LEARNING TO MEDITATE

LEARN TO MEDITATE BY TRAINING THE MIND TO MOVE BEYOND OBSTACLES

LEARNING TO MEDITATE is achievable by anyone in a few simple steps.

The mind is in the habit of following a random train of thoughts and when you are learning to meditate you are effectively teaching it to follow a single-point of focus. In other words, what you are doing is training the mind to meditate.

Concentration
Concentration of the mind can last from a few seconds to several hours. When you perform any task you are focused on it, whether it is tying your shoelaces or following a recipe, and as you know, if the mind is distracted the task takes longer or steps may be missed and mistakes occur.

When a beginner is learning to meditate, it is not easy for the mind to concentrate on the breath or the space between the breath when it is trying to meditate. The beginner mind often needs an object to focus on, then with practice, the mind enters into a meditative state with ease and can focus on light, space, and connect with the Supreme Consciousness.

TRAIN THE MIND TO MEDITATE BY FOCUSING ON A SINGLE OBJECT

Steps for Concentration for Meditation

• Find a pleasing object that holds your interest such as a flower, a lit candle, a rock.

• Sit in a comfortable seated position that you can stay in without fidgeting.

• Gaze at the object without any eye strain. Notice how beautiful it is. Marvel at it's creation.

• After a few minutes, close your eyes and hold the memory of the object in your mind's eye.

• If it disappears, gaze at your object again for a little while longer then close your eyes and concentrate on your chosen image.

• With practice, you will be able to close your eyes and bring the object to mind instantly.

• Now you can focus on more subtle objects such as the breath, inner light, healing sound such as OM.

Benefits of Concentration
Whatever you focus on, your mind forms thoughts, emotions, and actions around a particular stream of thinking.
For example, if you focus on a strawberry, notice the colors and the perfume of the fruit, your mouth waters in memory of how sweet and juicy the fruit tastes and so you decide that you must have one.

During Meditation, when you are able to focus not on physical objects but on pure objects such as love or God, you become like the essence of what you are concentrating on.

You Can Do It
Meditation takes practice, but it is easily doable. Many people struggle because they try it once or twice by attempting to empty the mind, but that is too challenging because the mind is not under control. It keeps on leaping around.

The simple steps above will help you to achieve concentration and take control of the mind.

In turn, you will find that you progress very quickly from holding an external image in your mind to one where you enter into meditation and find the peace and bliss that emerges as a result of meditation.