Our goal is to first experience peace and calm in our being which will come more and more into all of our life. Our practice then becomes that which helps to create the life we really want. Practice will eventually carry us to the place where we experience our radiant true self.

I teach the following practices in my classes, workshops and retreats. Now you can practice right at home by downloading the following files or order the CD

HOW TO BEGIN YOUR MEDITATION PRACTICE

1) Decide on your meditation space in your home. It should be a space/room that you can come to every day, is clean and neat. Create an altar if you like, a small table that comes about eye level when you are sitting. Place a candle, flowers, pictures of Divine Beings or Enlightened Teachers, you can create the altar to your liking - simple is best though. Keep it dusted and the flowers fresh. The candle represents the fire element and the spirit, the flowers the element of earth.

2) A meditation cushion on top of blankets or a pad is helpful so you can sit comfortably.

3) Meditating at the same time every day will help your body, mind and spirit.

4) How long? start with a small amount of time and naturally let the time increase. You never want to dread coming to your cushion

5) Blessing - begin with a blessing:

“Sit in a straight posture. Now send a current of holy thought to all creation. Mentally repeat, “Let all beings be happy, let all beings be peaceful; let all beings be blissful.” Saying this blessing
to the east, south, north and west. The more you practice this, the better you will feel. You will find at last that the easiest way to make ourselves healthy is to see that others are healthy, and the easiest way to make others happy is  to see that others are happy.....Pray for knowledge and light. The next thing to do is to think that your body is firm, strong and healthy, for it is the best instrument you have. Think of it as strong as adamant, and that with the help of this body you will cross the ocean of life. Freedom is never to be reach by the weak; throw away all weakness. Tell your body that it is strong. tell your mind that it is strong, and have unbounded faith and hope in yourself.” - Swami Vivekananada - Raja Yoga

6) Then begin your chosen practice

7) End your practice with 3 OM”S and onces again  “Let all beings be happy, let all beings be peaceful; let all beings be blissful.”

TRATAKA - CANDLE GAZING  - A Good beginning practice

Trataka strengthens and cleanses the eyes and also works to cleanse the subconscious mind. It is a practice that is helpful when one has obsessive thoughts. This is a good practice to begin with as it helps you concentrate your mind on an object and learn to work internally with the breath and awareness.

Technique:
Step 1
Assume a comfortable sitting  posture.
Close your eyes and be aware only of your body and relax.
Make a resolve that you will not move for the entire practice.

Step 2
Open your eyes
Gaze directly at the tip of the wick of the candle.
Try not to blink or move your eyes in any way. Be totally absorbed in the candle flame and the wick. As thoughts come in be aware of them but then remind yourself that you are practicing trataka. 3 minutes

Step 3
Practice ujjayi pranayama at the same time and throughout the rest of the practice.
Imagine that while breathing in that you are drawing your breath from the candle flame to the eyebrow center and through to the back of the head.
When you breath out imagine tht the breath flows from the back of your head, pierces the eyebrow center and then returns to the candle.
You have to split your awareness so that it is on the flame and on the movement of the breath.
Be aware of the sound of your breath.
Eventually it will feel that the air seems to naturally move along the path between the flame and the back of the head.
Continue for a few minutes, do not strain.

Step 4
Close your eyes and Gaze at the after image of  the flame.
Be aware on the internal image of the flame and the breath.
Inhale and feel the breath moving backwards from the flame in front of the closed eyes to the back of the head, feel that you are drawing the image backwards.
As you breath out imagine that the breath is being pushed forwards toward the closed eyes.
Continue ujjayi breath throughout. You should hear the sound of your breath continuously emerging from the region of the throat. Integrate this sound with the movement of the breath from the eyebrow center to the back of the head.
Continue Step 4 until the image disappears or becomes vague. Keep the eyes closed for for a few minutes and watch the back of the eyelids the black screen and see what images arise.

The first step of meditation

AJAPA JAPA PRACTICE

Ajapa Japa is the practice of constant repetition of a mantra. This practice has direct affect on the reticular formation and its activity. The reticular formation is an important regulator in the autonomic nervous system for such processes as respiration rate, heart rate and gastrointestinal activity. It also plays an important role in sleep and consciousness as well as modulation of pain.
You can use any mantra you want for this practice, however, traditionally the mantra SO HAM is used as it corresponds with the natural sound of our breath. SO HAM means “I am that I am”.
The First Stage of Ajapa Japa begins with the practitioner visualizing and feeling the flow of prana moving between the navel and the throat. Imagine if you can a clear astral tube, very thin, running the length of the space between the navel and the center of the throat. The prana is seen like sparkling light or flowing water which moves within the astral tube in relation to the breath and the direction of the mind. Ajapa is one of the more important practices as it begins the process of gathering your pranic force. 

 ANTAR MOUNA

This is considered one of the “great sadhanas” or practices which will make you aware of the inner silence. In the process of attaining the “Inner Silence” you will become aware of the inner noise which acts as a barrier to you knowing the silence within.

Antar Mouna reveals to you the inner workings of your mind and enables you to understand them. As you practice Antar Mouna regularly it will become permanent and you will rise to the level of being more aware of your rational and irrational mind. You will also see others more clearly.

Antar Mouna is a fantastic training system for awareness. It can eventually be practiced anytime, anywhere, under any circumstance. Strengthening your inner witness, showing you who you are, what you are and where you are going.