MEDITATION INSTRUCTIONS (SIDDHA YOGA MEDITATION) MEDITAINS.TXT ********************************************************************** LOCATION: CHOSE A LOCATION IN YOUR RESIDENCE THAT "FEELS" GOOD TO YOU, WHERE IT IS QUIET, WHERE YOU WILL NOT BE DISTURBED AND YOU CAN REGULATE THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT. MEDITATE AT THE SAME LOCATION EACH DAY. (IF POSSIBLE) MEDITATE SITTING ON A CLOTH MAT. NOTES: THIS "FORM" OF MEDITATION IS NORMALLY DONE WITH ONE'S EYES SHUT AND IN A FAIRLY DARKENED ROOM. (DARKNESS IS PREFERRED) IT IS BEST IF THE MEDITATION MAT IS MADE OF PURE WOOL. IF A WOOL MAT IS NOT AVAILABLE, THE NEXT CHOICE IS PURE SILK, THEN PURE COTTON. IT IS BEST NOT TO MEDITATE ON A MAT OF MADE OF SYNTHETIC FIBER. WHITE IS THE PREFERRED COLOR FOR THE MAT. DO NOT MEDITATE SITTING ON BARE WOOD, STONE, NOR ON THE BARE EARTH! ITS BEST TO MEDITATE AT THE EXACT SAME TIMES EACH DAY. (YOUR BODY WILL LEARN THAT AT THOSE TIMES YOU ARE GOING TO MEDITATE AND ENTERING MEDITATION WILL BECOME EASIER.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- PREPARATION: BEFORE BEGINNING MEDITATION; DO NOT EAT ANYTHING FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS BEFORE MEDITATING. USE THE BATHROOM, TAKE A SHOWER, OR AT LEAST WASH YOUR HANDS AND FACE BEFORE STARTING YOUR PRACTICE, THEN PUT ON YOUR MEDITATION CLOTHES. DO A FEW SLOW GENTLE BODY STRETCHES TO LOOSEN UP THE BODY BEFORE ASSUMING THE MEDITATION POSITION. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- CLOTHING: WEAR LOOSE COMFORTABLE CLOTHING. USE THE CLOTHES THAT YOU MEDITATE IN ONLY FOR MEDITATION. (IF POSSIBLE) NOTES: ALL NATURAL FIBER IS THE PREFERRED CLOTH FOR MEDITATION CLOTHES. THE BEST MATERIAL IS SILK, IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT. THE SECOND BEST IS 100 % PURE COTTON. WHITE IS THE PREFERRED COLOR FOR MEDITATION CLOTHES. (IT IS BEST NOT TO MEDITATE IN SYNTHETIC FIBER CLOTHES.) WASH YOUR MEDITATION CLOTHES ONLY WHEN IT BECOMES ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO GET INTO DEEP MEDITATION, YOU WILL FILL WITH DEVINE ENERGY. THAT ENERGY WILL ALSO SATURATE YOUR MEDITATION CLOTHES. SOME OF THAT ENERGY WILL REMAIN IN THE MEDITATION CLOTHES AFTER YOU COME OUT OF MEDITATION. THE ENERGY STORED IN THE CLOTHES WILL ASSIST YOU TO MOVE INTO MEDITATION EASIER. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DURATION OF MEDITATION: BEGIN WITH A 20 MINUTE PERIOD OF MEDITATION. ONCE YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS AMOUNT OF TIME, INCREASE TO 30 MINUTES. DO NOT MEDITATE MORE THAN AN HOUR EACH TIME, UNLESS YOU ARE WORKING WITH A KNOWLEDGEABLE TEACHER AND ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO SO. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- TIMES TO MEDITATE: MEDITATE AT THE EXACT SAME TIMES EVERY DAY. (IF POSSIBLE) THE BEST TIME TO MEDITATE IS JUST BEFORE DAWN, IN THE MORNING. (IT IS BEST IF YOU ARE ALREADY IN MEDITATION AT 45 MINUTES BEFORE DAWN AND DAWN OCCURS DURING YOUR MEDITATION PERIOD. THERE IS PSYCHIC ENERGY SURGE, ON THE PLANET, AT THE LOCATION YOU ARE AT 30 MINUTES BEFORE DAWN. IF YOU ARE IN MEDITATION WHEN THAT ENERGY PEAK OCCURS, MUCH MORE BENEFIT FROM YOUR MEDITATION PERIOD OCCURS AND YOUR WHOLE DAY WILL GO BETTER.) THE SECOND BEST TIME IS JUST BEFORE DARK IN THE EVENING. (IT IS BEST IF DUSK OCCURS DURING YOUR MEDITATION PERIOD.) THE THIRD BEST TIME IS AT HIGH NOON. (IT IS BEST IF NOON OCCURS DURING YOUR MEDITATION PERIOD.) IF YOU CAN ONLY MEDITATE LATE AT NIGHT, START TWO HOURS BEFORE MIDNIGHT OR, TWO HOURS AFTER MIDNIGHT. DO NOT MEDIATE AT MIDNIGHT! THAT IS: DO NOT BE IN MEDITATION FROM 11 PM TO 1 AM. THE PSYCHIC ENERGY THAT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU IS LOWEST DURING THIS TIME PERIOD AND MORE NEGATIVE ENERGY IS AROUND DURING THAT TIME PERIOD. IT IS BEST TO MEDITATE AT THE EXACT TIMES EVERY DAY! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FREQUENCY OF MEDITATION: MEDITATE EACH AND EVERY DAY! MEDITATE THREE TIMES EACH DAY, IF YOU HAVE THE TIME. MEDITATE AT DAWN, NOON AND AT DUSK. IF YOU CAN ONLY MEDITATE ONCE A DAY, EARLY MORNING IS THE BEST TIME. MUCH MORE BENEFIT COMES FROM MEDITATION WHEN YOU ARE MEDITATING, - EACH AND EVERY DAY -. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- POSITION OF BODY DURING MEDITATION: THE BEST POSITION FOR MEDITATION IS THE YOGA FULL LOTUS POSITION. THE SECOND BEST POSITION IS THE HALF LOTUS POSITION. THE THIRD BEST POSITION IS SITTING CROSS LEGGED, AMERICAN INDIAN STYLE. SIT WITH A STRAIGHT SPINE, KEEPING HEAD, NECK AND TRUNK ALIGNED. SIT FACING NORTH. YOU CAN PUT A HARD PILLOW UNDER YOUR BOTTOM IF THIS MAKE YOU MORE COMFORTABLE SITTING IN THE ABOVE POSITIONS. IF NECESSARY BECAUSE OF BODY PROBLEMS, YOU CAN SIT IN A STRAIGHT BACKED COMFORTABLE CHAIR, WITH YOUR FEET FLAT (ON THE MEDITATION MAT) ON THE FLOOR, KNEES ABOUT 6 INCHES APART. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- POSITION OF ARMS AND HANDS DURING MEDITATION: REST YOUR ARMS ON YOUR LAP WITH YOUR HANDS CLASPED, LEFT HAND PALM UP, RIGHT HAND PALM DOWN. AFTER YOU HAVE BEEN PRACTICING MEDITATION CONSISTENTLY FOR 5 TO 6 WEEKS, REST YOUR ARMS ON YOUR LEGS, WRISTS ON YOUR KNEES, PALMS UP, INDEX FINGER AND THUMB CLOSED ON BOTH HANDS TO MAKE A CIRCLE. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ATTENTION FOCUS POINT DURING MEDITATION: CHOOSE A POINT TO FOCUS YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS ON DURING MEDITATION; CHOICE 1. THIRD EYE CENTER. ON THE CENTER OF THE FOREHEAD-SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE CENTER POINT BETWEEN THE EYEBROWS. (ABOUT 3/4" ABOVE) CHOICE 2. HEART CENTER. ON THE CENTER OF THE CHEST-SOMEWHAT ABOVE THE CENTER POINT BETWEEN THE NIPPLES. (ABOUT 2" ABOVE) TRY BOTH FOCUS POINTS AND "FEEL" WHICH IS MOST COMFORTABLE FOR YOU, THEN CONSISTENTLY USE THE SAME FOCUS POINT DURING EVERY MEDITATION. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- BREATHING DURING MEDITATION: WHEN YOU HAVE ASSUMED THE MEDITATION POSITION, SIT QUIETLY, FOR A FEW MINUTES, RELAX AND LET YOUR BREATHING SEEK IS OWN NATURAL RHYTHM. ONCE YOUR BREATHING HAS STABILIZED, FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION ON YOUR FOCUS POINT AND START REPEATING THE MANTRA INTERNALLY. NOTE: A MANTRA IS A "SET OF WORDS AND OR SOUNDS" THAT ARE REPEATED OVER AND OVER IN YOUR MIND OR ALOUD. MANTRAS ARE USUALLY CREATED WITH SANSKRIT WORDS AND OR SOUNDS. THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO CAUSE CERTAIN INTERNAL EFFECTS TO MANIFEST INSIDE A PERSON, WHEN THE MANTRA IS USED. IT IS SAID THAT SANSKRIT IS THE LANGUAGE OF SPIRITUAL POWER. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USING MANTRA DURING MEDITATION: ON THE IN BREATH, SAY INTERNALLY "OM NAMA SHIVIYA" . ON THE OUT BREATH, SAY INTERNALLY "OM NAMA SHIVIYA" . REPEAT THE MANTRA CONTINUOUSLY DURING THE MEDITATION PERIOD, EXCEPT AS NOTED BELOW. NOTES: THIS IS THE MANTRA GIVEN BY MY EASTERN TEACHER-IT IS IN SANSKRIT-IS THE PREFERRED MANTRA TO USE WITH THIS MEDITATION. IF YOU ARE A "STRONG CHRISTIAN" OR SOME OTHER FAITH AND ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS, YOU CAN USE, AN ENGLISH MANTRA, LIKE; "JESUS IS LOVE", "GOD IS LOVE", OR GODDESS IS LOVE" OR "BUDDHA IS LOVE" INSTEAD OF THE SANSKRIT MANTRA. ANOTHER SANSKRIT MANTRA YOU CAN USE IS "SAT NAM". YOU SAY "SAT" ON THE IN BREATH AND "NAM" ON THE OUT BREATH. USE THE SAME MANTRA CONSISTENTLY. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS: IF A THOUGHT ARISES IN THE MIND AND CAUSES YOU TO STOP OR FORGET TO SAY THE MANTRA, EXPERIENCE THE THOUGHT AND RETURN TO REPEATING THE MANTRA. IF YOU GET LOST IN A THOUGHT, OR A "STREAM" OF THOUGHTS, "CATCH YOURSELF" AND RETURN TO REPEATING THE MANTRA. IF YOU EXPERIENCE A STRONG ITCH SOMEWHERE, MOVE YOUR FOCUS OF ATTENTION TO THAT SPOT AND SAY INTERNALLY THREE TIMES "SCRATCH" AND RETURN TO THE MANTRA. IF YOU EXPERIENCE A STRONG TENSION SOMEWHERE IT YOUR BODY, MOVE YOUR FOCUS OF ATTENTION TO THAT TENSION "SPOT" AND SAY INTERNALLY THREE TIMES "RELAX" AND RETURN TO THE MANTRA. WHEN YOU REACH THE POINT THAT NO THOUGHTS ARE OCCURRING IN THE MIND, STOP REPEATING THE MANTRA AND EXPERIENCE/SIT IN THE SILENCE. IF THOUGHTS START OCCURRING AGAIN, START REPEATING THE MANTRA AGAIN. REPEAT THIS PROCESS AS OFTEN AS NECESSITATED. IF AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF MEDITATING CONSISTENTLY, AT LEAST ONCE A DAY, EVERY DAY, YOU ARE STILL HAVING SO MANY THOUGHTS ARISE, THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BECOME SILENT INSIDE, ASK TO BE TAUGHT A FINGER MEDITATION TO ADD TO YOUR PRACTICE DURING THE BEGINNING PART OF YOUR MEDITATION PERIOD. USE THE FINGER MEDITATION UNTIL BECOMING QUIET INSIDE BECOMES EASIER, THEN STOP USING IT. NOTES: IN THE BEGINNING, MUCH OF YOUR "MEDITATION TIME" WITH BE SPENT GETTING YOUR MIND AND BODY TO RELAX. THIS IS NORMAL. EVENTUALLY YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BECOME RELAXED AND QUIET INSIDE IN A FAIRLY SHORT TIME. THE MAIN GOAL OF MEDITATION IS TO QUIET THE MIND AND "SIT" IN THE "SILENCE" WITH FULL AWARENESS. IN THE SILENCE IS WHERE EVERYTHING THAT ONE SEEKS IS FOUND AND EXPERIENCED. EVEN A FEW SECONDS SPENT IN THE "SILENCE" WITH FULL AWARENESS DURING A MEDITATION PERIOD WILL MANIFEST INTERNAL CHANGES AND BE OF GREAT BENEFIT TO YOU. DURING MEDITATION, IT IS NOT UNUSUAL; FOR ONE'S BODY TO "ROCK", OR MAKE "SPONTANEOUS" OR "UNUSUAL" MOVEMENTS, TO "HEAR SOUNDS", TO SEE "LIGHTS, COLORS OR TO EXPERIENCE OTHER "INTERNAL VISUAL EFFECTS", TO EXPERIENCE POWERFUL EMOTIONS, OR HAVE "SCENES" FROM ONE'S PAST MANIFEST, OR TO HAVE SOUNDS ISSUE FORTH FROM FROM YOU. IF ANY OF ABOVE EXPERIENCES MANIFEST, JUST ALLOW THEM TO TAKE PLACE, EXPERIENCE THEM FULLY, AND CONTINUE YOUR MEDITATION PERIOD. EACH PERSON'S SPECIFIC EXPERIENCES IN MEDITATION ARE / MAY BE VERY DIFFERENT, BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT "LIFE STYLES", DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCES THEY HAVE HAD, SO FAR IN THIS LIFE AND BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY "BROUGHT WITH THEM", WHEN THEY ENTERED THIS LIFE. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- MINOR ENHANCEMENTS: BURN A STICK OF THE SAME KIND OF INCENSE DURING EACH AND EVERY MEDITATION PERIOD. PLAY "RAGA PATDEEP" , DURING THE MEDITATION PERIOD, ON A CASSETTE PLAYER, OR CD PLAYER. (THIS SPECIFIC PIECE OF INDIAN MUSIC WAS CREATED SPECIFICALLY TO ASSIST ENTERING MEDITATION AND BEING IN MEDITATION.) (IT CAN BE VERY USEFUL IF YOU MUST MEDITATE IN A NOISY ENVIRONMENT) ONCE YOU CAN ENTER DEEP MEDITATION EASILY, YOU STOP USING THE MUSIC IF YOU WISH TO DO SO OR YOU CAN CONTINUE TO USE IT. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- MAJOR ENHANCEMENTS: PERFORM ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS BEFORE STARTING MEDITATION, OR DO THEM ONE AFTER ANOTHER BEFORE AFTER EACH MEDITATION SESSION. IF BOTH ARE DONE BEFORE THE SAME MEDITATION SESSION, THE CHANTING SHOULD PROCEED THE BREATHING EXERCISES. SIT IN THE MEDITATION POSITION, FOCUS YOUR AWARENESS ON THE HEART CENTER AND CHANT FOR 5 TO 15 MINUTES BEFORE STARTING MEDITATION. CHANTING OPENS THE HEART CENTER AND PREPARES THE MIND/BODY FOR MEDITATION. (CHANTS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE DRAGON'S CAVE IN SANSKRIT AND IN ENGLISH) SIT IN THE MEDITATION POSITION AND DO THE PRANA BREATHING EXERCISES (KRIYAS), JUST BEFORE BEGINNING MEDITATION. PRANA EXERCISES DONE BEFORE MEDITATION BALANCE YOUR INTERNAL ENERGIES AND CALM THE MIND. (THESE BREATHING EXERCISES ARE USUALLY "SHARED" WITH A MEDIATOR BY THE TEACHER, AFTER THE MEDIATOR HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY MEDITATING FOR 3 TO 6 MONTHS AND CAN ENTER THE MEDITATION STATE EASILY.) (WRITEN INSTRUCTIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE DRAGON'S CAVE website: thedragonscave.org MANY OTHER SPIRITUAL TEXTS FROM VARIOUS SPIRITUAL PATHS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE THERE). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES: WHEN MEDITATION IS PRACTICED CONSISTENTLY, EACH AND EVERY DAY, "SPECIAL EXPERIENCES" AND "CHANGES" USUALLY BEGIN TO MANIFEST IN ONE'S CONSCIOUSNESS. THE AMOUNT OF TIME REQUIRED FOR THESE EXPERIENCES AND CHANGES TO OCCUR IN ANY SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL, VARIES GREATLY. THE TYPES OF EXPERIENCES THAT OCCUR AND HOW OFTEN THEY HAPPEN VARIES TOO. MANY FACTORS IN AN INDIVIDUAL'S LIFE AND LIFESTYLE INFLUENCE THESE VARIABLES. THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PROGRESSING IN THEIR SELF-CULTIVATION MORE RAPIDLY, MAY WISH TO CONSIDER CHANGING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES/LIFE STYLE. IF YOU WISH TO PROGRESS MORE RAPIDLY, SHARE THE DETAILS OF YOUR LIFE WITH YOUR TEACHER AND ASK YOUR TEACHER TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS ABOUT WHAT TO CHANGE. SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT MANIFEST ARE MORE BENEFICIAL IF CERTAIN ACTIONS ARE TAKEN AS THE EXPERIENCE IS OCCURRING. SHARE THE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH YOUR TEACHER AND ASK FOR GUIDANCE IF YOU FEEL YOU NEED IT. IT IS BENEFICIAL TO RECORD THE EXPERIENCES THAT OCCUR DURING YOUR MEDITATION AND KEEP A RECORD OF THEM. SHARE THEM WITH YOUR TEACHER IF YOU HAVE ONE. WHAT IS SHARED IN THIS PAPER IS TO ASSIST YOU TO GET THE MOST BENEFIT FROM THE TIME SPENT IN MEDITATION. I.E. IF YOU CAN NOT MEDITATE AT THE BEST TIMES, MEDITATE WHEN YOU CAN. IF YOU CAN NOT HAVE SPECIAL OR SPECIFIC CLOTHES TO MEDITATE IN, MEDITATE IN WHAT YOU HAVE. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- CAUTIONS AND MISC: IF IN MEDITATION THE "SPOT" BETWEEN THE EYEBROWS GETS HOT, CEASE MEDITATING IMMEDIATELY THAT DAY AND CONSULT YOUR TEACHER ABOUT THIS. BE CAREFUL NOT TO TAKE YOURSELF, YOUR DRAMA'S AND YOUR LIFE TOO DAMNED SERIOUS ! HAVING A SENSE OF HUMOR ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR CURRENT SITUATIONS IN LIFE AND EVERYTHING THAT MANIFESTS HERE, GREATLY ASSISTS IN YOUR DEVELOPMENT. AND WILL HELP YOU TO MAINTAIN AN INNER PEACE DURING THE STORMS OF LIFE THAT APPEAR FROM TIME TO TIME. TRY TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON LIFE AND ON WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU. TRY TO SEE EACH THAT EACH NEGATIVE SITUATION THAT OCCURS IS A LESSON OR SET OF LESSONS THE UNIVERSE PROVIDES FOR YOU TO LEARN FROM. SEE THE LESSON CLEARLY, UNDERSTAND IT, AND LEARN IT, THEN GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE. BE CAREFUL NOT TO DEVELOP "SPIRITUAL MATERIALISM" ! ITS VERY EASY TO SLIDE INTO THINKING YOU ARE "BETTER" THAN OTHERS BECAUSE YOU REGULARLY DO SPIRITUAL PRACTICES EACH DAY. EACH OF US IS THE SAME, EACH OF US IS EQUAL, EACH OF US IS A CHILD OF THE DIVINE, TRYING TO FIND HIS OR HER WAY IN THE DARKNESS. SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT, CHANGE, AND GROWTH ARE VERY IMPORTANT. KEEPING ALL THE AGREEMENTS YOU MAKE WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS, FULFILLING YOUR COMMITMENTS AND PERFORMING YOUR DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES, ARE ALL IMPORTANT. HOWEVER IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO TAKE TIME SOME TIME TO RELAX AND PLAY TOO. A BALANCED LIFE IS PART OF WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT ! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- PRONUNCIATION OF THE SANSKRIT WORDS: OM NAMA SHIVIYA OHM __ __ NA [LIKE IN VIETNAM] MA [LIKE IN MAMA ] __ __ SHI [LIKE IN SHE] VI [LIKE IN VIADUCT] YA [LIKE IN YAHOO] ....................................................................... SAT NAM __ SAT [LIKE IN SAVANT] ___ NAM [LIKE IN VIETNAM] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * NOTE: RAGA PATDEEP IS ON THE CASSETTE LABELED "CLASSICAL INDIAN RAGAS", BY G. S. SACHDEV. IT IS AVAILABLE AT RECORD STORES OR FROM: CHANDI PRODUCTIONS P.O. BOX 66 SAN RAFAEL, CA, 94915 (IF YOU BRING A BLANK TAPE TO THE DRAGON'S CAVE, OR A BLANK CD ROM, A COPY OF THE RAGA CAN BE MADE FOR YOU.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [text by ganashyam dass] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, OR PROBLEMS ARISE IN YOUR MEDITATION PRACTICE, YOU CAN CONSULT WITH ME BY TELEPHONE AT THE DRAGON'S CAVE AT 479-575-0567 OR BY EMAIL AT: sotardragon1@juno.com