How Exactly Do You Meditate?

[Erydiel]

Yeah...weird question, but I've been a little confused on this haha.
I have never meditated before, so when I see a lot of different spells or rituals and many other things that require meditation, or at least suggest it, I get stuck.
How exactly do you do it? Actually, what exactly is it and how does it work?
I've seen many times where people have meditated and suddenly things come to them, they meet their deity or spirit guide, or they're in a dream-like state(pretty much visual scenery), etc. etc. When I hear of these things, it's amazing...but it kinda feels like it sounds impossible somehow. I'm not really sure.
When I see something that says "You need to meditate..." and then visualize things, my mind just comes up with a blank. It seems like it's something very hard to do.
Can someone please help with this?

Blessed Be,

Erydiel

[Holdasown]

It is weird to do at first and you have to get used to it. Meditation is simply sitting comfortably, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. You have to relax and let your mind empty. it takes a while to learn to do that. You can also try guided meditations at first to help you learn. I used this one when I started.

http://youtu.be/etmeQdhgfcc

[Xiao Rong]

Hey Erydiel! I've never personally been contacted by deities or spirit guides during meditation, so you're not alone there. It might be possible with some types of guided meditation, active imagination, or trance state, but that's not been my experience with meditation.

For me, meditation is just about being very present in the moment, paying attention to my body, and quieting my inner monologue. Which makes it sound passive, but it really requires a lot of concentration. It's a kind of focused awareness, where you are just paying attention to your consciousness.

Different people have different ways to achieve this, such as paying attention to the breath, as Holda mentioned, repeating a certain word ("Om", "One", etc.). You might have to experiment with the meditation that "works" for you. I have a hard time with ones just about breathing, but since my mind is a constant inner monologue, the first one that clicked for me was this meditation poem, where I could focus on words like "deep" and "slow". (in contrast, my boyfriend likes to concentrate on the temperature of the skin on his hands when he meditates -- so there are a LOT of different techniques you can use!). I've recently started taking Tai Chi as a form of moving meditation, which has also been quite helpful.

Meditation is often recommended prior to enacting a spell or ritual, because it helps separate one mentally from everyday life and prepare for magical or ritual work. I often meditate briefly before divination.

Like Holda said, it takes practice. I'm told it's like any other form of exercise; meditation gets easier as you exercise your mind in this way. Of course, when you meditate, it's quite natural for other thoughts to drift into your mind. When that happens, just acknowledge it (don't judge yourself and beat yourself up for sucking at meditation!), let it pass, and gently bring your attention back to the center (whether that's your breath, a mantra, or your motions).

Hope that helps!

[Erydiel]

Thanks for both of your replies! Now I'm getting a little better idea of what meditation actually is.
I definitely need to mess around and figure out a good technique for me to practice with in order to get better at it.
Any other advice given would be very appreciative

Blessed Be,

Erydiel

[Gentle Melody]

I would suggest you to relax your body, because any tension in your body can be a HUGE distraction. Like, I practiced zazen for some time, and sitting in the full-lotus posture was painful, and I couldn't focus in anything other than the pain in the knees.
I like to meditate in a dark and quiet place or with calm music, focusing on my breath, and if any thought comes to my mind, I just let it go away, like this: http://astateofmind.eu/2014/07/01/impro ... editation/
But that's the way I like to do it, you should try and choose the method that works better for you

By the way, I think you should avoid meditation when you're lying on your bed, specially if you like to light candles or incense, because it becomes easier to fall asleep, and putting your house in fire isn't nice

[MysticDreamFaerie]

I'm pretty new to all of this myself so don't worry. You're not completely alone. Whenever I meditate I usually listen to those self talking through CD's where they talk you through the entire meditation but once you get used to it, from what I know you're supposed to close you're eyes, take deep breathes, focus on you breathe and put yourself in a relaxed state of mind. Once you reached that place, continue to keep breathing and you'll noticed how relaxed you're muscles are. Each time I meditated, I realized how focused and relaxed I've been become. You'll get there.

[Gentle Melody]

Whenever I meditate I usually listen to those self talking through CD's where they talk you through the entire meditation

These "guided meditations" are good, although they can have several purposes, like meeting your spirit guide or one deity, recalling some experiences from the past and so on. In other words, they are good if you know what they're meant to.

You'll get there.

Yes, you'll get there, it's just matter of practice.

[Lainara]

My problem with mediation is that I always fall asleep. Tee hee

[YanaKhan]

I found it hard to meditate at first. My mind was so busy and so scattered, I couldn't get it to shut up and let me take my meditation time So I decided, I'll listen. Trying to let go of every thought is hard. And the more you tell yourself you shouldn't think of anything else, the more you think of everything else. Focusing on my breathing was absolutely horrifying - I have asthma and breathing and focusing on it brought me asthma attacks. So I did what I thought was right at the time - I just stayed there, let my mind wonder everywhere, don't follow the thoughts, just listen. Then they just disappeared. Focusing n the breathing is still an issue for me, but I found when I do my breathing exercises (yoga breathing exercises will do perfectly) I can focus on my breathing without getting suffocated So I just sit down in a very comfortable position, close my eyes and listen to my thoughts till they disappear. Then I start doing my exercises and I'm there.

[AnaisStar]

I think there are different forms of mediation. I teach yoga so the mediation I lead in class is about sitting in stillness, and just connecting to the body and breath. Letting go of the mind.

Sit in a comfortable position (light candles, incense, etc if you want)
Close your eyes and connect to your breath.
Feel your breath fully filling your body, all the way down into your belly
Then imagine in your minds eye a clear blue sky
See some clouds float by but dont think about them, just watch them float by
As you sit in stillness, if any thoughts come up think of them like the clouds, let them float by
Dont attach to the thoughts that arise, just let them float by
Go back to your breath. The best way to mediate at first and sit in stillness is just connect to your breath
You can count breaths, or just notice the inhale, exhale
Anytime your mind pulls away with thoughts, just go back to your breath.
Or you can use a mantra to keep you focused.

To me this is meditation. It is letting go of everything and just BEING. This can make you more open (and later this can help you to connect to spirit/deities/angels etc.

The guided meditations I think of more like journeys. Where you are going into a meditative or trance state with the purpose to connect to deity or spirit or to work with energy in some way (such as doing healing work, balancing chakras, etc). So its more of working or connecting in that meditative state, instead of just BEING.

[SpiritTalker]

For me meditation isn't about clearing my mind at all. It's more focusing on one thing at a time. A bit of calm breathing helps tell my brain to pay attention.

I use a couple different ways to get into the mental listening place. Sometimes I'll go for a walk thruough the alleys and look at the backyard gardens, or weed patches. Back yards give history. The random browsing and monotonous foot rhythm loosens the mind from the mundane. About the time I'm tired & ready to turn back towards home I'll lift out of the mental humdrum & have rapid clarity of mind. Then I can ask myself a question & listen.

Another way i like is rocking in my old rocker, or more fun - gliding back & forth on a playground swing in a steady motion that rather quickly induces a mild trance level state.

And sometimes I recite the steady & slow monotony of the rosary to loosen the mental clamps. This is not the public, rata-tat-tat machine-gun fire pace of reciting that assaults the ear, but instead is a slow & soft verbal chant. The rhythm once again plays a part in the effect.

Counted breath work for me is inhale-2-3-4, hold-2-3-4, exhale-2-3-4, hold-2-3-4; repeat as desired. Just comfortably breathe into the abdomen 1st, then the chest. This gets oxygen moving to the brain. You have to think about & that clears the mind. The goal is to relax & not hyper-ventilate or stress. 3-4 minutes is enough. It's a nice time to imagine the spine extends into the depths of the Earth, like a taproot. Voila - you're grounding & that's basic maintenance.

Mostly I just sit comfortably, light a scented candle just for enjoyment (vanilla is my current choice) & breathe comfortably into my belly to get a rhythm going & center. Centering is an effect as well as a directed & willed act. I pull my awareness into the still, small quiet space of being. Pull, not push. I inhale the energy of myself into myself & hold it before sinking down to exhale & draw in another wave. The exhale is the sinking down & within. The inhale is the next wave being drawn within. Rhythm again.

No 2 people do things 'zakly the same. Everyone finds the way that works for them.