Guide to Sitting Meditation

 What is sitting meditation?                      

It can be described as cleansing the mind. We wash our bodies but what do we do for our minds? Well, sitting meditation can be a form of washing the mind or at least getting rid of garbage. More on that later. It can be described as acquiring a state of peacefulness, which, with practice can become long lasting. It can also be described as a means of acquiring wisdom. It is certainly about gaining control of our minds and thoughts. We have very good control of our senses such as sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell but how much real control do we have of our minds? When we are concentrating on something that we find interesting, our minds seem to focus but often random thoughts flow like a stream. This becomes particularly noticeable when we first begin meditation.

Daily meditation  

  To make progress in sitting meditation requires totally focused concentration. Few people find this easy. In fact it is quite difficult to break through the early stages which is why so many people give up too soon. It does require commitment. The effort is well worthwhile and can be very rewarding as there is so much benefit to be gained and it is there, available for everybody.

Meditation is central to Buddhism but it is not the exclusive realm of religion. Why is it central to Buddhism? Because the Buddha attained enlightenment through meditation and all those who follow his teaching are working towards attaining the same degree of knowledge and wisdom. Many have discovered ways of teaching meditation and there are now such a diversity of knowledge and methods. Most will work in one form or another. Meditation methods such as Zen, Transcendental, Shooting star, Cosmic and Jobim to name a few. I am going to talk to you about an ancient and well proven method which is simplicity itself and immensely effective.

Preparation

Let us first prepare for meditation. One can meditate either sitting, standing, walking or even lying down prior to sleep. All are useful and effective methods. A quiet peaceful place should be sought out and is recommended. Trying to meditate in a noisy place is full of distraction and very difficult for a beginner. Even very experienced meditators will choose somewhere quiet and peaceful. There are many places where this can be found. Obviously a Buddhist Monastery would be ideal if you have one nearby. It is not necessary to be Buddhist to attend, just show respect and observe some simple customs. I personally favour the Theravada Forest Monasteries as they are very close to the Buddha’s teaching and follow the rules that he laid down for monks and nuns. Some of them give meditation training and others hold retreats. The town monasteries can be quite noisy by comparison.

I would like to comment now that it is beneficial to meditate in a group with a qualified teacher. Once you are established you can do so on your own. By all means follow this guide to get started. The advantage of being in a group is mutual support and having a teacher present for guidance and assisting should you experience difficulty.

So now we have found a suitable peaceful place to meditate, it can of course be in your own home. Meditation music is unsuitable for this type of meditation.

Meditation technique. 

Let us assume that you are indoors and we are going to start with the sitting position. The ideal is to sit on the floor crossed legged in the lotus position. This position gives a very stable platform which is suitable for extended meditation periods. The hands will be placed in the lap, palms up with the right hand in the left hand and thumbs touching lightly. You will come across many different ideas for the hands but this is comfortable and relaxed which is the important point. The hands are not meditating, the mind is but each to what ever they feel comfortable with. If as a child you sat crossed legged on the floor, you may find this sitting position quite natural and easy but for many western people it can take some time to achieve and for others, a chair is a possibility. There are various aids to help you get you into a comfortable position. A meditation mat placed on the floor is the start. Many use a meditation cushion or pillow, some use a meditation stool and there are special meditation chairs available. If sitting on the floor is impractical, just use a hard seat chair or stool of the correct height. It is important not to rest your back against a wall or pillar nor the back of a chair. If you do you will likely drop off to sleep. The back should be straight and your head erect. Imagine a cord attached to the top of your head pulling gently. Respond to it and you will have a good posture. You will need to check your posture from time to time and make adjustments. It will become natural as you develop your technique. You should also seek out any tension in your body. Start with the shoulders and ensure that they are both relaxed. Your stomach muscles should be relaxed. Now check the arms, legs and feet. Your face muscles are also important. Little tensions can creep back so it is important to do the rounds from time to time. The idea is just to use the muscles needed to support you body in your meditating position and nothing more. Your posture is very important.

Breathing meditation

Now we are ready to start our meditation. Close the eyes. Let us first feel good about ourselves, give ourselves some kind thoughts. The object of this meditation is the tip of the nose and to concentrate on our breathing. That is all that you have to do. Simple as that ..... or is it? Well yes it is a supremely simple concept but the mind may have other ideas. So now we are going to discover that maybe we are not quite so in control of our minds as we had thought. Why is it so difficult to concentrate on such a simple and mundane thing. The answer is the same - because it is simple and mundane and the mind, your mind, does not like such discipline and it is going to do it’s best to distract you. Try counting the breaths from one to ten whilst totally focused on the tip of your nose. How far can you count before your concentration is broken? You may be surprised to discover that you counting was broken early. We all have that problem when starting. You just have to gently return your focus back to the tip of your nose again and again. In time it will get easier and I urge you to persist as the rewards are so beneficial. Do not get depressed if after a short while you are unable to sustain your concentration. Keep going for as long as you can and then a little longer. That little push is discipline for the mind! Return later for another session. It does get easier. Did you discover the pain of breathing? If the air is cool the simple act of breathing causes pain at the tip of the nose. Normally we never notice this. By the way, if you have a heavy cold and cannot breathe through the nose, you will need to get over the cold before you can do this type of meditation.

Use of Mantra

Another tool for use when concentration is proving difficult is to try a mantra. This is the repetittion of a powerful word or words. In my case, I would use words such as Buddho, Damhho and Sangho. A word of explanation here. Buddho refers to the Buddha, the teacher; Dhammo refers to the Dhamma, what he taught and Sangho the Sangha, the order of monks and nuns and the senior lay people. These are not pronounced out loud as you will disturb others. In time you will settle quite quickly into your meditation. Different schools of meditation use different mantras. Use what ever works for you. It is just a tool that you can use when needed.

Garbage

It is about this time that you may have to clear out some garbage. Our memories go back to early childhood. There may have been some unpleasant experiences in our lives which have remained deep in your memory. Maybe things that you had long forgotten. They can come welling up during meditation to unsettle you. It is important to stay calm and relaxed. Just become an observer and let them pass. You are in no danger. Once you have let them go they will not return and you will feel much better. If they should continue to bother you, which means that you have not yet let go, here is a useful tip. Write them down on a piece of paper and go to a river or stream. Tear up the paper and let it float away in the water and bid those memories farewell for ever. Let all such bad things go for ever. Do not cling to them. They are useless baggage that you are carrying around.. Another option is to have a ceremony and burn them.

If you practice regularly, one day you will discover a completely calm mind and experience great happiness. It can be described like a beautiful pool of crystal clear water of great depth without a single ripple.

As you begin to make progress in your meditation, you may notice that the breathing becomes finer and finer. This is quite normal. Do not become concerned, you will come to no harm.

For how long should we meditate?

If you can manage two sessions per day, you will do well. Even if early on they only last for ten minutes, it is still beneficial. Later you may be able to extent this to 20 minutes. The important point is regularity. The ideal would be two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. Few working people will be able to find this amount of time for meditation. If you go on a retreat you will be meditating most of the day with breaks for work, talks, chanting and a meal. Sitting meditation would then be alternated with walking meditation. I will just mention that if you have been sitting for some time, it is quite acceptable to continue your meditation standing for a while, Do your best to avoid disturbing others. Be mindful. Complimenting sitting meditation is Walking Meditation.

Avoid pre conceived ideas.

I am going to leave it there for now as you have a good basis for beneficial meditation. It should be mentioned that it is best to avoid pre conceived ideas or seek goals in meditation as they will hinder progress. Expect nothing, just follow the practice and let things happen naturally. One day you will discover your completely calm mind. You will be very happy and want to abide there. To reach that place requires effort. Do try your best.

May you all be well,

Rob Samson (c) 2009 meditationwhilstsitting.com

 Monk demonstrating sitting meditation - 10 minutes. Some variations for your use.