Meditation may be considered as one of the methods by means of which we awaken the inner self and frequently awaken our spiritual and astral senses, so as to cause them to function in another plane. At the same time, if this developing process is done properly we build up walls of power about ourselves which others will find it impossible to break through; even should they desire to do so. We cover ourselves with sphere of energy through which nothing can pass against our will.

All thoughts sent by us into the universe have some definite purpose and have a certain effect, both upon ourselves and upon others.

“Thoughts are Things!” We can create a thought as surely as we can create a house or a chair and, once created, there is no telling that where this thought may stop or how long it may last. If these thoughts are good, helpful, and useful, they often return to us like boomerangs with the added happiness and power which they have accumulated from others of a similar character in their flight through space. On the contrary evil thoughts come back to us in the same way, and it will be found that thoughts always return to their sender with added power for evil or good.

Meditation is that process which helps to find the peace within ourselves. We may involve in today’s worldly pleasures, but a point comes when these pleasures also become useless to give us happiness. Today, we have forgotten that the true happiness lies not in the worldly pleasures and luxuries, but in our own minds. Meditation is just a means to help us realize our peace within and help us attain tranquility.

Thousands of years before, the practice of meditation prevailed in this world, especially on Indian soils. The good example of The Gautam Buddha helps us to understand that how the people at that time used meditation as a means to achieve an answer to certain question. Being defeated by sorrow, pain, depression, blockage of thoughts and many more such mental problems, human beings finally turn towards the path of meditation i.e. Self Realization.

Now let us get acquainted with the process of meditation. How can one start meditating? It is very simple. One does not need special preparation for meditation. He just requires two things which he already possesses. One his body and other his mind filled with a determination to be steady and patient during the process. Then he can start with the process. Relaxation of muscles both of body and brain is very important aspect in meditation. Just relax while you are meditating. Throw out all the ill thoughts and desires that are coming in your mind. At first, it will be a little bit difficult to defocus the ill thoughts and desires. This will be because our mind is in constant exposure of ill thoughts due to our social contact and the ill practices prevailing in it. But by practice, our mind will be able to overcome these ill thoughts. You can take any place for meditation, provided that it should be free from external disturbances and interruptions. It is very strange to note that some of the meditation practitioners have reached a stage by their psychic powers that they can even meditate in a noisy crowd. But yes, this stage of expertise is not achieved in a short period of time. It has to take a lots and lots of practice.

After selecting a proper space for meditation, the posture in which one has to be is decided. Truly speaking, meditation can also be done in a sleeping posture by lying on ground or a bed. Posture is actually immaterial for meditation. But the only thing needed is the agreement of mind to get focused in a specific direction. However, sitting straight with your legs cross folded is the best posture for meditation.

After you have gained posture, look with straight eyesight at any random imaginary point in front of you. This point may not actually exist. It may be imaginary. But consider that there is a spot on the wall in front of you and try to concentrate on that. Let all your concentration be converged on that point. Forget of the external world. Think that you are alone in that room and no one else is present over there.

Once your concentration gets stronger, shift the same on your breathing. This act is called as contemplation. Concentration is a step to get our mind focused. But contemplation is the watchfulness or mindfulness over our bodily acts and involuntary movements along with looking mindfully on the distractions that make interference with our mind when we are in the process of meditation. Contemplation is an important aspect in meditation. By this we do not meaninglessly focus on certain point of interest, but we look at our mind and the feelings arising naturally in it mindfully. It should be made clear that concentration is not truly meditation, but contemplation is a part and parcel of meditation. Following is the meditation process where you contemplate on your breathing and experience the further benefits. The contemplation can also be changed from breathing to our feelings and our every act that we perform in our daily chores. But it in this fast moving world, contemplating on every act would be seen as a foolish practice by others because it may slow down your speed of work and seem to be offbeat. This is because that you will then perform every act with proper thinking and mindfulness; and this process needs seconds of more time. And sometimes you may become a subject for pranks for others. One, by his own wish may perform this type of contemplation. But it is advisable to go with contemplation of breathing and feelings in your spare times. When you will reach the expertise of these contemplations, then you can go for the every-act contemplation. Now let us see the breathing contemplation in meditation process briefly as following.

 Count your breaths in mind like 1, 2, 3 … Then feel the breath you take in and that you exhale. Feel the air with fresh oxygen that touches your nostrils and then enters into your lungs through your windpipe. Feel the energy that the oxygen gives you when you take the breath in. The oxygen entering your lungs gives energy to your heart. It fills you up with lots and lots of good energy. It energizes the millions and trillions of tissues and cells that are present in every organ of your body. Feel that by every breath you take, your all organs are becoming healthier. Feel your heart pumping with serenity. Experience that your brain is secreting all the necessary chemicals in it and it is refined pouring in only the wise and good thoughts.