İyi insanlar için iyi şeyler

These notes are intended as a rough guide to a particular process of Meditation. They should not be regarded either as exhaustive or exclusive or as a replacement for obtaining the information first hand from an appropriate teacher. They will however serve to get the pupil started.
1.  Please realise that there is nothing mysterious about the process of Meditation. It is closely akin to prayer and other forms of introspection. It is an intensely practical process that will, if practised in a sincere, regular and disciplined way, bring great benefits at the level of the physical body as well as at a more ‘spiritual’ or ‘psychic’ level.

2.  There are many methods. Most will require that the pupil ‘still the mind ’so as to concentrate on the subject on which it is intended to meditate. There is nothing wrong with that.

3.  The method that I teach however makes use of one of the minds most marked abilities - that is its almost complete inability to concentrate on one subject for any real length of time and to rather jump from one subject to another quite indiscriminately. This ability is quite easily demonstrated. Close your eyes, relax yourself and attempt to think ONLY about an elephant for one minute. If you are able to achieve this then you are quite far along the path of concentration. Chances are that your mind moved on to all sorts of unlikely topic long before the minute was up.

4.  It is precisely this ability to jump from one topic to another that we will use to ‘brainstorm’ the topic you wish to meditate on. You will no doubt be familiar with the technique of brainstorming. An object or subject is selected and then random ideas and associations are tabled. Most of what comes up will in all likelihood not be of much value. There will however be some gems and it is these that we are after.

5.  There is only one physical requirement and that is that the spine is straight. This does not necessarily mean vertical. However a straight backed chair is the best. Close your eyes and relax yourself. Any of the techniques available will do. Breathe slowly and normally.

6.  Bring to mind the subject or thing on which you wish to meditate. You will, after a time , become aware that you are no longer thinking of that subject and that your mind has wandered onto something else. As you become aware of this, simply ask yourself the question ‘What has this got to do with (your original subject)?’ In this way you will brainstorm your original subject. The answer may come immediately, or perhaps a day or a week later. It may also come in your dreams. So now you also need to be aware of your dreams and write them down. If your subject matter is sincerely chosen and you apply yourself with diligence to the question you will get an answer and the quality of your answers will improve as you practice.

7.  Some ‘rules’ :

a) keep your subject matter simple and practical. Choose practical issues from   your daily life. Meditate on each issue for no longer than week at a time.

b) where possible phrase your questions so that they can be answered ‘Yes’ or             ‘No’.

c) meditate every day

d) no longer than 10 minutes at a time. Time yourself.

e) make sure you will not be disturbed.

f) keep notes of your experience.
g) it is very important that you start a Dream Diary in which you record your      dreams. Many of the ‘answers’ to your questions will come through your dreams. If you have trouble with dream recall, ask for support.

8.  Bear in mind that in due time you will have to move beyond the techniques and rules outlined above. You will then be able to meditate at any place, at any time and under any circumstances. Bear in mind that the purpose of any ritual is to assist - especially the novice - in achieving his end. In this case focussingthe mind. Ritual is  not and must be allowed to become, an end in itself.

Author : Christopher Neville