In this chaotic life, meditation keeps us stay focused and neutral. In Patanjali’s Ashtangayoga, meditation is the seventh stage that comes after Yamas, niyamas (10 commandments) , asanas (postures), pranayama (breath controlling), pratyahara (mind’s focus) and dharana (realisation). One needs to be thorough in all these six stages before starting meditation, which is a natural process where you leave all material thoughts behind and find your inner self. Meditation happens when you live in the present moment by cutting thoughts. Through meditation, you attain Samadhi, a state of meditative consciousness.
How can we slip into meditation? Johnny Jose, a Kochi-based yoga and martial arts expert gives some tips and five postures.
There are certain things to be kept in mind while we meditate:
You have to create an ideal surrounding to indulge into this. Early morning, precisely the brahma muhurtham (3 am – 6 am) is the perfect time for this.
Choose a clean and quiet place, select your comfortable cross-legged sitting posture, choose a yoga mudra (chin mudra, chinmaya mudra or yoni mudra to circulate energy within ourselves) and close your eyes with normal breathing (meditative posture). If you keep your eyes open, then focus on a single object. However, meditating with closed eyes is the preferred one as it lets you stay away from distractions. Bring your attention to either breathing or to one of the chakras in our body (preferably the Anjana chakra). Also, make sure that you are using a mat so that the energy from your body will not flow out to the ground. One needs to practise meditation minimum 20 minutes a day.
Sukhasana
Sit cross-legged. Keep your spine straight. Sit in your meditative posture. Now, the energy circulates from your Sahasrara chakra to muladhara chakra.
Vajrasana
Sit on the mat. Fold your legs and sit in such a way that your buttocks touch your heels. Place your hands on your thighs and mediate. People suffering from knee pain and arthritis can opt for this posture.
Padmasana — The lotus position
Sit cross-legged. Place your right foot on left thigh and left foot on right thigh. Go into meditation.
Siddhasana
This is slightly different from Sukhasana. Sit cross-legged. Lift your left foot and place it on the right ankle or vice versa. Sit erect and slowly slip into meditation.
Meditate on chair
This simple posture is meant for elderly people. Sit straight on a chair with feet parallel to the body. Place your hands on thighs. Chin should be parallel to the floor. And, meditate.
