How to Meditate

Learning to meditate can be overwhelming for some. The mind can feel less like a place of quiet refuge and more like Times Square. In this video, you can follow along with Yoga master Sri Swami Satchidananda’s instructions (read by Saraswati Ishaya from the booklet, Meditation) in order to learn how to meditate. So, close your eyes and relax, even if it’s only for a minute. If you wish to deepen your meditation, then schedule some time for this practice daily. Meditation needs the cooperation of both the body and the mind.

Sri Swamiji recommends that we prepare the body with the asanas, Yoga postures, and pranayama, the yogic breathing exercises. This helps the mind to settle before you begin a meditation session. The focus of meditation is in learning to keep the mind fully occupied on one thing—like a mantra, the breath, an affirmation. Gently bring the mind back to the object of concentration whenever it wanders. This is how to cultivate a meditation practice. Find more of his instructions on the CD, Guided Meditation led by Sri Swamiji and in the printed booklet, Meditation by Sri Swamiji.