A Conversation on Meditation

https://www.rishikeshyogisyogshala.org/a-conversation-on-meditation/ Why do we need meditation in our daily life? In this conversation on meditation, I would mention that in the modern time we all need ability and education to keep ourselves balanced, calm and vitalized at physical, mental and emotional levels. A lot of studies are done in the field of meditation showing how meditation helps in managing stress, anxiety and healing body and mind. Healing Space for the Mind Mediation creates a very conducive conditions inside us where there is less of mental clutters hence providing crucial moments to the mind to heal and rejuvenate. It provides mind a very healing space to rejuvenate. Most of the time our mind is arrested by different thoughts and issues in life. We don’t provide a healthy and healing time and space for the mind to enrich itself with new fresh creative ideas. And secondly engaging the mind all the time consumes lot of vital energies. Mind needs rest too. And if we provide mind a healing space and time to rest and rejuvenate then you can expect relaxed alertness all the time which will help you to take healthy balanced decisions in life. Meditation is like giving mind an opportunity to reset, to reconfigure and find better and harmonious solutions in life. Emotional Reset When we are doing this conversation on meditation then we should not forget that our emotions also need reset. Emotions which are unexpressed and trapped or suffocated inside need to find a healthier expression. During our daily engagements with life events, we never get a chance to acknowledge and accept our emotions and their needs in non-judgmental ways. We can only reset the emotions when we know how not to judge and get out of the trap created by our own identifications with our emotions. Meditative environment or meditative space is completely non-judgmental and allowing expressions to take place. It is the art of letting go. And the moment it happens there is realignment with our feelings and emotions. We see opportunities to reset our older patterns with existing emotions and develop a new perspective. On the physical level, our brain gets much needed relaxation and is reset by removing the cerebral tensions. Q: How someone should start meditating, any suggestions? We need to understand that meditation is not just a technique. To me meditation is a condition, a state or an event which arises within the inner environment when certain conditions are met. The various techniques of meditations only help creating a conducive environment for meditation to unfold. Now coming to the basic requirements or prerequisites for meditation to happen, we need to focus or enable the following conditions- Environment This is one of the most important basic requirements. Most of the time we do not talk about it. When I am talking about environment it is not just the physical environment but also includes our inner ecology. Situations and conditions creating lot of physical mental and emotional noises are not conducive for meditation to happen. First of all, we all need to find a suitable place to meditate which encourages a condition within us to go within. It can be a corner in your room or house or a even nature. Secondly, in modern age lot of our energies are consumed and dissipated due to our electronic uses like mobiles, social media and stuffs. So, a self-regulation is needed and most importantly selection of information we are tuned in to. Because whatever we are feeding to the brain or our mind are going to be purged out when we sit and try meditating. Ideally before you sit for meditation at least half an hour before the practice begin to orientate the mind by preparing the environment, taking a shower if you need to, switching off your electronic gadgets etc. Consistency/ regularity If you want to immerse yourself into the process of meditation then ideally set a time aside every day, even for 15-30 mins. And this should ideally be at fixed time of the day. When we begin to sit for meditation at this fixed time everyday you would start noticing that gradually the process of moving in or internalization will need lesser time. It is because our body and energy rhythm have unique quality of adaptability. When you start doing the same thing at a fixed time everyday then our body begins to naturally get prepared and the mind anticipates the process and the entire experience. So, diving into meditation will become more spontaneous and effortless if we persist. Relaxed body has relaxed mind Learn to awaken the relaxation response in the body- A relaxed body has a relaxed and receptive mind for the process of meditation to happen. If the body is not relaxed then mind will be dissipated and find it difficult to focus. When we are stressed, we are holding a lot of tensions, fear, anxiety and traumas in the body. These different experiences leave an impression in the body and are stored in our muscles and systems. To be able to experience meditation process deeply it is always advisable to learn to release these physical imprints of mental and emotional stresses in the body. And in this any form of hatha yoga done with awareness and relaxation will help a lot. And even if you don’t have access to yoga teachings then exercise or run. Do something to shed these nervous energies trapped in the body. These things will help you to sit quietly when you are going for meditation. Finding a Seat It can be chair or on floor using cushion or even support of the wall. But what matters most is that your back should be aligned with the head and neck. In Yoga we consider our spinal column as information highway. Keeping the back upright keeps the mind and body both in relaxed alertness. Secondly it is important because pranic energy has the nature of moving upwards when awakened and most of the important energy channels are situated within the spinal column. So when we are preparing for meditation we do not want to block free flow of prana otherwise mind will be dull and loose awareness and possible result will be sleep. Art of breathing Breathing in most of the traditions of meditation is part and parcel of the entire process. Breath has direct connection with our autonomic nervous system which keeps on performing its job even when we are not noticing it. To hack the activities and outcomes of autonomic nervous system possible through control over our breath. Most of the time we don’t notice but our breathing gets affected due to our emotional upheavals, anxiety and stress. Next time notice your breath when you are anxious, nervous, angry or even scared of something. Your breath will be arrhythmic, shallow, paced and out of your conscious control. And notice the breath when you are absolutely calm and tranquil. The nature of the breath will be completely different. Nature has given us this privilege to monitor and control the breath consciously and we must use it. If we learn to quieten and calm our breathing process it would transport our awareness into meditative state quite easily. Art of witnessing Being a witness means being non-judgmental, accepting and mindful of events going on around us. Experiences in meditative space are observed without getting trapped in labelling experiences. Because the moment you apply a label on any of the inner experiences then instantaneously you encourage the onset of repetitive associated patterns in the mind. And this is the last thing we want in meditative space. Being in the moment Being in the moment means you are grounded in here and now situation. Being in the moment awakens us to this very moment of reality. It makes the entire meditative experience very conscious and enlightening. Otherwise, mind is entirely consumed by obsessive thoughts, desire and apprehensions. Managing the expectations Sometimes when we try to practice meditation techniques we are caught by our own expectations towards the outcome. This causes the mind to become restless and in expecting mode. As a result, what happens the environment of tranquility and harmony which meditation creates never occurs. If deeper meditation is to experience then the mind needs to be completely in receptive and non-expecting modes. Letting go accepting the outcome or results are very important principles in causing a deeper meditation. Because an anticipating mind always lives in the future and it defies the principle of being in the moment. Q: How often and what time we should meditate? You see meditation can be done anytime and every time. There is no such rules which bind anyone to one particular time to experience meditation. But normally morning time is preferred because mind is already fresh, rejuvenated and not so judgmental. Receptivity of the mind is very high in the morning time. So people who find very difficult to experience meditation may begin in the morning before engaging one self with their mobiles and gadgets. In the morning conditions at the physical and mental levels are more conducive. But it doesn’t mean you can not practice meditation techniques other times. Active and Passive Meditation There are two different approaches of meditation. One approach is active. When you are engaging with the life events and practicing some of the above principle we just discussed. There are many traditions of spirituality in which they practice this form of meditation. Other form of meditation is passive meditation. It is done in control condition, keeping oneself isolated from distractions of outside reality. It is always fruitful if we are beginners then start with this form of meditation and gradually apply the methods whilst in activity. We need to understand that we can not treat meditation as a medicinal pill. We need to incorporate the principles enabling or helping us to get tuned into meditative state. And it involves rectifying our attitudes towards events and outcomes in life, be more compassionate towards our own selves, managing expectations and not being too hard on our own selves and simplify the life. Then the harmony, balance and tranquility caused by meditation stay with us most of the time. Meditation is not something which we are borrowing from outside. It is an optimum state of body, mind and energies when there is perfect harmony and alignment within us. We have to only provide the support so that a favorable situation emerges which causes meditation to happen. Meditation is a state when physical, mental, emotional and pranic energies working in perfect alignment and rhythm. Here awareness is not dissipated by there is ‘relaxed alertness’, body and mind are in healing mode, there is heightened receptivity and there is perfect attunement with the various levels of human functioning within. Conclusion of this conversation on meditation is that Living life with awareness, managing aggression or reactive nature, harmonizing breath, awakening calmness in the body using mindfulness help meditative awareness prevail most of the time during the day. Hence, helping us to enjoy calmness and tranquility in our expressions and behavior. Read More...  Read Less...

What is Pratyahara

https://www.rishikeshyogisyogshala.org/what-is-pratyahara/ Pratyahara is mentioned in Patanjali Yoga Sutra (one of the most powerful, authentic and spiritual texts available on yoga.) as the fifth Limb of eight Limbs yoga system of this text. The inner journey starts and Before Pratyahara, body is aligning and making its own fitness for the real meditative states. Bodily fitness and the meditative states has a link through Pratyahara. It is only after Pratyahara, the inner journey starts thereafter understanding self starts understanding the self happens through Pratyahara. Understanding Pratyahara Through Desire Lets understand this way. We all have desires and we want to fulfill them. Desire is nothing but to connect to a certain kind of energy in the outside world to fulfill ourselves. When you are done with one Desire, you have another desire waiting on the way. Fulfilling different kinds of desires, doing different kinds of work and feel attracted towards the outside world is the normal human tendency. when we start practicing yoga by following Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayam we would understand and realise that all our journey, our wantings, desires and cravings in the outside world has no meaning. What we are searching outside is already there within us. When we understand that something better, more meaningful, divine and the centre of ourselves lies within us suggests we are already in this phase. Inner Journey In Yoga Sadhana From Pratyahara, the journey of the inner world starts. After which 3 more limbs are mentioned and are termed as 1-Dharna, 2-Dhyan, 3-Samadhi. This is also called Rajyoga. Rajyog is a combination of three limbs. Dharna, dhyan and samadhi, which takes us in ourselves. if we don’t go through Pratyahara, dharna, dhyan and samadhi, these three limbs also doesn't work. I don't think it is you don't want to get into the Pratyahara. Pratihara is just a transition period. Also when you have a strong craving, to know yourself, to know the truth and to realise yourself, Pratyahara has already taken place because some of your energies have moved inwards.This is the reason you have been trying to understand yourself. This powerful craving happens when the energies start to move inwards.This is Pratyaharaa. Energy is one. It can be moved outwards or inwards. When it starts moving inward, you have less attraction in the outside world.The energy is moving less outside and inside and that is why when it happens.   So knowing the self is only through Pratyahara. knowing the self means you take energy from the outside world and move towards your inside world. When it starts moving in your inner world, it is the journey of meditation. The journey to be close to our own selves starts. Where the conversion of the flow of energy from the outside world to the inside world happens is called Pratyahara. Pratyahara means most of your energy starts moving in your inner self and stops moving in the outside world and when all this energy starts moving into the innerself you go ,into the state of meditation. And when I talk about the movement of energy from the outside world towards inner world for a  long period of time, it becomes the permanent state. It's the permanent state where your body energies are now bent inwards and you know now that there is also some inner world exists. Because you have been practicing it and thinking about it for a long time, your energy is now molded in a way that it flows inside and inwards and this permanent moulded state leads to the state of meditation.   Conclusion Pratyahara is the molding of the energies which were previously flowing outside and now molded and flowing inside.The turning of the energies and the changing of direction is called Pratyahara In this evolution, all people are moving towards liberation and whosoever takes the path to self has to undergo Pratyahara. People who take meditation as a play and a recreational activity  have no idea about Pratyahara and that is why these people even after a long time of meditation practice cannot succeed because meditation has to go through Pratyahara, knowingly or unknowingly. For the Pratyahara to take place, your will power to understand yourself and be close to yourself plays an important role. We now know that Pratyahara is more of a mental phase rather than a physical phase Read More...  Read Less...

Hridayakasha Dharana

https://www.rishikeshyogisyogshala.org/hridayakasha-dharana/ In Sanskrit hridaya means heart and akasha means space. Therefore Hridayakasha Dharana is translated as a technique to focus or concentrate on the heart space. Here from the point of view of the practice, space also represents field and Dharana is a stage of meditation where intensive attuning of awareness takes place.  This technique of Hridayakasha Dharana is a process of getting our awareness attuned to the field of emotions and deeper emotional impressions. You may find this practice simple and easy, or you may find it complex and difficult. It all depends on the intensity of feeling you are able to generate, because this particular dharana deals with intensity of feeling. While doing this practice makes sure that the intensity of feeling does not alter your mental perception. In this type of meditation it is very easy to feel totally depressed or totally elated. Therefore it is highly recommended that this technique of Hridayakasha Dharana should be practiced under the supervision of a qualified teacher. The psychotherapeutic aspect of meditation is actually a form of hridayakasha dharana because many impressions which are suppressed and blocked are allowed to surface. There are certain stages of the practice which are of immense psychotherapeutic significance and benefits. This Dharana practice deals directly with one’s feelings and emotions. Focus here is to generate the feelings or emotions to their full intensity and witnessing the manifestations in Hridayakasha. When one feels swelling of emotions; avoid trying to control it; try to witness the reactions and associations with a specific feeling or emotion. Focus is to develop the awareness and experience of the feelings without moving into analysis of the feelings. During the practice through guided instructions practitioners are guided to intensify and then witness their feelings. Key points of the practice are to access, acknowledge, and witness the association with the existing or created feelings in the moment in meditative state. In this process of Dharana there is active engagement with the spectrum of feelings and at the same time practice of witnessing awareness of inner reactions/experiences. Any effort to suppress the feelings is discouraged rather through systematic guidance practitioners are trained to even witness their most challenging emotions and feeling with control. Following are the key stages of Hridayakasha Dharana Existing Feeling and Flame In this particular stage one is guided to acknowledge one’s existing Anxiety, mood, happiness, excitement, contentment, peace, silence etc. or whatever is present at this moment. Behind the existing feeling see the flame or point of light symbolizing the seat of the soul. Identify with that seat or image of the flame as your being which is eternal and permanent amidst changes. Colour of the Feeling  Focus to see the spontaneous colour being manifesting at the time of observing the feeling. Mainly keep the awareness in Hridayakasha (Heart Space) while watching the feeling and see the space saturated with any spontaneous colour at that time. Join Our 10 Day Yoga Meditation Retreat Program in Rishikesh   Creating the Feeling In this stage you create one feeling and then intensify that experience. It prepares the awareness to deal with the reaction or intensity of the feeling. The reactions produced sometimes may associate with completely different experience and might take another form of feeling. Therefore one is constantly guided to watch the expressions with detached awareness. These reactions are part of memory activation. Memory Enacting In this particular stage we bring out the older memories which had impressions created in childhood. During the stage we dissect and then watch the spectrum of associations with a particular event, person, situation, place and experience. While going through the stage we watch the child and its association and reactions with all these situations and consequent impact on him/her and secondly how that it associated at present in Hridayakasha i.e. the present repercussions. This stage helps in resolving the impressions (samskara) associated with one’s experiences of childhood. While observing the past memories from childhood one is advised to visit one’s past as a visitor. As a detached visitor one observes all the details relating to experiences of one’s childhood but without analytical judgement. And if certain emotions or feelings relating to one’s past are experienced during that moment then one is encouraged to acknowledge the presence of reactive impressions with non-reactive awarenes. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});  Read More...  Read Less...

How Mantra Alleviates Stress & Anxiety

https://www.rishikeshyogisyogshala.org/how-mantra-alleviates-stress-anxiety/ Mantra chanting is found to be a very effective to alleviate anxiety. Mantra Chanting is both religious and spiritual practice, found in different cultures, religions and spiritual traditions across the world. Apart from its uses in spiritual and religious traditions, mantra chanting has immense potential to improve psychological wellbeing of a person. What is a Mantra? Mantra is a sacred utterance, a sacred formula, a sound syllable or simply a sound vibration; used as a tool to focus the awareness, strengthen the mind and attuning to the subtle sound vibrational energies within. In both Tantra and Vedic traditions mantras are used for many purposes. These mantras may or may not have a literal meaning. In both Yoga and Tantra, mantra is one of the important tools to centre or focus the mental and vital energies. In meditation practices mantra is used as a centering device to internalize and intensify the awareness resulting in the altered state of consciousness. Mantra is also defined as the force or instrument that liberates the mind from bondage. Bondage here means identification of mind with its contents i.e. thoughts, impressions, memories resulting in impurities (mala) and oscillation (vikshepa). The impurities are the sum total of all negative impressions deep in the mind. They are the result of past problems in all areas of our mental being, and relate to different areas of our life. Mantras helps to dissociate the awareness from all these negative impressions cluttering the mind. The other aspect of the mind, vikshepa, is the oscillation and distraction of the mind. This results because of the negative patterns of mind created by our identification with the effects of past, present and worry of future. By being identified with the negative impressions of experiences the internal monologue goes on all day, the desires, the fears, the plans, the disappointments, the mind is never at peace. By repeating the mantras with one-pointed awareness, the oscillations can be quietened and the mind becomes tranquil and peaceful. How Mantra Alleviates Anxiety: In today’s time, anxiety needs no introductions. Everyone feels anxious now and then. It’s a normal reaction of the mind. One may feel nervous when faced with a situation which are demanding in nature. But this may become a disorder when worrying becomes overwhelming and constant. Vibrational effects of Mantras A mantra is a combination of various sound vibrational frequencies. Mantra is used in many different yogic practices from all different traditions. When used as a tool in meditation, mantra helps to internalize the mind and awareness. Constant chanting of mantra leads to one-pointed awareness which helps dissociate the mind from the cycle of unnecessary, unproductive and crippling thoughts. This helps in creating a state of ‘relaxed-alertness’. If defined in physiological term, it is alpha brain rhythm. Here receptivity of the mind is heightened and this leads to attuning the awareness to the experience of subtle sound vibrations. Mantra meditation can lead one into a very deep and relaxed state of mind. It helps to develop power of concentration and will power; by strengthening the ability to hold the awareness on one tool i.e. mantra.   Mantra and Nervous System A mantra is an energy composed of certain frequencies that have a pattern of their own and a vibrational field that creates different intonations. These frequencies and the sympathetic overtones generated by them influence our sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, which are spread in a fine network around our internal organs. The sympathetic response generates the neuro motor response and influences the two hemispheres of the cerebral cortex. Neuroscience has demonstrated that the key to restructuring the nervous system in dramatic ways is to use repetitive therapeutic inputs that are precise and highly patterned. Studies show that the largest and most prominent neural circuits are formed by repetitive practices such as finger tapping, making music, and the gross, repetitive movement of limbs that occur during physical therapy. The phenomenon of neuroplasticity provides a basic explanation of how the practice of mantra affects the central nervous system. Effect of Incantation: - Incantation is the process of repetition of an alphabet, word, sentence or mantra. One of the major causes of anxiety is the impulses coming to the conscious mind from the wrong impressions stored in the sub-conscious mind. Thus the wrong reactions of the conscious mind originate from the wrong impressions in the various centers of the sub-conscious mind. The only way to overcome wrong reactions of the conscious mind is to wipe out the wrong impressions in the various centers in the sub-conscious mind and to prevent the further development of wrong impressions in them. This is done by incantation. By incantation, a powerful center is created in the subconscious mind which can send strong impulses to the conscious mind. In short, the principle of the ‘dominant thought replaces the weaker one’ is used to prevent the conscious mind from receiving any useless internal impulses. [Sassy_Social_Share title="If you loved reading this, please share it with friends and family"] Read More...  Read Less...