An attempt to understand meditation and ways of performing it. This a very basic level presentation made for study purposes.

1. Meditation --An attempt to understand  Renuka R. Narang ITM

2. What is Meditation? Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the "thinking" mind into a deeper state of awareness. The word meditation comes through the Latin “meditatio”, which originally indicated any type of physical or intellectual exercise.

3. What is not Meditation! Meditation is not mere attention, or simply relaxation , is not only concentration, neither just contemplation or reflection, nor is it intention or control or willpower exercise.

4. Meditation Every work in this world is done with the help of mind. Meditation is the only thing that happens when there is no mind. A conscious absence of mind is Meditation.

5. States of mind on the path of meditation Consciousness Self Meditation There are five levels or states of mind True meditation is what happens at the highest level… that of consciousness Intention Exercise of will Concentration Exercise of focus Contemplation Exercise of thought Attention Exercise of fixing the mind

6. Pre-requisites -- for a beginner Practise meditation either in the morning or in the evening Carry out your activities slowly before meditation Prepare your body and mind before meditation Meditate in peaceful surroundings Always use the same seat for meditation Importance of mudra in meditation Keep backbone straight in meditation Sit at least for twenty minutes in meditation

7. Attention Exercise Music Meditation Sit in the meditation posture and close eyes. Join your index finger and thumb or use any other mudra With your eyes closed, listen to a musical instrument through your internal ears. This instrument is not being played in reality. One has to listen as if it is being played Listen to the sound of that instrument only. If you happen to hear the sound of some other instrument in between, push it aside Now open your eyes This helps enhancing the concentration power

8. Contemplation Exercise Wisdom Meditation (“Who am I” exercise) Sit in the meditation posture. Look at your hand and ask yourself… “Am I this hand?” You will get an answer from within… No. You will get a feeling… this is my hand, but I am not the hand Repeat this for other parts of your body. Every time, the answer received will be “No” This exercise helps to find our self and we experience the truth, that we are not the body

9. Concentration Exercise Word Reverse Meditation Try pronouncing names in reverse For eg; try reversing the name Renuka… It will be Akuner Try this with every name you are familiar with While doing this the mind has to be focussed completely Concentration improves with this exercise

10. Intention Exercise Neutral Meditation This is remaining neutral for every thought If you are sad, do not say you are sad… instead say…”Thoughts of sorrow are passing through my mind” Similarly think for happy thoughts as well Thoughts should be neutral in both the instances. This can be repeated for states of anger, boredom, depression etc. This helps in remaining balanced and detached in every situation

11. Consciousness Exercise Complete Meditation Meditation is complete when self observation meets awareness In all earlier exercises experiencing the Experiencer was missing Here the Experiencer experiences the Experiencer in the Experience (In the entire experience, you experience yourself)

12. Complete Meditation continued… Start with the Who Am I exercise Every time the answer “No” is received, ask yourself “Who am I?” You’ll get an answer; I am the knower of this part Shift your focus to know the knower every time In the end, tell yourself, I am not the body, I am the knower of this Try to meet the knower This awareness transforms us and stabilizes us on Self Realization

13. Meditation and Religious faiths " Meditation is the key for opening the doors of mysteries to your mind. In that state man abstracts himself: In that state man withdraws himself from all outside objects; In that subjective mood; he is immersed in the ocean of spiritual life, And can unfold the secrets of things-in-themselves.“– Bahai’s Faith "The gift of learning to meditate is the greatest gift, you can give yourself in this life. For it is only through meditation, that you can undertake the journey to discover your true nature, And so find the stability and confidence you will need to live, and die, well. Meditation is the road to enlightenment .“ –Buddhism

14. Meditate with the intention to progress spiritually. Meditation is for annihilating the ego, not for perpetuating it.

15. Thank you 