Just as there are many ways to relax and exercise our bodies, there are lots of different ways to meditate. All meditation methods give our minds something to focus on.
For example, some people meditate by concentrating on a candle, others on a mantra, while others use affirmations.
Raja Yoga meditation is about experiencing soul consciousness – becoming aware of ourselves as spiritual beings, souls, independent from our physical identities. Having this consciousness of the inner self helps to free us from any self-limiting beliefs and habits we may be stuck in, and to start to think and act in a way that’s more in line with our inner values.
We observe our thoughts and choose to direct them to take us into a positive experience with that understanding and from that perspective. We speak to our minds gently but firmly, reminding ourselves of who we really are inside and our inner qualities and strengths. The self respect this brings us leads us to feel quite differently about ourselves, those around us and the world around us – and what our priorities are in this moment.
It’s good to fix a special place to meditate regularly – a comfortable chair – or on the floor, if you prefer – but it’s important to stay alert. In fact, it doesn’t have to be sitting down but concentration is usually better that way! Sometimes we can try too hard in the beginning, thinking that we have to ‘get it right’ straight away. We just need to keep going with our practice and accept where we are at. Learning to meditate is a gradual process, so we need to take it easy, be patient and be kind to ourselves.