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Meditation: The Art and Science of Listening

Common Definitions of Meditation

Read an article on Jose Silva's 3 to 1 Meditation Method, Silva Ultra Mind Seminar

An Introduction to Meditation

Meditation is one of the most misunderstood disciplines practiced by the metaphysical, spiritual, and "new age community". This leads to a great deal of confusion and mysticification concerning the subject, it is not surprising. The attempt to define abstract concepts, even those that have practical application, often leads to circular descriptions and observational definitions that quite adequately describe an experience, but fail to isolate the principles involved.

The act of meditation itself is an inherent part of conscious awareness, and the dynamics involved are integrated with nearly every conscious process performed in both the mind and body. The practice is distinctive only when approached as a discipline. When meditation is studied from a practical viewpoint, it very quickly becomes evident to the practitioner how common this tool of consciousness is.

Proficiency in meditation has a very wide range of beneficial effects. Like an unused muscle, meditation takes practice in order to fully develop. Normal practice of meditation produces a more relaxed state of being, clarity of the thought, enhanced creativity, and reduced stress, to name only a few of the natural byproducts.

While any act associated with relaxation and self-betterment is bound to produce results, misunderstood practices seldom lead to any real progress. In fact, with a surprising number of people, attempts at meditation often lead to a great deal of frustration which ultimately causes individuals to abandon the practice all together. In many of these cases, unrealistic or non-individualized expectations inconsistant with real meditation lead to early dissapointment. In other cases, a different approach may be needed based on pre-dispositions and personal apptitudes.

As an example, some people have an aptitude for sounds and music, while others have a natural aptitude for visual stimulation and imagery. It is rarer for an individual to have a natural aptitude for conceptual thoughts upon beginning any such study, let alone be able to comfortably reproduce and manipulate concepts, images, and other forms of vibration by concentration, held in mind.

Considering all of the above, it is therefore extremely wise to consider definitions, practices, and even the motive associated with the desire to meditate.

Imprecise, and even erroneous definitions are often formulated by those who have learned to successfully practice meditation who have then recorded the experience and attempted to expound upon the artform for the benefit of others. In fact, it is hard to come up with a reasonable definition that isn't at least partly true and beneficial.

However, it isn't until one works in the reverse order-- by studying root and primary principles of consciousness-- that a precise and crystal clear definition of meditation may be found. Mastery of meditation is not possible without a real understanding of the science and application.

Of course, mastery of any discipline is not required for a beneficial effect. Obviously, various forms of meditation are consciously practiced-- and with wonderful results-- by a wide variety of people in every culture on Earth. The benefit of meditation has been documented by medical science, and meditation is commonly practiced by athletes, scholars, surgeons, teachers, actors, pain management therapists and psychologists, not to mention the multitudinous forms of meditation practiced by various religions and spiritual orders world-wide.

However, the only truly accurate definition of meditation as an actual conceptual idea that we have uncovered can be simply stated:

Meditation: The Art and Science of Listening

The Science of Meditation

The Science of Meditation involves the theories and methods involved to train the mind and/or the body in the discipline of listening. Learning the science of meditation is as simple as learning how to listen with the various senses of the mind and body. Like all sciences, there are operative and practical theories, proofs, and postulated theoretical suppositions-- even scientific equipment available used to measure the physical effects of meditation. Meditation as a science, like all sciences dealing with the mind/body connection, is an emerging discipline in the modern world, and by no means completely explored.

The act of listening is intricately woven with the act of concentration. While meditation in its pure, conceptual form is receiving ( feminine ), concentration is the art and science of focusing ( masculine ). Thefore, both practices develop and utilize the conscious will.

The conscious will directs the attention ( awareness ) of the mind to focus, and having done so, enters a passive, but extremely aware, state.

The Art of Meditation

If the science of meditation deals with the principles, practices, and theories behind the act of meditation, then the art of meditation simply involves what to listen to, what to listen with, and why one should be listening.

Since meditation is truly an inherent part of conscious existance, one can listen to:

• A thought or an idea
• An image in the mind
• Music or other vibratory energy
• The absolute silence ( in its most perfect form, similiar to the kabbalistic conception of Ain Soph Ur )
• Nature
• One's own body
• Anything that can possibly be perceived by any sense

  One can choose to listen with:

• The five physical senses
  • The ears by hearing, the eyes by seeing, the nose by smelling, the nerves by touching
• The Internal Mind ( coupled with the mind power of imagination )
• By some belief systems and standards, the extrasensory faculties, including the "third eye" and the "crown"

One of the most important considerations is the motivating factor behind the desire to meditate. The motivating factor will always influence one's understanding of the process, the process itself, and the results achieved. There is no right or wrong reason to undertake a study, but being precisely clear about the reason can greatly facilitate the experience.

Motives may be broken down into several main categories, with generalized examples given:

• Material
  • Physical well-being ( including health, financial and social reasons )
  • Practices such as Yoga, the soft martial arts, Qi Gong, & Zhan Zhuang Chi-Kung
• Mental / Emotional
  • For Calmness, emotional difficulties, and creative practices such as the arts and mental clarity
• Practices such as creative visualization, guided imagery, & audio "vibratory" meditations
• Spiritual | Esoteric | Occult
  • True spiritual service, growth, and serenity | Study of Divinity & Nature | Power*
  • Pure meditation, mental mastery | Taoism, Buddhism, etc. | *undisclosed

Obviously, the examples given above are not exclusive to any single pursuit, but presented as a conceptual guide.

It should be noted that there truly is a striking difference between meditation as a religious tradition ( taught and encouraged via a social structure ), and meditation as a spiritual pursuit ( chosen based on an inner conviction or burning desire ). The former is a material pursuit, while the latter is a spiritual one.

Seldom will an individual, without a prior disposition or outside influence, wake up one morning and choose any of the motivations associated with the mastery forms of meditation. The problem arises when an individual convinces oneself that a material or mental/emotional reason is actually a spiritual or esoteric one ( the occult viewpoint lies outside of our presentation ). This can cause difficulties in successful application, as there is a contention between an actual desire and an individual belief.

The most natural progression is an introduction to meditation based on a physical or emotional motive, which eventually evolves into a true spiritual practice. Of course, there are exceptions as well as those with an innate talent; however, these cases are always associated with rapid proficiency and without basic frustration.

The Two Primary Types of Practical Meditation

Practically speaking, there are two primary types of meditation, active and passive.

Passive meditations come in many forms. A passive meditation is defined by the lack of creative participation by the practitioner. The primary idea in a passive meditation is to avoid creative, conscious interference in the process. As an example, listening to a bubbling brook with a stillness of mind is a passive practice.

Active mediations ( see our beginners guide with an auditory meditation tutorial ) also come in many forms. An active meditation is defined by a requirement for creative participation. Many guided meditations include both active and passive elements. Relaxation methods via guided meditations, as an example, which walk an individual through relaxing different parts of the body usually contain both active and passive elements.

A third form of meditation which actually does not fit the purist definition of meditation results from the combination of passive meditation, active meditation, and a synthesis. This form of meditation is sometimes referred to as creative actualization, or creative meditation. This type of meditation is more closely associated with the principle of contemplation, but we do reach a point where any conceptual line drawn becomes innacurate. Whenever an active element enters into meditation that involves conscious direction by the practitioner, the conceptual definition of meditation blurs.

An actualization is a perceived result of a mental action, whether the result is real or imagined, that is not a part of the original meditation components.

To give a practical example, guided relaxation and healing methods are taught in numerous consciousness growth programs. A student is often taken into a state of deep relaxation, and then guided through imagining a warmth, a light, or a vibration passing through different parts of the body. The practitioner is guided to imagine both the body parts, and the light/warmth/vibration. If, during this procedure, an unknown element is created as a result that was not a part of the original meditation, it may be an actualization, such as an "explosion of warmth" in the body, or a burst of light or electricity seen through the mind's eye.

Formal "Eastern" spiritual traditions tend to frown upon creative practices with meditation, while more modern "western" traditions tend to embrace it. This largely has to do with the fundamental purposes of the ideologies, and not as a moralistic consideration. Eastern traditions tend to focus on the transcendence of the material world, while Western traditions focus more on involvement with the material world. Both points of view have merit worthy of study.

In fact, the more that one studies meditation, the more that one can see how meditation is an intricate part of how the creative mind itself actually functions, by natural design. Taking the time to learn even the most basic forms of meditation can be a rewarding experience at all levels of life, and a simple study can be undertaken by anyone, regardless of religious or spiritual inclinations ( or lack thereof ).

See Also: Beginners guide to meditation - An auditory vibrational meditation

Please take a moment to Comment on this Introduction to Meditation:

Check back often as we develop further in depth information on meditating, including audio tutorials and examples.

Recommended reading ( this text should really only be purchased by those serious about complete mastery ):

Meditation by Mouni Sadhu

Title: Meditation Author: Mouni Sadhu Publisher: Wilshire Book Company ISBN: 0879800968 December 1997 Mouni Sadhu handles the subject of meditation with absolute mastery, backed by his extensive experience with both Eastern and Western esoteric and spiritual traditions. This "no-nonsense" guide to Meditation is a must have for those who are absolutely serious about real spiritual attainment. The text, instructions, and guidance is extremely far removed from contemporary "new age" books; rather than a "feel good" guide to relaxation, it is a cornerstone text providing necessary keys to true attainment.

More: Books on Meditation & How to Meditate | Research