Still open to answers?
I have found that the best approach to meditation is first of all to stop thinking of it as "meditation". What you are really trying to accomplish is to reach a state of total relaxation. For this reason probably the best orientation is to lie down, without a pillow if you can manage it. Create a regular, daily ROUTINE. Be mindful of the fact that total relaxation is perhaps the most demanding, difficult discipline you will ever undertake. Don't be fooled by the notion that you are only "doing nothing."
Of course, as you achieve relaxation, you just naturally fall asleep. So you must add something extremely important to the mix, and that is an audible, wholehearted dedication to your Creator. This adds the element of purposefulness. You are relaxing for a reason, a very important reason... first, to achieve complete mastery of your physical body, and subsequently complete mastery of your mental activity, ultimately to meet and serve your Maker. Thus, your mind must be used in a specific way so as to master both the body and the mind. You are attempting to get into flow with "higher energies." To do this you must become FOCUSED, calm, attentive, watchful, anticipating, ALERT, wide awake and AWARE.
Once the HABIT of this process is established, you find that you can do it more readily each time you enter into it. You will be rewarded with a special CLARITY and crispness of awareness.
Treat your body initially like a wet dish towel. It will pass through stages. You may at first feel itches. Then you may feel heavy. Ultimately you will lose all sensation of your body. To avoid falling asleep you must focus your attention upon the white or grey screen of your mind's eye. The idea is to simply WATCH. To be ALERT. To be receptive, keeping the energy field of protection around you which you erected when you dedicated yourself to "God." This purpose will also enable you to remain STILL, peaceful, alert and free of a myriad of thoughts running rampant like small children in your head. Your purpose will protect you from thoughts running astray.
When you succeed in following the energy trail back to the Source of your own Consciousness, you will discover the Cause of Everything.
Above all, don't dismay of not accomplishing total relaxation overnight. In fact, it is likely to require months, and could even take years, depending on your degree of devotion.
Comments
I don't see how you can 'watch you thoughts' without thinking though...
by Carmella on May 4th, 2007
There's a distinction between observing and thinking. Basically, you can observe something without simultaneously having an internal dialog about it. This internal dialog (the talking to yourself about it) is called "thought".
by godma on May 4th, 2007
Great answer, david1 +up for you.
by American idle on May 4th, 2007
I agree: the distinction between thinking and simply being aware (observing) is crucial. The only way to really discover this is to practice, as far as I can tell. Thinking about observation is NOT the same thing as observing thoughts.
by Stableboy on May 5th, 2007
One other thing about your question, Candy -- when you say "how does one reflect on themselves"... that adds some confusion to the topic. To simply watch thoughts coming and going isn't about having some concept that "I'm reflecting on myself" -- that's just another thought to be observed. This is a tricky business, because we can only use concepts to talk about what's happening. Too much of this kind of talk tends to just give people more thoughts to get caught up in. Best thing to do is let go of all that stuff, follow the breath, and when you find yourself wandering off into long reveries or analysis, etc., just come back to the breath. In time, the meaning of "observing thoughts" will become obvious from experience, rather than from figuring something out about it.
by Stableboy on May 5th, 2007
Thanks everyone :) @SB: Yeah, maybe it is just a practice thing. I like to be able to figure the theory out before I do something, but that seems impossible on this one!
by Carmella on May 5th, 2007
Well that comment hits the nail right on the head: the trouble with just being present is that it can't be grasped as an idea: presence is PRIOR to ideas. It's like presence is the movie screen, and ideas are the movie. You have to have the screen so the movie can have something to play on, but the movie cannot show you the screen. No matter how hard you try to figure out what "being aware" is, you can't get a handle on it that way. That's what's meant by "ungraspable" -- it's not that you're not smart enough, it's that this is something which is always present before thoughts arise. It's what the thoughts arise INSIDE of.
by Stableboy on May 6th, 2007
That helped me to understand a lot, thank you. The only thing to do is go to the theatre I guess and see what's on :)
by Carmella on May 7th, 2007