Methods of meditation

Exploring the Path towards Quite Inner Self

It should be like gently blowing chunk of cloud to be in a certain place. Of course it would deviate from its designated position. You should not fight its deviation. You cannot fight. The cloud would disintegrate and spill out. You would gently blow it from another direction to readjust it's position. Your thrust of blow should gradually decrease. After sometime when the air becomes still, the cloud would stay in its place. You do not need to blow any more. Remember to gradually reduce your blowing else the very act of blowing will agitate the surrounding air and disperse the cloud.

Its all about Attention

There are several popular methods for the act of blowing your attention. Some of these methods were experimented since ages. The effects of all these methods can be summarized as following.

 1.  Try to be in a comfortable space, such that you are susceptible to minimum distractions.

 2.  Try to gently control your attention to be in on place. Lesser the control more it will be effective. You need lesser control if you love doing the process.

3.  Gradually it would induce a hypnotic state. That would make you calm.

4.  Now try to observe the changes in your environment without loosing the calmness. Like see how the your mental constructs jump here and there. Listen how the sound of wind changes. Do not try to interact with them or change them. That may scramble your calmness.

Many methods, but One Path

Now let us see what the state of the art methods, states.

Mindfulness Meditation: This technique involves paying attention to the present moment without judgement. Focus on your breath, bodily sensations, thoughts, or sounds around you. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the present. This is like directly controlling the attention to be in a certain place.

Loving-Kindness Meditation: Also known as Metta meditation, this practice involves directing loving-kindness and compassion towards yourself and others. Begin by generating feelings of love and well-being towards yourself, then extend them to loved ones, neutral individuals, and even difficult people. Love and compassion reduces distractions and agitations by reducing the effect of ego.

Guided Meditation: In guided meditation, you listen to a recorded voice or follow along with an instructor who provides instructions and visualization techniques. The instructions usually are to control ones attention to be in a certain place and induce a hypnotic state. It can be helpful for beginners or those seeking a structured meditation experience.

Mantra Meditation: This method involves repeating a word, phrase, or sound (mantra) silently or aloud. The repetition helps focus the mind and induce a state of relaxation and concentration. Popular mantras include "Om," "Om Mani Padme Hum," or personal affirmations.

Body Scan Meditation: In this practice, you systematically scan your body from head to toe, paying attention to any sensations, tension, or areas of relaxation. It helps develop body awareness and release physical and mental stress.

Breath Awareness Meditation: Simply observe your breath without trying to control or manipulate it. Focus on the sensation of the breath entering and leaving your body. This technique tries concentrate attention on the breath and induced a sense of calm.

Walking Meditation: Engage in walking mindfully, paying attention to each step, the movement of your body, and the surrounding environment. It can be done indoors or outdoors, and it combines physical activity with meditation.

Sound Bath & Sound Meditation: Sound bath is getting immersed in soothing sounds of various instruments. These instruments can include singing bowls, gongs, chimes, drums, and other melodic or rhythmic devices. The sounds produced are intended to induce a state of deep relaxation, and a sense of being "bathed" in sound vibrations. Sound meditation involves using sound as a focal point for attention. You need to direct your attention to observe the changes in the sound.  The vibrations and harmonics produced by the sound can naturally promote relaxation and reduce distractions. It provides a very effective natural guard rails to control your attention, and you need to relatively put less effort in controlling.

It should be spontaneous

There is not right or wrong in any of these methods of meditation. It is like someone may be more comfortable in practicing a certain method. You can practice to be meditative while doing you favorite activity. Like running, painting, solving math problems. Once you put enough attention to these activities, these would induce the hypnotic state. While in the state, if you could find the observer who watches over all the activities you are doing, you become meditative. But of-course you need to have a strong passion and love for the activity, such that you don't need to put lot of effort to put your attention there. Putting your attention should be spontaneous.

However the "Loving-Kindness Meditation" should be mandatory irrespective of any methods you follow. Without being loving, kind and compassionate there would be lot of distractions for the mind that are hard to bypass. At the end once you discover your quite inner self, the whole meditation becomes spontaneous.