When I first learned to meditate, I was told to relax. But I thought it was an optional task – for just the beginning of the meditation.
I now know it is a crucial part of the practice and is for the full meditation.
However, when I relaxed, I fell asleep. I could relate to the comment from the Monk, “Sleep deprivation is a big issue in our society, so for the first few days in retreat, many people are just catching up on that instead of meditating.”
After meditating for a little while, I found my mind was less groggy (sleepy). I could stay with my meditation – while surrendering into a nurturing Restful Absorption.
As with most meditation practice, there is an initial period of experimentation and adjustment. I was discerning the fine-line between groggy, and absorbed but more conscious. Now, my main job is to help students to stop pushing, pulling, or controlling. Instead, relax and allow the process of meditation to do it’s job.
Excerpt
The difference between absorption into sleep and absorption when meditating:
- When you fall asleep, you become unconscious (according to some scientists).
- During meditation, you become more conscious (of your object of meditation).
This is a crucial difference. The more conscious you are, the more data you have available to you. More data means greater wisdom if you can keep your focus sharp and your mind clear.
This all depends upon you staying conscious (as I shall explain in the chapter on Engrossed Attention (EA)) while diving into deeply relaxed states.
~ There Are Only 7 Ways to Meditate, by Q.C. Ellis
The following terms are defined and discussed in the book:
- an object of meditation;
- absorption;
- Engrossed Attention (EA).
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About the Author
Colin (Q.C. Ellis) has been on meditation retreats in silence and solitude for longer than some monks. He has been studying meditation for over 23 years.
Known as a meditation maverick, he teaches methods to awaken your body’s natural restorative abilities and fire up your inbuilt happiness.
Keeping it real and grounded in personal experience, he is a Transformation Coach, Meditation Teacher, and founder of IntrAnaut™ Academy.
In person, Colin is approachable and would love to hear from you. For ways to connect, click HERE – ColinEllis.info
For additional resources, download his FREE mobile app – intrAnaut Meditation
More information on his book, There Are Only 7 Ways to Meditate: Make Your Meditation Amazing