Awake: What is Meditation?
Yogic meditation is a technique for reining in the inner voice and obtaining a state known as mindfulness. First described nearly 3000 years ago it is practiced by Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists and anybody else who seeks a quiet mind. The first stage, and by far the most difficult, is mindful concentration. In this practice we seek to quiet the inner voice by focusing our attention on one thing to the exclusion of all others. Usually this is practiced in conjunction with yogic breathing.
First sit in a comfortable position away from distractions. Sit with your back straight. Breathe slowly though your nose, hold for a second, then breathe out. Focus your attention on the breathing. Still your inner talking. Do not be frustrated if this is difficult at first. Be patient. If your mind wanders to other thoughts, and it will, our conscious mind is like a willful child, just gently, without frustration, move the mind back to the breathing. Do not worry about a goal of ten minutes or twenty minutes or whatever. Do this only for so long as you feel comfortable.
