=================================== BASIC MEDITATION TECHNIQUES Part 1 of 3 Parts May 1987 by Bill Witt=================================== NEW ATLANTIS BBS 301-632-2671 Member of the ParaNet system===================================This is the first part of a three part online course in BasicMeditation Techniques
The course is devided into three sections. Section one deals withwhat meditation is and how it plays a part in the lives of those whouse it. Section two will go into the techniques and tools ofmeditation. Section three gives suggestions on how to use whatyou've learned, in everyday life. A list of books for further readingon the subject, will be given at the end of section three.This material may be reproduced and distributed only if the header,by line, and BBS info remain part of any such reproduction.__________________________________Webster defines meditation as "The act of meditating; close orcontinued thought; the revolving of a subject in the mind."To meditate is to focus mentally on one thought, idea, or concept.It may also mean, to revolve an idea in your mind so as to changethe way in which you think of that idea. Meditation is therefore, atool with which you may manipulate thought in an organized manner.Many people view meditation as a very difficult thing to learn.In reality though, we do it often without even knowing it. When youdaydream or find your mind fixed on one thought, that is a form ofmeditation. Have you ever watched a bird in flight, or stared up atthe clouds in the sky, or maybe even found yourself watching astream of water flow by? If you have and at that moment the restof the world around you has seemed removed, then you were in a stateof meditation. The real key to this practice, is to be able to exercisecontrol over your thoughts and awareness of the world around you.There are many groups of people for whom meditation is an everydayritual. Others use it at special times as a means of relaxation and"mental house cleaning." It allows the individual a freedom unlike noother freedom. The freedom to look inside oneself and learn just whoyou are. Some use it as a way of being closer to nature or God. Nomatter how you wish to use it, you will find it a healthy and veryrewarding experience.Most all religions practice meditation in one way or another.Eastern philosophies such as Yoga, and Buddism are not the only onesto view meditation as a way of looking for the Truth found inone's own consciousness. Even in Christianity meditation finds aplace of value. The Bible itself mentions the value of meditation.In writing to the Phillippians, the Apostle Paul tells them this."Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever thingsare honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of goodreport; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think onthese things." (Phil. 4.8)So you ask, what can it do for me. Well, beyond just being a goodway to really relax, which we can all use in this hectic world, itcan be a doorway to the Truth inside yourself. It is a way ofgaining wisdom. Knowledge has always been fairly easy to come by.Wisdom on the other hand, is a bit harder to grasp onto.In "The Task" by William Cowper, the following line is found."Knowledge dwells in heads replete with thoughts of other men: Wisdom,in minds attentive to their own."For me, meditaion becomes a way of "grounding" myself, of reachinga place of peace and stability, where I can find how I fit into theuniverse.In many philosophies, meditaion is viewed as a necessary skill. Allthose who are students of these philosophies must learn the ways ofmeditaion early in their training. Although the techniques may varyfrom one group to another, the most basic concepts remain the same.The ability to be able to focus on one thought and selectively blockout all others is the foundation upon which many more advancedskills will be built. These skills may range from telepathy to theability to move objects with only the mind.It is well known that Yogi adepts can lower their breathingand heart rates to near death levels. This is something youshould not try as it takes years of practice to learn and can be
quite dangerous. Still, these yogis are proof of the type ofpower the mind can exercise over the body through meditation.In some cultures, the use of drugs to achieve a meditativestate is encouraged. The american indians for example, used drugsderived from various plants to put themselves into an alteredstate of conciousness. This was usually done as a religiouspractice and as an event marking the change from one state of lifeto another. A good example would be the ceremony marking the cominginto manhood of a young boy. Today there are still many, who advocatethe use of drugs to achieve these altered states. It is my opinionthat such measures are neither necessary nor good. You can reachan altered state of conciousness without the use of drug induced"highs". It takes practice, but it can be done.In New Age philosophy, the art of meditaion is highly valued.We also find another well developed skill which is called "creativevisualization". This is the idea of visualising what you want tothe point of it becoming reality. A good example would be a salesmanvisualizing himself as successful and prosperous. The concept issimple, if you can visualize a personal reality, you can changeor bring that reality into being. "Positive Thinking" is a verysimilar idea. The technique of creative visualization goes beyondpositive thinking however. It deals with the premise that we all createour own reality and therefore have the power to change many aspects ofthat reality. The idea of "personal reality" is a lengthy one and we donot have enough room to cover it in this course.So far we have looked briefly at what meditation is and how itis used. By no means have we touched on all the aspects of thispractice. There are many books on the subject which cover it in muchmore detail. My purpose is to give you an overview of the many facetsof meditation in the hope that you will wish to learn more.In the next section, I will give you insructions on how to meditateand achieve an altered state of conciousness. Also a list of aidsto meditation will be given and their use explained.=================================== End Of Part 1===================================
