by Joseph Wardy

Created on: August 23, 2010   Last Updated: August 24, 2010

Learning to meditate is the easiest and most challenging activity of our lives. But before we discuss the learning aspects of meditation let us  unlearn what meditation is not. Meditation is not restricted to monks who live every day in silence or practitioners who sit formally with a cushion and mat. Although some religions like Buddhism and Christianity practice a form of meditation, the practice need not be associated with any denomination. Meditation is not mystical and is generally  adverse to a belief system.

So, what is this easiest and most challenging activity called meditation? To me , meditation is the expansion of consciousness. This consciousness is a state of being of stillness allowing the practitioner to create space from the past and future into the present moment. Meditation is easy because it only requires us to breathe. It is most difficult works against  the mind which is working 24/7 to keep pressing about the past and future while ignoring right now.

To reiterate that meditation is not restricted to formal sitting, let's expand on what the expansion of consciousness is. It is, to me, the expansion of living the moment through the body. mind and heart. How do we activate the heart, and create inner body awareness. Let's explore each separately:

* The Body- The Buddha said, " The mind travels in the past and future but the body is in the here and now. And spiritual teacher Eckhardt Tolle said, " You do not have a body. You are the body". We can learn to mediate by concentrating on the body and in so doing takes us away from the clutter of our mind. Suggestion: Sit comfortably in silence with no distractions like the radio and television. Breathe deeply and consciously and begin by noticing the senses. Ask yourself...How do I know I can heart? And then observe the neutrality of sound as sound id not good or bad. Then say...How do I know I can see? Lastly..How do I know I can smell and observe the breath through the nostrils. You then can go to hands, feet, arms legs etc

* The Heart- Rather than the traditional prayers of petition to God, Why not consider a mediation that extends positive energy toward all sentient beings. One way of cultivating this mediation is through a practice called Loving Kindness. Here you simply select people you wish to send positive energy to by a simple manta like May you be free from suffering or May you always be at peace.

With both of these suggestions, you will get trapped by the mind away from the moment into the past or future. Be gentle with yourself and allow the breath to get you back to the moment. There are many other ways to learn  to meditate but I hope one of these can be of spiritual value to you!

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