Simple Meditation Technique

(6-minute read) – Before starting on a simple meditation technique, it is important to understand what meditation is not. It is not the same as mysticism. Meditation is the practice that leads to mysticism.

So what is mysticism?

Touching on this helps us to understand the simplicity of the technique.

Mysticism is the belief that we can unite with and connect to all of reality, or the absolute. This absolute is named differently by many different religions.

It is an experience that this absolute reality is loving and benevolent.

It includes the experience that a pervasive sense of separateness of “things” is an illusion.

Mysticism is letting go and allowing the one connected, absolute of love to flow through the mind. With this letting go, a sense of union grows. This union is known as mystical union.

The wisdom traditions have known mystical union since the start of recorded history. The experience of mystical union is life-changing.

One has to be a mystic to be spiritually intelligent.

Practical mysticism

I can almost hear you saying, “Whoa this sounds a bit extreme. I don’t want to go away to the mountains and live in sackcloth or own a cupboard full of new-age esoteric manuals and devices. Isn’t that what I have to do to be mystical?”

No. You don’t have to do these things to know mystical union. We all have the potential to be practical mystics in the lives we currently lead. We all have the potential to:

• See our lives in brilliant clarity and with greater meaning.
• Connect with the activities of our days and focus on them in a single flow.
• Think more logically and creatively.
• Experience communion with our fellow human beings and the world.

We don’t have to be surrounded by awesome and inspiring natural beauty to meditate. Even living and working in cities can be an enlightening experience. We can experience a rich world of connections lying in the shadows of our consciousness where ever we find ourselves.

All we have to do is let the love that wells up from our true selves light up the beauty and wonder in the people and objects around us.

It is possible to live mystically in the busy, noisy world of a modern city or in the chaos of a two-toddler household at suppertime. Or even in the depressing surroundings of a slum.

Daily meditation is essential

It is essential to find some quiet time for meditation each and every day. You might not have the luxury of a silent place. But find a place that is as quiet as possible.

It is helpful to spend time with whatever nature you can find. And do it mindfully. Really look up at the stars whenever possible. Really hear the birds and feel yourself breathing. Touch a tree or a rock and dwell on the texture. Feel the soil or the grass between your toes. Play with a dog or a child on their terms. Really see and hear your spouse, your friends and your colleagues.

The life-changing experience of mystical union does not depend on us doing anything other than making quiet time and mindful time for this experience to seep into us. However, it helps greatly to practice a simple meditation technique during your daily quiet times – especially for those living busy and noisy lives.

Simple Meditation Technique

Meditation is simply sitting comfortably and letting go of all that keeps you busy in life. It is listening out for, and consenting to having, the experience of mystical union. The prerequisite for mystical union and, therefore, spiritual intelligence, is letting go. Simply letting go.

Just letting go of thoughts and activities that we are attached to is not that easy at first. We need a technique that will help turn our consent and intention to letting go into a reality. The technique is called meditation. There are all kinds of different techniques out there.

I have found what works best for me – keeping it very simple and true to the basics of the wisdom traditions. This amounts to just a gently repeated symbol of my intention and consent to let go… let go… let go.

The origins of the technique

The particular form of meditation I suggest is based on age-old wisdom traditions of the Christian and Buddhist persuasion. It is similar to the mystical exercises in other world religious traditions. The routine and method are based on a teaching called Centering Prayer. A Christian organisation called Contemplative Outreach developed centering prayer. Although Christian in origin, Christians and non-Christians alike practice it all over the world today.

I present an adapted version of Centering Prayer below that says nothing about any religion or religious symbolism. It is not meant to replace any other forms of prayer or devotion you may practice in your religion. But if you are religious, your particular devotion will be seen in new and fuller perspective. If you are religious, you are welcome to say a prayer before and after you meditate as your expression of intent and gratitude respectively.

Whatever your religion, or if you are not religious at all, this method of meditation will facilitate mysticism – the experience of loving union with all. All you must bring to your meditation is the intention and consent for this loving union to occur. All you must do is keep coming back to meditate every day. A million mystics will tell you that you will have gentle and subtle rewards on your journey.

Step One:

Choose a meaningful word as the symbol of your intention and consent to experience loving union.

Step Two:

Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly, and silently introduce the meaningful word into your mind.

Step Three:

When you become aware of thoughts, return ever-so-gently to your meaningful word.

Step Four:

At the end of the meditation, remain in silence with your eyes closed for a couple of minutes and slowly rise.

You can practice this simple meditation technique as often as you like. I try to stick to at least twenty minutes twice a day. The best times for me are early morning, before the rest of the household wakes, and late afternoon before supper (if I can manage to slip away).

Remember that increased love and benevolence in daily life are the principle effects of meditation and not necessarily any effects during meditation itself. As you progress, though, you may experience states of alert calm or mystical union during meditation. You will more than likely go through ups and downs in your progress. Rest assured, this is natural. Persevere through the down times confident in the knowledge that light always follows darkness.

Although this is a simple meditation technique, it will usher in new experiences and questions in your spiritual growth. It is part of a broader life.

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