“Meditation speaks. It speaks in silence. It reveals. It reveals to the aspirant that matter and spirit are one, quantity and quality are one, the immanent and the transcendent are one. It reveals that life can never be the mere existence of seventy or eighty years between birth and death, but is, rather, Eternity itself.” – Sri Chinmoy
Questions on Meditation
What is the aim of meditation?
We meditate to gain peace of mind, and inner joy. If we meditate well we will have a good feeling about ourselves and the rest of the world.
How long should we meditate for?
This depends on a seekers experience and stage of development. In the beginning we might start by meditating for 10 or 15 minutes. As we gain greater capacity we can meditate for longer. The important thing though, is not how long we meditate for, but, the quality of our meditation. We should not continue to meditate if our mind is very tired and throwing many thoughts at us.
What are the ABCs of meditation?
- Meditate with a straight back. Don’t meditate lying down as you are liable to fall asleep. (a type of relaxation, but very different to the real relaxation of meditation 🙂 )
- Don’t meditate after eating a heavy meal. The body will be drowsy from digesting the food. It will be more difficult to meditate.
- If possible set aside a corner of your room to devote to meditation. If you meditate in the same place everyday it will build up a meditative vibration.
- Try to keep the mind as calm and peaceful as possible.
Further Reading
External Links
- Reflections on Meditation at BBC – article by Alan Spence from Edinburgh Sri Chinmoy Centre