An Introduction to Meditation

Are you’re feeling anxious or stressed-out and you’ve heard that meditation can help?

But is it safe to just sit down and try to meditate?

And what the heck does it mean to meditate anyway? Where should you begin?

Relax, you’ve come to the right place. In this video, I will answer all your questions, and guide you through a short practice that you can easily start to use on your own.

But first, a little about how I became interested in Buddhist meditation practices. When I was in University, over twenty years ago, I traveled to China and spent several weeks living and researching Ch’an meditation. I was working on a Honors BA Thesis in Buddhism, so I was spending time living with the monks inside their monasteries and following their daily routine of practices. This term “Ch’an” was derived from the Sankrit word “Dhyana” and it further evolved into a more familiar name “Zen” once it reached Japan.

Fast forward to 2004, in Mysore, India, whre I was introduced to another type of practice: Transcendental Meditation (TM). This kind of meditation was tuaght by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and it requires a formal initiation and secret mantra. It was a very different type of practice to the one I had been taught in China, but it also worked to calm and focus the mind.

Two years later, I started practicing Vipassana meditation in the tradition of S.N. Goenka. The word “vipassana” means insight and is a technique used to observe reality as it is, sitting with awareness and watching the sensations arise and dissapate without suppressing or reacting to whatever you might be experiencing.

When the body becomes still, we can witness the activity and movements of the mind more clearly. This helps us to understand ourselves and see the reality of impermanence. Using the breath as an object for concentration is one of the best ways to calm and still your busy thoughts.

This type of breath-awareness is called “Anapana” and it is the first step in the practice of Vipassana meditation. To practice this technique, simply sit down, be still, and observe the natural, normal incoming and outgoing breath, your unique pattern of respiration.

The breath is an ideal object for meditation because it is always available and it is completely non-sectarian. Anapana is very different from the practice of pranayama, which is based on manipulating the breath. There are no rites or rituals involved in the practice or presentation of Anapana and it is accessible to every human regardless of ethnicity, beliefs or location. It can be very useful in dealing with the inner fears, anxieties, moods and pressures that come up for people of every age.

The term “metta” is derived from the Pali language and it means “good will” or “lovingkindness.” Metta meditation is designed to cultivate good wishes and a sense of benevolence for oneself and all other beings. It is an excellent support to any other type of meditation practice, and you can use your own words.

This video is a short lecture that was originally given as a live Instagram talk called “An Introduction To Meditation” for Sanatana Yoga Digital Magazine.

At the end of this video you will be guided through a short ten minute meditation practice of Anapana and Metta meditation.

Now it’s your turn!

Ask your questions about meditation practice in the comments below, or let me know what is your favorite way to calm and center yourself.