Meditation is the air conditioning for the mind to be comfortable. We want comfort but we don’t know how to be absolutely comfortable. Let us explore five methods for a successful meditation.
The first is through yoga and physical exercise. When our body does certain postures, with a certain rhythm, the mind slips into meditation. If you are very active or too well rested, you cannot meditate. But in a state where the body has the right amount of tiredness, yet still not that tired; in that very delicate balance, your whole system slips into meditation.
The second is through breathing techniques and pranayama. The mind becomes quiet and still and you can slip into meditation effortlessly.
The third is through any sensory pleasure — sight, sound, taste, smell or touch. Being 100 per cent engrossed in a particular sensory object brings you to a state of meditation. Just lie down and keep looking at the sky, or when you are completely engrossed in hearing music, a moment comes when the mind becomes still.
The fourth way is through both positive and negative emotions. When you feel utterly hopeless or very angry, you say, ‘I give up!’ It means, ‘This is it. I can’t take it anymore.’ During those moments, if you don’t slip into frustration or depression or violence, you will find that there is a moment where the mind stands still.
The fifth is through the intellect, knowledge, awareness. This is called jnana yoga. When you sit and know that this body is made up of billions of cells, something gets stimulated deep inside. The context of life immediately changes when you become aware of the magnanimity of the universe: Who are you? What are you? Where are you? How are you in reference to the unfathomable, infinite universe? Some shift happens within you.
To meditate, you just need to know how to relax. If you are on a massage table, you let the masseur take care of you. Similarly, in meditation, you do nothing. Let nature or the spirit take care of you.