With this lesson, we begin the last chapter of this course
in which I'll give you some suggestions
for how to develop your practice of meditation.
In the very first chapter, we discussed the fact that meditation is a learned skill.
If you want to learn how to play a musical instrument, for example,
it's essential to master the basics first and build a firm foundation for your ongoing practice.
Patanjali says the same thing in the Yoga Sutras,
sa tu dridha-bhumi, a firm foundation for your practice of meditation, satkara-sevito,
is built by engaging in practice, dirgha-kala-nairantarya,
practice that's regular and sustained over a long period of time.
This foundation grows strong slowly and steadily, like the growth of a plant.
Plants don't grow overnight, nor does your ability to meditate.
But as long as a plant gets enough water and light, it will continue to grow.
And as long as your practice of meditation gets enough time and effort, it too,
will continue to grow. Sometimes, you might feel like you're not making much progress or that
your practice isn't developing very quickly. More often than not, this particular problem
is the result of having unreasonable expectations, and not because of an actual lack of progress.
If you watch a houseplant all day long, you won't see it grow. And in the same way, from one
day to the next, you're not likely to perceive a dramatic improvement in your meditation practice.
Some meditators have a complaint similar to that of many musicians, musicians who don't hear
any improvement whatsoever in their performance, even after months of intense daily practice.
On the other hand, when they perform in public,
listeners can definitely hear the tremendous progress produced by all that practice.
Why can t the musicians themselves hear their own progress?
Well, as their musical skills grow, their expectations grow as well,
and having higher expectations makes them feel like they've made no progress at all.
The same happens for many meditators. So, it's best to drop all your expectations, and just
continue to practice, knowing that progress is inevitable as long as you keep practicing.
There certain obstacles that can hinder your efforts to develop your practice of meditation.
Some of those obstacles are unavoidable, like the natural limitations of our bodies and minds.
But other obstacles are inadvertently created by ourselves. For example, some meditators
impatiently push ahead to advanced techniques before they've fully mastered the basics.
Obviously, the process of learning can't be rushed, just like the growth
of a plant can't be rushed. This kind of impatience can
also lead to skipping the steps of preparation that need to be performed at the beginning of each
meditation session. In the first exercise of this course, three preliminary steps were described:
asana, sitting with proper posture, sankalpa, declaring your intention to meditate,
and relaxation, like the progressive relaxation exercise. Those steps of preparation are crucial.
Musicians carefully tune their instruments or warm up their voices before each performance.
Cooks clean and cut the vegetables before putting them into a pot.
These steps of preparation are not optional. The three steps of asana, sankalpa,
and relaxation are actually the bare minimum. Sometimes, additional preparation is required.
For example, if you continually struggle to quiet your mind, you might need to include a
fourth step of preparation, the practice of pranayama, breathing exercises.
In addition to impatience and the lack of adequate preparation, other obstacles can
also hinder your efforts. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali lists no fewer than nine such obstacles,
vyadhi, physical illness, the lack of sufficient strength and stamina to support intense practice.
Styana, distractedness, preoccupation with worldly things and activities. Samshaya, doubt,
uncertainty, the lack of clarity due to inadequate study or improper guidance. Pramada, carelessness,
lack of commitment, the failure to establish a regular routine of meditation. Alasya,
lethargy, drowsiness, dullness. Avirati,
lack of detachment, strong attraction to worldly things and activities. Bhranti-darshana,
wrong conclusions, false assumptions, or
incorrect interpretations of spiritual teachings. Alabdha-bhumikatva,
absence of foundation, the failure to master the basics of meditation. And finally, anavasthitatva,
instability, absence of tenacity and sustained effort.
Any of these obstacles can impede your efforts to build a strong meditation practice. Fortunately,
all these can be overcome if you recognize them and take the appropriate corrective steps.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna describes several other obstacles,
obstacles related to your lifestyle. Yogo bhavati duhkhaha,
the practice of meditation will be effective for you,
yuktahara-viharasya, if your diet and exercise are suitable, yukta-ceshtasya karmasu,
if your work is suitable, yukta-svapnavabodhasya,
and if your sleep and waking are suitable. An unhealthy lifestyle with poor diet, no exercise,
excessive work, and not enough sleep can not only impede your meditation practice,
it can actually cause serious harm to your body and mind. It's really important
to examine your lifestyle from time to time to see if anything needs to be changed.
Now, many people have asked me how to avoid getting drowsy while meditating.
When I ask them how much sleep they get each night, the answer is often six hours or less.
But the fact is, many people need seven, eight, or more hours of sleep to feel
fully rested. Unfortunately, the demands of life are such that many people fail to get as much
sleep as their bodies truly need. It's interesting to know that before electric lighting was invented
about a hundred years ago, the average length of a night s sleep was ten hours. Today, many
medical researchers say that we suffer from an epidemic of sleep deprivation.
And they've discovered that the effects of sleep deprivation are cumulative.
Over four or five nights of getting only six hours of sleep, you can accumulate a large sleep deficit
that can seriously affect your alertness, your attention span, and your ability to concentrate.
It's ironic that sleep is often cut short to accomplish more each day, but if sleep deprivation
makes you less efficient in everything you do, you might actually accomplish less. An extra hour of
sleep can make you more energetic throughout the day and more alert for meditation.
Here are a few more suggestions for avoiding drowsiness during meditation. First of all,
sit on a firm cushion or chair with your spine erect and your shoulders thrown back
to open up your chest. Sitting on an overstuffed chair or plump cushion, or sitting with slumping
posture can make you quite drowsy. Cool, fresh air can also help you stay alert.
Open a window and put on some extra clothing if necessary to stay warm.
And as I mentioned in a previous lesson, a cup of tea or coffee can also help,
if that suits you. By paying attention to the needs of your body and mind, you'll be healthier,
and better health will benefit everything you do each day, including meditation.
In the next lesson, we'll discuss certain attitudes that can help your meditation practice
thrive.