What Types of Meditation Techniques are Best for Me?

What exactly is meditation?

You ask people and they will very likely refer you to the internet to “Google” it. On the internet, you’ll find thousands of web pages defining the exercise of meditating and trying to explain it in their own terms. Unfortunately, a lot of these sites explain meditating in a very complicated and esoteric fashion…extremely difficult to understand and just plain boring.

So far, the site that most clearly defines meditation is Wikipedia.  One of the best ways to define this exercise is probably an action or exercise that increases your awareness.

In specific, meditative techniques allow you to achieve an awareness of self. An extremely useful tool for this is following a guided meditation video.  If you click on the link on the previous sentence, you’ll see a list of Free Guided Meditations available to you.  It does this because meditation techniques focus the mind to pass the clutter of thoughts and jumbled thinking patterns.  The idea is to be able to think clearer and become more relaxed.  Hence, all these techniques allow us to accomplish this.

The stresses of life can have a dramatic effect on us.  As we attempt to deal with all the various problems that come our way, we are mentally worn down.  Much in the same way our bodies need proper exercise to remain healthy, so do our minds need proper stimulation to stay efficient.  By becoming better attuned with our consciousness, we achieve this.  In fact, practicing meditation techniques is really the only way to permanently accomplish this endeavor.  If you meditate properly, you free your mind of burdensome and chaotic thought patterns.  Who doesn’t want to be less stressed and more focused?

Ok, so basically these techniques will help you become more relaxed, think clearer, concentrate better and more.  But these things in and of themselves are not the act of meditating.  Concentrating on something is not meditation.  Finding one self in a relaxing position or performing certain poses is not it either.  There are a number of meditation techniques that will help a person achieve plenty of benefits in their life.

Popular Meditation Techniques

1. Zen – One of the most popular and well known meditation techniques is called Zen Meditation.  This meditation technique was developed by Zen monks.  Zen is about achieving a state of absolute stillness and emptiness.   While Zen meditative techniques are regarded as some of the easiest and most effective to perform, they take time and effort to master.  This technique is centered on sitting in the lotus position to achieve a stillness of thought.

2. Mantra – Another well known meditation technique is Mantra.  Mantra is an exercise that many people tend to associate with meditating in their minds.  Mantra techniques involve chanting or ‘mantra repetition.’  This is a meditation technique that achieves a state of awareness through the use of sound. In fact, one of the most popular techniques in the United States – transcendental meditation (TM)- is an example of a mantra meditation.

3. Vipassana – A third well known technique is Vipassana.  Vipassana is a Buddhist technique that focuses on breathing.  If we consider the fact that breathing is an every moment occurrence and a necessity for living, then we can begin to see how concentrating on this aspect of life can have a significance.  Vipassana is a meditation technique that essentially teaches one to be aware of their breathing, from which (when done properly) there is a state of awareness that is attained.

Other Techniques

There are many other techniques that are available.  These three just happen to be the most well known and practiced in the west.  What you will notice is that all three have the same goal in mind – which is to attain a higher state of awareness.  Remember, one of the most common purposes of meditating is to become better aware of the self, which in turn, produces a healthier mind.  It’s interesting that regardless of the differences between meditation techniques, the goal remains the same.

All of the differences in the techniques mentioned in this article are actually examples of how each of them lead to the same goal- that of achieving awareness. It’s like the saying goes “all roads lead to Rome.”

In this case, all these different techniques lead to enlightenment and awareness in addition to many other kinds of mental, psychological, social, and physical benefits.

Whether the meditation technique you use focuses on sitting, walking, laying down, breathing, repeating a mantra, or chanting, it will lead to benefits in your daily life and to benefits in the lives of those around you.

Mantra Meditation Basics

Mantra meditations are a wonderfully simple and pleasant practice to adopt. A Mantra is a grouping of sound vibrations which have an effect on the mental and psychic consciousness. Although traditionally given by a Guru, in the absence of a Guru, the practitioner may choose his mantra. An important criterion for mantra selection is that it must appeal to the mind fully when spoken verbally.

Mantra chanting creates powerful vibrations which are said to be directed to the right “chakras” to attract divine forces. This process is said to mysteriously heal the spiritual, physical & psychological body. It is important that when the mantra is chanted, the words and their rhythm must be enjoyed and one must surrender oneself to this experience.

Mantras do not have any specific meaning. Their power lies not in the meaning of the word but through the vibratory effects of the sound that they produced when spoken verbally or mentally.

In fact, a Mantra should not be confused with religion. Just because a mantra refers to a Hindu God, it does not mean that it cannot be said by a Christian. Also, a Mantra should not be translated as this has the effect of altering the sound vibrations wherein lies the strength of the Mantra.

Repetition of a Mantra forms the basis of Mantra Meditation. Mantras for spiritual evolution should be practiced for a fixed amount of time each day. Repeating a mantra too much may not be right for sensitive or psychic people as it may affect them adversely. Generally, if you repeat a mantra for about 10 minutes every day, then, within a few days you will know whether the vibrations feel right for you.

Transcendental Meditation (TM) introduced by Maharshi Mahesh Yogi is also a form of Mantra Meditation where the participants are provided their personal Mantra.

Mantra Meditation is the easiest and safest form of meditation and can be practiced by anyone at anytime and under any conditions. The most common way of practicing Mantra Meditation is Japa. Japa (literally means ‘rotate’) is performed by repeating a mantra in sync with the rotation of a Japa Mala. A Japa Mala is a rosary of 108 beads where each bead is turned after the mental or audible recitation of the mantra.

Using a Japa Mala for Mantra Meditation is very effective as it provides an anchor to bring the mind back as it experiences wavering thoughts. The Mantra combined with the Japa Mala provide tangible anchors to which the thoughts are directed back as they spin out of control. That is why, Japa Meditation is one of the most recommended forms of meditation for the beginner.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION

This is a simple meditation procedure that can create a deep state of relaxation in your mind and body. As the mind quiets down but remains awake, you will experience deeper, more silent levels of awareness. It is recommended that you practice this procedure about 15 minutes twice a day, in the morning and the evening. You may also use this technique for a few minutes during the day if you are feeling upset or agitated. This will help you to re-center yourself.

During this Mindfulness Meditation, relinquish any expectations you may have during the practice.

At times you may notice that a feeling or mood is predominant in your awareness. If you notice that you are focusing on a feeling, mood or expectation, treat this as you would any other thought and gently bring your awareness back to the breath. (10 minutes)

Now wait about 1 or 2 minutes and then please open your eyes slowly.We recommend that you practice this technique sitting for about 15 minutes twice per day.

Buddhist Meditation Practice

The meditation used in the practice of Buddhism is called Buddhist Meditation. It uses any method of enlightenment as its ultimate aim. Buddhists identify meditation with mental development.

Buddhist meditation is broadly divided in to
1. Samatha (tranquility meditations) &
2. Vipassana (insight meditations) meditation.

1. Samatha meditation calms the mind and develops one-pointed concentration and positive emotions.

The samatha meditation includes anapana (mindfulness of breathing, or mindfulness of the in-breath and out-breath) and the four brahma-viras (sublime abodes) of which metta bhavana (development of loving kindness) is the most often practiced one.

2. Vipassana meditation builds on the calmness, focus, and positive emotion generated in Samatha meditation, and helps to develop an awareness of the impermanence, interconnectedness, and the contingent nature of our experience.

The vipassana meditations include contemplation on impermanence, the six element practise, and contemplation on conditionality.

Samatha meditations usually precede and prepare for vipassana meditations.

Each of the five methods is an antedote to one of the five mental poisons.

Meditation type	Method	Counteracts	Develops
Samatha (tranquility meditations)	Anapana (mindfulnes of breathing)	Distraction	Concentration
	metta bhavana	Hatred and sentimental attachment	Loving and kindness
	karuna bhavana	Cruelty, sentimental pity and horrified anxiety	Compassion
	mudita bhavana	Resentment, envy and vicarious enjoyment	Sympathetic joy
	upekkha bhavana	Fixed indifference and apathetic neutrality	Equanimity
Vipassana (insight meditations)	contemplation on impermanence	Craving	Inner peace and freedom
	six element practice	Conceit	Clarity regarding nature of self
	Contemplation on conditionality	Ignorance	Wisdom and compassion

Every form of meditation uses some object on which we direct our attention. We can use the sensations of the breath, our emotional connection with ourselves and others, the physical sensations of the body, sounds, visualized images, etc.

Meditation has been shown to have many medical and psychological benefits, including promoting a sense of wellbeing, boosting the immune system, promoting the development of cortical matter in the brain, and slowing aging.

Raja Yoga Meditation

The word “Yoga” simply means “Union” or “Connection”, and the word “Raja” means “Supreme”, “King” or “Master”. Raja Yoga is the king of all yogas because through it one can become self-governing. Raja Yoga gives the power to control ones`own mind, because it is the mind that is responsible for creating sorrow and distress.

The mental connection between the soul and Supreme Soul or the remembrance of the Supreme Soul by the soul is called meditation or Raja Yoga Meditation.

The aim of meditation is to become the master of the mind, even to master the personality, and of course to be the master of the physical costume the body. This is achieved through soul-consciousness, which comes through the practice of Raja Yoga Meditation.

Raja Yoga and the Soul
Through the teachings and practise of Raja Yoga, the soul is able to achieve its natural state of peace very easily.

Raja Yoga meditation is the process whereby the practitioner concentrates upon one point in order to integrate discontinuous, diffused attention, thus holding attention steady. All distractions are thus effectively closed out, and meditation proceeds.

Generally, life force is directed to move up and down the spine until it is balanced and the mind and emotions are serenely content. Then awareness is generally directed to move forward into a point in the center of the lower forehead. This meditation point, which is about half an inch above where the eyebrows meet, is called Ajna, or the third eye.

When the energy is balanced throughout the brain, body, and easily moving forward in the area of the third eye, your mind becomes very calm. While your mind is not passive, it is free of meaningless thoughts, worries, and the bric-a-brac of the subconscious mind. This state usually gives you a very pleasant sense of well-being and eternal bliss.

Raja yoga, particularly, requires a teacher because it is easy to strain yourself, and it`s also easy to mislead yourself into high level of hallucinations rather than actual experiences of your higher consciousness.

However, the genuine raja yogi lives in bliss, with his / her, will surrendered to God. Through Raja Yoga Meditation, the soul gets immense joy of an extraordinary kind from its link with the Supreme Soul.

Relationship with the Soul and God
Knowledge of the relationship between the soul and the supreme soul is very essential. In his dealings in life, man remembers every now and then only those who are bound to him by ties of one kind or another. The closer the relationship, the more easily one is reminded of it without any effort. It is very important to realize and feel that God indeed is our Supreme Father-Mother, Teacher, true Friend and Guide, and the real Protector. Relationship is the lever that can lift us to the state of Yoga. So if we have clearly before us, our relationship with God, we shall every now and then be reminded of Him and only this true link redeems all the human beings.

God is the most beautiful being
Beauty is a thing that bewitches man and attracts his mind and understanding again to itself. But beauty of physical body and other things is only temporary and subject to gradual decline and decay. On the contrary, it is the Supreme Soul, the Supreme Father, who is absolutely and truly beautiful. His beauty is spotless; it never suffers change or decline. Remembering Him will make a soul clean and beautiful.

Eight Powers of Raja Yoga Meditation

1. The Power To Co-operate
   Raja Yoga Meditation imparts the power to cooperate with others. It takes away your ego and selfishness. It teaches you to give as well as accept suggestions and ideas from others.
2. The Power To Pack-Up
   It gives the ability to go within learn how to pack up all wasteful thinking in a second, so that there is lightness and freedom from burdens and worries, though there may be many responsibilities. Often the mind is full of tensions, worries, and is not able to detach itself from these. Raja Yoga Meditation helps the mind to wind up its thoughts at will.
3. Power To Tolerate
   Just as trees offer the same fruits even to those who pelt stones at them, a yogi tolerates all attacks on him and does well even to those who offer brickbats to him. In the light frame of mind, one will be able to tolerate all types of situations and people to the extent that there is no sense at all of having to tolerate something or someone. With the understanding that each one is simply playing their role in this immense world-drama, impatience, irritation and annoyance disappear like mists before a strong sun.
4. The Power To Accommodate
   Just as the ocean accepts different rivers that flow into it, whether polluted or clean, one will be able to adjust to all that is happening around him, a yogi would be able to accommodate others with him. One will be able to adjust into all the happenings around him. Even when the atmosphere is weak and impure, they would not affect him.
5. The Power Of Judgment
   Meditation enables one to take correct and quick decisions. One will get the ability to accurately assess any situation with clarity and confidence. In a detached, impartial state of mind, one can judge ones own thoughts, words and actions to see if they are beneficial. One will become a judge of the self and not of others.
6. The Power to Withdraw
   Meditation makes you realise that you are not the body but a soul, which is nothing but an enlightened point of light that has various qualities. This fact allows the yogi to withdraw himself from all the worries and tensions and enable him to contract into a point. In the same way that a tortoise retreats into it`s shell in a moment of danger, or just to rest, a person would be able to retract himself from any situation and remain protected.
7. The Power Of Discrimination
   Just as an expert jeweler can easily distinguish the false from the pure diamonds, one will acquire the power to distinguish between right and wrong or good and bad. One can accurately discriminate between real truth and the apparent truth, between things of temporary value and those of eternal value and between superficial and the subtle. The power helps in recognizing illusions even when they are sweetly decorated and enticing.
8. The Power To Face
   Meditation develops the power to endure hardships. Adversities like death of those on whom one depends may come and high storms may rage strongly, yet his flame of equanimity does not get extinguished. Having confidence in one`s spiritual state brings the courage to face any type of situation in a positive manner.

Steps to Begin Raja Yoga Meditation

• Make an appointment with yourself for 10 or 20 minutes each morning or evening.
• Find a quiet place and relax.
• Play some soft music. It can create an appropriate atmosphere.
• Sit comfortably upright on the floor or in a chair. Keep your eyes open and, without staring, gently rest them on a chosen point somewhere in your room.
• Gently withdraw your attention from all sights and sounds. Become the observer of your own thoughts.
• Don`t try to stop thinking, just be the observer, not judging or being carried away by your own thoughts, just watching.
• Gradually they will slow down and you will begin to feel more peaceful. Create one thought for you, about yourself for example, “I am a peaceful soul.”
• Hold that thought on the screen of your mind; visualize yourself being peaceful, quite and still. Stay as long as you can in the awareness of that thought. Don`t fight with other thoughts or memories that may come to distract you. Just watch them pass by and return to your created thought, “I am a peaceful soul.”
• Now think of the Supreme Soul, who is the ocean of peace, bliss, love, power, knowledge, purity, and truth. Think that you- the soul- is moving out of the body and going to God`s home.
• Once you have reached God`s home- a place that is very beautiful and full of light- imagine that you are seeing God, who is also a point of light. Think of receiving a part of all is qualities.
• Acknowledge and appreciate the positive feelings and other positive thoughts, which may spring directly from this thought.
• Be stable in these feelings for a few minutes. Be aware of unrelated thoughts. Just think that you are gaining the qualities of God.
• Now after your appointment with God is over you have to come back to the earth where your body resides. While coming back think of all those who are in misery and in want of peace, love, power, knowledge, truth, bliss etc.
• Now think that you are giving your qualities that you gained from God to the needy. It is believed that the more you give the more will you gain. So give as much as possible.
• After spreading the qualities around, come back to your body.
• Finish your meditation by closing your eyes for a few moments and creating complete silence in your mind.

The Basic Concepts:
There are a few concepts in Raja Yoga that are necessary to understand in order to get the most out of Raja Yoga Meditation.
1. The Self-The Soul
2. God
3. The Human Tree
3. Understanding the Cycle of Time
4. The Story of the Rise and Fall of Human Souls

Dynamic Meditation – Moving Meditation by Osho

Dynamic Meditation

“Remain continuously alert, conscious and aware in this meditation.

Whatever your do, remain a witness.”

Be oblivious to others around you.

First stage: 10 minutes

Breathe rapidly in and out through your nose. Let your breathing be intense and chaotic. The breath should move deeply into the lungs. Whenever you notice you are getting into a set pattern or rhythm, change it. Allow any body movements that arise to be expressed. Use these natural movements of help you increase your energy. Feel the energy building up but do not release it during this stage,

Second stage: 10 minutes

Explode! Let go of everything that needs to be thrown out. Go totally mad. Scream, shout, cry, jump, shake, dance, sing, laugh. Hold nothing back. Keep your whole body moving. Try a little acting to help get you started. Do not allow your mind to interfere with what is happening. Be totally engaged in the process.

Third stage: 10 minutes

With your arms raised, jump up and sown shouting the mantra: Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! as deeply as possible. Each time you land on your feet, let the hammer sound deeply in your sexual center. Release all you have. Exhaust yourself totally.

Fourth stage: 10 minutes

Stop! Freeze where you are in whatever position you find yourself. Don’t re-arrange your body in any way. A cough, movement or sound will dissipate the energy and your effort will be lost. Be a witness to everything that is happening to you.

Fifth stage: 10 minutes

Celebrate. Dance freely, allowing your movements to express whatever you are feeling. Carry this aliveness with you throughout the day.

Kundalini Meditation – Osho’s Moving Kundalini Meditation

Kundalini meditation

“Allow the shaking, don’t do it. When the body starts trembling a little,

help it to occur but do not do it. Enjoy it, allow it, receive it, welcome it,

but don’t will it. If you force it, it will become an exercise and the

shaking will only remain on the surface. You will remain a doer,

a manipulator. Relinquish the need for control and you will

experience the expansion of energy that is

the essence of you and everything around you.”

First stage: 15 minutes

Be loose and relaxed, allowing your entire body to shake. Feel the energy moving up from your feet. Let go completely and allow yourself to become the shaking. Do this with your eyes closed.

Second stage: 15 minutes

Dance with abandon, in any way that you feel to move. Allow your entire body to move as it wishes.

Third stage: 15 minutes

Close your eyes and be still, either sitting or standing. Witness whatever is happening, inside or outside of you.

Fourth stage: 15 minutes

With your eyes close, lie down and be still.

Nataraj Meditation – Osho’s Moving Meditation

Nataraj Meditation

Let the dance flow on its own; do not force it.

Rather follow it; allow it to happen. Remain in a mood of celebration,

playing with the energy. The Sanskrit word for creation is Leela,

meaning God’s play. God has not created the world;

rather it is his cosmic play.”

First stage: 40 minutes

Nataraj is dance as a total meditation. With your eyes closed and blindfolded, dance as if you are possessed with spirit. Let your subconscious take over completely. Do not control your movements or even be a witness to what is happening. Just be totally immersed in the dance.

Second stage: 15 minutes

Continuing with you eyes closed. Lie down immediately and be completely still and silent. Witness the sensations in your body.

Third stage: 5 mintues

Dance in celebration, enjoying the movements of your body.

Nadabrahma – Moving Meditation by Osho

“Nadabrahma meditation creates a healing vibration throughou
the body and hand movements which centers life energy at the navel.”

First stage: 30 minutes

Sit comfortably with your eyes closed and lips together. Now beginning humming loudly enough so you create a vibration throughout your head … chest … and entire body. Hum loudly enough so that others can hear you. Imagine that you are an empty vessel filled only with the vibrations of your humming. Allow your breath to find its own natural rhythm and feel free to alter the pitch or tone and to move your body slowly with the vibration. A point will come when the humming takes on a life of its own and continues by itself. At this point you simply become the silent witness to the vibration.

Second stage: 15 minutes

(7 ½ minutes) We will now move into the second stage of this meditation. Begin with your hand in a palms up position at your navel, one cupped within the other. Now move both hands forwards and begin to make large slow circular motions, moving forwards out and then in towards your navel, with your hand mirroring each other. The movements should be so subtle that at times there will appear to be no movement at all. Feel the energy expand as you encircle the space in front of you and have the intention to radiate your energy outwards to the universe.

(7 ½ minutes) Now turn your palms downwards and begin to very slowly move you hands in circles, this time bringing your hand to the center, then inwards to your body, then out and forward. Accept the energy of the universe coming into you. Do not inhibit any slow, subtle movements of the rest of your body that occur spontaneously, while you are encircling the energy around you.

Third stage: 15 minutes

Sit or lie absolutely quiet and still for the next fifteen minutes. Be the silent witness to your thought forms, emotions, breath, body and environment.

Healing Meditation Technique Using the Breath

Healing Breath Meditation
Kind of meditation	Concentration/focus
Degree of difficulty	Beginners
Recommended duration	5 to 30 minutes
Posture	Sitting or walking
Advantages	It improves your concentration, vitality and health It gives you a clear, calm mind It improves your breathing It helps against stress It gives you extra energy
Remark	It is an extremely powerful and deep meditation that has a strong influence on your health and your breathing. Focussing is rather easy in the beginning because the exercise requires a lot of control and consequently attention. If you practise the 20/20/20 system (see further on) for 11 minutes you are actually doing what Yogi Bajan considers the ultimate healing breath meditation and you can stop worrying about your health

One of our personal favourites. This meditation helps you to relax quickly and deeply and it has a very positive effect on your health and vitality.

In this exercise, our breathing is our object of meditation. We try to focus on the rhythm of our breathing. In the beginning, also dependent on your air capacity, we take ten seconds to breathe in. Then we hold our breath for ten seconds and we take ten minutes to breathe out. If you can do this easily you can take 15 or 20 seconds for each stage of your breathing. We count in our mind and concentrate on our breathing. If possible we breathe through our nose and we try to let each breathing in and each breathing out last exactly ten seconds that we count from one to ten. Start your breathing in from your belly, then send the air to your ribs and diaphragm and ultimately to the upper part of your chest. When you breathe out you do the same, but in the reverse order. When you hold your breath you can concentrate on your navel or any sensations you might feel in your body. Every time our mind wanders away we return to our breathing. The highest aim you can reach after a while is being able to stick to a cycle of 20, 20, 20 seconds.

This is not only a good meditation but it is also an excellent exercise to improve your breathing and to enlarge your air capacity.

In the beginning it is possible that you will experience some dizziness or other sensations in your body as a result of this exercise. This is normal, but if the twinklings start to bother you either do things more slowly or do the ordinary count your breaths meditation. You can do this meditation quite well while you are walking. Do not get discouraged if your mind wanders away all the time or if you find it difficult to breathe in and out in the right rhythm. If you find ten seconds too hard you can also do this exercise in a cycle of 5 or 8 seconds until things go more easily. For many people it is quite hard at first to control their breathing and therefore this is an exercise in which in the beginning focussing is easy because doing the exercise well requires a lot of concentration. Even if you find the exercise easy try to keep concentrating on your breathing to make this not only a good breathing exercise, but also a good meditation exercise.

As is the case with all meditation exercises the essence remains being well focussed and present. In the course of time you will certainly become better and better at focussing your attention on your breathing and to make your meditation deeper. As is the case with every form of meditation we try not to judge, we try not to get angry when things do not go so well and we try not to be too goal-oriented. Let us begin!

Healing Breath Meditation Exercise

1. Sit down, close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Be aware of every breathing in and breathing out.
2. Breathe automatically and freely, do not try to control your breathing.
3. Pay attention to how the air slowly passes through your nose, fills up your lungs and goes out again.
4. If, after taking a few breaths, you feel fine and at ease you start to count.
5. Breathe in steadily over ten counts.
6. Breathe in, one…., two….,three….,four….,five….,six….,seven….,eight….,nine….,ten….
7. Hold your breath and concentrate on your navel or the point between your eyes, also called your third eye. one…., two….,three….,four….,five….,six….,seven….,eight….,nine….,ten….
8. Breathe out steadily over ten counts
9. Breathe out, one…., two….,three….,four….,five….,six….,seven….,eight….,nine….,ten…
10. Breathe in from your belly, to your ribs and diaphragm and ultimately to the upper part of your chest.
11. Breathe in, one…., two….,three….,four….,five….,six….,seven….,eight….,nine….,ten….
12. Hold your breath one…., two….,three….,four….,five….,six….,seven….,eight….,nine….,ten….
13. If you start to think of something else instead of your breathing or you start to feel something else instead of your breathing, be aware of this and just return to your breathing.
14. Breathe out from your chest, to the diaphragm and then from your belly.
15. Breathe out, one…., two….,three….,four….,five….,six….,seven….,eight….,nine….,ten…
16. Notice the sensations of your breathing. De depth, the speed, see if your breathing becomes increasingly slower and quieter, if your breathing more and more goes to your stomach or your chest, if your body becomes more relaxed through your breathing, …etc
17. Breathe in, one…., two….,three….,four….,five….,six….,seven….,eight….,nine….,ten.
18. Hold your breath. one…., two….,three….,four….,five….,six….,seven….,eight….,nine….,ten….
19. Breathe out one…., two….,three….,four….,five….,six….,seven….,eight….,nine….,ten ….
20. If all of a sudden you notice twinklings in your body or relaxation reactions in your muscles, that is all right…..just observe and return to your breathing.
21. If the twinklings become unpleasant or you become a little dizzy slow down your speed of breathing or pass on to the easier count your breaths meditation.
22. Continue doing this in a steady rhythm until the time you have set apart for your meditation is over.
23. All right, now slowly take your thoughts back to the rest of your body and the sounds in the room. Move a little, stretch your muscles a little and open your eyes.
24. Finished!

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