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Meditation Made Easy

By Sheila O’Byrne, Ph.D.

This article is about sitting meditation. The first step to meditation is to make a commitment to do it daily. If we leave it to do later or tomorrow, we never get it done. It is helpful in the beginning to choose the same time each day for the meditation. The routine of meditation is then more easily established. Meditation is easy to do but hard to get done. Our minds can think up every excuse not to sit and meditate. This is partly because our minds do not want things to be different. Our minds want to stay in control. It is therefore helpful to do just five minutes per day to begin. The mind has a hard time disagreeing with just a few minutes of meditation.

There are other types of meditations. Some people prefer dancing meditation or walking meditation in nature. Others prefer the meditative quality of a quiet warm bath. People have reported feeling that deep connection to Self and Source through these various avenues. There is only one type of meditation that I have difficulty with. It is when a teacher has instructed new students to clear their minds of all thought. This is impossible to force and beginners who try this become exhausted and never want to meditate again. By saying a mantra or by watching the breath, the mind drifts into thoughts and when we are aware we come back to the mantra or the breath. This process is not forced. Through the allowance of letting the mind drift in meditation, the mind becomes quieter and more positive. It is similar to allowing a racehorse to run around a racetrack. In time it slows from a run to a walk.

It is common to repeat a word during meditation. This word is sometimes called a mantra. The mantra you choose is one you are comfortable with. The most commonly used mantra is om, also written as aum. It has been described as being the sounds or vibrations of God energy and our Souls. It is also healing for the mind to repeat the mantra om, as it is a holy sound (Schnell, 2000). The mantra quiets the mind. You can also use other words like peace or love. Harvard University did a study on mantras and found that any kind of mantra works and this included phrases such as ‘I am peace love and joy.’ The mantra you choose is repeated using the inside voice. No one can hear us chanting our mantra. The use of a word helps us to get started as does watching our breath. These techniques give the mind something to focus on otherwise we would be saying, “What am I doing here. If anyone saw me what would they think?” By saying the mantra or watching the breath we just begin to ease into ourselves. We begin to relax and feel distance from our thoughts and stresses.

The method of watching the breath and not using word mantras is called Vipassana. This type of meditation provides further advancement as it allows us to experience no thought. We experience the gap between thoughts, as we watch the breath. We then build on this happening. At first we may experience only seconds of silence. Consider five to ten years of practicing this method of meditation. Eventually we will move from mere seconds of the gap of no thought to perhaps minutes of this peaceful silence.

Here are nine guidelines for sitting meditation.

Begin with five minutes
Wear loose comfortable clothing.
Choose a comfortable quiet spot.
Sit with back straight.
Sit still as best you can.
Fold hands comfortably in your lap or one on each knee.
Close your eyes.
Begin saying a mantra, for example om, peace, joy, a phrase or whatever you are comfortable with. You can also watch your breath, the simplest method to experience the gap between thoughts, a few seconds of silence and no thought.
Your mind will eventually drift. It might think about the weather, work, food, friends, television and so on. This is just fine. Then you may find you are aware of not saying the mantra anymore or not watching your breath. Gently come back to the mantra or to the breath. Eventually drifting will likely occur again. Just keep going back and forth from saying the mantra or breathing to drifting. If thoughts are negative going back to the mantra or breath will help. In time the thoughts will become positive especially with the additional practice of being aware and kind to self.

Clients will often ask how they can know if they are achieving a state of meditation. One indication is that time passes quickly. Whether we are sitting for five minutes or thirty minutes, time goes quickly. This means that the mind is off drifting, a part usually concerned with time. We have dropped into a deep state of relaxation. If time drags on we are usually hooked into our mind. A few minutes feels like forever. This is fine too, although rather frustrating.

Meditation sounds like daydreaming and there are similarities. In both states, the mind is relaxed and drifting. We may even fall asleep, which is acceptable. The differences are that in daydreaming we are usually laying on the couch and in meditating we are sitting up. Although we are relaxed in meditation, we are also alert. We can hear any sounds in the environment such as a car horn in the distance. However, we are not disturbed, but simply aware and relaxed.

Some clients report that they feel anxious during their first meditations. This is understandable as it is somewhat strange at first to close the eyes and be inside. However the key is to just feel the anxiousness and say the mantra. An anorexic client meditated daily and all she could handle was saying the Lords’ prayer, then she would open her eyes and get busy again. I praised her for her efforts. She continued to practice and in time she was be able to do a little more and a little more. Eventually she was able to sit comfortably with herself and her eating improved. There are other steps that you can do in your meditation such as connecting to the Higher Consciousness. Saying the Lord’s Prayer or just tuning into God energy accomplishes this. At some point, you can also ask for help for yourself or for another. At the end of a meditation expressing gratitude to Spirit is fitting.
Some clients feel anxious because they wonder if they are meditating correctly. They often say, “I couldn’t get my mind to be quiet.” We are not going to silence the mind except for a few seconds when we watch the breath, so don’t even worry about it. Simply say the mantra and you will eventually drift. What happens is that we unhook from the mind. The mind continues its talking but we naturally move away from its chatter and descend into our inner wisdom.

According to most of my clients meditation helps their minds have less hold on them. Also a greater ability to accomplish other practices occurs, such as feeling feelings. They focus better and sleep better. They report that most everything improves and that meditation is the most important tool of self-healing.

In conclusion, meditation helps us to be more conscious. This means that we are more aware, joyful and at peace. The mind is quieter and more positive. Although meditating increases consciousness, it does not guarantee enlightenment. On the other hand, if we did not do such spiritual practices, it is unlikely that we would achieve enlightenment.

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