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"Kriya Yoga" is one popular method for pranayama. There are also schools which do not insist on Pranayama.

The various methods professed by different schools for meditation are:

(1) Learn a Mantra (generally a holy name of God with "Om") from your Guru, repeat it by concentrating on the God-form or on the sound or on the meaning of it. A Mantra can also be just a syllable, without relation to a God (as practiced in "Transcendental Meditation").

(2) Watch your breathing - gradually observing its slowing down.

(3) Watch your flow of thoughts like a witness, without taking part or getting carried away.

(4) Concentrate on a single thought - your God form, a symbol or a single idea.

(5) Inquire "Who am I?" Inquire by negation: "I am not the body, not the mind, not the ego..." Proceed till mind settles in its inner most recess at peace.

and so on.

Meditation is best practiced at early morning (after 4:00AM till around sun-rise), noon, evening (around sun-set) and at mid-night.

One tell-tale indication to know your progress in successful meditation is this: When you open your eyes after meditation thinking that some 10 minutes would have passed, you find that almost 20 minutes have gone. You will feel very refreshed and peaceful when you wind up.

You have to practice with perseverance, never losing heart. Get guided only by a qualified Guru, not by a "professional" who says meditation is easy and makes a business out of it.

Learn more about this author, C.V.Rajan.
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