What exactly is meditation? Can you explain in detail how to meditate?

Meditation is the most precious technique in yoga and the way to achieve concentration. The ultimate goal of all true and correct yoga meditation is to guide people to the state of liberation. Yoga practitioners use yoga meditation to subdue the mind (heart and mind) and transcend material desires. Feel direct communication with The Original Cause. The true meaning of yoga meditation is to completely focus your heart, mind, and soul on the original beginning. Meditation

In order to know more about yoga meditation methods to overcome material desires, you must have a good grasp of the traditional concepts of ancient yoga about the three states of material nature, namely ignorance, passion and kindness.

Neuroscientists have found that if you let your brain meditate regularly, it will not only become better at meditating, but it will also improve your self-control and improve your ability to focus, manage stress, control impulses and self-awareness. ability.

Collapse and edit this paragraph three states

According to the yogis, the self, that is, the person, is controlled and dominated because he is blinded by the three states of nature. . If a person is under the influence of ignorance, he may desire a particular type of sensual pleasure. For example, if a person is under the influence of ignorance, he may wish to sleep or be narcotized; If a person is under the influence of a state of passion, he may engage in sexual pleasures; if a person is under the influence of a state of kindness, he may enjoy a peaceful and quiet day in a park or in the countryside. In all these cases, therefore, the nature of man's desires is determined by which influence of nature governs his state.

According to yogis, as long as a person is still dominated by the three states of material nature, namely ignorance, passion and kindness, he is not free - he has not yet freed himself from the fetters of material desires. Get free. To be free from material desires, he must transcend the influence of these three states of nature. Everyone is blinded by ignorance, passion and kindness. However, one of the three is dominant at any given moment.

Ignorance is the worst state, and the results of this state are madness, hallucinations, delusions, laziness, etc.

The state of passion is better than the state of ignorance, but it implies characteristics such as significant obsession, uncontrollable desire, pursuit and intense effort.

The state of kindness is purer and more radiant than other states. People in this state cultivate and develop wisdom, but they are conditioned by the concept of happiness.

A person in a good state is still only interested in his own happiness. In other words, although his desires are purer and more subtle than those of a person in a state of ignorance or passion, he is still self-centered. Such a person feels very sad and depressed when a state of ignorance or a state of passion begins to affect his mind and body, thereby depriving him of the happiness derived from a state of goodness. He is not yet detached from the influence of all three - he cannot remain an unaffected, detached witness to the natural workings of these three influences. He has not yet reached the level of loving service to the whole - therefore, he has not truly attained liberation. Only when this living being imprisoned in the body can transcend these three states can he be freed from birth, death, aging and the pain of these three, and can enjoy nectar in this life.

Only those who are not interested in their own happiness can be truly happy. This view seems strange and confusing to ignorant people - but to wise people, It is logical and easy to understand.

The person who has achieved the highest state of yoga is the person who is aware of the situation when ignorance, passion or goodness is at work in his body and mind, but feels that he is transcending it. kind of influence or remain unmoved. Such a person neither submits to these influences (that is, does not submit to his body and mind) nor resents the fact that these influences are at work. He experienced it all as a detached witness.

If he neither pays attention to the commands of these influences nor obeys them, then what does he pay attention to and what does he obey? The answer is that he directs his attention to his service to the whole because he is inspired or moved by the power of spiritual love which is beyond and distinct from states of ignorance, passion, or goodness. Such a liberated yogi can be compared to a person who is concentrating on his work and does not care much about the weather. It may be a sunny day with sunshine (which can be compared to a state of kindness), or a cloudy day with dense clouds (this can be compared to a state of passion), or a rainy day (which can be compared to a state of ignorance). Although he knows: "Ah , there is sun today” or “Ah, it’s raining today!” But he still concentrates on his work.

According to the yogis, freedom from the influence of the three states of material nature is a A gradual process. For example, if a person who is primarily in a state of ignorance engages in yoga practice and adopts a yogic lifestyle, he gradually becomes more and more in a state of passion and more or less in a state of kindness. As he continues to practice, he will gradually become more and more under the influence of the good state, and less under the influence of the passionate state, and even less under the influence of the ignorant state. Then he will also be under the influence of the state of ignorance. Gradually transcending the effects of the state of goodness. Such a state is called a state of purified goodness, or a state of transcendence (Samadhi).

Therefore, the top priority of all yoga practitioners is to strive to escape from ignorance. The way to achieve this is to become more and more under the influence of virtuous states. In this way, the yogi gradually transcends even the influence of virtuous states. p>

In order for a person to transcend all three states, he must first basically stick to the state of goodness and not be attached to the state of ignorance or passion. The reason is that the state of goodness is the starting point for getting rid of these three states. After liberation, no matter which one of the three is active, ignorance, passion or kindness, the person will remain unmoved.

Therefore, the purpose of all yoga meditation exercises is to free people from the material nature. Liberation from the rule of these three states - starting from the state of ignorance and passion, and finally, even the state of kindness is liberated.

Collapse and edit this paragraph of yoga meditation

Among all yoga meditation systems, none is as direct, time-tested, or widely used as yoga voice meditation. As mentioned above, yoga voice meditation can be used to enhance the energy of life. Together with the practice, you can also practice it individually.

Yoga voice meditation is also called Mantra meditation. The Sanskrit word "Mantra" can be divided into two parts, namely "Man". (man) and "tra". "Man" means "mind". "Tra" means "to lead away". Therefore, "Mantra" means to be able to draw away the human heart. A special set of voices that are drawn away from all kinds of worldly thoughts, worries, desires, mental burdens, etc. As long as a person focuses on his yoga voice, he can gradually transcend qualities such as ignorance and passion, and At the height of the quality of kindness. From this step, yoga meditation develops deeper, gradually evolving into perfect Zen, and finally entering a state of concentration.

Attempt to keep the mind focused with attention. On a certain object, it is contrary to the ability of the mind. Doing so is difficult and futile. This is actually against the principles of yoga meditation. In yoga meditation, a person must gently try to focus his mind on an object. If the mind wants to leave the object, he must try to catch it and bring it back. But this is done extremely softly.

Yoga voice meditation practice is extremely simple and easy. There are no hard and fast rules. Sometimes it is recited repeatedly with the heart and mouth at the same time, and sometimes it is just recited silently. When reciting aloud, sometimes it is repeated in a low voice, sometimes it is recited aloud in ordinary language, and sometimes it is recited in a rhythmic singing way. Sometimes the chanting is synchronized with the breathing, and sometimes it doesn't have to be. Sometimes I recite while sitting, sometimes while standing, sometimes while walking, and so on. The practitioner's eyes are sometimes closed, sometimes partially closed, and sometimes fully open.

Collapse and edit this paragraph Misunderstandings about Meditation

It is not necessary to practice meditation and breath-taking techniques at the same time

Treat techniques before meditation, such as breath-taking techniques , bandha, cohesion, and some techniques for cultivating and controlling the energy of life. So, when practicing yoga voice meditation, do you need to practice these techniques together to get the best results?

In fact, you don’t need to practice any preparatory techniques for meditation, you only need to practice yoga Through voice meditation, you can reach the highest state of yoga meditation.

Like yoga postures, bandhas, mudra and pranayama (techniques for cultivating and controlling breathing and life energy) all serve yoga voice meditation. If you feel that any technique can directly or indirectly help you devote your mind to yoga voice meditation, you may wish to practice these techniques. But if you don't need these techniques to be able to focus on yoga voice meditation, don't waste your precious time.

For example, someone may practice yoga postures because it has health and physical effects, and can release superficial tension and stress. In this way, he can easily practice yoga voice meditation. Achieve a state of concentration. That said, his yoga poses are for yoga voice meditation. Similarly, some people practice bandhas, mudra, pranayama, or other techniques that can cultivate or manipulate the life breath because they feel that these exercises can directly or indirectly help yoga voice meditation practice.

Yoga voice meditation does not require the assistance of techniques such as the cultivation and manipulation of the breath of life. On the contrary, these techniques require the assistance of yoga voice meditation to achieve true and deep spiritual value; otherwise, they The value can only be limited to the physical and psychological levels.

If you are already accustomed to practicing preparatory techniques before meditation, you can continue to practice these techniques along with yoga voice meditation. But if you are not familiar with these meditation techniques, judging from the primary and secondary relationship between the essence of meditation and regulating the breath into tranquility, there is no need to spend precious time on this (but if you have specific diseases or discomforts, learn these techniques Preparing techniques before meditation may provide certain benefits).

The ultimate goal of yoga meditation is not to empty the mind or reach the state of "selflessness"

It is to allow the mind to sense the spiritual and transcendent voice, thereby achieving purification effects of awareness.

Generally speaking, it is almost futile to make your mind "empty and empty". This attempt will only bring frustration. Even at the moment when the state of "no thoughts at all" appears, you will think: "Ah, I almost did it! I almost have no thoughts at all!" But when you think like this, new thoughts will enter your mind. Already? ! It's you who are thinking "I'm not thinking anything." According to yoga science, the state of "selflessness" is also impossible to achieve. According to yoga, Nirvana does not mean the end of existence, but the end of the meaningless existence of ignorance and pain. True and perfect Nirvana is the realization of an existence filled with spiritual love, inner wisdom, and purpose. Nothing is more real to us than our own existence; and nothing is more natural than being aware of our own existence.

Therefore, it is difficult and in fact impossible to think that the purpose of yoga meditation is to make us unaware of our own existence or to cease our existence. Any attempt to destroy existence is actually just a hopeless struggle and a waste of time that does nothing to resolve suffering. The solution to suffering is not to try to terminate or forget our existence, but to make our existence more meaningful, filled with spiritual love and wisdom, and ultimately achieve a happy life.

If people lack spiritual love and wisdom, it will naturally be difficult to realize the purpose of existence, and they will always be in an unhappy state. However, through the practice of yoga meditation, we realize the meaning of existence. Therefore, what we pursue is no longer ending or forgetting ourselves, but understanding that life has a longer-term goal and living happily.

Collapse and edit this paragraph of meditation training

1. Breath-following method: the mind and breath come in and out naturally, the heart and breath depend on each other, and the mind and energy follow each other without interference. This is called following the breath.

2. Breath counting method: silently recite the number of breaths, from one to ten to one hundred. If it is true, count "exhale", if it is empty, count "breath".

3. Breath-listening method: Listen quietly to your own breathing with both ears and eliminate distracting thoughts.

4. Observation of Breathing: Observe and experience your own breathing like an observer.

5. Stopping Breathing: Practice any of the above methods and become proficient in it over a long period of time. , forming a soft, slow, thin and long breath. Breathing is as thin as a gossamer, vague and non-existent. Called stop. Also called fetal breath.

6. Zen words to enter meditation: (recite silently several times) and experience the artistic conception of "sitting alone in a stream and letting the water flow".

7. Relax and enter meditation: silently recite the word "quiet" when inhaling, and silently recite the word "pine" when exhaling.

8. The method of observing and calming the mind: use your own heart to observe, observe, and analyze your own thoughts and distractions, and let the distractions flow without interference. After a long time, you will return to calmness.