In the practice of the Pillars of Reality the physical act of meditation is the first condition to accessing the presence. Meditation, as a physical practice, changes the structure of the brain, allowing for later sustained development of Joy.
While there are genuinely many forms of meditation, they have different purposes and reasons for being. There is not, therefore, a best meditation. There are, rather, meditations best for a given purpose, person and circumstance.
Through a regular practice of Quiescent Meditation one can build up stamina as well as focus and capacity for other meditational work. This is weight training for the mind. Your practice of dhyana is like lifting weights. There are two styles of weight lifting, both with their distinct purposes: high reps, low weight and low reps, high weight. Initially you will do high reps (frequent meditation) low reps (short amount of time). After a time, you will then add in periods of low reps (less frequent), high weight (longer periods of time). Through these two modes of development you can create the pathways in your brain that will support future work. Just as with weight training that supports other activities, say tennis, the goal is not the weight training. The weight training provides the supporting framework for the sport. The activity of meditation must become deeply imprinted in the physical structure of the brain, and only repetition will develop the needed connections in the brain.
In addition to the development of the brain, the physical shape of meditation supports the act of meditation. It is not strenuous, but it can take awhile to develop comfort in the form. It can take awhile for the body to strengthen to properly support extended periods of meditation.
Meditation is a physical activity, first and foremost. It uses the organic structures of the body and and the brain. Like any physical activity, practice and preparation establish a firm foundation for growth. Once the basic form is learned, then the activity can be broadened, the physical structure strengthened, and the act of meditation extended.
The Body
The body needs to be able to maintain an upright posture, alert but not tense, relaxed but not flaccid. Like a string on a guitar, there in an optimal balance of looseness and tightness to make the string sing.
Posture
The different styles of sitting meditation all share the same positioning of the body from head to pelvis, and differ only in the position of the legs and the hands.
Common Points:
- Spine is erect with lower back slightly curved.
- Lower abdominals are gently pulled in.
- Shoulders are lightly rolled back, large back muscles are lightly engaged.
- Ears line up over shoulders
- Teeth touch, forward part of tongue is placed behind upper gum line
Breathing
A central reason for the upright posture of the torso is to free up the diaphragm and allow for deep but natural breathing. There are many special breathing techniques, but they can have all manner of side effects, and should only be attempted once you have a firm foundation. In the current situation, the belly should be relaxed and the breathing should be allowed to occur naturally.
Mind
Initially the mind should count the breaths.
- Count inhalation as one
- Count exhalation as two
- Count inhalation as three
- Count exhalation as four
- repeat
When this can be done with good concentration, only the outbreaths should be counted.
Once you are strong with that, just be aware of breathing, but do not count.
Finally, simply be aware. Return to awareness of breathing only when your focus seems to waver too much.
Object Of Concentration
Initially, the breath, as instructed above, is the objejct of concentration. As other thoughts and emotions arise, let them drift past and return to the object of concentration. The point is not to do anything, or achieve anything. All you are doing is training the brain to develop an engram, a pattern, for the meditative state. Like lifting weights, you cannot bench press heavy weight until you learn to do it well with lesser weight. This is training the brain, pure and simple, so don't make a big deal of it.
Once you have made your initial training of the brain, you can start to deepen the training. This is an important point. There are many schools of meditation that never go beyond the basic level. You will have to determine for yourself if this is as far as you wish to take it.
Length, Frequency and Timing of Meditation
If you have never meditated before, it is more important that you do a little each day than that you sit for any extended period of time.
I usually recommend that you start with a period of ten minutes. It's short enough to be achieved, and long enough to be instructive. Twice a day is excellent. Once is fine, but it is important that you do it regularly, and close to the same time every day. This has more to do with forming a good habit that will carry you through lazy days.
Depending on your schedule, you could meditate every day; all days but the weekend; Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The commitment is up to you. Meditation should became a part of your natural life, not a harsh discipline. Add days as you need to, or add time to each session. Once your foundation is well built, there are a number of ways to arrange your meditation life. Do not become distressed if you cannot meditate on a given day. This is exactly (at this level) sending your brain to the gym. I had a schedule that allowed 2:00pm on Monday and Wednesday, 4:00pm on Thursday and Friday, not at all on Tuesday, and mornings on Saturday and Sunday. It worked just fine. You slot it in where you can.
Use a timer, an incense stick, a homemade mp3 with gongs at intervals, anything that will allow you to mark the duration without worry. My favorite was a small program I wrote that played a sample of the muslim call to prayer, waited whatever time I had decided on and then played the same call to prayer to end my session. It automatically turned up the volume from zero so that it was not too jarring at the end of the meditation.
Initially, in the vernacular of the gym, go for high reps with low weight (times of meditation throughout the week) not low reps with high weight (length of meditations).
Taking Meditation Out Into The World
In general, don't. Not this particular kind of meditation. It develops a repository of calm that will aid you in your life, but most of us do not have lives that allow us to drop into serenity whenever we like. As you develop the repository, you can tap into it, breathe with it a bit. Other meditations are more suited to use in daily life, at least initially. I have seen altogether too many people walking about with the 'stink of zen' upon them. They become deadened to the world. That is expressly not the point of meditation.
Keep to your regular routine at school or work. If you find a free moment, like in an elevator alone, go ahead and relax into a breath cycle. Just don't let it interfere with your job, studies, family life -- whatever occupies you. Your meditation time is enough.
The Nine Breaths
Once you have developed a stable meditation practice, you should be able to reach your deepest level of meditation in nine breaths:
- Joining the Ground
- Rotating the Bowl of the Pelvis
- Drawing in the Belly
- Opening the Chest
- Correcting the Head
- Breathing Left and Right
- Igniting the Illumination
- Flowing into the Earth
- Peering into the Aperture
In nine breaths, we establish the nine foundations of meditation. The first six establish the posture of the body and the last three establish the posture of the mind.
The External Foundations
Joining the Ground
Whatever posture you are in, sitting upon the ground, sitting in a chair, kneeling, or standing, the first basis of meditation is to connect with the earth. Mingle yourself with the energy of the earth below you. This is the first breath.
Rotating the Bowl of the Pelvis
The pelvis collects the moonlight of meditation within your body, tilt your pelvis so that your rear end is not sticking out. This is the second breath.
Drawing in The Belly
Pull your belly inwards and upwards, gently, for it straightens the spine and prepares your body to be a vessel for the nectars of meditation. This is the third breath.
Opening the Chest
Your breastbone rises to the heavens, your torso gently elongating to provide space for your lungs and diaphragm to operate, your heart to have room to grow. Your arms and shoulders become tassles on the wind sock of your torso. This is the fourth breath.
Correcting The Head
Your ears fall in line with your shoulders, your head level, your mouth closed your tongue behind your upper teeth, your face relaxed. This is the fifth breath.
Breathing Left and Right
Inhale through the right nostril, exhale through the left. Do this with your mind, not by plugging your nose with your hands. This is the sixth breath.
The Internal Foundations
Igniting the Illumination
From the the base of your body to the top of your head, ignite the natural luminosity of your being. This is the seventh breath.
Flowing into The Earth
Release all striving and concern, all goals, all desires, become empty. This is the eighth breath.
Peering into The Aperture
Seek the aperture of awareness and fix your inner gaze on it. Do not let it waiver, for it is the doorway. This is the ninth and final breath.
