Silent Observation - Looking in Meditation Day Four

Are you beginning to settle into your meditation position? I know that its been only a few days. You should have chosen a meditation position which best fits you. A chair? A bench? A cushion? You should have also chosen which hand position is best suited to you. The Dhyana, the Gyan or the Varada.

You should be focusing on your breath, letting it naturally flow in and out, letting the tip of your tongue lightly touch your top teeth. Focus on the breath as it enters your nose and focus on the breath again as it leaves. Counting one as you breath in: two as you breath out: up to ten. Begin again. And again.

Let us now talk about the body. I know that it's a little more than difficult at this point to feel comfortable throughout your period of sitting. It's quite common that after two, three or five minutes you will have the desire to adjust yourself or change your positioning. What I am suggesting is that you just make a mental note and then do nothing. That's right. Don't move or adjust yourself. Just observe the thought and continue to watch and count the breath. We want to find our position as we begin to "sit". Remember how we gently stretched and found our balance? This was done before we moved onto the breath. So let us not forget this step. And I hope that you are wearing loose fitting clothes that do not constrict you in any way.

And while we're on the subject of constriction, what about scheduling a time for meditation each day? I would only remind you that we must not become inflexible fundamentalists. However, meditation is about responsibility. We want to change ourselves. We want to bring change to the world. It begins with a balanced mind and a compassionate heart: which are one in the same. It's not going to come about by wishing for it or through half hearted prayer. It does require something of you. That is your practice. And you must make time for it.

Let us, borrowing from author David Fontana and point out in his words, what meditation is....and what it isn't.

It isn't:
falling asleep
going into a trance
shutting yourself off from reality
being selfish
becoming lost in thought
forgetting where you are
It is:
keeping the mind alert and attentive
keeping the mind focused and concentrated
becoming more aware of the world
becoming more human (and thus more divine: me)
knowing where you