Why Meditate?
What is meditation?
Meditation improves brain function at an anatomical level
National library of Medicine
we reviewed and meta-analyzed 123 brain morphology differences from 21 neuroimaging studies examining ∼300 meditation practitioners. Anatomical likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis found eight brain regions consistently altered in meditators, including areas key to meta-awareness (frontopolar cortex/BA 10), exteroceptive and interoceptive body awareness (sensory cortices and insula), memory consolidation and reconsolidation (hippocampus), self and emotion regulation (anterior and mid cingulate; orbitofrontal cortex), and intra- and interhemispheric communication (superior longitudinal fasciculus; corpus callosum). Effect size meta-analysis (calculating 132 effect sizes from 16 studies) suggests a global 'medium' effect size (Cohen's d¯=0.46; r¯=.19). Publication bias and methodological limitations are strong concerns, however. Further research using rigorous methods is required to definitively link meditation practice to altered brain morphology.
See report here: https://www.facebook.com/Deeper-Mindfulness-117803202955726
Brain scanning research indicates that people who meditate become more compassionate and loving.
Perhaps we should feel a moral obligation towards others to learn to meditate
Meditation is all about focusing the mind. It is like concentration.
Storks are very good at it. They can spend hours motionless, in total concentration on the patch of water at their feet.
So why do we not learn to be like storks?
Because the stork is concentrating on fish
In meditation we focus on God
How do we do that?
We go within.
How do we do that? Our senses face outwards.
Focus on your breathing.
Why?
Because that is where God may be found.
.....and if I don't believe in God?
Then trust in whatever you experience as the source of your breathing, the source of your existence.
FROM THE ANCIENT TEXTS
"The way of experience begins with a breath
such as the one your are now breathing.
Your awakening to a transcendent reality
may dawn in the momentary throb
between two breaths."
This is the experience of the S p a n d a
I have written an entire course of meditation training based on my own experience of it.
It comes from the wisdom tradition of Kashmir Shaivism, which includes:
The Shiva Sutras,
the Spanda Sutras; the Vijnana Bhairava
and The philosophy of the Pratyabhijna Shastra, the doctrine of Remembrance.
We meditate to become enlightened, to become the Self which is the Self of all, universal consciousness , the source of all existence, consciousness and bliss.
Let us call it Shiva for short.
To attain this state we enter into a Play of Consciousness
The one who plays with Shiva and leads us into his embrace is Shakti, Goddess of everything we ever experience. She encompasses the phenomenal universe.
If Shiva is what precedes the big bang, then she is everything that came into being with it.
She is in every breath we take
The Goddess enters us with every breath we take.
Exhaling, breath is released and flows out
There is a pulse as it turns to flow in.
In that turn you are empty.
You can enter that emptiness,
the source of all being.
Shakti couples with Shiva at that point
Please sit so your spine is vertical in the manner of the drawing
Feet should sit flat on floor
Imagine a plumb line from above your head going down to the floor below the base of your spine
HEART MUDRA
Place your right hand over your heart
Place your left hand over your right
MANTRA
YUM
YANTRA
The Yantra colour is Green and the Chakra has 6 petals
beauty, gateway to the heart
In this meditation you focus your attention on what is most beautiful to you.
It could be the Chakra wheel
The smile of your beloved
The setting sun
The person of your spiritual teacher/guru
Anything you find beautiful
TAKE BACK THE PROJECTION
The truth is that whatever you find most beautiful obtains its beauty from the presence of your Inner Self projected into the object.
Your greatest love is only that because it contains a projection of the Self.
Take back that projection into your heart and know that you are that most precious and beautiful creation
Go within and find your beauty, love and deepest truth
ANAHATA, THE INVINCIBLE, THE UNBREAKABLE, SEAT OF THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL
My own teacher Muktananda tells us that the centre of the individaul self, the Jiva, or personal soul, is not seated in the brain as modern psychology tells us.
As William Blake said, we see through the eyes, not with them.
When we meditate on the heart Chakra we find the centre of our personal reality.
With every breath you take, breathe deeper into your heart.
FOLLOW THIS GUIDANCE AND SIT IN MEDITATION FOR AT LEAST TEN MINUTES
