The basic guidelines for an effective meditation are as follows:

Regularity: Set aside the same time or times each day for your meditation. Best time is the morning or evening. Another time is in the evening, just before bedtime. It's also easier to meditate on an empty stomach (2-3 hours after meals).

Exercise If you have time, exercise a little before you meditate. Yoga postures are an excellent way to relax the body and mind before meditation.

Location Set aside a room, or small part of a room, just for meditation. Try to find as quiet a spot as possible

Sitting keep your back straight, chest raised, head erect, eyes closed, and hands resting palms upturned in your lap, preferably at the juncture of the thighs and abdomen.

How long to meditate? It is better to meditate 5-15 minutes when starting the first time and then increase your time as you can. One longer meditation each week can be very helpful. It also helps to meditate with other people, especially with those who have been meditating longer than you. You'll find that group meditations will often help you to meditate longer than you normally would on your own.

Beginning of meditation Begin your meditation by saying a prayer either out loud or inwardly to God and the Masters, asking them to guide and help you. Do some chanting if you can, using a cassette tape of chants can be helpful. Then practice the breathing exercises to relax: Inhale, tense the whole body, then throw the breath out and relax (do this 2 or 3 times). Then do some measured breathing: inhale, hold, and exhale, then begin again. Do this 6-12 times. Choose a count that is comfortable for you; anywhere from 6-6-6-6 to 12-12-12, or higher. Afterwards, relax and breathe normally, and become aware of your breath.

You should feel more relaxed now Remember to hold the body still. You can mentally check it from time to time to see that no part becomes tense again. Physical tension is a great deterrent to calm and deep meditations. Be very silent and relaxed, yet aware.

Meditate with joy, with devotion Meditation will help you to remember, on ever deepening levels, of who and what you truly are. You are a child of God, and one with the Infinite Light .

Useful Hints for Meditation

Though some of the meditation practices recommended later in this chapter can be performed at any place or time, some general guidelines are given below, which will give better results.

Practice at least once a day for 10 to 20 minutes or more remember that practice is necessary to progress at anything.

Choose a quiet spot where you will not be disturbed by other people or by the telephone. Set aside a special place in your home for meditation. Remember, the mind learns by association. When you sit down at dinner-table, you probably experience hunger, salivation, and other eating related responses before the meal comes on the table. When you sit down in front of TV, your mind immediately sinks into a receptive state of watching. Similarly, the place where you habitually meditate inspires your for meditation by its special vibrations. The place of meditation should be such that you face north or east. Never face south or west while meditating.

Set a fixed time for meditation. This may be morning, afternoon, evening or just before going to bed. The time you set for meditation should suit your general schedule of work and other preoccupations.

Sit in a comfortable meditative posture. Keep your back, neck and head in vertical alignment. If you have difficulty sitting cross-legged, you may sit on a chair. In that case, your feet should rest on the floor. You may place your hands on the knees.

It is common to fall asleep or at least become drowsy when we first learn to meditate. The way to avoid this is to keep a straight back and not get too comfortable.

Relax your muscles progressively from head to feet. This will help in breaking the connection between stressful thoughts and a tenses body.