Most people think that meditation is just about becoming a little calmer.
And it is true…even a little meditation will increase feelings of calm…
But meditation can be far more than this.
Far far more!
In fact, every single problem in your life could be solved by developing deep meditation because deep meditation gives you access to a level of consciousness where the solution to any problem becomes obvious.
Therefore, meditation, deep meditation, is an incredibly valuable practice that is worth making an effort in developing.
And this all begins with building a suitable platform from which stability and clarity arise correctly.
In this lesson, we are going even deeper into relaxation, and in this second part of the first phase of this three-tier model of meditation, I will give the key to doing so without inducing sleep.
Thus allowing you to increase the depth of your meditation while remaining conscious of that experience.
Here we go!
Meditation 2 – Somatic Meditation Going Deep!
As I mentioned yesterday, we begin with somatic meditation as this style of meditation is best suited for releasing tension in the mind, the body, and the nervous system.
This is true for those new to meditation and experienced practitioners alike.
Now, it is important with this meditation to release tension and imagine the tension being released, with each out-breath without losing the clarity you began the session with.
Clarity here means wakefulness. It is the opposite of dullness and lethargy. It feels light and bright.
Without clarity, insight into the nature of self and reality is impossible, therefore, it is something we do wish to foster in our practice.
So while in this first phase, we do want to explore the boundary of relaxation even further, we want to do so without losing clarity.
You will lose some clarity to begin but do not want to drift off into unconsciousness.
To prevent this from happening, we will add a counter to dullness that will also allow natural stability to arise.
Now on to the meditation.
The Meditation
Begin by sitting in your favorite meditation posture.
This can be sitting in a chair, on a meditation cushion, or lying flat on your back.
There are advantages to each so just choose one but, the important thing is to have a straight spine as this will help the energies of the nervous system balance.
Then, focus your attention on the natural rising and falling of the breath throughout your entire body.
Or, if you prefer, you can also focus on the breath at the nostrils. Either is fine. But never through the mouth.
Now we will look at the 2-1 Breathwork Method.
For 2 consecutive out-breaths imagine the tension of your body, mind, and nervous system leaving out through the nostrils.
Gently relax through the out-breath.
Becoming more deeply relaxed with each cycle.
Do not push the breath out. Rather allow the breath to naturally release itself.
Become aware of the sensations of the breath and with each out-breath feel yourself becoming deeply relaxed in body and mind.
You should get a sense of letting go with each cycle of the breath.
And with each out-breath, see if you can increase this sensation of letting go even more deeply.
Then, on the third in-and-out cycle, imagine uplifting energy being drawn into yourself with one in-breath.
Do not suck the air in.
Your breathing should be natural. Just allow your body to breathe for itself.
Focus on the out-breath for two and the in-breath for one cycle.
Then repeat the sequence. Become more deeply relaxed and ever more clear with each cycle.
Do this for at least 20 minutes per session, and with at least one session per day.
Your Homework
Step 1 – Read the lesson.
Step 2 – Meditate on the topic from the lesson.
Step 3 – Complete your contemplative journaling session.
Contemplative Journaling
If you’d like to read about the process of contemplative journaling you can do so here – https://clarkescott.com/4-key-steps-to-unlock-deep-meditation/
Then simply follow these steps:
- It’s best to use a pen or pencil and notepad and have these near you during the meditation session.
- Before you begin the meditation session mark down the date and time of the session in the notepad.
- After the meditation session ends take 5 minutes to write down what came up during meditation.
Some people have told me they don’t normally like journalling but found my approach has opened new doors to discoveries when coupled with meditation.
So, PLEASE do give it a try.
You might just be surprised by how effective it is.
Please note: If you find yourself becoming drowsy and falling asleep during this meditation you are doing it incorrectly.
If you are practicing Phase 1 Meditation 1 where we are just seeing how far we can take relaxation, then falling asleep is ok.
But not here.
In Phase 1 Meditation 2 above, we are attempting to be as relaxed as possible without losing consciousness.
By mastering this meditation you will be able to deeply relax without losing consciousness. And these skills will become increasingly important as we go deeper.
The results of this on your mental and physical health are well documented and so I will not go into them here.
Suffice it to say, the benefits of this practice alone are enormous but, it does not end there!