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Meditation: Calming the restless mind
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I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone say, "I've tried to meditate, but I can't sit still." Or, "There's no way I can clear my mind of all thoughts, not even for 30 seconds." Or, "Meditation? What does that even do?"
The truth is that anyone can meditate, and it doesn't matter if you can't sit still. It doesn't matter if your mind is full to the brim with racing thoughts. And it doesn't even matter if you don't know or care what meditation is for. No matter how much I tell you about meditation, it has to be experienced to be understood. The menu is not, after all, the meal.
The human mind is naturally restless. The pressures and the pace of modern life amplify this tendency, often resulting in frantic, frenetic thought patterns. We're all so identified with the things we do, accomplish and think, that we've lost the ability simply to be.
Yoga and yogic meditation give us a glimpse, whenever we're willing to be still for long enough, of who and what we really are at the center of all our striving: vast, spacious, calm awareness. Patanjali wrote: "Yoga is the settling of mind into silence. When the mind is settled, we are established in our essential nature which is unbounded consciousness."
No need to wrestle yourself into lotus pose and sit ramrod straight. And no need to empty your mind of all thoughts and ponder the Void. Let's start with a simple, enjoyable meditation and breathing technique that can quiet the frantic mind and bring clarity. In the beginning, it helps to have a point of focus for the "monkey mind" - in this meditation, the mind focuses on the image of a feather. Let's give it a try!
The Floating Feather Meditation Technique
Sit up straight, whether you're on the floor or in a chair. Relax your face and shoulders. Take a long, deep breath and fill your belly and chest with air. As you exhale, make a soft "ffffffffff" sound, extending the outbreath as long as you can without straining. At the end of the exhalation, use the abdominals to push out the last bit of breath. Pause for two counts, then inhale again.
Repeat this pattern of breathing, establishing a slow count of four for the inhalation, pausing for two counts, a slow count of four for the exhalation (using the "ffffffff" sound), and a pause for two counts at the end of the exhale. Continue breathing this way, internalizing the rhythm until you no longer have to count.
Now envision a small white feather on the floor in front of you. As you inhale, imagine the feather rising off the floor a few inches, hovering as you pause, and descending as you exhale. It may be difficult at first to stay with the visualization, but don't be hard on yourself. With time and practice, you'll be able to hold the image in your mind for longer periods, adding detail and even imagining the feather rotating as it rises and falls. Stay with the meditation as long as you like, and try it again tomorrow.
Namasté, and happy meditating!
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