One of the ways to meditate effectively is to take the position of the observer. In meditation practice the mind remains awake, even when the body is as still as in deep sleep.
Begin your meditation by sitting up straight. If on the floor on a cushion sit with your legs crossed in. If sitting on a chair plant the soles of your feet firmly on the floor for balance.
Close your eyes and begin rhythmic breathing. For example, breathe in one count, and breathe out one count. Maintain this pattern throughout your session. Breath is the tie between the body and mind. When we keep up even breathing we can calm emotions.
After a minute pretend you are seated at the sidelines on a parade route. Your incoming thoughts are the floats going by in front of you. You stay still, but the floats, your thoughts that are ever changing, march by.
The person watching the parade without moving or responding is your permanent self, and the floats are like your changeable mind. If a thought passes before you that you don’t like, then change it to a pleasant scene.
Know that you have the power and choice to change your thoughts whenever you wish. You have the choice to adopt a positive attitude.
Keep up your even breathing and after a while feel the peace that passeth understanding descend. Your thoughts may slow down for a time, but they never end.
What you are meant to discover is that peace is behind your thoughts, ever there for enjoying in meditation, and then taking into your daily life.
To conclude your meditation, take a deep breath in and slowly release it. Stretch out and go on with your day. Come back to a quiet meditation as the observer whenever you feel the need to be centered.
To recap, meditating as the observer is an effective method of discovering that your eternal nature is beyond the world of thoughts. What is changeable is not part of your permanent self.
We grow in patience and compassion when we realize that we have control of our thought processes.
Reclaim your contact with eternal peace by meditating as the observer.
I invite you to join me in a world-wide cyber meditation every day of the year. Click on this link to read about it.
Article by Susan Helene Kramer
For offline reading
Gentle Yoga and Meditation – for All AdultsGentle yoga poses and meditations for adults of all ages, plus a dose of yoga philosophy and virtues. All poses illustrated. 107 pages. Table of contents at this link.
Meditation for all KidsSitting, walking, dance and group circle meditations, along with positive affirmations, verses and benefits of meditation for kids of all ages and abilities in a 100 page book with illustrations.
