In this episode of “5 Minutes,” Dr. Robert Svoboda explores how to prepare for meditation by cultivating dharana, or concentration. He discusses creating the right conditions for meditation, developing steadiness through practice, and understanding the importance of continuity in the path of concentration.
The number one thing is to turn off your phone. If you are going to meditate in the morning, do not turn on your phone. Leave the screen away.
The next thing is to bring yourself into a state of being as calm as possible. Quiet your mind as best you can to begin with.
It is very useful to meditate in the morning before you have brought your mind into all of the things you are going to become involved in. But whether you can meditate in the morning or not, it is always best to meditate in the same location, preferably at the same time every day.
If the morning does not work for you because of your schedule, find another time. It may be at night, midday, or whenever it is possible. If you cannot do that, then sit whenever you can. Walking meditation also counts.
But if at all possible, meditate at the same time because then your body will begin to remember that it needs to become more meditative at that time. This also applies to doing the same kind of practice each time.
You can do other things as well, but try to develop the habit of reciting a mantra, practicing Vipassana meditation, or whatever practice you choose. Do the same kind of practice at the same time, at least for six weeks or two months. Generate a habit and create a pattern that will make it easier for you to enter a meditative state of mind.
Keep the same general time and, if possible, the same general space.
It is also very useful to use incense, essential oil, or some kind of natural fragrance. The sense of smell relates to the earth element, and this can create a degree of stability. That particular fragrance can also remind your organism that it needs to become more aligned with a meditative reality.
Before you try to sit, especially if you are going to sit for meditation, make sure that you have loosened your joints, circulated your chi or prana through whatever method you practice, and calmed your breathing.
You are preparing your organism to enter a meditative state. Try to find a meditative posture that is comfortable for you and continue returning to it regularly, because that muscle memory will assist you in moving in the right direction.
Do not project all kinds of expectations onto what is going to happen or what experiences you are going to obtain. This is not a matter of experiences. Experiences are nothing more and nothing less than snapshots of the progress you are making on whatever path you are following.
It is better not to ignore them, but it is definitely better not to hold onto them or try to possess them in some way. They are not indicators of what you have achieved. They are indicators of the path you are on and how well, or how poorly, you are following that path.
The general word used in Sanskrit for concentration is dharana. After dharana, we have dhyana, which means meditation, but we begin with dharana.
Dhara, among other meanings, carries a sense of continuity. A dhara is a waterfall. There should be continuity in the movement of your breath, continuity in the movement of prana, the life force in your system, and continuity in the calmness of the mind.
The greater the continuity, the greater the concentration.