| Countless people through fifty centuries have | | | | found that the sight of the white ball bouncing back |
| practiced meditation for peace of mind and health of | | | | and forth caused you to experience dizziness or |
| body. Google lists 55 million results for "meditation." | | | | headaches or severe mood swings, you would |
| How can an ordinary person learn anything useful | | | | naturally stop. You would probably want to see a |
| about such a vast subject? | | | | doctor or psychologist. |
| Well, there are 206 bones in a human body, with | | | | But this is quite unlikely. It's also unlikely that you will |
| countless muscles, ligaments, tissues, brain cells, and | | | | experience any such reactions from trying this |
| all the other parts scientists study. But every ordinary | | | | practice. (Much research bears this out.) But if you |
| person knows enough about his or her body to stay | | | | do, use the technique of Common Sense, taught by |
| conscious and walk around in the world. | | | | wise guides of every age and nation. Stop your |
| We know about our bodies by living in them. | | | | practice and check it out. |
| So here is a simple, practical way to learn about | | | | Q. Do I need a unique mantra of my own, assigned |
| meditation by living with it for a few months. Most | | | | by an "expert?" |
| people find that practical daily meditation like this | | | | A. Some day in the future, a specialist in behavioral |
| helps make them more calm, rested, energized, and | | | | psychology and brain neurology who studies |
| alert, so they can work and play more happily. | | | | meditation might be able to answer this question |
| It is not a ticket to Nirvana or Enlightenment | | | | scientifically. For now the evidence says "No, choose |
| (whatever those words mean), nor self-hypnosis. On | | | | a word that you like." |
| the other hand, it is more than self-talk or reading | | | | More than 35 years ago Dr. Herbert Benson first |
| inspiring literature. | | | | described the clinically detectable response that can |
| What is it? To find out, practice the instructions | | | | be triggered by practices like this meditation. In his |
| below. | | | | well-known book, "The Relaxation Response," Benson |
| Before you begin, choose a "word" of your own -- a | | | | recommends that the meditator choose his or her |
| pleasant two-or-three syllable sound that has no literal | | | | own "focus word." |
| meaning to you. (You can call it a mantra if you like.) | | | | Patricia Carrington, Ph.D., the author of "Freedom in |
| Use this same word each time you do this | | | | Meditation," is a psychologist who has taught a |
| meditation. | | | | practice like this since the 1970s, to study its effects. |
| You can make the word up by yourself, or combine | | | | She calls it Clinically Standardized Meditation. |
| random index syllables in a phone book -- for | | | | A guru from India who helped with her research |
| example Ani, Granal, Ohana, Renkah, Simonu -- or | | | | maintained that the choice of a mantra is not crucial |
| you can ask a meditation teacher you trust. | | | | to success. |
| When you've chosen your word, do this: | | | | Master Seung Sah, a distinguished Korean American |
| 1. Sit in a comfortable position. | | | | Zen teacher, has not written a book, but he has |
| 2. Close your eyes. | | | | founded dozens of Zen centers around the world. He |
| 3. Gently think your word to yourself in your mind. | | | | claims that "coca-cola" will work as a mantra. |
| Repeat it. (Take your time.) Repeat it. Keep | | | | In other words, it's not so much the word that |
| repeating it. | | | | matters; it's what you do with it. |
| 4. Soon you will notice that you are thinking about | | | | Q. How does this meditation fit with religious devotion |
| something else, not about your word. Gently, without | | | | or prayer? |
| scolding yourself, start thinking your word again. | | | | A. The method is not religious itself, although many |
| 5. After 20 minutes, stop thinking your word, open | | | | people find that it makes their mind and emotions |
| your eyes, and congratulate yourself on a perfect | | | | more responsive to prayer and religious |
| meditation. | | | | contemplation. |
| Do this practice once or twice a day for 100 days | | | | If your religious teacher strongly objects to this |
| (but if you miss a day be kind to yourself and keep | | | | practice, you must deal with that challenge by |
| practicing). | | | | common sense. There is no quick answer. |
| Then, on Day 100, ask yourself how you feel. Have | | | | Q. How does it fit with psychotherapy? |
| your mental clarity and emotional stamina improved? | | | | A. Many therapists have reported that this method, |
| Wouldn't you like to continue your practice? | | | | or one like it, has helped their patients make better |
| That's all! | | | | progress in their treatment. |
| The rest is commentary. | | | | Some psychiatric patients might react badly to this or |
| Q. What if I experience unusual feelings? -- strong | | | | a similar practice, just as they react badly to some |
| emotions, vivid mental pictures, or blank moments | | | | therapies --as they react to life itself. A psychiatric |
| when the mind seems to have visited another | | | | patient should always inform his or her therapist |
| dimension ("transcended," as some meditators call it.) | | | | about using this meditation. |
| A. Let these experiences come and go. They are | | | | Q. After all, is it worth time and discipline to learn a |
| NOT the object of the practice, just scenery. | | | | practice like this that seems rather complicated? |
| Meditate like a mountain. | | | | A. This practice is not complicated to do. |
| A mountain wears much changing scenery on its face | | | | Eating and sleeping are not complicated to DO, |
| -- fields, trees, rivers, sun, wind, snow, day and night. | | | | although Google lists millions of items to READ about |
| But the mountain pays no attention to these | | | | them. It's simple to eat a sandwich and take a nap. |
| appearances. It just sits. | | | | This practice is simple, too. Go back and count. Each |
| Q. What if I experience unusual or uncomfortable | | | | session has just 5 easy steps. You can meditate |
| side-effects or after-effects of my meditation? | | | | happily like this without a textbook or a computer. |
| A. Well, if you learned table-tennis -- ping pong -- and | | | | |