Safeguarding Our Mind through Meditation
In our daily lives, an array of problems of varying degrees correlating to our family circumstance, profession, education, and responsibilities can arise. When faced with problems, the methods people employed to solve them may differ according to their experience and familiarity, and with outcomes that are never predictable. However, if we are trained to examine problems with a still mind, we will be able to clearly identify their origin. This skill can be developed through the practice of meditation.
Meditation refers to stopping one’s mind. An unrest mind is a weak mind. When a mind is at rest, it becomes powerful, like how a focus of sunlight can ignite a flame. Meditation is for humans of all nationalities, languages, genders and generations. Everyone can meditate.
whether we work at an office or are self-employed; our status – a housewife or a student; and our religious affiliation. Meditation is not limited to age or gender and can be easily practiced by any individual.
We all have 2 important components which are bodies and minds. To have strong and powerful bodies, we need to move or exercise. To have powerful minds, we need to stop and be still. When our bodies are tired, we need to relax it by sleeping, while when our minds are nervous or sensitive, we need to relax it by meditation.
Simple meditation instructions can be divided into 6 steps
1. Sit in a relaxing position, with the right leg on the left leg and right hand on the left hand. The index finger of your right hand should just touch your left thumb. Close your eyes gently like how you would fall asleep while keeping your back up straight.
2. Examine parts of your body. Make sure that no part is being too stressed. If you feel so, move your body slightly so that your circulation is good. That way, we would not feel any ache.
3. Adjust your feelings so that you feel relaxing and clear. You may think of nature, river, mountains, sky or cloud, or imagine that you are alone in the space with no humans, animals or things surrounding you. You have no bonds or worries, be it, education, family, works or any other thing.
4. Visualize a crystal ball, the sun, the moon or any other star in the middle of your stomach so that your mind lingers there and not wandering elsewhere. Suppose you have two strings, pull one string tightly from the navel straight through to the back of your body. Now pull the other string across from your right side straight through to your left side such that both strings intersect at the middle of your body. The point of intersection is the size of the end of a pin. Now suppose you place two fingers one on top of the other at the intersection, this is then the location of the Seventh Base. For those who feel stressed when you visualize, you can just skip this process. Instead, just bring your mind to stop at the 7th base of the mind or in the middle of your body.
5. Repeat the mantra, “Samma Arahan” to yourself. Samma means correctness while Arahan means purity. Feel as if the sound comes from the 7th base of your mind.
6. Protect your mind, so that it is mindful and relaxing all the time. It should be neutral, empty, clear, still and indifferent. There should be no rush at all. You should feel satisfied with such emotion and in no time, you would attain the real inner happiness.
When the water is still, all dust that is in there would settle at the bottom. When your mind is still, it would become clear and pure. Be at present and your mind will be powerful.
Benefits of Meditation
The benefits gained from practicing meditation regularly:
1. A radiant, pure, clean and calm mind, which aids in gaining a more peaceful sleep and one devoid of nightmares.
2. Enhanced personality – becoming more energetic and refined, and gaining more confident and self-control, which are applicable for any situation.
3. Reduction of stress that disrupts our thoughts. When we are not feeling tense, our body naturally releases chemicals that increase our happiness and improve our overall health by fortifying our immune system and slowing the aging process.
4. Suppression of anger and tempers as the mind becomes calmer and still longer through the practice of meditation. When the mind is stable and tranquil, it will have the power to restrain actions of body, speech and mind.
5. Diligent practitioners will have improved memory and analytical skills, giving rise to higher aptitude when performing various tasks. They will also have greater proficiency in learning and working, and experience profound levels of inner happiness and wisdom.
Appropriate time for meditation
1. 5-10 minutes after waking up to get yourself ready for the day
2. 5-10 minutes before going to bed to revisit the good moments during the day
3. Apart from those, 15-60 minutes during any pre-set time of the day
Meditation should be practiced regularly. It should be treated like a necessary and important activity in life. When you do so, you would face with happiness and success in life. When you are the center of happiness, peace would be expanded to others in your family, society, country, and eventually creating world peace.