Meditation

“There’s only one life. That life is God’s life. That life is perfect. That life is my life now.”
-Ernest Holmes

What do you think of when considering the word meditation? Are you like me when I first considered meditation? I could feel the anxiety well up, my heart felt like it was in my throat, my breath would quicken, and the first thought in my mind was, “I can’t meditate, what’s the point?”

That was decades ago, for me, and I am grateful I worked through my anxiety (which in fact was supported by developing a meditation practice). My first knowledge of the practice of meditation was from around age 6. I was visiting my uncle in California, and I recall he had a dedicated space in his home for meditation. I was not allowed to enter that space. I thought it was strange that he would just sit there and do nothing.

I would, more than a decade later, dabble in meditation myself. The first time I had any “formal” instruction was when I was living for a summer on an archeological dig in southwestern Colorado. I spent that summer living in a tent, and my friend who lived on site with me (we were the only two who lived full time at the site — the archeologists would drive in each day) happened to be a Dharma teacher in the Buddhist tradition. He created a meditation space for the use of anyone who desired to use it. It came complete with a singing bowl, meditation pads, incense, orchids, and quiet. He taught me a very specific form of concentration meditation.

Meditation techniques are as varied as there are people to practice them. That’s the first lesson in meditation, you are the one receiving the benefit so what works for you is yours to discover.

Another aspect of meditation that can be confusing for beginners is the timing of meditation. Is there a hard and fast rule about how long you should meditate? No. There are studies have been done suggesting that 20 minutes of meditation begins to take us to the place where we receive the greatest benefit. I have meditated for as little as 60 seconds and still received a benefit.

There are two methods of meditation I will provide today, and you can determine if either works for you.

The first is mindfulness meditation. This is a common form of meditation. In mindfulness meditation our job as practitioners is to allow the various thoughts that drift and wander in the mind to simply be. This is not about trying to clear thoughts, it is becoming aware of thoughts. The intention in mindfulness meditation is to refrain from any judgement about the thoughts, but simply be aware of the thoughts as they arise. If you practice this method on a regular basis you may begin to see patterns arise. These tendencies of thought and feeling may be the basis of your life unfoldment. There is a lot to be gained in mindfulness meditation.

The other method of meditation I want to provide has already been mentioned, concentration meditation. A form of concentration meditation was the first specific technique I was taught. In concentration meditation the practice is to focus on a single point, allowing the breath to be an anchor. Perhaps the point is a visual point, like looking at a flower or the flame of a candle. Perhaps it is aural, listening to a gong or the striking of a singing bowl. There can also be a tactile focus, counting mala beads or a rosary, or the repetition of a word or mantra. In all, whatever you use to concentrate has benefit. It can also be a combination of these things.

I am going to invite you to join me for the next sixty seconds (yes, you can meditate for only sixty seconds) in the practice of repetition.

Sit comfortably. You don’t have to be on the floor, you can sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes and repeat to yourself in mind this mantra (which I often use) over and over for the full minute. If you find your mind wanders, just refocus without judgement. Here is the mantra:

“There’s only one life. That life is God’s life. That life is perfect. That life is my life now.”

When you are complete with that full minute, gently open your eyes, take a breath and smile! You have just meditated.

As you continue developing a practice you can extend the time frame of your meditation. As you practice it gets easier.

I wish you happy meditating!