A good method of meditation that will serve one well is Śamatha (Sanskrit: “calm”) meditation. The technique combines posture (asana) and breath work (pranyama) in order to control thought and reach a state of peaceful abiding. This is the foundation technique taught in Tibetan Buddhism and is analogous to Zazen in Zen. vipaśyanā.
Posture: It is critical to keep the body straight so that the energy centers and their natural flow are aligned. This is also critical for maintaining alertness and resisting the natural temptation to nap. For this technique, one should sit cross-legged with the butt slightly elevated on a cushion (zafu or gomden) or on a short bench. The hands should rest lightly on the thighs, arms extended but not rigid. This will keep the spine straight but not locked. The chin should be tucked in ever so slightly, as the head has a tendency to move forward during the course of sitting. Alternatively the hands can be joined and placed four finger-widths below the navel. The proper attitude should be, as Aleister Crowley describes it, that of a tiger about to spring. This is essentially the “five point” meditation posture described as ideal by Marpa.
One’s eyes should be half open and set on a point in front of you and about four feet away. As meditation develops, one can raise the eyes as the mind is tranquil and lowering them again if the mind becomes clouded.
Breath Control
The intake and outtake should be slow and easy, following a regular rhythm of inhale-hold-exhale-repeat. The breathing should come from the diaphragm and not the upper chest.
Mind Control
It is essential to control mind during meditation. We often confuse the mind with our essential self, but this is not the correct view of the mind as it places us at the whim of our twisting emotions. The mind is a tool that one learns to control through meditation and mindfulness. The analogy of taming a wild horse is often used by Tibetan teachers. The wild horse can be trained, conditioned, through methodical and repetitive training to be a useful asset. Through practice we reach a state of awareness (simply being aware of what we are doing right now) that extends beyond the practice of sitting meditation out into our daily lives.
This constant and continuous nature of ours is suppressed by the scattered direction of our actions. Just as the sea is covered by waves and the sun by clouds, we are covered by our own actions. The layer of activities on the surface hides that which is deep inside. Insignificant waves hide from our view the unfathomable depths of the ocean. How strange it is that the mighty is suppressed by the trivial, that a speck in the eye renders mountains invisible! But the sea does not cease to exist because of the waves. It is the soul of the waves and is present in them as well. Those who know even recognize it in the waves, but those who do not know must wait until the waves subside. (Osho, The Perfect Way p. 25)
Controlling thought is simple (method) and difficult (practice) at the same time. We are first mistaken that thoughts are mind. And through the practice of meditation we slowly realize that thoughts move across the surface of the mind, but are not of it. When one first begins meditation it will appear that thoughts actually increase; this is due to the simple fact that we are becoming aware of just how many thoughts pass through the unbridled mind. Thoughts are just clouds across the open sky of mind.
We sit in our posture and begin breathing. Next we watch the breath and focus the mind on the breath—counting the breath (inhale-hold-exhale as one number). When the mind wonders into thought, pull yourself back and start counting from one again. When you reach twenty (this takes a lot of practice and shows development in control) start again at one.
Another method of dealing with thought is to simply look at the thought directly—either as “thought” or explicitly labeling it “thought.” When one looks at a thought as it is and not the idea it presents, the thought disappears of its own accord and we are not carried away by its “conceptual” distraction.
A proper balance, or tension, should be developed between control and calm-abiding. If control is too loose, then one can be easily carried away by a chain of thoughts before one realizes. If control is too tight, then the obsession with guarding against thoughts becomes its own obstacle. Just relax into the tranquility that is the mind’s natural state. A thought arises—let it go without taking the tease it offers.
There are three basic methods of meditating: on an external object, on an internal object and on no object at all. Ultimately the goal is to meditate simply and with no object, but an object is often helpful to the beginner as a concrete reminder of the practice. Of external objects there are two types, high and low objects (or “supports”). A high object would be a statue of Buddha, for example, while a low object would be a rock, tree or something else naturally occurring.
Obstacles in meditation: There are several basic obstacles to meditative practice. The first is feeling tired or dull, thinking that one needs to sleep, etc. The antidote to these feelings is to think about the end results of meditation, that which we will achieve through meditation—clarity, freedom from emotional difficulties, etc. This will create renewed enthusiasm in our practice and wake us from our stupor. The second obstacle is agitation, where the mind is carried away churning with chains of thought. Agitation can be caused by external factors (e.g. a sound), which result in thought or internal factors (pride or desire). The antidote to agitation is reminding oneself of the nature of cyclic existence and our own emptiness and impermanence.
As one progresses, many fantastic and magical things happen during the course of meditation. Waves of “realization” crash over one. One may see spirits, angels or even Buddha. It is best to remember the advice of the venerable Buddhist master: “Ignore them and they will go away.”
Likewise, in the Itivuttaka Sutra, the Buddha states:
If you seek after truth, you should investigate things in such a way that your consciousness as you investigate is not distracted by what you find, or diffused and scattered; neither is it fixed and set. For the one who is not swayed, there will be a transcending of birth, death, and time. (Buddha Speaks, Anne Bancroft, ed. (Shambhala Publications, 2000)
Another image often used by Tibetan meditation teachers is that of a bowl of muddy water. If it is let to sit, it will become clear; if it is continually disturbed, the water will remain murky.
In Ornament of Clear Realization, the great Buddhist teacher Maitreya describes nine levels of meditative stability:
Resting the mind (briefly)
Resting the mind longer
Continuously resettling the mind (mind is placed but thoughts still arise)
Intensely settled mind (mind is vast and thoughts only small intrusions)
Taming the mind (Joy, enthusiasm and relaxation)
Pacification of the mind (Tame but still wandering due to attachment)
Complete pacification of the mind (Correct attitude immediately applied
to distractions)
One-pointed mind (mind is placed almost completely, very slight
exertion)
Resting in equanimity (mind rests naturally)
(Cited by Thrangu Rinpoche in The Middle Way, p. 68.)
For the purposes of meditation and, later on, one should set aside an area or room that can be reserved exclusively for spiritual practice. At the outset it should be a simple, quiet and uncluttered space. It should reflect the clear state of mind that one aspires to attain through the work that will be done there. As one proceeds, items may be added as appear indicative to the individual of goals along the path. One should be wary of unnecessarily cluttering one’s chosen space. In the instance of the magical environment, it is always best to err on the side of simplicity.
At the initial setting aside of a sacred area, one should endeavor to cleanse the area of previous influence (good or ill). There are many traditional methods that are both simple and affective. Common ones include the use of smudge (copal, sage and cedar), bluing balls dissolved in ammonia, and Van Van floorwash. Cleansings may be repeated as often as one deems appropriate.
One inch of sitting, one inch of Buddha. Like lightning all thoughts come and pass. Just once look into your mind-depths: Nothing else has ever been. —Manzan Dohaku (1635-1714)
Not thinking about anything is zen. Once you know this, walking, standing, sitting or lying down, everything you do is zen. To know that the mind is empty is to see the buddha. The buddhas of the ten directions have no mind. To see no mind is to see the buddha. —Bodhidharma (5th c.)