This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

A Variety of Ways to Meditate (Part 2)

There are a variety of ways to deepen your conscious contact with the "Great Reality within."

There are a variety of ways to meditate. Differing life circumstances sometimes require that we change our approach. Last week, we discussed “resting the mind” and “object” meditation; here are two other approaches with which you can experiment to find personal ways of deepening your conscious contact with the “Great Reality within.”

 

Movement Meditation

In this form of meditation, we concentrate on the sensations of the body in motion. In our everyday life, we rarely move or stretch simply for the experience of it. An alternative is to move with no particular aim and without trying to get anywhere. In Buddhist meditation, this is called apranibita, meaning “aimlessness.” Each movement is taken slowly and deliberately. Each step is enjoyed.

Find out what's happening in Eaganwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Walking meditation is an ideal way to begin this practice. Try this:

Walk in slow motion for 10 minutes. You can do this inside your home or outside in an open area.

Find out what's happening in Eaganwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

As you move, focus on the sensations of your leg in motion. Experience your weight shifting. Observe the feel of the sole of your foot making contact with the ground, your muscles contracting and releasing. Notice each part of the experience:

  • Stand upright and still, allowing your arms to hang comfortably by your sides or clasped behind your back. Keep your eyes downcast enough to avoid distractions and yet see where you are going.
  • Notice the intention to raise one foot and place your attention on that foot. Raise the foot a little and momentarily hold it there.
  • Notice the intention to move the foot forward. Move the foot forward and hold it for a moment just above the ground.
  • Notice the intention to place the foot on the ground. Place the foot on the ground.
  • Repeat the process with the other foot.

Remember to observe each part of the experience. As you move, experience your weight shifting. Notice the feel of the sole of your foot making contact with the ground and your muscles contracting and releasing throughout each step.

 

Mentally Reciting a Phrase

In this practice, we turn a phrase in our mind, adding it to the cycle of breathing in and breathing out, like a mantra. When we get caught in the “stinking thinking” of addiction, compulsions or codependency, this technique can be a great consolation. Mental recitation gives us something else to do with our mind in those moments, redirecting our neural impulses to a new track of thought.

The Prayer of St. Francis (“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace”), a Psalm, a sacred word, a line from a poem, a stanza from the Bible or other holy text, or the Serenity Prayer, can all be used. Many times, when my mind is agitated, brewing a storm, I like to use something short and sweet.

What’s happening as we use mental recitation is that we’re getting out of our own way when we meditate. Not doing anything. Not making ourselves relax. Just breathing and being, holding our attention on an inspiring phrase.

Try any of these:

  • Repeat a phrase silently in your mind as you breathe. For example: “Breathing-in, I know I am breathing-in. Breathing-out, I know I am breathing-out.”
  • Recite a phrase during your walking or movement meditation. You could simply recite, “Let the buddha-in-me walk.”
  • Combine breath awareness with loving kindness meditation. Turn a loving kindness blessing in your mind with each breath, such as, “May I be peaceful” on the in-breath, “and happy” on the out-breath. Pair one blessing with each full breath.
  • Combine loving kindness blessings with walking meditation. As you lift your foot to take a step, say, “May I have ease of well-being.” As you place your foot on the ground, say, “In this life.” Again, recite one blessing with each step.
Thérèse Jacobs Stewart, M.A., L.P., has been a practicing psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and international consultant for more than 28 years. She is the founder of St. Paul’s Mind Roads Meditation Center, which integrates contemplative practices from both east and west and serves as home of the St. Paul chapter of the Twelve Steps and Mindfulness meetings. For more information about her center and teaching schedule, click on www.mindroads.com.
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?