Practical Spirituality and Methods of Meditation 1

There is a simple form of meditation, vipassana, which means to see things as they really are. It is a very ancient form of Indian meditation that involves sitting in a comfortable position with the legs crossed, or in a chair, if necessary, with one's back straight and spine erect. The most important thing in meditation is not to sit in a lotus position or half lotus position. If you cannot sit with your legs crossed in the popular positions just sit in a position with your spine erect to facilitate the correct breathing and the correct flow of energy.

One begins vipassana by paying close attention to the breath as it goes in and out. One slowly focuses the awareness on the nostrils as they feel the breath coming in and out. As one sits for a period of time one's feelings and thoughts begin to arise from deep within. The object is to be aware of them, glance at them, and then let them go. The same is true of one's observance of the reactions taking place in the body.

In many meditation classes in the U.S watching the breath is emphasized, but what happens as one does that is not. One watches the breath in the beginning, but one eventually becomes aware of the feeling engendered by the breath as it fills the body with new vitality with each inhalation, and removes the toxins from the body with each exhalation. One becomes aware of everything: the room; one's thoughts; the flow of energy through the body as one breaths; and then as time progresses, the essence of the thoughts and feelings at the core of self.

It is important, therefor, when one begins this type of meditation to not just listen to the breath going in and out. One must feel the breath going in and out and all the changes that take place as a result of the process. Eventually one realizes that there is no separation between the breath, the body, the thoughts, and the area that surrounds one. One uses the breath as a thread to lead one deeper into the true Self. This contact with the true Self pulls one deeper into the subconscious, and expands one outward at the same time, as it ends all dualistic beliefs and helps one experience reality as a whole where the inner and outer are the same.

One experiences the oneness of the self and the universe, and from this place, the whole Self, one watches the fragmented thoughts, ideas, and feelings of the ego and recognizes that, that fragmented ego that one thought was the Self never was. The true Self is the one observing. The true Self is the one that is whole and complete; expanded into infinity and compacted into negative infinity. As one realizes this and dwells with the true Self, as the true Self, the ego, the false ideas, loses its strength and one become free of the pain, suffering, delusions, and patterns imprinted into the body and the physical apparatus called the brain. One is then free.

This comes through watching the breath and feeling going in and out at the beginning, not just listening to one's breath, or counting one's breath. It is important to take the first step fully if you want this type of meditation to work for you. Do not wait to feel the effects of the breath by accident, feel the effects of the breath when you start by intention and follow them as you follow the breath. I would suggest you try this type of meditation for 21 days. If you like it continue. If you don't you can try another. We will be discussing several types of meditation in other articles very soon in simple, easily understandable and practical ways.