Meditation is an ancient practice with many expressions and benefits. While some consider contemplation and introspection as meditation, we will dismiss them as representative of meditation in the spiritual tradition. There are meditations that use mantras while others use none. Mantras are sounds that have known effects. There are thousands of mantras for meditation. A mantra may be indicated for some persons while not for others. Some mantras promote transcending. Transcending means experiencing the ultimate state of our being — a state of no thoughts and restful alertness. This is a state of unboundedness, omnipresence, omniscience, eternality, omnipotence, and of all possibilities. It is the state of perfect health and happiness. The goal of meditation is to experience this state and to know it. To experience it is to become it. The benefits of meditation are so numerous that they can not be enumerated here but they include mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects. Research on one popular technique has shown that the state of rest achieved while meditating may be twice the level of deepest sleep. Yet complete mental awareness is maintained during the entire process. From the perspective of rest we can see that meditation provides a profound level of rest — an opportunity to cleanse, to repair, and to rejuvenate the entire mind-body system. What follows is a listing of things to be aware of surrounding the practice of meditation.


1. The time of the day best suited for meditation is the Brahma muhurta—3AM to 6 AM (vata time – calms anxiety)

2. Meditate before rather than after meals — the metabolism of eating will interfere with the resting metabolism of meditation and create more mental activity.

3. For best results meditate regularly, twice daily (ideally for at least 20 – 30 mins). Consider that your average American kid takes in 45+ hours of combined television & video games; so you can afford 1 hour of “mental digestion time” away from TV.

4. Meditate in a space that is relatively quiet — one that will not have disturbances.

5. Always attend to nature before meditating — go to the bathroom before sitting for meditation.

6. It is best to avoid having pets in the same room while meditating.

7. Set aside a time that will be free from impending or other disturbances such as the telephone.

8. Meditation is best done siting in an erect, comfortable posture — this facilitates the flow of energy along the spine, promotes unimpeded breathing, and avoids the “sleep response” natural to the supine posture. The lotus posture or half-lotus are best but cross-legged sitting on the floor or in a chair may also work well. The use of “back jacks” is discouraged as a reclining posture is promoted. It is best to keep the legs warm and the upper body cool. So don’t wear a hat or cap, yet do cover the legs with a blanket especially if in full or half lotus. Lotus prevents psychic disturbances.

9. In starting meditation close the eyes almost entirely (slightly open) and bring ones attention to the body and breath.

10. Have the intention that one is about to meditate.

11. If one is using a mantra, such as the Shurangama (“Om she dan dwo bwo da la”), Great Compassion Mantra (ask for a copy), Medicine Buddha Mantra (At the top of this page in fine print), Earth Store Bodhisattva’s Mantra (“Om bwo la mwo lin two ning swo pe he.”) or Avalokiteshvara’s “Om mani padme hum”, for example, then easily allow the mantra to begin — if it does not come then “help it” by easily thinking the mantra or reciting it in quiet voice or almost silently with just the lips moving.

12. If thoughts come during this process of meditating do not mind them — easily come back to the mantra or to the breath or other vehicle of the meditation.

13. Do not judge the meditation — you may feel relaxed or not; there may be many thoughts or none. Every meditation is successful if one only begins properly — by sitting quietly and feeling the silence and the breath (and mantra). If one judges the meditation then expectation will be present and this will bring effort to the process. Any effort will defeat this process. The only “bad meditation” is when one does not sit to meditate. All sitting for meditation is good.

14. Take each breath, each thought, each repetition of mantra as it comes. Don’t attempt to alter breath, its pace or depth.

15. Do not attempt to control the intensity, pace, or even the sound of the mantra.

16. Do not use an alarm for the purpose of timing the meditation — just have the initial intention that it will last the proper amount of time — 20 minutes or as instructed. One or one half of an incense stick may be used to measure time.

17. If one must attend to disturbances during meditation it is best to meditate for about 5 minutes after disturbance is over.

18. Always rest lying down after meditating — 1 minute rest for 5 minutes of meditation.

Do not rush into dynamic activity immediately after meditating, as this will promote physiological discomforts such as headaches (vata), anxiety (vata) and irritability (pitta). Remember to: Stay Busy, Don’t Hurry, Don’t Worry, Be Happy.