Meditation – first steps to enlightenment

Meditation can change your life completely. You will not know whether or not this is true unless you try it. Benefits reported from meditation include:

• control of stress
• happiness
• greater confidence
• improved concentration
• positive outlook
• sense of purpose
• enhanced alertness
• increased vitality
• more natural sleep
• better memory
• enhanced psychic abilities
• more powerful intuition
• clarity of thought
• awareness of the Divine Self

The following edited extract is taken from the booklet entitled Contact Your Higher Self Through Yoga by Dr. George King. It is the first of six breathing exercises. This is a perfect way to start your experience of meditation.

PRANIC CONTROL

The first exercise is designed to create internal harmony by breathing in and out in a measured way. This rhythmic breath will help to purify the nervous system and bring about a great feeling of peace and tranquility never so quickly attained before.

THE FIRST BREATHING

Sit upright with chest, neck and head held in a straight line. It is preferable to sit on the floor, tailor fashion, for all these exercises, but should this prove to be uncomfortable, a straight-backed wooden chair will suffice.

Do not hunch up your shoulders, keep the spine straight and the rest of the body relaxed at the same time.

Now, breathe in slowly and steadily through both nostrils for a count which is within your capacity.

Next, breathe out for the same count, thereby making the inhalation the same length as the exhalation.

Pull in the diaphragm lightly upon exhalation to squeeze gently as much air as possible from the lungs.

After a little practice, the in and out breaths will automatically equal each other. When this stage has been reached, you can then add the mental affirmation, which should flow in and out without any strain of any kind.

“I AM NOW PURIFYING MY MIND AND BODY.”

Careful practice of this exercise for at least 15 minutes daily for two weeks, will prepare you for the next exercise, which is a little more advanced.

(Find out more about Dr. King’s strict definition of meditation as a highly elevated state of consciousness.)