Practice, Practice: How To Hone Your Meditation Skills

To meditate means to examine. It doesn't mean you have to sit in a lotus position in silence (although you can). It means you are attending to what's going on within you - perhaps with your breath and senses, your internal thoughts and feelings, or the space in between these objects of attention. This investigation of mind becomes somewhat habitual the more you practice.

Most of us are so busy in our daily lives that we rarely stop at all, let alone to investigate our inner world. Often people tell me they 'can't meditate' because the idea of stopping their treadmill of thought seems impossible. Everyone can meditate; it is merely a matter of trying and adjusting expectations (e.g. it is not about 'stopping thought' but learning how to observe the arising and departure of thoughts).

You wouldn't expect to play Mozart's concerto without first learning the scales; you wouldn't expect to speak Chinese without learning the vocabulary; you won't learn to be proficient in the 'investigation of mind' without committing to practicing the process. Science has shown that learning a skill varies as a function of the task. Learning to play the harmonica takes about 40 hours while violin takes 1250 hours. Learning how to investigate the mind, to observe the inner workings, to explore the spaces in between likely won't happen overnight. It usually requires patience and persistence in the face of numerous obstacles. Funny how everything and anything can get in the way of learning about oneself.

Meditation can become a way of life transferred from periods of silence to a stance of attention throughout the day. Practicing a little everyday helps make it a habitual way of life, to be open to discovery. When practicing in optimal settings (a quiet space), the skill may be made more habitual so that it is more easily transferred to daily activities.

In the process of investigating the mind you can learn to detect thoughts and feelings and body sensations at points of smaller and smaller arising. There is a Taoist saying in the Te Ching,

"Lay plans for the accomplishment of the difficult while it is still easy; make something big by starting with it when small. The most difficult in the world must of necessity have its beginnings in the easy; the big in the world must of necessity have its beginnings in the small." To me this emphasizes the importance of attending to thoughts and feelings when they are small or easy before you act upon them.

As I write this post, I realize that a small amount of 'pride' has arisen as I think I've reached some expertise in investigating my own mind. There is an emerging sense of 'I'm better at this than ....". It is a perfect example of an arising of an emotion that, left unchecked, could turn into to something larger and, if acted upon it, would likely lead to difficulties. I am reminded of the Te Ching passage, "One who is in the habit of considering things easy will find himself beset with difficulties."

For a concert pianist, practice is a way of life. For an Olympic athlete, practice is at its height. For me - a person committed to investigating my mind - practice is more crucial now than even at the beginning.

Comments

[snow]

Years ago, I went to a meditation center in Massachusettes.
I do not remember the name of the center, but well remember the practice.
We sat for hour intervals, focusing on the upper lip.... nothing else.
Whenever the mind wandered to a thought, we were to bring the focus back to the upper lip.
After hours of this focused meditation, we were to "sweep" our body with our mind.
Up and down....down and up.
This is a very general description, and I may not be describing the practice accurately.
We 'practiced" for ten days, and during this time did not talk.
What was most extrodinary was that during meditations, my neck would at times "shift" involunarily...and at times I would hear a slight "pop", almost as if I were having a chiropractic adjustment.
This "sitting" was not easy, very difficult.
But the meditation did seem to have an amazing physilogical benefit.
Ironically, tonight, just before reading this post, I meditated for the first time in a long time, for five minutes. I miss meditation.

[MissingAmerica]

Thanks for all the great information in the comments as well as the post. I've derived so many health benefits from this practice, but it is still a work in progress. How true that it is not something achieved overnight! The most important word to me has become "patience". The good I'[ve seen and felt from this practice definitely make me realize that good things are worth waiting for; for me, that goal is total contact with Spirit.

[Jonahson]

In meditation the mind is suppose to be free from the state of greed, hatred and delusion. In its course form anger is easy to recognize and its root can be traced inwardly. Greed is a bit difficult to trace but with sincere practice we can trace it. Falling into either state without realizing it is delusion.

In subtle forms greed and hatred is just like and dislike. When we are deluded in either way then the awareness has no clarity. Music has a numbing effect it pull the mind into a state of stupor. For Buddhist they can recall the story of the enlightened Buddha under the bodhi tree being tested by Mara using three beautiful dancing and singing girls to entice the Buddha because during the time when he was prince Siddhata he live a life of music and dancing girls.
If a catchy tune is an obstacle to practice you can do this:- Bring out the tune do no push it away, let it play in your mind but without indulging in it just be aware it. Do not amplify it by going into the words just be aware of it. Be patient it will eventually wear out its energy and the music will fade away.
Happy meditating.

[KillgoreTrout43]

Greed is easy to trace. It stems from desire. Temper your desire and greed will vanish. Not greed in others, but the greed within yourself will disappear. Desire is a trap, that all of us fall into from time to time. There are many desireable things in this world, so try not to place too much importance on "things." They are quite transcient.

[Jonahson]

Pt.1
Okay, for those interested I will give you some answers to the questions I posted earlier.

These are the challenges I once faced at the beginning of my meditation practice.

I am sorry if you not do not agree with what I am about to describe. It is perfectly alright. I do not intent to convince you as I developed my practice based on the Buddha Dharma.

Unlike church gospel where it can become feverish and emotional going in to a trance induced state Buddhist chanting of mantras and names of Buddha has a calming effect which lead to concentration.
Mantra like 'Om Mane Padme Hum' has a deeper profound use related to the chakras. Chanting of Sutras such as the Heart Sutra also help you to see things as they are, it help us to get rid of our ego.
Recently musical sutras have appeared but if you take it as music then it is fine. I asked a friend who is into musical sutras what if the Heart Sutra is in rap?

[Guitarsandmore]

I find that counting to “one” with each breath will get you to a deeper level of meditation much faster than counting to 10. By counting to “one” with each breath you immediately begin to leave the world of linear thinking and escape to another level of understanding and directionless thought or non thought.

In the East they say “ohm” but here in the west we like to say “one”.

“One” means you are not going to climb a ladder of numbers reaching further and further and higher and higher but instead you are going to stay right here in the present moment and look inward. It is motionless travel through time and space and being.

The most difficult for me is to make the music stop playing. In my heart of hearts is a single guitar, Larry Carlton playing "The Lord's Prayer" that I can rarely make stop playing. More recently its a Bosa nova but ultimately its "The Lord's Prayer" and I'm playing it.

[bullypulpit]

"In the East they say "ohm" but here in the west we like to say "one". "

Actually it's Om, unless you are practicing an electrical discipline. But don't fight the music you hear, let it incorporate and be part of the here and now. In time you will not even know it is there.

[Jonahson]

Pure awareness is always there you don't need to look for it. just get rid of the dirt and it will shine. Awareness has clarity.

[cricket]

what the author is describing is self awareness. It is difficult to cultivate but once a person involves in yoga , pranayama and meditation he become more self aware and separates his actions and thoughts and is able to find cause and effect of every action and thought. output is ego is diminished and doesn't take credit for any of the achievements. still mentally stable as always and tries to achieve true happiness. it will be interesting if author states how she realized this and what she had to do to calm her mind. i know she is writing from her own mind rather than like what you feel when you read something from a book. great work but i am not sure if everyone will understand her then and there. some will understand now or may have experience some will understand years months and days from now.

[MagisterLudi]

I think many people, in both East and West, miss out on some humorous aspect of Tao Te Ching.
It is not at all clear to those who study TTC that LAo Tzu was entirely serious about some things he wrote.
People who attain enlightenment often realize the futility of transmitting experience thru' discursive means. Spiritually advanced, when wishing to speak at all, use artistic means: poetry, sound, fables, songs, parables. The very essence of art is ability of adopting contradiction. Not "either" A "or" B, but A "either and"B.

[Jonahson]

There is saying about Buddhism and Taoism. The former is easy to understand but difficult to practice while the latter is easy to practice but difficult to understand.

[KillgoreTrout43]

Taoism is easy to practice, but people love to be side-tripped. Staying on the path is not always easy. There are many, many distractions along the way. The Tao is simple, that's what's so great about it, but for alot of people, they try to make it something other than simplicity. Some people feel they need to complicate the wisdom of the Tao because they just don't believe anything so simple can have benefits. They are mistaken.

"The heavy is the root of the light;
The still is the master of unrest.

Therefore the sage, travelling all day,
Does not lose sight of his baggage.
Though there are beautiful things to be seen,
He remains unattached and calm.

Why should the Lord of ten thousand chariots act lightly in public?
To be light is to lose one's root.
To be restless is to lose one's control."

Lao Tsu

[MagisterLudi]

I's nice to read an article by a beginning meditator. The person who runs this blog ( hint) should also invite advanced spiritual practitioners to post their insights.

[KillgoreTrout43]

What is a "spiritual practitoner?"

[MagisterLudi]

What is a "spiritual practitoner?"
Not a person who looks for word definitions :-)
But seriously, a spiritual practitoner, to me, is a person who is involved in regular meditative practice and has achieved certain level of wisdom because of it.

[LordMoon]

Yes and No...Meditation means to drop the mind, it means no mind.

No ideas, no clever insights, no struggle against what you want to do, or who you want to be. Of trying to control the mind, of forcing thoughts away, of giving them more energy to create more and more divisions in the self ad infinitum. Of struggeling with yourself daily, to try and do something because you "think" it's good for you.

No goals, and above all else no future.

Because mind always lives in the future, and once that is severed, then there is no past.

anything else is just self hypnosis.

[Jonahson]

You might as well go into hibernation

[zendem1]

Considering whats in store for the next four years, that isn't such a bad idea.

[Kungfublood]

How does religious music or musical chanting affect meditation?
That would depend on the meditation.
How do you turn off a catchy tune while meditating?
Any number of ways such as counting the inhalations one through 9 and start over at one again ( stopping at ten is to easy and robotic). or it sometimes works well to SHOUT!
Why after some excitement it is difficult to calm oneself immediately?
Because we are not robots we settle into our practice with more ease as our practice matures.

[Jonahson]

1. Chanting is usually monotous this is to develop concentration. You may have got mix up with the two.

2. To take your mind off the tune and replace it something else is escapism. You do this in the beginning as a preliminary in order to develop concentration. In meditation proper you do not do this.

3. You don't those feelings that arise.

[Jonahson]

Lol.Sorry lost of concentration.
Should read; 3. You don't ignore those feelings that arise.

[Erdgeist]

This kind of meditation is really for beginners. Advanced meditation actually leads to disembodiment where we realize a body of light that animates our physical body. This body is deathless. But his all takes years and years to master. It ain't easy.

[SFdysfunction]

I see you have learned much from your practice.

[UNCLEJOE]

Why not practice and study BUDDHISM, the ultimate philosophy of 'INNER THOUGHT'.

[phoebusapollo]

I didn't think Buddhists shouted or evangelised.....

[dortmunder]

That's Hindu philosophy, not Buddhist.

[DharamDev]

The mind becomes like that which it meditates upon. Buddhists contemplate zero and become as much, spiritual suicide. Meditate on the Personality of Godhead and become like God!

"The yogi whose mind is fixed on Me verily attains the highest perfection of transcendental happiness. He is beyond the mode of passion, he realizes his qualitative identity with the Supreme, and thus he is freed from all reactions to past deeds." - Krishna
http://vedabase.net/bg/6/27/en

"He who meditates on Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, he, O Partha, is sure to reach Me.

"One should meditate upon the Supreme Person as the one who knows everything, as He who is the oldest, who is the controller, who is smaller than the smallest, who is the maintainer of everything, who is beyond all material conception, who is inconceivable, and who is always a person. He is luminous like the sun, and He is transcendental, beyond this material nature."
http://vedabase.net/bg/8/8/en
http://vedabase.net/bg/8/9/en

[MagisterLudi]

DharamDev, your Anti-Buddhist comment does not show very high level of maturity.

[rma2108]

Mozart's concerto? He wrote more than just one.

[Jonahson]

I see great improvement on meditation subjects lately in HuffPo more practical -closer yet still far. Let me throw you some challenges. How does religious music or musical chanting affect meditation? How do you turn off a catchy tune while meditaing? Why after some excitement it is difficut to calm oneself immediately?
One who walks the road confront his/her problems. We created our problems so we should face and solve our problwms. Without falling into delusion an ego is not created so who is the builder of this house?

[MagisterLudi]

Music composed for meditation is usually without regular meter/rhythm or strongly identifiable melodies. Actually, having music in the background while meditating is quite problematic.
Unless the musical aspect is directly embedded into the practice: hymns, pitch/rhythm -based chanting, mass, sing-alongs, trance state music etc.

[cricket]

I will try my luck at answering your question. Musical chanting can improve your meditation. There are many ways to meditate, like open eyes focussing on a uniform object like a solid circle, object of affection or a favorite thing like flower or scenery or iconography like deities. close your eyes and focus on same objects, take deep breaths and focus on breath or repetition of words which is chanting. most basic chant is your breath or OM. so musical chanting is itself a form of meditation. you should try different and see what suits you. like author says you should practice a lot to align your mind and make it get used to it. so that your mind will quickly sink into meditation than the first time you started. it is like anything , you are training your mind.