Meditation: the what, why, and how
Meditation put simply is cultivating awareness so that the mind is strengthened and brought into a place of clarity. It is not a religious act — one does not need to ascribe to any particular tenets of faith to meditate, rather, it’s like taking the mind to the gym. Meditation is also not a means of escaping reality, but rather allowing us to see reality right in the midst of our experience of it.
Meditation is a path to free the mind from the limitations and conditioning which we, or society, have placed upon it.
To accomplish this, we train the mind to let thoughts arise, observe these thoughts, and then let them pass. The goal is to not attach to these thoughts. Observe them as if they are clouds passing through the sky. We cannot hold onto clouds. In the practice of meditation, your thoughts are clouds and your mind is the placid, clear sky.
THE HOW
Find a quiet space where you can sit alone without being disturbed. Soften the lighting.
Sit comfortably with your spine straight, like a pillar of gold coins. While it doesn’t matter what you are wearing or what you are sitting on, having your spine straight does impact ones meditation so as to not sink into apathy. (If you choose to lay on your bed to meditate you may find yourself asleep.)
Relax your jaw, tongue, eyebrows, shoulders, and anywhere else that may be holding tension.
Hold your eyes slightly open, without trying to open them. If you would like them shut, then have them shut. I do need to notate that with particular types of meditation, such as cultivating attention, the eyes would need to gaze or fixate upon an object. But for this beginning meditation to cultivate inner awareness and calm, in my personal experience, I have found that it is ok to have your eyes open or closed.
Notice your breath. This is your central hub. Breath is everything and will guide your mind into stillness and will aid you in cultivating inner calm. It pacifies the nervous system and feeds the body on a cellular level. Let your breath guide you and if you feel like you’ve become lost in your thoughts or emotions, always come back home to your breath.
Now, focus your attention on your body. Experience the sensations that arise from your feet to your head, and relax the body by breathing deeply. Be so present in your body that imagine your breath is smoothing out the wrinkles of tension. The goal is to soften the body and in doing this, the mind also softens, or relaxes.
As thoughts, emotions, sensations, and noises come into your awareness simply let them go — doing this over and over will allow you to be in a place of stillness. Go back to the breath. Repeat the process of noticing and letting go.