Stages During Meditation-Preparation of Meditation

All kinds of meditation, the final purpose is aiming to transform our mind to a calm, relaxed or mindful state. However, for everyday people as we are, the state of our mind is not independent arising. Our mentality state is affected by the condition of our body. When we get very sick, our mind would be going down. That experience we have. Verse Versa, when our mind is happy or relaxed, we will feel our body is lighter or our pain in body is reduced.

Mind and body are interrelated.  Same as our breath. Whenever, the state of mind or body changes, our breath will also change to a different level: fast , or slow; long or short;  with or without sound. Body, mind, and breath all three things are interrelated. Therefore, if we want to see a good result of meditation, we need to take care three things: body, mind and breath.

How could we know our mind is in the relaxed state we want in meditation?

The easiest way is to check our breath. When our mind is in related calm, relaxed state, our breath should be subtle and tranquil.  We do not intentionally take a long in-breath or a long out-breath. We just do what actually takes place.

Generally speaking, our breath could appear in 4 kinds. They are:

Breathing with nasal sound=snort, sniff--not easy to focused, with sounding breath

Breathing without nasal sound but is not smoothly. Breathing will stop in the middle,  you hold breath in middle for a short period of time, then finish in breath or out a breath. --clogged

Breathing without nostril sound, is smooth, but the amount of air passing nostril is too much. Coarser

Breathing without nostril sound, is smooth, no stop during breath in or breath out. not too much air passing nostril .

When we are talking about counting breath, or the following breath, we are talking about the breathing of no. 4. We need to practice preparation to achieve level 4 breathing, then we can get into the actual practice of meditation. Once our breath is at # 4 level, then our mind is calm. This state of mind will help us to be a success in Samantha.

In order to have breathe like #4. We need to start from our body.

Meditation can be set up 3 stages.

PREPARATION

ACTUALIZING

CONCLUDING

On each of stage, we need adjust our body, breath and mind.

Preparation Meditation:

In preparing period, we need adjust according to the sequence of body, breath and mind.

BODY: 

Stress is not only a  psychological phenomenon...it also shows up in the muscles and the organs of our body. It affects our whole nervous system.

One hour before meditation, do not do vigorous activity. We need pay closed attention on our body ,activity  and also our breath and mind. We can do some yoga, walking meditation, prostration. Or you can do any activity you like to smooth your body, breath and mind. It is preferred to start from your lower part of body, then work on the upper part of our body.        

Walking meditation,  we need to follow walking steps as following: slow (10 minutes to 30 minutes), fast ( 10 to 30 minutes)  and slow ( 10 to 30 minutes).

Once sitting position, move body forward and backward, 7 to 8 times;  move body  from left to right or right to left 7 to 8 times

BREATH:

If your breath is  on # 1,2,3, you need to practice

Focus your attention on the the spot, which is four finger length below navel.

Practice mindfulness from lower part of your body to head. If you have high blood pressure, you can start from heat to lower part of your body.

Deep nasal breathing, then open mouth to exhale.  When open mouth to exhale, visualized air not only out from mouth, but also out from all body pores.  Air is out with the bad air which stuck on our problem areas of our body. 3 times.  

MIND:

Mind is too active. Lot of thoughts.  Focus your attention on the the spot, which is   four finger length below navel.

Want to sleep, focus your attention on your nostril tip.