Meditation and inner peace, the path to bliss.

The practice of Dhyana or "a sit" is perfectly illustrated by the book "The Art of Living." It is compiled by William Hart and based on the lectures and writings of S. N. Gorenka. It is an excellent introduction to Vipassana meditation, and the teachings of The Buddha. Freedom from attachment and suffering are the way to find bliss. Bliss is enlightenment and a sense of inner peace.

Vipassana centers host 10 day retreats, at a few locations in the USA and across the world. They are free of charge (room and vegetarian food included). In the interest of spreading good karma, it is understood that upon completion of the 10 day sit, you will volunteer at the center to help others reach their goals of freedom.

My teacher goes to these retreats on a regular basis, he shared this technique with us during teacher training. We went on a two day retreat, where we sat for 16 hours (with short breaks between two and three hour sits). During these retreats noble silence is a requirement. You are not allowed to speak or make eye contact with anyone. The meditation hall was silent, I will never forget how pitch black it was when we began the sit at 6am and how the sun rose and set on the opposite side of the building. It was an ethereal experience.

With consistent practice, you learn to use your breath as a tool. It is exactly that, a tool to learn to concentrate and eventually the state of reflection arises. This state as you recall, is the 7th of the 8 limbs of yoga. Focus on the inhalation that enters the base of the nose, and the exhalation that exits the base of the nose. That is it, just focus on the breath, as it enters the tiny triangle that joins the base of the nose to the upper lip. Every time a thought or sensation develops, simply exhale it away.

Life Bliss Meditation((Nithya Dhyaan)-The Revelation is another technique that is growing in popularity. Paramahamsa Nithyananda envisioned a technique, which is holistic and beneficial to everyone. I had the opportunity to practice this technique with Saul David Raye at the Midwest Yoga Conference in Chicago. The technique is extremely effective and very cathartic.

You travel through five steps, accessing deeply embedded trauma and unhappiness. The chakras are relieved of these blockages and are free to receive prana (life force energy) more freely.

I loved this technique so much that I purchased the CD to share the technique with my classes.

Mark Whitwell, a student of Krishnamcharia believes that meditation arises as a result of consistent asana and pranayama practice. I have personally experienced this phenomenon and appreciate how it connects to my daily practice.

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