Techniques you can use to assist in effective meditation
Meditation Exercises for Silencing the Mind
by S.Guy
For effective
meditation we need to be able to silence and purify the mind. In the
beginning this means stopping thoughts from entering our mind
completely. In the beginning this may seem a little daunting however
there are various exercises which can help us to achieve this:
1. Firstly
we need to purify the mind. We can do this by repeating a mantra
many times. For example we could repeat the mantra AUM or Supreme.
When chanting the mantra we should feel that the mantra embodies a
meditative consciousness. As we repeatedly chant the mantra our
thoughts cannot enter.
2. Identify
with our soul. We should feel that what we are is not our mind. We
should try to identify with our own soul. The soul is the inner,
divine part of ourselves which is by nature pure and unencumbered by
thoughts. We can say to ourselves "I am the soul". Feel that for our
meditation exercises nothing else exists excepts our inner soul.
Sri Chinmoy says:
"The moment
you can say and feel, "I am the soul," and meditate on this truth,
your soul's infinite purity will enter into your heart. Then, from
the heart, the infinite purity will enter into your mind." Purity in
the mind means that thoughts will no longer bother you.
3. Asserting
Control over the mind. When we meditate we should feel that it is we
who have control over the mind and not the other way around.
4. Control
of Breathing. To silence the mind we can focus all our attention on
our breathing. Our breathing should be soft and gentle. The
breathing should not be unnatural. The secret is to focus all our
attention on our breathing and not anything else. As we breathe in
we focus on this, as we breathe out again we become one with this
sensation. By concentrating totally on our breathing we slow our
mind down. With nothing else to think about our mind becomes one
pointed and concentrated.
5. The
inner flame. Visualisations can play an important role in
meditation. Try to imagine a candle flame burning in your heart.
This flame symbolises our inner aspiration, the yearning for
something higher and deeper. The flame also symbolises light. You
can feel this light is burning away the impurities of the mind.
6. Throw
out thoughts. Each time a thought comes feel you can take hold of
the thought and screw it up into a small object. Then this object
can be thrown out of your mind. If you constantly reject thoughts
you will notice two things. Firstly you become aware that thoughts
are separate to our real identity. Secondly if thoughts are never
allowed to grow they will stop coming altogether.
7. Value
silence. We live such hectic lifestyles that silence often seems
something unattainable. Complete inner silence may seem like
exploring unchartered territory. However we should feel that silence
embodies a very powerful consciousness which embodies peace and
inner joy.
"There was a
time when I love you, O my thought-world. But now I love the beauty
of a silence-mind and the purity of a gratitude-heart."
- Sri Chinmoy
All
meditation exercises can be effective if practised soulfully and
regularly. The more we put in the more we will get out. However we
shouldn't expect results overnight, we also need to develop the
capacity of patience.
About the
author: S.Guy is a member of Sri Chinmoy CentreSri
Chinmoy Centre in Cambridge
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