On social networks, on popular websites, we read all the time that meditation is available to everyone. On the other hand, some go to monasteries far in the mountains in order to achieve perfection in it. What is meditation like and are there any limitations?
To begin with, it must be mentioned that meditation is different. In this article we will talk about the so-called guided meditation – the search for inner silence. Whether it is available to a resident of a metropolis and what is needed to start practicing, we understand the example of the classical Taoist meditation Shen Jen Gong.
Where does practice lead?
Shen Jen Gong is a type of “worldly” meditation that does not require deity worship or lifestyle changes, while still allowing you to manage stress. It helps to “refresh your head”, shake yourself up and look at the situation from the outside.
Such meditation is available to almost everyone. But there are some limitations.
Physical training
The practice of meditation includes, among other things, “mindfulness exercises”. And they are usually performed while sitting. On the Internet you can find many pictures of people meditating: someone sitting cross-legged, someone kneeling, someone in the lotus position.
To assume one of these postures, preparation is needed, so we begin by sitting on a chair. However, in order to quickly get involved in the process and evaluate the positive effect, it is better to start with a course of healing qigong for the spine.
Why? Because without the skill of deep relaxation of the back muscles and without a balanced posture, even 15 minutes of meditation in a chair will be difficult to endure. Of course, sooner or later a stubborn person gets used to sitting still with a straight back. But his first steps in meditation will be painful. And someone who is not strongly motivated at all runs the risk of quitting this practice.
In order to prepare the body for the transition to more advanced levels of practice, in meditation workshops I explain in detail how to sit on cushions first – and gradually learn to sit cross-legged.
We usually start from the most comfortable position on high pillows – and gradually, week after week, we dismantle this “throne”, giving the body the opportunity to get used to the new position.
Patience and perseverance
Meditation seems to be a rather boring activity. At least that’s how it seems from the outside. In fact, during practice, we live a special inner experience. We get to know ourselves in a new way, change our attitude towards ourselves and the world.
We open the depth of emotions, we begin to understand and accept them. In our culture, the idea of ”controlling emotions” has a negative connotation – it is believed that a person who restrains himself cannot be sincere.
But meditation teaches us a completely different kind of control. We choose to succumb to negative emotions or to refuse them. Do not hold back, do not pretend, namely, to refuse, to accept the situation in its entirety. This choice releases a huge resource of energy: the forces that a person used to spend on experiences are now directed to creation.
Self discipline
You really need it at least in the initial stages. At the seminars, we explain in detail what to pay attention to in practice so that it brings pleasure. And it, in turn, becomes a powerful motivation for training.
But even if practice is a way of life for you, sometimes everyone wants to be lazy. At times like these, we need self-discipline. There is an effective way to develop the skill of self-discipline: find like-minded people and agree with them on mutual support.
For example, our students sometimes agree on a kind of marathon: we practice together every day, whoever missed it pays a symbolic fine. This circuit works great.
Meditation is a very precise and subtle practice. And despite the fact that it is quite simple – there is always a risk of stumbling, getting confused. Therefore, we insist that our students regularly come to practice it together with a teacher, in the company of like-minded people.