· Then say to yourself that for the next 10 minutes you will concentrate on nothing else apart from your meditation. Concerns about what happened today, or may happen tomorrow, can definitely wait until after the exercise. · Begin by concentrating on your breathing. Feel that your breathing is soft and gentle. There should be nothing forced; if someone placed a feather by your nose it would barely move.
· As you become focused on your breathing it will have a powerful impact on your state of mind. Your thoughts will naturally slow down and you will become more relaxed.
· As you breathe in, feel that you are breathing in a quality of inner peace. Feel that this breath embodies a real sensation of peace. As you breathe out feel that you are exhaling any restlessness and anxiety. · Now try to watch your thoughts. As they enter into your mind make a determined resolution not to follow any of them. You can visualise getting hold of a thought and then throwing it out of your mind. This exercise shows that you are not your thoughts, the real “I” is deep inside. Always feel you can control and determine your thoughts. · Continue to focus all your attention on your rhythmic breathing, but now try to stop any thoughts coming at all. Feel that you are not your thoughts, but the soul. The soul is far beyond the domain of the mind. · As your thoughts slow down feel that you are entering a most peaceful and relaxed consciousness. Don’t allow any though to disturb you. Just dive deep within to discover the inner peace and joy that are part of our real existence. · Initially you should try this exercise for 10 minutes but as your meditation receptivity increases you should increase its length.
Richard is a meditation student of spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy http://www.srichinmoybio.co.uk. He offers meditation classes based on the teachings of Sri Chinmoy in his home town of Oxford.
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