How To Meditate

The purpose of meditation is to stop thinking for a time, wait for the fog of thought to thin, and glimpse the spirit within. Controlling the flood of thoughts is very difficult for most people. Beginners can sometimes become very frustrated, but frustration is just another thought, another emotion that gets in the way. The goal is to release all thoughts, quietly, passively.

A common way to begin meditation is to gently focus on one thing so that it becomes more difficult for stray thoughts to enter your mind. I like to start with a breathing meditation.

To begin meditation, find a comfortable position. Sit in a comfortable chair, with your feet flat on the ground. Place your hands in your lap with the palms facing upward. Close your eyes and begin witnessing your breath. Observe the inflow and outflow of your breath without attempting to control it in any way. You may find that your breathing spontaneously gets faster or slower, deeper or shallower, and may even pause for a time. Observe the changes without resistance or anticipation. Whenever your attention drifts away from your breath to a sound in the environment, or a sensation in your body, or a thought in your mind, gently return your awareness to your breathing.

This is the basic mediation. Once a person becomes comfortable with simply sitting quietly and focusing on breathing, I recommend adding a mantra, which creates a mental environment that will allow you to expand your consciousness.

Read more: Deepak Chopra's Tips, Spirit

Adapted from The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire, by Deepak Chopra (Three Rivers Press, 2003). Reprinted by permission of the author.
Adapted from The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire, by Deepak Chopra (Three Rivers Press, 2003).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Brian M.

11:16AM PST on Jan 13, 2012

Can this practice be enhanced with the use of a sirius mind machine?

send a green star

peggy p.

2:02PM PST on Jan 8, 2012

i am going to try the mediation site you suggested. my mind seems to have a mind of it's own and is difficult to focus during meditation..thank you..

Lloyd S.

9:38AM PDT on Jul 19, 2010

Meditation is a very personal experience and has many benefits, From calming our thoughts to a state of enlightenment. I use a Tibetan mantra which I repeat slowly in concert with my breathing. Meditation is extremely useful to come to the realization that we are not our thoughts. Freedom from attachment to the never-ending "traffic" of thoughts is a most calming and blissful experience. If we can come to the understanding that we are not our thoughts nor the subsequent emotions which are formed by thoughts we will find freedom. One does not "stop" thinking, instead one becomes able to simply watch our thoughts without judgement or comparison. We can never stop thinking, but with detachment we are free of following each thought and feeling unnecessarily emotional in any way. To further research this idea, may I suggest the book "A New Country" by Eckhardt Tolle. He is a spiritual thinker and the author of three books of which I am aware. I wish all of us great love and the bright light of awakened consciousness. Namaste!

Chrisella S.

2:28AM PST on Feb 8, 2010

a very good tip. How do I do a 'mantra'?

Margaret T.

1:18PM PDT on Apr 6, 2009

I was introduced to breathing meditation 18 months ago and have found it a very powerful tool: it is calming, it now brings me quite quickly to a deeper level and I find insights a revealed as I let distractions pass through and leave. I thought Chopra's description was accurate in my experience. Do try it. . .and keep returning to awareness of your breath.

Past Member .

2:07PM PDT on May 6, 2008

Excellent! thank you

2:06PM PDT on May 6, 2008

Excellent insructions! Thank you

Laura G.

6:57PM PDT on Apr 30, 2008

If you would like to have a look go to..
www.meditation.org.au
They have 28 classes with exercises, that last about 10 minutes. Free for you to download. However, Once a week I do an in depth meditation with "the Soul of Healing Meditations" by Deepak Chopra with my partner.

6:50PM PDT on Apr 30, 2008

**It is sad that people read one or two books about yoga and instantly they believe that they have become experts in yoga and meditation.**

I think it is even more sad when a select few believe that the only form of meditation is from the old school, where one must study for months or years even, sitting in the lotus position for an hour or more humming OM or such. Meditation is something that can help EVERYONE attain the simple state of being.
I did some free lessons on line run by the meditation Society of Australia. With their blessings I used their lessons and held free classes. We are a small community in a country town which needed something like this, as there was a lot of restlessness and unhappiness and stress. The results were astounding so much so that a councillor who travelled to a town 50km's away asked if I could hold classes on a monthly basis and could he refer clients.
Anyone can do it, I believe the only criteria is a good heart, and pure intentions, with no disrespect Ikey, sounds like you could do with some. Travel in harmony Folks.

1:10PM PDT on Apr 28, 2008

Ikey - I don't understand why you think meditation isn't something people can do? Nor do I understand why you think meditation is only for some select group of people. Maybe you can explain?