Starting a Meditation Practice

Today I would like to share with you a beautiful meditation practice where the mind is withdrawn from external sense objects (Pratyahara) and combined with inner silence (antar mouna). This is a process of just observing and can bring a lot of forgotten or suppressed issues to the surface. Antar mouna is also a powerful tool to calm the mind in the most unpleasant surroundings and in the midst of intense noise.

However, don’t practice this meditation if suffering from depression or other mental problems, or an inability to control the thought process consciously. It should also not be practiced when the mind is in a pessimistic mood.

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Sit in a comfortable meditation posture.

Adjust your position so that you do not have to move any part of the body during the practice.

Make sure the spine is straight and the head, neck and shoulders are slightly back.

Place your hands on the knees in chin or jnana mudra.

Close your eyes and become aware of the slow, deep breathing and start counting five breaths mentally.

Now switch your attention to the body. Concentrate on your meditation posture. Feel your spine rising straight up from the floor, supporting the head. Be aware of the synchronised and balanced position of the arms and legs. Maintain total awareness of the body.

Visualise your body externally as if you were seeing it in a full length mirror. See your body in the meditation posture from the front, from the back, from the right side, from the left side, from the top. See your body from all sides at once now.

Take the time now to make the final adjustments to the body so that you feel comfortable.

Now make the following resolve: “I will not move my body throughout the whole practice. My body will not move or shake. I will remain steady and motionless like a statue”. Even if you feel an impulse to move a finger or a toe, to adjust your clothing, or to scratch, try to overcome this impulse. When you feel the desire to move you must say to yourself  “No, I will not move any part of my body until the end of the practice”.

Be aware of your physical body, of your meditation posture and of nothing else. There should be total uninterrupted awareness of the whole body. The body is perfectly steady and motionless. Develop the feeling of steadiness.

Be aware of your body and steadiness. Be aware of your body and steadiness. Your body is absolutely steady and still. Be aware of steadiness. Be aware of the physical body. There is no movement, no discomfort, only steadiness and stillness.

Without moving, experience the sensation of touch. Be aware of the parts of the body that are in contact with the floor, the contact points of your clothing and skin. Fix your whole attention on the sense of touch until you loose interest in it.

Then become aware of the outside environment. Be aware of the external sounds; listen carefully with detached awareness. Do not judge, analyse or think about the sounds…only listen to the sounds. Focus your attention on the most prominent sound for a few seconds, then dismiss it and find another…

Now become aware of your breath. Fix your whole attention on the flow of the breath; cut off the perception of external sounds. Continue breath awareness for a few moments…

Then again direct your attention to the outside world and each and every sound. Be alert, don’t become lost in thoughts. Just bring your mind gently back to the sounds for a few moments…

Again become aware of the breathing process. Forget the outer sounds; only perceive the flow of the breath…

Again become aware of the outside sounds and listen carefully...

Gradually become aware of the entire physical body and of the meditation posture. Feel the weight of the body against the floor. Be aware of the hands resting on the knees. Be aware of the whole physical body.

When ready, start moving your fingers and toes. Rub your palms together and place the warm palms over the closed eyes. Gently open your eyes.

Hari Om Tat Sat

This combination of practices has been taken from books of the Bihar School of Yoga, Yoga Publication Trust) and includes a few personal alterations.