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The Path to Peace
Meditation for Moms By Tracy L. Doerr
There are as many methods of meditation as there are people who practice it. Basically, one prepares the place a corner of a room facing north or east with a pillow for the buttocks and one for the legs, then sits in the proper position with back straight and legs in a yoga meditation posture.
Achieving a meditative state usually means concentrating on an object such as a flower candle or sound. After a while, with eyes closed, the image is replicated between the eyebrows without any tension just as one watches a movie. In time, the image will go, and one is steeped in a meditative state beyond images and words.
"I sit cross-legged on big comfy pillows. I turn off the television set, light some candles and play soft music, usually classical. I concentrate on a small, golden cross that my grandmother gave me," says Crosby. "It took me a while to learn to shut out the rest of the world and concentrate on that simple object. My mind was crowded; it was sort of like playing 'Where's Waldo?' You have to learn to edit the clutter that is in your mind."
Ferguson meditates in the middle of the day. "At lunch I lock myself in my office," she says. "When seated, I rest my eyes downward, focusing on nothing in particular. Without closing my eyes completely, I let my eyelids drop to a level that feels most comfortable. The simple act of gazing is my primary focus, rather than the area I am gazing at. My breathing becomes more rhythmic. I let my attention drift. If my eyes become very heavy, I allow them to close. If I come out of my relaxed space, I simply bring my attention back to a relaxed downward gaze. This technique is a great stress reducer, rechargs my batteries and increases my alertness."