Meditation

Meditation for Beginners

How I started 

By Ms. Margitta Dietermann (Switzerland)

 

 

It was in 1996, when I first became interested in meditation. My husband was a good example for me. After starting to meditate continuously every day, he liked meditation so much that he learned from his teacher how to teach students. Thus, I got curious about meditation and I registered in one of my husband’s classes in order to learn it. He was a good teacher. But I could not deal with the method and I gave up.

 

Two years later in 1998, I met another teacher and learned a new method to meditate. She trained me first to focus on my heart in order to find the ‘entrance’ for a deeper level, then to rest at a point below the navel. I tried hard but could not deal with this method as well. However, while practicing, I realized that I knew by myself a place inside my body which attracted my attention. Within that point between my navel and my heart, I felt comfortable and peaceful. It’s the place I am in contact with, to ‘catch’ my perception or intuition.

 

Since then I tried to find my own way to meditate : I gently closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing to get deeper.

 

 

With my inner eye, I ‘travelled’ through my body in order to relax all tensions. I observed my breathing continuously while trying to let go of all thoughts. This exercise gave me the feeling of regeneration and  peace. In 2002, I had the biggest breakdown in my life that I had ever experienced. I just got divorced from my second husband. During this time, my method of meditation kept me grounded and prevented me from depression.

 

One year later, in 2003, I met a most impressive Swiss lady, Elsbeth, who became my teacher and friend as well. She taught me how to meditate with ease. I felt convenient from the very first beginning, because she told me: ‘just do ‘nothing’- simply be happy’! I started to work with her to reorganize my broken life. Elsbeth helped me to discover the root causes of my suffering. And she taught me the basic Dhammakaya technique to meditate. I realized that I knew the special point in my body to calm my mind already. But it took time for me to learn to stay at the certain place within – called the  7^th base of the body – but it felt great. Although I could not see anything, I felt calm, light and very peaceful.