How To Meditate: A Simple Guide

On the path of meditation, simplicity is best.

Once we understand the principles, we can apply them to our experience of any moment. If I meditate on Light and you meditate on Sound, what does it matter? If I am cooking and you are sitting still, who is meditating? Once the requirements are met, we enter into the state of meditation.

In this article, I will share some key concepts with you. It is up to you to apply them. You are free to choose your own technique according to your preferences. If I gave you a perfect set of techniques, but you did not properly apply the principles, how could you ever experience this for yourself?

In meditation, we allow our consciousness to return to its natural state of purity and clarity. This does not exist in the world around you, it exists as the very basis of who you are. Instead of seeking fulfillment and knowledge in the external world, we direct our attention inwards, so that we may experience the absolutely pristine root of our own consciousness.

Consider that consciousness is capable of infinite transformations in every moment.

As we look around the world, as we think, observe, analyze, imagine, remember, as we worry or judge, as we become interested in things, as we experience desire; our consciousness takes on the form of all these experiences. Just as water poured into 1000 different vessels takes on 1000 different shapes, our consciousness is changing constantly in response to our experience of each moment.

If we allow our consciousness to change shape every moment of our lives, how could we ever experience our natural state of purity? If we are constantly busy having opinions, how can we ever experience anything clearly?

It is no wonder that people go through an entire lifetime without ever experiencing the pure consciousness within them.

The root of your consciousness, the basis of who you are, is pure. Every thought, opinion, or perspective that we hold is a modification of this; our pure consciousness modifies itself to take on the new shape. Even though the underlying purity is always there, we don’t experience it because it gets obscured and distorted by the movements of our mind.

Consider Patanjali’s definition of yoga, the experience of Unity:

“Yogas citta vrtti nirodha”

Yoga is the stilling of all modifications of consciousness.

-Yoga Sutra 1.2

In other words, when consciousness is allowed to return to its natural state of purity, we experience the unity of all things. How simple, and yet, how rare are those who fully return to their natural state!

Imagine a pristine spring of water, high up in the mountains. No matter how many contaminants enter the water downstream, the source remains clear. Likewise, as we allow the disturbances and movements of our mind to settle, only pure consciousness remains.

This is the basis of meditation.

We need only concern ourselves with two things:

• the direction of our energy flow

• the quality of our consciousness

Ordinarily, our mental energy and attention is scattered all around, focusing on 10,000 things every minute. The direction of our energy flow is away from us, which is a form of leakage. In meditation, we call all of this energy back within ourselves in order to harness it. We have to anchor the mind within our body so that our energy can begin to gather and concentrate internally.

As the flow of energy shifts away from the world and starts to circulate within ourselves, we naturally become more saturated with the power of consciousness. Much like upgrading to a higher-resolution camera, we now experience the moment with greater detail.

However, as we all know, we can focus powerfully within the body in a fit of rage, or fear, or panic; this will not do. Therefore, we must also attend to the quality of our consciousness.

Essentially, this means that we need to release the disturbances that exist within us and come to rest in a state of stillness and receptivity.

The method for this is incredibly simple: experience this moment, exactly as it is, without judging it or reacting to it in any way.

When you bite into an apple, you have an experience. The moment you form an opinion about it, you have departed from the true reality of the apple. Your opinion is now filtering and coloring your experience. The truth has become obscured as we trade reality for a daydream.

Can anyone claim to see clearly and have an opinion at the same time?

As we experience the moment, in our practice of meditation, we must not form an opinion about it. Whether we consider it to be beautiful or undesirable does not matter; in any case, our consciousness modifies itself according to our opinion. Remember that consciousness instantly transforms into the shape of the vessel. Any and all transformation is a departure from purity. Only by cultivating stillness can we allow ALL modifications and fluctuations of consciousness to settle.

Non-reactive awareness is the basis of stillness.

Now then, since our minds tend to be wild and unruly, it is helpful to select something to focus upon. We can unite our minds to our breath, sound, mantra, light, energy flow; there are many suitable options. The purpose of these techniques is to prevent our minds from venturing out into the various states of desire, disturbance, agitation, restlessness, and so forth.

By holding awareness within the body and focusing on ONE THING, our disturbances and resistances are gradually released and we make our way into the state of stillness. Finally, the pure consciousness within us, which has been changing continuously every moment of our lives, is fully restored to its natural state of absolute clarity and purity. Only by reclaiming this clarity and purity can we awaken to the true nature of reality.

Without this experience of pure consciousness, we form countless erroneous beliefs and attitudes about ourself, others, the world, existence, and all things. If we want to know the truth, we must practice being still and clear.

Knowing this, who wouldn’t choose to experience the truth for themself? Do you imagine this can be accomplished in any other way?

I have written this guide so that you may more easily focus on what truly matters in your practice. The specific techniques you choose are up to you. The experience only comes when we apply the principles and meet the requirements. Remember that this can happen in any moment.

Come back into your body, cultivate stillness, and allow your consciousness to return to its natural clarity; there is no need for further complication.