The decision to undertake a meditation regimen is among the easiest and most difficult decisions a person can make. Meditation, once properly learned, is a very simple process. The hard part is sticking to a regimen. Whether you decide upon once, twice, or three times a day is less important than sticking to the program you set. Once you construct your schedule and begin your practice you will find all kinds of little things trying to pull you away. This what makes meditation hard.


The benefits you will reap from the practice of meditation far outweigh the effort you will put into the endeavor. Meditation is the key to obtaining an organized mind, inner balance, and spiritual awareness. Your dreams will intensify, opening links with your third eye and subconscious mind. Your perceptions will strengthen and you will be able to see beyond linear time. All improvements of the self begin with meditation. It is the foundation upon which you can build a strong spiritual presence.

There are, quite literally, thousands of meditation practices in use today. Some will claim certain methods better than others. The simple fact is any practice is better than no practice. As you begin your meditation journey you will be exposed to many different methods. You will find some work better for you than others. In the end, you will develop your own practice that is a culmination of your experiences.

Guided meditation is for most, the easiest way to begin a regimen. Many tapes are available where the practitioner need only lay back, relax and concentrate on the audio of the tape. This method should be varied, exposing the practitioner to several different meditation tapes and methods. In time, the use of tapes should be totally eliminated from the practitioner's regimen.

In the beginning an unskilled practitioner will setup a comfortable room for their meditation sessions. Over time, reliance on this environment should be weaned. If you come to a point in your practice where focus and serenity are only attained if you are using meditation tapes along with serene music in a beautiful chamber, then you have a problem. The tapes, music, and room are doing the work, not you. The skilled practitioner can attain inner balance regardless of outside influence. The skilled practitioner can transcend the environment he or she is in and achieve supreme spiritual awareness.

Transcendence should be the goal of all meditation practitioners. When small things throw you off, you need to realize that the issue is with you and not other people. If a rude waiter enrages you, you need evaluate why such a tiny event disrupts your inner harmony. You should have the ability to transcend any situation or circumstance. If you persevere, your rewards will be great.


Originally published in Acrimony Magazine September 2003