"MEDITATION CHAPTER 1"

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Body Focus Meditation (The sense of touch)

The way that I am going to approach these exercises is through the categories they fall into. We are going to go through what I like to call the "senses exercises" first. What this means is that we are going to literally go through the five senses; touch, taste, sight, hearing and speech. The first category will be touch, and I will give you as many exercises as I am aware of in each category. There will be many variations, which you can experiment with yourself, but I will only list the variations if they have been proven to be significant.

The first meditation I am going to introduce you to is a very simple relaxation exercise. This can be done to relax, in fact, it is excellent if you have trouble falling asleep. Do not be discouraged, however, if you fall asleep doing it the first few times or more.

The next time you do it try to get farther and before you know it, you will be all the way into it. The best tip I can give you about meditation, and one I will be reiterating throughout this book, is have patience. The more you become frustrated, the harder it will be to meditate. This is relaxing, not stressful, so do just that and enjoy it.

What this first meditation does is concentrate on your body. It is also a good way to get in touch with your body. You would be surprised at how many people go through life without truly feeling their bodies. This one will give you a chance to experience every inch of your body with your mind.

The ultimate goal for this particular exercise is to be able to totally concentrate to the point of not feeling your body at all. When you have reached the end of this particular meditation, without having fallen asleep, your body should have no feeling in it at all. Now let's begin.

The first thing to do is find a comfortable position. I know that many people would disagree with this, and tell you to sit in the Lotus position, head erect, etc. I have meditated for years and this has not ever truly worked for me, especially when I was learning. I found it more distracting, because I would get itches, aches, pains and constantly need to adjust. That is just what you don't want with this or any other exercise. For that reason, I suggest that you get into a position that is the most comfortable for you. If you fall asleep, so be it, you can practice again and know that you just need to concentrate more.

Usually your bed is the best place for this, because you feel the most comfortable in your bedroom. If you feel more comfortable on the couch fine, wherever you feel best. If you feel most comfortable standing on your head, great. The point is find some position that won't make you want to squirm and move around constantly. Try to pick a place where you will not be interrupted or disturbed. If you have a door to the room you are going to meditate in, close and lock it. Tell other people if they are in the house that you wish to be undisturbed. Also, look for the room with the least noise disturbance. Having a window open to the noise of a freeway, or if you live next to an airport runway, can be very distracting.

One of the first things you will notice when practicing your meditation is that you hear sounds, have itches, and just can't seem to get comfortable in any position. This is all normal, don't panic. It is your mind adjusting to losing all that stimuli that you are constantly feeding into it (this is also why I suggest a position you are most comfortable in. It will not totally obliterate these feelings, but will obviously cut down on them significantly). As a result the mind tries to produce stimuli for itself.

Scratch if you need to, then start again. Wiggle till you get comfortable, then start again. Put on a tape or cd with soft meditative music in the background to cover small noises. Preferably pick a tape or cd with no words, (unless it is chanting that you can't understand anyway) as they can be distracting as well. Also, and this is important, don't sweat the little things. In other words, if you copy this off and are trying to read it word for word while you practice your meditation, all you are going to do is frustrate yourself. You will be able to get the gist of what to do by reading this through once. There is no reason to memorize it or do it step for step. There is no right or wrong way. Get the general pattern down, and then just do it.

Lay flat on your back (pillow under your head is fine if that feels best) with your arms by your side and legs straight out in front of you, or with your feet touching sole to sole (which is the way I prefer). Do not cross your arms or legs (it stops the energy from flowing freely).

A darkened room is best, again because it is less distracting, and as little noise as possible, unless total quiet drives you crazy. If it does, then put on that meditative music we talked about earlier. I personally like the Nikkei tapes. He plays the hand made Indian wooden flute and it is very relaxing.

Now you are as ready as you are going to be. Close your eyes. Take three deep breaths and let them out slowly. Now, command your toes to relax, go from toe to toe and then to the other foot. Say these commands in your mind, as verbally is too distracting. Continue to say it over and over until you can't feel your toes, concentrating on each one separately. You then want to move on to your entire feet, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, etc. until you have reached your head. Make sure you do one foot at a time, one toe at a time, one finger at a time. Do not move on until you lose all feeling in that part of your body. Be patient, this takes time at first, but will come more naturally the more you practice it.

By the time you have reached your head you should have no feeling in your entire body. If you have feeling in any part of your body go back and work on that part until it too is void of feeling.

If thoughts keep springing into your head, don't worry about it, just push them out one by one and go back to what you were doing. If you should fall asleep don't worry, this is perfectly normal especially when starting out.

Practice this for at least one week until it comes to you easily. This is a strange feeling at first, and for some it is scary, mainly because they did not realize that it was possible. Just remember you are in total control, no one else, and you can bring the feeling back whenever you want just by moving, or thinking it.

The first few times most people fall asleep long before they reach the head. This, too, is perfectly normal and it just takes practice to get further. This is one exercise that can be used when one is feeling stressed out, unable to sleep. It works better than any sleeping pill and has no side effects in the morning.

If you are wondering how long this whole process takes, it depends on the person. I can get from my toes to my head in under five minutes. Some people take an hour. I think it depends on the amount of practice and the concentration your mind has been trained to achieve. It doesn't matter how long it takes, remember, time is but an illusion. Make sure you don't put yourself on a time schedule, either to learn, or when you are practicing. Give yourself plenty of time so that you don't have the distraction of having to rush.

Body Relaxation Variation

There is a variation to the above exercise, which needs to be done after the basic exercise has been successfully mastered. This exercise allows you to deepen your concentration level, which will lead you into a deeper state of meditation.

You will do all of the above. This time, however, instead of just commanding each part of your body to relax, and moving on, you are going to wait until you feel the heart beat in each separate part of your body.

That's right, your heart beat echoes in each and every part of your body. Some spots are fainter than others, but with concentration you will be amazed at how strong the beat actually is. We all go through life at some time or another where we do not take the time to smell the roses'. Most people do not ever get in touch with their bodies to know all the neat things your body does for you on its own every minute of the day.

This exercise will help you become aware of your body, which will help you know the early warning signs of illness. Remember not to move on until you feel the heart beat, it is like a pulsation that you can literally count. Start with your toes (doing each one) and work your way up.

This one takes much concentration. You don't have to continue to feel the beat in an area that you have left. Just concentrate on the next area, not moving on until you feel the beat.

THE ROCK

The next exercise requires a small smooth stone of some sort. Something that can fit easily in your hand with room for your fingers to stroke it. A worry stone is probably best, as it already has a place for your thumb to fit. You can get these in just about any rock store, or metaphysical bookstore. They are very inexpensive.

Some people like to use crystals for this. A crystal is fine, just make sure that it has no sharp points, as this can break your concentration. Something smooth and unobtrusive with no odd cuts or distinct characteristics. A smooth stone from the garden will do just as well if you can't find anything else.

What you are going to do is fit the stone in your hand and simply rub it gently. Close your eyes and concentrate on what you feel. You can put more pressure, less pressure, whatever it takes to get different sensations. Keep your mind only on the stone and don't allow any other thoughts to come in. When they do slowly and methodically toss them out and go back to stroking the rock.

CREATIVE VISUALIZATION THROUGH TOUCH

With this exercise I am going to introduce you to what some people refer to as creative visualization'. What this means is that you are going to create a scene in your head that you will get so involved in you will forget everything else. This is a way to learn to concentrate. This will help you in all meditations, because the one thing we need in order to meditate is focus (concentration).

This exercise is very good for those who have been having a problem with meditation. The reason that this one is easier for most is because it gives the mind plenty of stimulation, and room for imagination. There will be different visualization exercises throughout this book, depending on the chapter. This exercise is going to focus on the sense of touch, and creating your reality through that sense.

In order to do this you will need your quiet meditation spot, and by now I am sure you have found what works best for you. You will also need something that is very familiar to you, and something that has good texture. Pick something small enough to get your hands around easily and comfortably. It can range from a book, to a perfume bottle and any and everything in-between.

If I was to give you any advice about picking the object I would have to say to keep it small and familiar. Avoid sharp objects or things you could hurt yourself with by feeling (no prickly cactus.....hehehe). Keep the object simple, the less curves and tedious design the better, as you will discover.

Work until you find the object that is right for you and then stick to that object every time you do this meditation. As in all things practice and continuity are the key to success.

Now, get comfortable in your meditation spot and hold onto the object with both hands. With one hand you will be literally holding the object and with the other hand you will be feeling' it. I shouldn't have to say this, but I want to cover all bases, use inanimate objects only. No people or animals for this meditation.

As you are running your hand over this object I want you to close your eyes and visualize it. Visualize every detail as your hand tells your brain what it is seeing. Go slowly, and keep going over each aspect of the object until you can see the picture clearly in your mind. Once you can see the picture clearly adjust the light, angle and position over and over, until it comes just as clearly seen by any angle.

Try to pick an object that doesn't smell. We don't want to introduce any other sense with this particular meditation. We want to concentrate only on the sense of touch.

If you get the object down very quickly and by the end of the meditation you are able to totally capture the essence of the object, then it is time to go on to another. Pick the next object a little more elaborate, with a little more detail. The idea of this exercise is not to see how quickly you can achieve the results, but how accurately. When you are done with the meditation open your eyes and look at the object. Study it and make sure that you saw' everything about it, every minute detail.

This exercise will not only teach you to concentrate, but will also give you the added bonus of seeing things through a different perspective. This is the perspective that blind people see through. Their whole world is seen through the other four senses. This lesson will also help you get a better feel for detail and accuracy. It will slow your mind down somewhat and you should come out of it feeling relaxed and refreshed.

PULSATION MEDITATION

For this meditation we are going to once again concentrate on the heart beat. However, this time we are going to count the beats.

Get into your comfortable meditative position. For this meditation you will need to be lying down, or at least in a position where your feet are elevated with no pressure on them. Lay with both feet touching each other, sole to sole (you must be barefoot for this). Now put your index finger and thumb together, with the pads of each touching. Apply a little pressure to this until you can feel your heartbeat.

This should not be too difficult, if you apply enough pressure. Don't be uncomfortable, just concentrate. What you are going to do now is count your heart beats. Count to ten and start again (a poet and I didn't even know it....hehehe). The reason we do this is so that the actual thinking of what comes after 45 doesn't distract you. Everyone is fairly comfortable with a l-10 scenario, but if 1-5 makes you more comfortable use that, or 1-3...whatever feels good for you. Stay with this one for at least 15 minutes. When your mind starts to wander, bring it back to focus, gently but firmly.

PAIN MEDITATION

This meditation, although not talked about directly, has been around for many hundreds of years. I cannot tell you exactly where it originated. There are many variations, but the general theme is to use pain as a focus to clear the mind.

If you have ever been in pain, and I don't know many of us who haven't at one time or another, then you realize that it takes very little concentration to focus on the pain. In fact, I find it very difficult to focus on anything else....hehehe.

The point of the meditation is to get beyond the pain and to the clearness of mind that the pain can cause. I do not advocate that you cause yourself harm or pain. I am merely presenting all of the touch sensation meditations that I am aware of.

If you wish to try this meditation out you might wait until you get your next headache, earache, toothache, etc. The list goes on and on, so I am sure the opportunity will arise if you are looking for it. When you meditate on this, concentrate solely on the pain. Stop looking at the pain as something negative. Instead feel it for what it is. Often we are preconditioned to think that pain is a negative thing, when in reality it stops us from seriously harming ourselves.

Pain is neither positive or negative, it merely is. How we each react to it is a totally different story, however. This meditation will help people who have chronic pain. It will teach them a new way to look at pain and deal with it.

As far back in time as has been recorded holy men have purified themselves with pain. Monks still to this day in some countries bathe in icy streams, sitting there for hours meditating. I don't know if priests still flail themselves, but it was a practice for many years.

Learning to meditate on pain can teach us many things. One important thing is to find the root of the pain, rather than treating the symptom. It has become too easy to pop aspirin whenever we have a pain, rather than finding out what the problem is.

For this meditation you need to go to your meditation spot. Whatever pain you are experiencing you need to focus on. Feel every aspect of the pain. Find where it is originating and then feel each place it radiates to. You can do this by closing your eyes and concentrating. Feel the pain, feel the differences in the pain in different locations. Stop looking at the pain as negative, instead just look at it as a child would look at a box of coins. Take each one out and examine it. Let go of the fear that accompanies the pain and just accept the pain as something that is as much a part of you as breathing.

This meditation can change your whole perspective about pain, and can change your life, especially if you have chronic pain. The pain does not have to be severe, only enough to hold your attention. Please do not hurt yourself deliberately (we do that enough accidentally).

HANDS MEDITATION

This meditation is a little different. The purpose is to train the mind not to come to conclusions, but rather just to feel. This may sound simple, but in reality we just don't realize how much instant judgment the mind actually makes. Remember, your mind is like a computer and when it is fed information it ingests it and comes up with judgments, solutions and conclusions, based upon what it is fed. This exercise stops the mind from judging, solving and concluding and only allows it to feel. As such, the sensations become different, because there is a total focus and concentration only on the feeling.

To do this meditation get into your comfortable meditation position. It is best not to be wearing a top, or if you are be able to lift it above your stomach comfortably.

You are going to totally relax and place both hands across your stomach, preferably on your skin as opposed to clothing in-between. Place your hands comfortably on your stomach and simply feel. There is constant movement in our stomachs, which is called peristaltic activity. This movement will provide plenty of stimulus for the mind to ingest.

As you are feeling the different movements, be careful not to allow your mind to draw any conclusions, or start to assimilate information for those conclusions. If the mind starts to do this just gently bring it back to the task at hand, which is simply feeling the movement and what is going on internally.

I do not recommend this exercise for people with arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome, as it may be painful. The fingers should be outstretched so that they are not touching each other. The only thing the fingers should be touching is your stomach.

ENERGY EXERCISE

This will be the final exercise in the chapter on touch. This exercise will help you get in touch with what you are feeling, but perhaps not realizing.

We are surrounded by energy at all times. There is always something going on around us, whether we realize it or not. This world and all that is within it is made up of energy, including you and I. There is energy in the air and surrounding everything. This exercise will help you to feel what most can't see.

This exercise will also help you to get in tune with yourself and your surroundings.

Get in your meditation position and lay with your hands at your side, palms up. If you like you can raise your arms slightly and allow your palms to be more open to the air. The reason I don't recommend this is obvious, your arms will get tired quickly and you will be concentrating on your discomfort rather than the exercise. Some people prefer to have their hands more free', however, and this is fine as long as you don't fall into the above position.

Put your fingers apart so that they are not touching one another. Now simply feel the energy, air or whatever else you perceive. As in the other exercises do not allow yourself to question or come to any conclusions. Keep all thoughts out of your mind, gently but firmly, coming back to the exercise.

Whatever you feel is right for you. Some people feel tingling, some people feel heat or cold, some feel a light breeze and still others feel a lightness of their arms and hands. There is no right or wrong feeling. Just experience it for yourself without any preconceived expectations.