I first came across meditation in the mid 1980s. My good friend Len Epand (hope you don’t mind me writing this Len as you are on my list) was the top man at Polygram records and he knew ‘everyone’ in the popular music business. Pictures with Len and the Beatles were one of many in his lovely kitchen in Old Greenwich Connecticut where we lived close by. Len and Joan and their 3 kids shared a ski condo with us and another family and we got to know them really well. We are still in contact with the Epand gang on many levels.
Anyway, perhaps not surprisingly given the Beatles and many others had become enlightened by the Maharishi Len too had taken a course and was a regular practitioner. To be honest there was a mental ‘scoff’ when Len told me what he did but I soon became aware of a man who exuded calm.
Around the year 2000 I found my self in Chelsea outside the London headquarters house of the Maharishi movement that had swept around the world in the past two decades. Sadly a fallout with Bush related politics mean that they no longer have a presence in the UK and the wonderful schools they set up where children’s minds were calmed and encouraged by meditating are no more.
A friend had set up a one week evening course for the two of us but guess what. He was a no show! My teacher was a kindly man who first of all asked all sorts of questions about me. He went on to explain that over time the human mind is constantly shocked by events that occur in daily life. Of course the science in all this is flimsy but read on as the point of the exercise is actually remarkably successful. Stress builds up in the mind and this stress is reflected in the body. Shots of adrenaline sensitise the mind such that when a daily event, a commute say, arises the body responds by pumping out adrenaline and doubtless other hormones and a feeling of agitation ensues.
The thing is that seldom if ever do people recognise this stress and seldom if ever do they address letting it go. To meditate properly involves commitment and some time and if anything these two points were the most important message from my course. Now then I am also an advance clinical hypnotherapist and yes there is all sorts of stuff regarding this activity that people rightfully sniff at not least the commercialisation of the practice via dodgy stage shows. In its defence there are several countries in the word where it is embraced and in these countries meditation or hypnotic style practice lowers health premiums and the like. In Belgium I think it is pre anaesthetic expect to be ‘relaxed’ by a hypnotist, expect your child to be born when you have been similarly relaxed and expect the same thing at the dentist.
Now in my experience things like meditation and hypnotherapy overlap and the ‘state of trance’ or better deep relaxation that can be either induced by a third parts (hypnosis) or by your own acitivty are to all intents and purposes the same thing. In hypnosis the direction thought will be directed whilst relaxed, in meditation one allows ones own mind to take the lead.
Anyway enough of this the question is how to do it and how does it work. Well first of all the bulk of what our own super computer does is sub conscious. Only a small part takes place in the conscious mind. We may think we are reasoning things through but unreality the cogs are whirring away and the actual formation of ideas and reactions to events takes place deep in our minds. I can demonstrate lots of ways to prove this but next time you loose something try this. Sit your self down and slowly relax your self. Breathe deeply and as soon a you feel relaxed start asking your own mind where your cuff link is, if that is what you have lost. Try and remember where you last had it or saw it and think of anything that you can ‘tag’ the thing with. Colur, shape smell what ever. Ask your mind repeatedly and after a while you will find the question slowly peters out. Go about your business but do not be surprised if in three or four days you awake with a clear inkling of where the cufflink might be. Your computer will have ‘searched its data bank among the 3 billion images it absorbs every day and armed with the ‘tags’ you have provided bingo up comes the result. I have done this so many times successfully that I am happy it works.
Anyway in that subconscious mind of yours is parked tons of stress. Put away over time into a series of data banks. You may consider it forgotten but in truth it is not it is merely saved in some cell of inner consciousness. Releasing some of the more stressful episodes of ones life can be extremely rewarding or just visiting a period of your life that was complicated and is now apparently forgotten will allow you to reframe your current status quo. It is perhaps the most relaxing thing you can ever do if it goes right and some claim that twenty minutes of meditation is the equivalent of 6 hours sleep.
Now cutting to the chase how do you do it. First of all you will need a mantra. I have mine and because it was given to me in a ceremony and I was told it was my secret for life I will keep it to myself. But you can get a mantra from Mr Google.
So find chair and sit down and relax. Amazingly once you have mastered the art you can do it anywhere. On a plane, on a train, in noisy room it does not matter. Sit upright and relax your arms and neck. Begin to breathe slowly and in a controlled way. Become aware of your breath entering and leaving your body. Maybe ‘feel around your body in your mind and note the stress that is in your shoulder arms or wherever’.
As soon as the breathing has become rhythmical introduce the mantra. Ring, ring, ring, ring repeat it regularly and reasonably quickly. Focus on the word and soon you will feel a sort of rhythm building. Ring, ring, ring keep going and as you do the outside world will recede. You won’t notice this happening as you will be focusing on your mantra but whent you look back you will realise the outside ‘noise of life was reduced or even banished. Now what happens next varies according to your mental state and all sorts fo other things but typically thought bubbles will arise. Some may be about your job or maybe something you have to pick up on the way home from work. Do not try and get rid of these thoughts but gently try and refocus on the mantra ring, ring, ring. Maybe to begin with this is all that happens but even if that is the case you will be amazed how quickly 20 minutes goes by when meditating. You need to find time for two sessions a day morning or evening but you can do it in all sorts of places as long as you can ensure your own space and avoid interruption.
Sometimes a whole new experience surfaces. Maybe a distant memory will surface, A school day say. Almost alarmingly you will have a clearest of clear picture of you in a different time and space in your life. You will see things long forgotten and experience emotions that are strangely familiar and yet as from a different time. Sometimes difficult thoughts will arrive about past experience. The technique is not to fight these thoughts but when you are ready and only when you ar ready return to your mantra and soon the thought will be gone. I was guided through my first meditations but I have met many who are self taught so do give it a go. What I will promise you is that in time you will learn to love it as it will offer you a calm and perspective on life that nothing else does.
The sessions will vary but a good one will leave you feeling utterly marvellous and it will give you an insight as to your own psyche and how to deal with it. As I said the key is twice a day 20 minutes. If you do not do it regularly it just won’t work and if you dip in and out it will irritate you as you will keep blaming your self for not doing it properly. I used to visit churches in the City before a business dinner. The train journey in and home were absolutely perfect as long as some friend did not turn up. In fact the journey to and from work became the best time of my day as I was giving myself calm and perspective and on occasions I was able to understand my failings etc. There is one big health warning with this subject and I am going to tell you now so if you decide to try the experience be warned. You cannot lie to yourself and some times themes, obvious questions, will rise and challenge you. I stopped working formerly at the age 0f 50 because in a wonderful meditation my mind confirmed what I already knew. I was not only unhappy but I knew why and also I knew what I could do about it. Making the decision to change that had obviously been troubling my sub conscious mind and stressing me out was so easy it was ridiculous as I had been honest with myself and the truth was out. It was blessed relief and release let me tell you. All the stress went ping and gone in a moment. If you do try it good luck and if you have any questions then do contact me I will be happy to help. I have just returned to this practice after many years away and I am loving it.
Tales of a Life Well Lived 