Meditation practice based on the principles from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras

Here’s a straightforward meditation practice based on the principles from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras that you can start today:

Meditation Practice Based on Yogic Principles

Preparation:

  • Choose a Quiet Space: Find a place where you won’t be disturbed. This could be a corner in your room, a meditation space, or even outside if it’s peaceful.
  • Comfortable Seating: Sit in a comfortable posture. This could be cross-legged on the floor (Sukhasana), in a chair with feet flat on the ground, or any position where your spine can be straight but not strained.

Practice:

  1. Asana (Posture):
    • Begin with grounding yourself. Feel the connection with the earth or the floor beneath you. This grounding is not explicitly mentioned in the Yoga Sutras for meditation but is a practical step to stabilize your body before meditative practice.
  2. Pranayama (Breath Control):
    • Start with Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing):
      • Use your right thumb to close your right nostril, inhale through the left nostril.
      • Close the left nostril with your ring finger, release the thumb, and exhale through the right nostril.
      • Inhale through the right, close it with the thumb, release the left, and exhale.
      • Continue this cycle for about 5-10 minutes. This helps balance the nervous system, preparing you for deeper meditation.
  3. Pratyahara (Withdrawal of Senses):
    • After breathing exercises, gently close your eyes. Begin to withdraw your attention from external stimuli. Focus internally.
  4. Dharana (Concentration):
    • Choose a single point of focus:
      • Breath: Simply observe your breath without trying to control it. Feel the rise and fall of your abdomen or the sensation of air at the nostrils.
      • Mantra: Silently repeat a mantra, like “Om” or “So-Ham” (I am That). This can help in centering your mind.
      • Visualization: Imagine a serene scene or a deity, or simply visualize the breath moving through the body.
  5. Dhyana (Meditation):
    • Transition from concentration to meditation naturally. Here, the practice shifts from focusing on an object to becoming one with the object of meditation. The boundary between the observer and the observed begins to blur. This is where the mind starts to still.
    • Key: If thoughts arise, acknowledge them without judgment and gently bring your focus back to your chosen point of concentration. This process of returning to focus is meditation.
  6. Samadhi (Union/Enlightenment):
    • While deep states of Samadhi might not be achieved in a single session, the practice of meditation prepares the mind for deeper states of consciousness. This step might feel like moments where time, space, and self lose their usual distinctions.

Closing:

  • Mindful Return: Slowly bring your awareness back to your surroundings. Wiggle your fingers and toes, gently open your eyes.
  • Reflection: Spend a few moments reflecting on your experience. Were you able to focus? How did you feel? This reflection isn’t about judgment but awareness.

Tips:

  • Consistency: Even 10-15 minutes daily can be beneficial. Regularity aids in training the mind.
  • Patience: Meditation is a practice. Like any skill, improvement comes with time and patience.
  • Adaptation: If a particular method doesn’t work, try another from the Ashtanga limbs. The goal is to find what helps you transcend the mind’s usual chatter.

Starting with these steps, grounded in the principles from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, can provide a structured approach to meditation, promoting a sense of inner peace and clarity.


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