Meditation: Heal the soul

Find beauty in life, appreciate things around you, be ready and prepared for sudden changes in life, be kind and gentle, and you will see surprising results.

The art of meditation has been practiced since times immemorial. Be it Sufis or Buddhists, all have employed meditative techniques like yoga with different postures, breathing exercises and different goals.

The common thread, however, is that meditation is a pathway to peace, a way of connecting with the divine or finding the ultimate truth. It is a practice that not only soothes the body but heals the soul, the inner being, bringing one peace and contentment.

Meditation is the skill of focusing on an object or a thought. It enables one to understand everything in life. It lets one observe and indulge with the inner self, allowing people to get acquainted with their whole entity. In a nutshell, meditation is a corridor to one’s inner self, through which one can access and address inner conflicts, inner demons and discover true inner strengths. Meditation makes one feel more fulfilled, relaxed and more in control of themselves

Besides aiming at developing a deeper understanding of one, meditation also allows one to discover one’s true abilities. It gives life a new perspective, which is more positive and more productive.

A meditation session begins with sitting calmly in an extremely comfortable position, focusing all one’s attention inwards or towards a specific object or topic. To meditate, you will need to breathe consciously, creating a slow, deep rhythmic breathing cycle using your lungs, diaphragm and abdomen. Inhale from your nose, observe as your diaphragm descends and abdomen rises, then exhale and the exact opposite will happen. Observe your breathing pattern; deeply inhale: pause. Exhale: pause.

Once your breathing is in order, try and open your mind’s eye. Try to focus on an imaginary rose as you meditate. Imagine looking closely at its vibrant colours, feeling its velvety soft petals, smelling it. You can actually smell its refreshing fragrance if you are concentrating deeply enough.

Concentrating requires your mind to be organised. Thoughts that pass your brain need to be trained or organised. An untrained mind is like a chattering monkey; always restless, jumping here and there and never calm or still. You can control this chattering monkey by training your stream of thoughts

Sometimes sitting sill and trying not to think or focus on any thing specific can be helpful in sorting out your thoughts. Sitting quietly will help you unravel what is going on inside you. It will surprise you how many thoughts, distant memories, future plans, dreams, and unexpected thoughts you will unearth. It is helpful to try and create order in your mind by detaching yourself from your surroundings for some time.

Different objects or symbols can be used to meditate, which can either be found in nature or around you. For instance, a candle is the universal symbol of peace and hope. Light up a candle in a dark room and concentrate on its flame if you lack hope and peace in your life.

Other examples can be of evergreen plants, for they symbolise the continuation of the cycle of life as waterfalls represent the flow of life. Discover your own symbols; vastness of a starry sky can be an example too.

Nature has blessed us with objects around us to observe and enjoy, and with five senses so that we can benefit from nature’s many blessing by seeing, thinking, hearing, tasting and smelling. Colours found in nature have their own mysterious influences on us. Each colour is known for its specific attributes and to draw upon their qualities, you need to visualise a particular colour in your mind, trying to assume qualities you seek.

Visualise a red flower, fire or any red object when you need strength, direction, energy and courage in life. Look at the sunset to gain the properties of the colour orange such as vitality, brilliance, activity, or to break down barriers or get more fun out of life. The colour yellow is a sign of spring, a colour representing clarity. Green is a colour of renewal and of personal growth. Amplify relaxation in your life with the colour blue — the colour of the sea and the sky. Indigo is a rare colour in nature and is related to the expansion of mind. Violet insinuates peace and harmony within you. For pureness and wholeness meditate thinking of the colour white

Find beauty in life, appreciate things around you, be ready and prepared for sudden changes in life, be kind and gentle, and you will see surprising results. Make it a habit to relax before you go to bed, and to greet whoever you see each morning with a smile.

Always remember, to achieve fulfilment in life, live each moment happily, positively, for time is constantly running away. Make positive choices in life and be aware of the power of you mind. Always be in control of your thoughts, because it’s very true that ‘you are what you think’. Remember that meditation is not about being cut off from the world. It is all about finding inner peace amidst the hassle bustle of life.

published: 6th June 08 DAWN