular practise, preferably at the same time every day. Regularity is very important for developing our meditation capacity. It is like if want to develop muscles we will go to the gym every day. When we are comfortable sitting still and quiet we should try to concentrate. Concentration is essential for meditation. It means that we focus on one thing at a time only. When we concentrate on something we don’t allow anything else to enter our minds. We may find it difficult at first but we should persevere through all difficulties, eventually we will become used to being one pointed. Then we can start to enter into real meditation.

An important thing to remember when meditating is that we should try to maintain an attitude of simplicity and purity. Meditation is not complicated in essences it is very natural and spontaneous activity. Sri Chinmoy advises trying to identify with your inner child. By this he is emphasizes that to meditate well we should try to identify with the capacities of the heart and not the mind.

“When you start meditating, always try to feel that you are a child…. A child is all heart, He does not have any preconceived ideas about meditation and the spiritual life. He wants to learn everything fresh.”

If we can feel helpless like a child and not try to work things out with our mind then we will be able to progress very fast with our meditation. But, especially in the West, this is an attitude we are not used to. We are so used to using the mind that it becomes difficult not to use it.