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Meditation

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Meditation for Beginners

Basic Meditation Method

">by The Most ven. Phrarajdhavanavisudh

Relaxation is the heart of meditation, and it has to go hand in hand with mindfulness, no matter which meditation technigue we apply. This is the main principle that we should take into account. These two mental conditions are inseparable.

The Great Master of Dhammakaya Meditation, Phramongkol thepmuni, suggested the method of visualizing a crystal sphere and repeating a mantra in the mind. Applying these two mental activities, we will gain mindfulness. However, they must be done at ease because mindfulness should progress together with relaxation from the very beginning until reaching the end. We have to do both while keeping the mind cheerful, clean, clear, joyous, and calm, in order to elevate mental purity.

First, sit croos-legged by placing your right leg over the left leg; right hand over the left; right index finger touching the left thumb; and place your hands palms up on your lap comfortably. Gently close your eyes as if you were to fall asleep.Gently close your eyes as if you were to fall asleep. Please do not press your eye lids. Please do not squeeze your eyeballs. Close your eyes tenderly. Adjust your sitting position until your blood and breath can circulate at ease. This will prevent you from feeling muscular discomfort. Balance your sitting posture until you feel light and comfortable.

Then, imagine that there are two threads. The first one stretches from the navel to the back. The second one stretches from the right side of the waist to the left side of the waist. The two threads cross each other at the center, and two fingers-width above this crossing point is the center of the body or the seventh base of mind. This is the gateway of the middle path. All the Lord Buddhas and enlightened ones have accessed and reached Nirvana through this point. So, we have to continually still our mind at this point.

Bring your mind to a standstill at the center of the body by visualizing a clean and pure image as an object of meditation. Visualize the image of a clear sphere or a midday sun floating gently on its own accord at our center and still the mind in the middle of this image. Visualize gently and relaxingly. At the same time, repeat the mantra ‘Samma Arahang’ or ‘clear and bright’ in your mind, allowing the sound the sound to resonate outwards from the center of the image.

If we practice both mental activities continually, our mind will soon be still. With the proper mental unification, the mantra-repetition will soon fade away from the mind, and there will only be the image of the bright sphere at the center of the body together with inner awareness. Once the mind becomes still at the image, kindly continue to visualize the image. Once you reach the right state, you will attain meditation experiences along with peace and joy.