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The Himalayan Tradition

Beginning Meditation

Swami Veda Bharati

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Table of Content

1. Introduction

2. Steps to Meditation

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing

2. Correct Posture

3. Systematic Relaxation

4. Breath Awareness

5. The Sacred Word

3. Practical lesson on Meditation

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Table of Content

1. Introduction2. Steps to Meditation

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing

2. Correct Posture

3. Systematic Relaxation

4. Breath Awareness

5. The Sacred Word

3. Practical lesson on Meditation

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Introduction

Common to the practices of many

schools, the first step to meditation is

awareness of breath. Anyone can begin at any age; younger the better. The practice

should be done at least once a day.

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Table of Content

1. Introduction

2. Steps to Meditation1. Diaphragmatic Breathing

2. Correct Posture

3. Systematic Relaxation

4. Breath Awareness

5. The Sacred Word

3. Practical lesson on Meditation

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To Practice Meditation, learn.…

The first step to meditation is awareness of breath

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing – Breathe through diaphragm so that no pressure is felt in the lungs

2. Correct Posture – Keep the spine straight. No feeling of discomfort in the legs, back or the neck

3. Systematic Relaxation – Relax the neuro-muscular system step by step

4. Mindful Breathing – Be aware of breathing

5. Mantra – Japa of a mantra or a sacred word from one’s spiritual tradition

6Practice Makarasana and Shavasana for 5 to 15 minutes

…Cont/d

Makarasana: The Crocodile Position1. Lie on the stomach; Heels slightly apart

2. Cross the right arm over the left and place them in front of you to uplift the upper chest

3. Rest your forehead on the arms

4. Bring your awareness to the breathing process

5. Observe the flow of the breath

6. Let there be no jerks, no breaks in your breathing

7. Observe and feel the gentle movement in the stomach area as you breathe

8. Take note of the breathing process

To learn Diaphragmatic Breathing, Practice… 1a

Makarasana - Front View

Makarasana - Side View

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Shavasana: The Corpse Position 1. Lie on the back; Heels and hands slightly apart

2. Breathe and observe the rise and fall of the stomach and navel area

3. Place left palm on the chest and right palm on the stomach

4. Feel the rise and fall smoothly without jerks or breaks

5. Breathe uniformly - Length of inhalation and exhalation being equal

Practice either of the two asanas or both in sequence

1b

Shavasana

To learn Diaphragmatic Breathing, Practice…

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On the floor1. Fold a blanket and make it into a neat and firm cushion2. Place it under the sit bones with legs and knee on the floor3. Straighten your shoulder4. Straighten your spine. Straight spine is slightly “S” shape curve5. If any discomfort is felt in the back or neck, experiment with the height of the

cushion

2a

Practice correct posture

Folded blanket in two layers

On the floor - Side View On the floor - Front View

For a Correct Posture you may sit on the floor…

…Cont/d

9One need not try to sit in advanced postures

On the chair (Mitrasana)1. Sit on the edge of a hard chair with feet on

the ground2. If required, put a cushion under your feet3. Sit with straight spine 4. Place the hand in the front; on the thighs

2b

On the chair - Side View On the chair - Front View

OR you may sit on the chair…

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The basic methodical relaxation Lie in Shavasana with feet apart, arms separate from

body and palms up Continue breathing diaphragmatically Take a mental inventory of the body from forehead to

toe Ask each part of the body to relax as it is brought to

mind following the Sequence* Relax in the reverse order up the body. Remember

the sequence. Go over the body and relax each of these parts in this sequence.

Let the different parts go limp

Relax your body. Breathe only diaphragmatically

…Cont/d

3aRelax the body Sequentially

Relax your >>> Forehead >>> Eyebrows

>>> Eyes >>> Nostrils >>> Cheeks >>> Jaw

>>> Corner of the mouth >>> Chin >>>

Neck >>> Neck-joint >>> Shoulders >>>

Shoulder-joints >>> Upper arms >>>

Elbows >>> Lower arms >>> wrists >>>

hands >>> fingers >>> fingertips.

Fingertips >>> fingers >>>Hands >>>

Wrists >>> Lower arms >>> Elbows >>>

Upper arms >>> Shoulder joints >>>

Shoulders >>> Chest >>> Heart area >>>

Stomach >>> Navel >>> Abdomen >>>

Pelvis >>> Thigh joints >>> Thighs >>>

Knees >>> Calf muscles >>> Ankles >>>

Feet >>> Toes.

Toes >>> Feet >>> Ankles >>> Calf

muscles >>> Knees >>> Thighs >>> Thigh

joints >>> Pelvis >>> Abdomen >>> Navel

>>> Stomach >>> Heart Area >>> Chest >>>

Shoulder joints >>> Shoulders >>> Neck

joint >>> Neck >>> Chin >>> Corner of the

mouth >>> Jaw >>> Cheeks >>> Nostrils

>>> Eyes >>> Eyebrows >>> Forehead

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Avoid tensing muscles

other than the ones you

are working

with

Let there be no sign of any tension in the whole body

Lie in Shavasana When tensing, tense from the finger or toes upwards Tense and relax the right leg left leg right leg

left leg. Repeat Tense and relax both legs simultaneously. Repeat Tense and relax the right leg and arm left leg and

arm right leg and arm left leg and arm. Repeat Tense and relax the right arm left arm right arm

left arm. Repeat Tense and relax both arms simultaneously. Repeat Tense and relax all the limbs simultaneously. Repeat Lie in Shavasana for a few minutes, then sit up for

meditation

If body still does not relax, a different method of relaxation may be used called “Tension/Relaxation” method.

3bYou may also practice Tension/Relaxation method

12Let the flow of the breath be even and smooth

Sit on the floor or the chair with straight spine Establish diaphragmatic breathing Feel the flow and touch of the breath in the nostrils No Pause between the breath

Awareness of inhalation should immediately merge with the awareness of exhalation and vice versa

If the mind wanders off, straighten the spine again Relax quickly again Re-establish diaphragmatic breathing Continue with the awareness of the flow and touch of

the breath in the nostrils

Let the breath flow without……………

Jerks Breaks Sound Gasping

Let there be no break in the awareness of the breath flow

Practice Breath Awareness 4

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To begin with use “Soham” - I Am That

Those in different religious tradition may use the sacred word prescribed by their tradition

Observe how the breath, the word and the mind are flowing together

Remember, meditative

state cannot be entered by fighting

oneself Exhaling, mentally remember “HAAAMMM” Inhaling, mentally remember “SOOOOO” No interruptions in the breath awareness No interruptions in the awareness of the flow of the

word as a thought Slowly lengthen the time of being aware of the flow

without interruptions Let it flow. Let it happen. Observe and experience

Practice with a Mantra – The Sacred words 5

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Table of Content

1. Introduction

2. Steps to Meditation

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing

2. Correct Posture

3. Systematic Relaxation

4. Breath Awareness

5. The Sacred Word

3. Practical lesson on Meditation

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Meditation with So-ham Mantra

1. Sit in a comfortable posture – Floor or Chair

2. Be aware of yourself from head to toe

3. Draw around yourself, as it were, three circles of light

4. Resolve that the mind will not cross these circles, nor will any intruding thoughts and impression enter from outside

5. Exhale and Inhale by remaining aware of yourself from head to toe

6. Progressively relax your entire body with each exhalation

7. Now resolve in your mind, for the next 5 minutes - you will be aware of the movement of your stomach and navel area with the gentle rhythm of breathing

8. Now resolve that for 5 minutes there will be no other thought except for the awareness of the path of your breath from the navel to the nostrils, from nostrils to the navel

9. Now feel the flow and the touch of your breath in your active nostril

10. Now resolve that for 5 minutes there will be no intruding thoughts except the feel of the breath in your passive nostril

11. Now resolve that for 5 minutes there will be no other thought except the feel of the breath in your two nostrils

12. Now with you breath, exhale thinking the word haaammm, inhale thinking the word sooo

…Cont/d

PS: If you do not believe in God – Exhale counting ONE; Inhale counting TWO

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13. Resolve that for 5 minutes there be no other thought except the feel of the breath in both nostrils - inhaling sooo, exhaling haaammm

14. Maintain the resolve so that no break occurs between the exhalations and the inhalations

15. Observe how the mind and the word are flowing together in a single stream, the mind stream itself becoming a word and the breath

16. Now mentally feel the spot where the nose-bridge ends and the upper lip begins. Mentally feel the spot between the eyebrows

17. Now inhale as though you were inhaling from the spot in front of the nose-bridge, a subtle energy flowing to the spot between the eyebrows; exhale the same way. (This

flow between the two spots is known as sushumna breath)

18. Maintain the stream of the mind, word and the energy flow

19. Resolve that for 5 minutes you will only feel the flow of the stream in the sushumnachannel

20. Now using the center between the eyebrows as the gateway, enter the chamber of your mind and resolve for half a minute, there will be no exterior thoughts, only utter silence and absolute stillness

21. Resolve and maintain the enjoyment of such silence and stillness for half a minute

…Cont/d

Meditation with So-ham Mantra

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22. Now from the gateway between the eyebrows, resolve to be only in sushumnabreath for a minute

23. Maintain the same stream of the mind, word and the energy flow without the intrusion of any thought

24. Continue in silence and observe the mantra so-ham in the breath

25. Renew every minute, the resolve to permit no other exterior thought

26. If you have difficulty, practice the entire process you have just gone through

27. Sit as long as you wish

28. Without breaking the flow, gently open your eyes

29. Continue to feel the flow even with your eyes open

30. Resolve to calm the mind in this way many-many times in the day

31. Whatever you will do repeatedly with your mind; will become the mind’s habit and the mind will rediscover its original calm nature

Meditation with So-ham Mantra

18© 2010 Swami Veda Bharati. All Rights Reserved.

This presentation is from the book “Night Birds”written by Swami Veda Bharati and gives only an

overview on the select subject.

For a deeper understanding, please study the original work.

Pictorial depiction of asanas may be helpful but are better learnt under expert guidance.

May you receive the grace of the Himalayan Lineage

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What to do with overwhelming desire?

Nothing.Neither denounce

yourself nor indulge. Neither decry nor affirm.

Indifference calms a jumping dog.

- Swami Veda Bharati