How to Meditate Effortlessly

Often people say, ‘I can't meditate' or ‘I can’t sit still' or ‘my mind doesn’t stop thinking’. These comments arise because people have not been taught correctly, or have a misconception about how to meditate. Many people believe they are meditating however they are not. They stay on a surface level concentrating, resisting thoughts, mood making, or maybe getting a rest. When people eventually have a direct experience of meditating effortlessly they get a shock!  When they finally taste transcendence it's a new experience for them. They enter a fourth state of consciousness - different from waking, dreaming or sleeping. It has many names such as samadhi, turiya, nirvana, unified field, bliss or the vortex. When we enter this fourth state there is a physiological change, it may feel blissful, like we are finally returning home. The mind when it experiences this bliss will want to re-visit it, over and over again - just like a bee returns to a fragrant flower. This state is nectar for the soul. So where is the bliss? How do we enter this fourth state of consciousness?

1) You don’t have to struggle

ANYONE can meditate and experience bliss when taught correctly. You don’t have to live in a cave in silence for 20 years! You don’t have to be a monk! You don’t have to change your lifestyle or beliefs. You don’t have to sit cross legged or do hand positions. You don’t need to chant, light candles or get lost in mood making. You don’t have to thrust your body into difficult yoga positions. Just do ONE THING…allow the mind to transcend.

2)  Learn to Transcend

The best way to learn to transcend in the western world is to find a Transcendental Meditation (TM) teacher. TM is specifically designed for anyone to have a direct experience of transcendence that can be regularly repeatable. Teaching meditation is a subtle and delicate skill. If you tried meditation and found it difficult then you haven’t been taught properly or may be practicing a concentration technique which can lead to resistance. Always learn from an authorized TM teacher and you will only find them at this website www.tm.org.  It's so easy and effective; the teachers are highly trained and understand what is going on at a very deep level. 

People ask me whether they can transcend while practicing mindfulness. Yes, you can, if you practice it effortlessly and have a good teacher who is able to transcend. It’s a longer more scenic route, so if you’re time limited it may not suit you. I’ve also noticed it can be hit or miss for many individuals. Some people with naturally high levels of awareness can spontaneously transcend with no meditation practice or teacher, however that’s rare. Over time as collective consciousness rises more people will spontaneously transcend. The two most scientifically researched meditation methods are Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Transcendental Meditation (TM).  I have taught MBCT but I personally practice TM daily. TM can be learned over four days from a certified TM teacher. I highly recommend TM because it's so easy and effective.

3) Guided Serenity

The guided serenity on Aruna Shields TV, offers expertly designed 10 -30 min guided calm. When practiced effortlessly while laying down, it promotes deep rest; when practiced effortlessly sitting up, it can be used as a meditation. People love it and report feeling rejuvenated and much happier with regular listening. Unlike TM, the guided calm or mindfulness do not guarantee an experience of transcendence, but they are useful stress reduction aids.

4) Get deep rest

Entering a meditative state is like threading a needle – we can miss it and fall into a sleep state (especially if we are tired or lay down). When our nervous system is fatigued it is difficult to meditate. If we try to stay awake when tired, we strain our nervous system. Never fight to stay awake and allow the body to rest and recover.

5) Allow thoughts to come and go

We need to understand within the first few minutes of meditation how to handle thoughts. If we allow thoughts to come and go, we slowly drift down into a deep state. If we try to stop thoughts we stay on a surface level and get agitated. Thoughts are not the enemy, they are simply stresses being released, bubbles bursting. Thoughts are better out than in. We do not want to keep stress in, we want to release stress. Never try to stop thoughts, it doesn’t work. We are not rocks, we are humans who produce 60-70 thousand thoughts per day. Depending on our physiology - what we have eaten; how much sleep we have had; external circumstances and triggers - our thoughts will change. Do not take thoughts personally and fully identify with them. Allow them to float in and out of the psyche. And always remember: thoughts are not facts.

6) Allow everything to be as it is

Allow everything to be as it is, without the need to change it. Allow sounds to be as they are. Allow emotions to be as they are. Allow thoughts to be as they are. The constant effort required to try to manipulate reality drains energy. Once we let go of trying to change things which are outside of our control, we save valuable energy and feel much lighter. When we connect to stillness creative solutions spontaneously arise. When we let go of resistance we enter the flow of life,  and everything unfolds perfectly without being pushed.

7) Be comfy

Comfort is essential. Always listen to the body, if we are uncomfortable it will take us out of stillness. If we cannot sit for an extended period cross-legged with our knees resting easily below our hips, we can sit in a chair. Choose a position where the spine is straight yet relaxed. It's best to sit upright. When we are upright we enter a meditative state, rather than a sleep state. If we are exhausted then begin upright for 5 minutes then lie down on the back. Always take time to come out of meditation, never rush. The longer we take to come out the more stillness stays with us.

8) Stay healthy and toxin free

For the mind to easily transcend don’t mess with it! Psychoactive drugs may cause damage to the physiology and interfere with the transcending process. You may get a flash of a higher state of consciousness but this is not easily and naturally repeatable or easily integrated. It’s like bashing a door down rather than opening it gently.

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