How to Meditate.

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Obviously I won't be able to cover this in depth in a simple thread but I'll outline the basics and then you can ask questions. The actual acot of meditation is simple. It's the questions that arise as you practise that you usually need help with.

What meditation isn't.

1. It isn't about concentrating your thoughts.
2. It isn't about focusing.
3. It isn't about thinking about one thing over and over again.

Meditation is the act of stilling your mind, of ceasing to think. Why do this? The mind is a perfect servent but a terrible master. For all of us, our minds are in control. We think constantly, all day. The same thoughts, going round and round. This causes us to remain buried in our own world, unable to see what is going on around us. Our mind wishes us to remain in this state, because it is what is known. Anything unknown for the mind is a threat and must be avoided. This will be your biggest challenge on the road to meditation.

Think of yourself as being caught in a tornado. To avoid being swept away the only thing you can hold onto is a flagpole.

The tornado is your mind with it's chaotic swirl of endless thoughts. The flagpole is your meditation that keeps you from being blown away.

Now how to meditate. I'll give you a simple one to start off with, although all meditation is simple in essence. (Anyone who would have you believe differently and ask you to pay a lot of money for an extended "course" is a charlatan.)

Breathing meditation.

Place yorself in a darkened room, sitting upright on a straight-backed chair with both feet resting firmly on the floor. Hands on your lap with the thumbs and index fingers touching.
Take several deep breaths using all of your lungs. Visualize your lungs as being shaped like a pear. When we breath we only use the very top part of the lung. I want you to use the whole thing. Start at the bottom and breath in with three deep breaths using the lower, middle and upper part of the lungs. Breathe out in the same controlled way. Do this ten times. Do not overdo this. Your body isn't used to it. Every week, add one extra breath.

Now you are ready to meditate. Relax yourself. Your flagpole is your normal breath. In and out. For you, that is all there is. Breathe in, breathe out. Almost immediately you will start thinking about something. How interesting this is, it's as interesting as that time I went to the art gallery with marty, what is marty doing these days, etc etc etc.
And at some point you will suddenly realise that all you are doing is thinking. This is the moment when you bring yourself back to your flagpole - your breathing. In and out. This will happen again and again.

Set an alarm clock for 20 minutes. This is more than enough time. After the first session you won't need to use the alarm clock. You will know when the 20 minutes are up.

Practice this once a day, twice if you want. I won't go into the benefits of meditation now, the post has been long enough. If you have any questions, post them here and I'll answer them for you. I normally post around this time.

Warning; Your mind does NOT want you to do this. It will seek out any method to stop you. Nobody has wrung your doorbell for 20 years? Well expect it to ring as soon as you start doing this. Make sure you have no possible distractions around you. The mind is devious. It is your greatest hurdle on this path.

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