This article is intended to teach a meditation technique that I have been using for over 20 years. It's simple and effective. I'll say more on related topics later. Here's how to do it:
Choose your mantra:
The mantra is a sound you subvocalize (say to yourself) as you meditate. With this technique the mantra consists of two parts. To obtain the first part subvocalize a sound that you find pleasant and restful, such as wind blowing through trees, or surf, or rain falling on a roof, etc. To obtain the second part subvocalize the sound you would make when putting yourself at ease, such as slipping into a warm bath or fond easy chair, such as ahh... or hmm... or ohh..., etc. Finally subvocalize the blending of the first sound into the second sound and you have your mantra. I advise against brandishing your mantra about in your daily world outside your meditations--that might reduce its effectiveness.
Is it in breath or out breath?:
Next you have to determine whether you say the mantra while breathing in or breathing out. To do this you first find your excitation response and then do the opposite. For example, when you pinch yourself do you experience a short in breath, or a short out breath? If you breathe in with this test, you should say the mantra while breathing out. Conversely if your excitation response is to breathe out, then you would say the mantra during an in breath. For most people the excitation response is a sharp in breath. So for most the mantra is subvocalized while breathing out. If you have any trouble making this determination, then start off by saying the mantra while breathing out for the first week, then the next week say the mantra while breathing in. Which ever is the better experience determines the method you should keep.
Find a quiet environment and meditate:
When you sit down to meditate let yourself relax for a minute or two before saying your mantra. Meditation is designed to evoke the relaxation response and you should be calm before you begin. Keeping your eyes closed is best because opening them tends to raise your metabolism. While I find that I can meditate when there is noise or commotion, it is rarely very enjoyable and so a quiet place for doing this is usually indicated. Also since meditation tends to lower your metabolism you should not meditate sooner than one hour after eating a meal. Digestion increases the metabolic rate while meditation decreases it. They are counter tendencies and don't mix well. You know you are meditating correctly when it feels good. If you want to stay awake during the meditation experience you should keep your head up and not rest it on anything; however, sleep is no problem and is probably good for you anyway. If you find yourself falling asleep while meditating just begin meditating again after you awake until your meditation period comes to an end. After your meditation period just sit quietly for a minute or two before becoming active.
I was originally taught that it is best to pick the same time each day in which to meditate and to do it twice a day. I don't think this is a hard and fast rule, but I recommend adopting a regimen that promotes the best meditations. If it feels good do it. And conversely don't do what doesn't feel good. If you are doing this correctly you should be very refreshed and satisfied after meditating. Anywhere from ten minutes to a half hour should be a proper time for meditation; however, there maybe times when the meditation is so good you might do it for an hour or more. You'll know when it's time to quit because you will want to get up and become active again.
You should notice that your breath rate is reduced when you meditate. That is an indication that your metabolic rate has decreased. Over the years I have been meditating I have noted a continual decrease in the number of breaths per minute that I have during meditation. Currently it is just under three breaths per minute although I seldom measure this directly. The breath rate is a good measure of how well the meditation is proceeding. Low breath rates indicate deep meditation. Don't try to artificially reduce your breath rate during meditation--that would only reduce your oxygen intake and result in not feeling well during the meditation.
A note concerning origin of this technique:
I learned about this meditation technique circa 1980. Before that I had been a practitioner of Transcendental Meditation or TM. Finding this technique to be much better via breath rate measure, I adopted the technique and have never used TM again--not even once. In the classified ads section of what I presume was a magazine I found a reference for the learning of a meditation technique called ULTRA MEDITATION. I sent off for this information and was sent the description of a meditation technique the same as the one I have described here. I remember that the name of the organization was Achievement Research Associates and they were based in Arizona. In a recent search with Google there were no listings for "Achievement Research Associates"; however, Ultra Meditation is now a trade mark of a company not in Arizona.
This document is a work in progress and I intend to add more to it later. I would be interested in hearing from anyone regarding how well this instruction is going for them and how it might be improved. Also any questions concerning this meditation are welcome.
You may reach me at the email address:
conifer@apexmail.com
Be sure to put the letter combination AWTM (A Way To Meditate) somewhere in the subject line or you risk having your missive falling into the bit bucket where it would languish indefinitely and suffer the ignominious fate of being deleted en masse with accumulated SPAM.
Charles Lazo
Spring Hill, Florida
May 17, 2003