Postures of meditation

You should be able to sit comfortably for meditation; the way we hold the body has a profound effect on the emotions and mental states that we experience. Something as subtle as the angle that you hold your chin at affects how much thinking you do.

Even colors, and other sacred gometries hold significance when you talk of mystics and psychic things. If you talk of Feng Shui, most schools use a mapping device called the bagua. Ba means 8 (the luckiest number in Chinese culture) and gua means areas, thus the bagua is essentially an eight-sided compass which is used to determine various traits. Each gua on the compass reflects a different aspect of life. South, which is considered the most important direction and as such always rests at the top of the bagua, focuses on your fame and fortune. It also deals with your reputation and the way others perceive you. South's colour is red, and 9 is its number. East deals with health, while west concerns your dependences (including pets). North focuses on your career.

However, like any compass, feng shui also deals with the areas in between. So, northwest looks to travel and your friends, be they near or far, and southwest embraces marriage, love and sex. Northeast is synonymous with knowledge and improving your credentials, while southeast is concerned with financial security.

Meditation is listening to God. It is a patient practice that leads to a depth of personal knowledge. It slows the mind. It internally releases "pressure" that may have appeared to come from the circumstances or problems of life. It leads to knowledge of the true self, which appreciates and walks lightly among its "troubles", and which is different from the ego: which controls us and vexes us and creates the illusion that it is our true identity. it’s a myth that you need to be able to get into lotus position in order to meditate effectively. In fact you can meditate while sitting in a chair or while using a meditation bench. It’s even possible to meditate while lying down, although the results are not  usually very good for this particular posture and so it should only be used when absolutely necessary, as when there are injuries that prevent any other posture from being used.

Make the place you meditate and the articles you use for meditation techniques be special. A room you use regularly should be neat and clean, a comfortable temperature, and dark. You may choose to use a sleep mask or ear plugs to enhance the experiences of darkness and quietness. If you meditate outside in nature, pick a quiet beautiful place, among trees, in a gentle field, on a river bank or by the ocean. You may also meditate in any place considered holy. Too many stresses that are not dealt with efficiently, will eventually generate adverse reactions in our bodies that may include but are not limited to things such as high blood pressure that could then lead to heart attacks and strokes.

For some, the practice of meditation is the only thing they need to to relieve their stress. However, meditation works best if you are also working to have a healthy, active body. Eat right. Get proper nutrition.  Stretch your limbs, much as the Yogis have done. Stretching relieves tension and keeps the body supple and responsive. It also helps to develop the ability to sit quietly while feeling a sense of aliveness and comfort. Setting up your posture, including what to sit on, the importance of supporting your hands, the angle of the head, and some basic trouble-shooting tips are important.