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We have all heard of meditation and maybe we thought it wasn't for us (too esoteric, too static, etc.). But before making a hasty judgement, let’s find out what this practice consists of…

- Its history -

Meditation is a practice that originated in India over five thousand years ago. It spread to Japan and to Asian countries, to arrive in the 18th century in the West. But it will be necessary to wait until 1927 and the publication of the « Bardo Thodol » (the Tibetan book of the dead) for meditation and Buddhist philosophy to experience its current success.

The Bardo Thodol was one of the first examples of Tibetan and Vajrayana literature to be translated into a European language. This text comes from a larger teaching : the profound Dharma of self-liberation through the intention of peaceful and wrathful beings, revealed by Karma Lingpa (1326-1386). It describes (intended to guide) the experiences that consciousness has after death, in the « Bardo » (the interval between death and the next rebirth).

- Received ideas -

Meditation is not a religion, it is not witchcraft, it is not paranormal and it is not reserved for Shaolin monks and/or Grand Masters. It is above all a personal, introspective and timeless journey (a suspension in time).

It's not about not thinking about anything. The goal is that our deleterious thoughts no longer have control over us and that we can free ourselves from the ruminations/tensions that prevent us from moving forward in life. In short, it helps us to soothe our inner hubbub.

The autonomic functions of our body are divided into two parts :

THE SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM : Responsible for our defence mechanisms and our flight or fight response.

THE PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM : Responsible for our resting and digestion functions.

The analysis of a monk in meditation, carrying 250 cranial electrodes, demonstrated that during the meditative state, the areas which present the most structural and functional changes are :

THE HIPPOCAMPUS : memory and emotions ;

THE INSULAR CORTEX : the perception of pain ;

THE PREFRONTAL CEREBRAL CORTEX : decision-making.

- Its practice -

Meditation is for everyone, including eldest ones and the young children. However, people with mental disorders are advised to consult their therapist.

No specific material is needed to practice meditation : We can sit on a chair, on a sofa, on our bed, on a Zafu (meditation cushion), on a meditation bench or on the floor. Just as we can sit cross-legged, in half lotus (legs crossed, left foot against the perineum, right foot above the calf or even the thigh) or in full lotus (legs crossed, left foot on the right thigh and right foot on the left thigh).

We must manage to relax, stretch our spine, find the right inclination so that our back stays straight without effort (not slouching or leaning on a backrest) and maintain this posture.

The most common is to practice meditation with our eyes closed, but there is no rule against having our eyes open, or like Buddha statues, eyes half-open. Let's just let our gaze rest and fix a point in front of us on the ground.

Meditation is difficult to master and the first few times we may not be comfortable. The progression will be done gradually, it is by dint of practicing that we will feel positive and beneficial internal changes.

Meditation is about grounding our attention in the present moment. We should therefore not try to empty our mind, but rather focus on our breathing. Our body needs it to immerse itself in relaxation. So let's inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.

During meditation, our attention can linger on inner sensations (feelings, thoughts, anxieties, etc.) and/or on outer sensations (cold, heat, smells, sounds, tastes, etc.). Let's not feel guilty, let's not seek at all costs to drive them away or resist them... we shouldn’t judge them, just let them come, recognize them and let them go, then bring our attention back to our breathing (the present moment).

To progress in meditation and feel its effects, we have to practice regularly. 10 minutes a day is a very good rhythm to obtain noticeable effects, without getting discouraged. In the same vein, let's dedicate a fixed time slot to this practice, in order to avoid the « I'll do it later » and let’s set an alarm, so the bell will take care of informing us that we have reached the desired duration (without obligation to stop when it rings).

There are several ways to meditate or reach the meditative state :

THE BREATHING : This is the most common technique, it consists in becoming aware of the air which penetrates our body and which is expelled from it. As the breath is a permanent movement, it provides a stable anchor for our attention. We can enter into meditation by concentrating on our breathing, or by counting from 1 to 10, by doing series : 1 on the inspiration and 1 on the expiration, 1 on inspiration and 2 on expiration, 1 on the inspiration and 3 on the expiration… this up to 10 on the expiration. And start over from 1. If we have any doubts or got distracted, we have to start over from 1 and do our best to stay focused. If we manage to maintain the series several times in a row, it is because our concentration improves. The objective is to no longer need to count or to use counting only when our mind is too cluttered (every day has its trials).

THE BODY SCAN : Sitting, back straight, we perform a mental scan of our body. This exercise must be done without judgement, and allow us to become aware of any tensions or pain points. It allows us to reconnect with our body and perhaps for some of us to discover forgotten corners.

THE MENTAL IMAGE : We must visualize a specific calming image (real, drawn or invented), and focus on it. We can soak in or walk through it.

THE MANTRA : We repeat to ourselves a sacred formula, a personal expression or a syllable. We can repeat them mentally, articulate them quietly, or say them out loud. In the latter case, the vibrations caused by the vocal cords will bring our body to good dispositions.

THE OBJECT : We can stare at a nearby object (a candle flame, a photo or a drawing that evokes compassion and well-being). Here we can also imbibe and use the object as a guide.

Conclusions

Mindfulness is a state, an instant awareness of our experience, meditation is the tool we use to achieve this state. For many of us, staying still generates anxiety and/or restlessness, hindering the positive contribution of meditation, turning it into frustration.

But that's not why we have to throw in the towel, because we still have the meditative movements : Yoga, Taiji (Tai Chi) and Qi Gong (Chi Kung). Meditative movements link movements and breathing, with fluidity and softness or dynamism.

What do you think?