Reference: A Scientific Approach to Meditation
Meditation Exercise:
Being there.
Purpose:
To learn to BE there and not do anything else but BE there.
Pre-requisites:
Complete Exercise: Meditative Posture.
Instructions:
Start in the meditative posture as determined in the previous exercise on posture. Do not move or do anything. Just be there. This exercise is done with eyes closed.
After closing your eyes, simply observe what is there. At first, you may perceive only blackness. But soon you may become aware of light and darkness, various sounds and smells, the temperature in the room, the pull of gravity, the taste in your mouth, and scores of other such perceptions from the body. The mind may present pictures of current or past situations, thoughts, emotions and conclusions. Simply face whatever comes up without flinching or avoiding.
At the beginning stages of meditation you will run into all kinds of physical and mental reactions. You face them by fully experiencing them without avoiding, resisting, denying or suppressing. A reaction, when confronted patiently, discharges and vanishes. If you feel drowsy, simply experience the whole cycle of the body falling asleep and eventually waking up. Make sure your posture is stable enough so the body does not slump during sleep. When it wakes up, continue as before.
If you find your mind chattering, realize that there is missing information that is suppressed. Do not dive into the mind to find that information. Let the suppressed information come up by itself. The mental chatter shall subside. As suppression comes off there are naturally going to be realizations. Do not force any realizations. You simply BE there and not do anything else but BE there.
Continue this exercise for at least 20 minute. You may continue for longer if it is going well.
If, all of a sudden, there is a big realization that makes you very happy, you may end the session immediately and enjoy your success.
You may repeat this exercise as often as you wish.
End of Exercise:
When major reactions are discharged, and you find that you can simple BE there without any effort, then this exercise is passed.
NOTE 2: If you find the sitting meditation difficult to do then do the walking meditation exercises for a while, and then come back to this exercise.
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