How to Practice Meditation
by Diana Lang
There are really only two things you need to be able to do to meditate; become aware of yourself and stay there for a while.
This formula is not only a simple way to practice meditation — it's
also a key to life: to be mindful where you are, wherever you are; to
become more and more conscious from moment to moment; to be your true
self, in every situation, in every circumstance.
Meditation is simple and practical. In a curious way, it is as
ordinary as it gets. Many people who try it at first don't think they
are doing it right; it's so simple and unextraordinary, they think
meditation must be something more complex or esoteric than what they're
doing. Because people often think they are doing their meditation
wrong, many give up doing it at all.
It is a practice. Practice comes from the root word praxis,
meaning "to do action." You have to do the action for meditation to
work. Every time you sit to meditate you are building up a spiritual muscle.
The more you use it, the stronger it gets. It gains strength, agility,
and capability over time. This energetic apparatus you build by
meditating will absolutely change the way your life works.
Every time you meditate, you lay down another layer of
consciousness, like rings in a tree trunk. Remember: the consciousness
you make — conscious moment by conscious moment — is what you take with
you when you die. It's part of your soul's accumulated knowledge, your
soul's wisdom. It is the basis of what you are, and it becomes part of
the continuum of your infinite self.
Remember: all you need to do is become aware of yourself and stay there for a while.
CREATING SACRED SPACE
Everywhere we are is holy. Everything is holy. Yet, some places have
more spiritual wattage than others. When many of us decide over many
years that a place is sacred, it becomes imbued with more sacred
energy. We see and feel that these places exude holiness. Imagine a
cathedral, for instance, created for the specific purpose of worship.
The architects and crafters who designed and built it knew what its
purpose would be. Every nail was pounded and every tile was laid by a
person who intended the church to be holy. Then add the intention and
devotion of the priests at its head, and all the vestments, rituals,
and symbols of the ceremonies. Finally, add the congregation with all
of their sincere beliefs and prayers. Multiply that by all the years of
worship in the cathedral, and you can see how intention creates sacred
space.
When we meditate we consciously create a sacred space. We can make
any space sacred simply by deciding that it is sacred. By bringing our
full consciousness to that place, we are imbuing it with our soul, and
it becomes energetically transformed.
If you already have a part of your home that feels especially
peaceful to you, that's a natural place to meditate. Any place where it
is calm and quiet is a good place to begin. I often meditate on my
balcony that overlooks the city skyline, but I have also meditated in
bed, on the couch, and even in the bathroom because that was the
quietest room in the house at the time.
The more you meditate in the same place, the more that place becomes
imbued with peace. Just walking by it or even thinking of it will
instill in you the quality of consciousness that you have invested
there. By repetition, you build your own unique place of power and
awareness — your own altar.
Remember this as well: even though you can empower a place to give
you a feeling of sacredness, don't forget that you are the generator of
that feeling in the first place, and you can take that feeling with you
wherever you go. You can create sacred space anywhere.
SITTING
The first thing you need to do to meditate is to find a comfortable
position to be in so that you can sit quietly for a while. It's
challenging enough to deal with the mind's complaining without having
to contend with the body's problems as well. If you are uncomfortable,
you won't be able to sit still, and your meditation will become a
meditation on discomfort and tension.
Sitting cross-legged is the most common posture for meditation, but
it is not essential to the practice; it is simply a comfortable
position for some. Meditation originated at a time when people most
commonly sat on the ground, but there are other reasons to sit
cross-legged. These may become important as your practice unfolds, but
the main purpose of a cross-legged posture is that many people find it
relaxing and natural.
Again, the important thing is to be comfortable. Any comfortable
sitting position will do. You can sit in a chair, on the couch, or
against the headboard of your bed. You can sit on a park bench, on a
blanket in the garden, or on a tire hanging from a tree. Be
comfortable. If your spine can be straight as well, that is even better.
Over the years, I have worked with many students who for one reason
or another can't sit comfortably, so I have them lie down. Even though
this changes the energetic dynamics a bit, it still works. The only
problem is that we are conditioned to fall asleep when we lie down, so
you have to work a little harder to stay alert. However, since being
comfortable is so important, if it feels like you need to lie down at
first in order to become still, then lie down. It really doesn't matter
whether you sit or lie down -- anytime you do anything in full
consciousness, you are meditating. Conscious walking, conscious washing
the dishes, conscious singing of a lullaby — it's all meditation.
Still, I like sitting. It works well, it invites less distraction,
and it increases the likelihood of touching your truest self. Don't
forget to turn off the phone and do whatever else you need to do to
prevent interruption. You want to create the optimum conditions for a
deep and authentic experience.
BREATHING
Once you've found a way to sit, then begin to be aware of your
breath. The breath is the bridge between the self and the soul; the
more connected we are to our breath, the more connected we are to our
soul. When we stop breathing, it means that in some way we are
disconnecting from ourselves, from our feelings, from our life force.
Notice your breathing now. Are you restricting it in any way? Is it
rolling naturally and fully? Does the chest feel tight? Does it feel
open? The breath is a powerful barometer of our state of mind.
We may hold our breath when we're tense or when we're concentrating,
nervous, or upset. If the breath is shallow, there is tension in the
body. You might be surprised at how often the breath is tense — and
worse, at how often you're barely breathing at all. When the breath is
full and deep, it's a good indication that you are physically,
mentally, and emotionally balanced. Watch a baby breathe, and you'll
see the belly expand as she inhales and recede as she exhales. She is
completely relaxed.
Take a deep breath. Notice how easily your whole being comes into a
calm balance — just by taking a breath. The breath is like a wave: far
out from the shore a wave begins to form ... inhale... from the
depths, a powerful, surging expansion forms and gains momentum,
expanding and expanding, then it crests and curls, and finally. .. exhale...
crashes to shore, dissolving into bubbles and spray as it begins to
recede for its long journey back out to the depths of the sea again ...
inhale...
With the breath deep and full, your meditation becomes alive. It is
in flux, like the sea. It is infinite and changing. When the breath
flows, the mind opens, and we expand. The breath is the guide. The
breath is constantly giving us feedback: time to move forward, time to
stay still; time to listen, time to speak; time to be subtle, time to
stand strong; time to hold fast, time to let go.
A breath is a complete cycle unto itself, self-perpetuating and
constant. It is our life. It animates us. It is the first thing we do
when we come into form; it is the last thing we do when we leave it. We
don't have to try to breathe; it is automatic. It is a great mystery
and a miracle. It is surrender.
Learning to listen to the sound and quality of the breath is the
best teacher you will ever have. No one else can know for you where you
are in your meditation. No one can guide you more surely or more
intimately than the breath's subtle awareness.
Let the breath be your life's song. Learn the melody it is singing.
Appreciate the harmony of it. Learn to understand and support the
disharmony too. Your song is your own, and it is beautiful and unique.
INTENTION
As soon as you choose a place to meditate and turn off the phone,
you are setting your intention. Meditation is a practice in focus,
concentration, and staying firmly with yourself. This is a tremendous
act of will because generally when we first sit down to meditate we
create a hundred reasons to get out of it. We find ourselves wondering
about all kinds of things: Did I put the dishes away? Did I return that call? That closet really needs a good cleaning out. The distractions can seem endless.
It takes discipline, or as one friend of mine says, blissipline,
to stay focused on spirit. The mind wanders to mundane things. But the
blessings and insights that we get from even a five-minute daily
practice of meditation are invaluable. We expand in a subtle but
powerful way. We access something bigger than ourselves, a pure
consciousness that leaves a deep impression. Setting our intention and
sticking with it is the key that opens this vast realm of possibility.
This inner world is your private temple, your direct connection with
grace. People often find it difficult to describe this realm because it
is beyond words — literally metaphysical, beyond physical experience.
When you try to describe your experiences of meditation, they either
sound overly glamorous or incredibly subtle, and either way they are
often misunderstood. But it isn't necessary to put them into words. Let
it be your own private knowing. You need no validation from the
outside; you are the only one who needs to know what your meditation
has shown you.
Setting your intention to meditate secures your practice. Once you
have this foundation in place, it creates an energetic touchstone that
calls you back again and again.
This article was excerpted from:
 Opening to Meditation
by Diana Lang.
Reprinted with permission of the publisher, New World Library. ©2004. www.newworldlibrary.com.com
Info/Order this book.
About the AuthorDiana Lang is a spiritual
teacher and counselor and the director/owner of LifeWorks - Center
for Growth
in Los Angeles,California. She has been teaching meditation and yoga
since 1980 and conducts seminars in the United States and internationally
on meditation, body awareness, stress reduction, and relationship
development. She is a "teacher's teacher" of meditation and yoga, as well as a radio personality. Visit her website at www.dianalang.com.
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