Meditation is a process of interiorizing our focus, opening the heart, and lifting our energy upward. When these three things occur you’ll know, because you will feel deeply calm, joyful, and your awareness will expand making you feel as if you were one with the sky. You may even feel that you are in complete harmony with the rhythms of the natural world. Having this experience lifts us beyond the reaches of the most nagging difficulties we face in life, strengthening our ability to stay peaceful in all situations. Not to run away, but just taking a step back to put things in a more real perspective. After all, how big can our problems be when we consider the universe, it’s many billions of galaxies, and the vast space in-between?
Let’s look at the three factors I just mentioned:
Interiorization
By relaxing the body and focusing on the breath, we can take the mind away from the past, future, worry, and tension causing thoughts. Feel your breath intimately, and notice the way each breath makes you feel inside. Be patient and go as deep as you can with this simple technique. There are many layers to this experience.
Opening the Heart
Dwell on one of the sweetest moments in your life, a prayer, or part of Holy Scripture that moves you. Awaken the natural love, or devotion in your heart. Now go beyond the seed inspiration by concentrating on, and going deeper into, the feeling it helped you connect with. Stay at the center of this feeling and allow it to expand.
Lifting Energy Up
Have your closed eyes pointing slightly upward. Without controlling the breath, notice the inner upliftment of each inhalation. Imagine a current inside your center that flows upward through your heart. Draw it’s feeling upward toward the forehead. Feel a calm joy pouring into your center from everywhere, and offer this up too. Offer you’re whole experience upward in gratitude for the blessings that you have received.
What if we are interrupted during meditation?
According to the yogi’s of India, in the highest sense- all conditions are neutral. When a branch becomes dry it looses its flexibility and is easily broken. The more conditions we place on our peace, the less peace we’ll experience.
It’s quiet, you’re sitting, and just entering a deep peace. The door swings open and your dog, child, or spouse comes in to lick your eye, or hand you the phone. Just hang up the phone and embrace your guest. Invite them into your arms, lie down and hold them close to your heart. Close your eyes, and go back through the steps above. They are your inspiration now. Rest in silence with them, without expecting them to be perfectly still, or quiet. But continue your practice just the same. Smile inside because your peace is growing to include the changing world, and offer that feeling up too.
Have five or ten minutes? Try this.
