Meditation
What's the deal with Meditation?
I think there is a lot of misconception about meditation. Some people think one has to go to India or Tibet and find a cave to sit in until one's mind is empty, then boom, enlightenment happens or something like that. I'm not saying that you can't do that, but most of us have responsibilities.
Just sitting down and trying to empty one's mind is not easy. Early in my yoga days I took a meditation class and it really stressed me out. As nice as a cave in India would have been, it would not have helped. While trying to meditate, the only thing that ran through my head was, "I'm still thinking. How does one turn the mind off? This is not working. I can't turn it off. What the heck happens if one does stop thinking? I don't like this at all."
Well, luckily, one does not have to sit still to meditate. I did find a meditation that worked for me. Yoga, a moving meditation, I did not know I was meditating when I was taking yoga classes, but I did know I felt better after them.
Mantras can also be used for meditation. I like one mantra that can be used anywhere; "Sa Ta Na Ma", where one presses on the finger tips (index, middle, ring and pinky) with the thumb while saying, "Sa Ta Na Ma". I use it all the time while waiting in a long line or traffic jams. It keeps me calm. Believe it or not, one has a choice of being stressed out or being calm in a stressful situation. Either way, it takes just as long to get checked out in a long line or to get where you are going while waiting in the traffic jam, so why not stay relaxed and peaceful.
I do a number of different counted breaths. Dr Weil has a nice page talking about a 4-7-8 Relaxation breath. Video: Dr. Weil's Breathing Exercises: 4-7-8 Breath (drweil.com) Not sure why it's called Dr Weil's Breathing Exercises because Yogis and Budhists have been doing it for hundreds of thousands of years. One can even throw an "Om" between the counts to be more yogi like.
Lastly, I have a set of mala beads. Malas are easy to use, hold them over your third finger and count them with your thumb and one's mind does not have to be peaceful to use them. I just repeat, Ram, Ram, Ram, or RAM, RAM, RAM, when I'm stressed. I will start the day using the malas repeating a phase like "Thank you God", "The One who created me will take care of me", or "Today will be the best day of my life" to put my head in a better place before starting the day. That is the one practice I pretty much do everyday.
Here is an interesting talk by George Harrison.
George Harrison Explains His Understanding of Vedanta. Quotes from Swami Vivekananda. - YouTube
If you like guided meditations there are a number of good youtubes. I actually enjoy the Ram Dass guided meditations.
Guided Meditation Library • Ram Dass
If you want to read a little more about meditation, here is an article from the Mayo Clinic. There is lot's of information out there on the web, but my advice is just to give a few meditations a try and see if you feel better.
Meditation: Take a stress-reduction break wherever you are - Mayo Clinic
If you want to check out the mala beads they run from $12 for plain ones to $50 for fancy ones. FYI - Plain ones work just as well, although the fancy ones are pretty.
Malas – Love Serve Remember Shop (ramdass.org)
Sa Ta Na Ma - Explained in detail, but don't feel you have to practice it a certain way. You can use it anytime.
Tera Naam's version of Sa Ta Na Ma is very nice.
Kirtan Kriya - Sa Ta Na Ma - by Tera Naam - YouTube
I find this story about meditation very interesting.
Meditate Like Christ — Neem Karoli Baba Ashram (nkbashram.org)