Starting a meditation practice can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Meditation is moving away from non-stop thinking and learning to be present in each moment. It is about being in touch with reality and everything is real except what we think. The whole journey can be divided into three steps. It begins with body awareness. Go on doing your daily chores and simply be watchful of your body doing that. Body is walking and you watch it. Body does things like eating, talking, writing, reading, singing etc and you go on watching the body doing these activities. It will bring a certain relaxation and grace to the body. It will also relax the mind. The second step is to watch the thoughts. We think that we think but actually thoughts think us. Being watchful of every thought that comes to the mind develops a gap between us and the thoughts. It relaxes the incessant flow of thoughts however it is important to not repress thoughts. You go on watching without any judgement whatsoever. The third step is to watch feelings which is the deepest. As you complete these three steps, you are home.
When to Meditate?
"meditation" is simply being aware of what is happening both within and around us. And meditation methods are designed to help us learn that knack of being aware, and then allow the watcher to become strong enough to become part of your everyday life.
Some methods are designed to be most effective when done at a certain time of the day. For example, Osho Dynamic Meditation is best first thing in the morning. Osho Kundalini is designed for the end of the day.
It is important to find what method works best for us and do it regularly. Then it becomes as much a part of our natural rhythm as cleaning teeth or having breakfast.
Where...
Many meditative techniques, such as watching the breath, can be practiced anywhere at any time. For the Osho active methods we need a room where we will be undisturbed and can move freely.
What to Wear
Wear loose clothing that does not restrict the flow of energy.
Psychological Preparation
It is important to meditate without any expectation. The whole secret is to allow the process to unfold. Wanting something to happen is the surest way to prevent it happening.
How To Choose a Method?
Experiment with whatever technique appeals to you.
Having selected the method, try it for a few days consecutively. And while doing it, give it all. If you feel good with the method, do it for three months. After three months you can continue with it or choose another.
It is suggested that you start out by trying out one or more of the Osho Active Meditations, if possible Dynamic and Kundalini. Then do them regularly for a while. In addition, find any small technique that you can add to your daily life to help remind you to stay aware as much of your day as possible. Watching the breath could be a good one.
Osho says, “When people come to me and they ask, 'How to meditate?' I tell them, 'There is no need to ask how to meditate, just ask how to remain unoccupied. Meditation happens spontaneously. Just ask how to remain unoccupied, that's all. That's the whole trick of meditation – how to remain unoccupied. Then you cannot do anything. The meditation will flower. When you are not doing anything the energy moves towards the center, it settles down towards the center. When you are doing something the energy moves out. Doing is a way of moving out. Non-doing is a way of moving in. Occupation is an escape. You can read the Bible, you can make it an occupation. There is no difference between religious occupation and secular occupation: all occupations are occupations, and they help you to cling outside your being. They are excuses to remain outside.
Man is ignorant and blind, and he wants to remain ignorant and blind, because to come inwards looks like entering a chaos. And it is so; inside you have created a chaos. You have to encounter it and go through it. Courage is needed – courage to be oneself, and courage to move inwards. I have not come across a greater courage than that – the courage to be meditative.”
By Ma Dhyan Prachi, meditation facilitator, Osho Dham
