Pocket Guide to Meditation

CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction
What is Spirituality?
What is Meditation?
Meditation for Times of Change
Peace and Potential in the Workplace
Stages of Soul Development
The Root Phase, The Interactive Phase, The Selfless Phase, The Transcendent Phase
Understanding Oneness
Eight Steps Toward Divine Awakening
Step One: Removing Obstacles, Step Two: Fostering Harmony, Step Three: Being Still, Step Four: Controlling Energy, Step Five: Bringing Awareness Within, Step Six: Concentration, Step Seven: Meditation, Step Eight: Divine Union
Establishing a Practice
Space, Sitting, Alignment, Time
Beginning Practices
Prayer, Attitude, Letting Go Exercises, Energy Control Exercises, Concentration Techniques, Meditation Process
Conclusion
Glossary
Bibliography

Preface

This book is for anybody interested in meditation and spiritual growth. If you are one of the vast numbers of people hungering for a deeper connection with Spirit, read on.

Meditation is a universal tool. Many people feel an intuitive comfort with the idea of meditation. In my experience, however, they are occasionally put off by its cultural associations, New Age or Eastern. I want to remove this obstacle by providing classical information about meditation in a fashion and language that Westerners can apply to their own culture or religious heritage.

Introduction

For over thirty-five years I have studied and taught meditation, yoga, and martial arts. Professionally, I extract principles from these disciplines for an Interfaith Ministerial career which includes Life Coaching and Spiritual Counseling, Healing, performance and lifestyle enhancement trainings for business, education, and healthcare organizations. The purpose of this book is to go one step further and provide some nuts and bolts information about the art and science of meditation as it applies to spirituality in everyday life. Nothing in this book is really new. The information is essentially timeless and has been shared by those far wiser than myself. I have been strongly influenced by the teachings and works of Paramhansa Yogananda. This book, a rendering of the works of others filtered through my experience and perceptions felt like it wanted to be written, so I am obliging it. In following my muse, hopefully there will be some novelty of presentation that is beneficial or inspiring.

One principal reason for writing this book stems from the resurgent interest in spirituality evident in the great flood of "new age" materials and books about angelic encounters, near death experiences, and related phenomena. Much effort has been expended looking for new expressions, new forms, new visions, and new interpretations of spirituality. However, aside from the rising interest in Buddhism, there has been scant information focusing on the merits of classical spiritual practice. Little has been written to explain clearly and sensibly the scientific rationale behind meditation. Perhaps people have blindly followed spiritual dogma for so long that they have forgotten to question the validity of spiritual practices. Whatever the reason, meditation makes sense. There are justifications for its practice that offer insight into the sometimes vague process of spiritual development.

To convey why spiritual practice and meditation are so necessary in these modern times, I draw from the classical tradition of yoga as taught by Paramhansa Yogananda. The word “yoga” means "to unite." Its practice focuses on uniting the consciousness of the individual, or soul, to Infinite Consciousness, Spirit, or God. Not a religion in itself, yoga looks at spiritual development scientifically much the way modern medicine details the nature and function of our physiology. In yoga, meditation becomes central to inner discovery. Anyone can benefit from its practice regardless of religious affiliation. Rather than compromising or threatening traditional or personal spirituality, meditation deepens an individual’s relationship with the Divine.

Many people may find so much attention to Spirit uncomfortably foreign at first. Others may really be looking for simple coping skills or ways to relax. I honor these experiences, but I'd be doing meditation a grave disservice if I diluted it for marketing purposes. Relaxation exercises, while they are excellent for inner stability and also function as a preparation for meditation, are not meditation and should not be considered as such.

My sincerest wish is that people begin to explore their spirituality more deeply. Those who feel the pressures of global change can easily appreciate why. We live in an age of tremendous technological potential and need to harness these outer resources with balanced inner development. To assist in that process and to make spiritual principles a bit more understandable, I've used information drawn from my years of study and experience. I hope to convey this material in a way that's motivating and fun, intelligible and interesting.

For those restless to begin an actual meditation practice, simply skip to the last chapter. Keep in mind, however, that the information provided along the way is designed to explain the process as well as get you started.