The first step in learning to meditate is being able to place your awareness on something and keep it there. This can be challenging initially. It is suggested to use the following basic exercises, to help build concentration and focus. If you have not done this before it is best to start with one-minute sessions.
- Count slow cycles of breathing for one minute. In and Out is one cycle. When you notice your mind wandering, just return to the breath. Notice how many thoughts try to crash focus, grab your attention. Is there a pressure behind them? Where is this coming from?
- Place you awareness on sound for one minute. Not going after noises and not blocking them out. Just neutrally becoming aware of the sounds around you. Are you aware of your hearing expanding, during this singular focus?
- Place your awareness on your thoughts for one minute. Just noticing them and letting them go. If you find you are getting involved in the thoughts, just return your awareness over and over to neutrally witnessing them go by. Were there a lot of thoughts? Were you able to let them go, stay separate from them?
- Place your awareness on an object for one minute. This could be something like a cup or a tree. When your focus gets broken, just return to the cup or tree. Returning the focus to an object over and over helps build the muscle of concentration and focus.
In some ways training the mind is like training the body. You don't start with heavy weights and long workouts you build up to them over time. As your focus increases, extend your sessions to five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes. The trick initially is finding that sweet spot, where your focus is not too tight or too lax, and the time interval is not too short or too long. So your awareness can be at ease, clear and stable. With practice you can increasingly hold your awareness on your intended target for longer periods of time.
You may be surprised what you will notice just doing these short one minute exercises.
In the beginning, short time - many times is key. Meaning that you can do one-minute sessions many times a day. This is a way of building focus as part of your daily life, rather than something that happens only on a meditation cushion, separated from daily life.
Once we can calm the mind, we can hear the inner signals within our own being. In science there is a term signal-to-noise ratio, which can be applied here. We are being bombarded with a wide spectrum of energetic noise all day long. This can build up a kind of static charge or debris on our subtle energy receivers. Often we have to clear out the charge or debris, in order to receive the signal coming from within.
Once we can hold our awareness steady, we can begin to direct our consciousness more easily. Here the focus is on receptivity, receiving information from our multidimensional self.
As a general rule in the beginning, if your session is too long, if your focus deteriorates or if you begin to get frustrated, stop. You are starting a new type of relationship with yourself and want to create a positive feeling and feedback system. It is better to come back to it again when you are fresh. For this sequence it is suggested to use shorter five to ten minute sessions in the beginning.
- Place you awareness on your physical body. What signals is your body sending you. Are you relaxed, hungry, tired, tense? What is the overall feeling of health and ease in your body? Are there any parts being neglected, or some that may need attention? Do you feel in sync with your body?
- Place your awareness on your emotional body. What emotional quality is coloring your present moment? Feel into it, what is it telling you? Do your emotions come and go with ease, or are there some emotions that stay with you all the time? Do you feel in sync with your emotional body?
- Place your awareness on your mental body. What kinds of thoughts are occupying your mind? Do they feel supportive and healthy to you overall? Are you cultivating loving and supportive thoughts towards yourself and others? Do you have any habitual negative thoughts aimed at yourself or others? Do you go on autopilot, where your mind and awareness feel absent? Do you feel in sync with your mental body?
- Place you awareness on your spirit. What kinds of signals is your spirit or higher God-Self sending you? Each time you build or fortify your 12D shield, which improves the signal to noise ratio, you might take some time to listen to the signals from your spirit.
Using the multidimensional bodies as a focus is like developing a friendship with these levels of self. Listen to each as you would a beloved friend. Getting quiet enough to receive the signals that help you to know your self better.
