The importance, value and need for meditation has been emphasized enough by many who know what they are talking about, including those who have been very special in their fields of interest.
Meditation is, in many ways, among the most important ‘skills’ needed to thrive…
It’s a skill because most times it needs to be learnt and practiced consciously and conscientiously.
Those who meditate regularly may have observed a number of things happening within them.
1. Yes, thoughts slow down and sometimes stop for varying periods of time;
2. One becomes quite acutely aware of their thoughts. That helps them begin to know themselves better;
3. One feels relaxed and the storm of emotions begins to settle down. When the storm of emotions is raging too strongly one may not even be able to meditate…but staying in the state for a period may often bring the desired results;
4. Some may experience deeper or altered states of consciousness. Sometimes, in these states, they may be able to access knowledge or information that they could not earlier;
5. There are some who may not be able to feel any slowdown in the train of thoughts and may in fact get carried away in the flow. Naturally, that’s not desirable;
6. If one gets easily into the ‘witness’ state, that’s good and will bring a host of benefits over time;
7. One may become more ‘open’ to certain energies, some of which may not be desirable. In such cases, it’s good to ask one’s ‘ishta’, Hanumanji, or some deity/god/energy one has a close relationship with to give protection;
8. If one’s thoughts are moving in a negative direction (a direction that lowers his vibrations), it would help to observe the thoughts, emotions etc more closely, dive deep into them and try to ask and give forgiveness;
9. Observe the flow of breath; if it’s agitated and fast, keep observing it until it slows down. As the breath slows, so will the flow of thoughts;
10. Their emotions tend to dictate the kind of thoughts being generated.
This is not an exhaustive list and there may be a lot more that might come into one’s awareness.
The important thing is, when one has a good ‘session’, some of these things may be noticed:
1. There is a sense of being at ease;
2. The breath slows down and often becomes very subtle. There may be occasions when the breath may seem to have stopped;
3. The breath flows deeper than normal;
4. A certain kind of ‘headiness’ may be felt;
5. Energy flows easier and better and sometimes a sense of arousal may be noticed, too.
Naturally, these are all good and add to the experience. The important thing to notice here is how the breath changes esp when one is deeply meditative.
Breath flowing easier, smoother, deeper and slower create a certain environment where a deep sense of peace and great calm is experienced.
And, sometimes, when this is prolonged it feels like one of the best experiences in life…far better than anything we normally experience.
When the sense of Ananda combines with the great calm, one touches a certain pinnacle and that becomes a permanent magnet that will draw one towards it again and again and yet again…until one day, hopefully, one becomes so merged in it that…
– rajyogi (rajesh kanoi)
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