List the order in which you might introduce concentration
and meditation techniques to your classes giving your reasons.
I would start with visualisation techniques in my classes,
as I find this the most accessible way of introducing meditation:
- Because people do not find it necessarily as easy to
visualise as one would think. So to learn basic visualisation
techniques, on command will help with meditation later
on
- If one uses revisualization, or bringing up old memories
on command it improves ones concentration, as it takes
one away from ones habitual pattern of thinking, and brings
the focus to that particular thought. That goes for all
visualisation, but I feel it is best to use techniques
with as little religious, spiritual or personal (i.e. maybe
including peoples phobias) connotations as possible.
Next I would concentrate on teaching the practice of Kaya
Sthairyam. This helps one prolong the  amount of time one
can stay in our meditative posture, again aiding concentration,
focusing on what bothers the student whilst in practice,
rather than suppressing it.
Trataka would be my next step, as it develops “the
power of concentration enormously, which is of immense use
in everyday life. Furthermore, the focussing of mental energy
towards one point leads to peace of mind, for it stops the
continually fluctuating tendency
of mind.”(1) Starting
with outer Trataka and then inner.
When the students are ready I would intoduce, Yoga Nidra,
as I think this is quite advanced and can bring up quite a
few emotional issues but proceeding this chidakasha Dharana
and Antarmouna 1 and 2. As Yoga Nidra, requires a lot
of concentration, to stop one from falling to sleep, I feel
that before we teach this all the previous concentration techniques
should be well practised. I would personally not give a time
span but would continually assess my group.
Lastly I would intoduce Japa to a much more established group,
and then Ajapa japa, this “brings mental peace and onepointedness
of mind and leads directly to meditation”(2). Ajapa japa
naturally follows japa, as one is consciously repeating a mantra
with the japa, but this becomes spontaneous with Ajapa japa.
I personally would not take a group any further than this,
and would recommend the students to other more advanced practitioners
to take them further under the guidance of Derek Lucas if and
when they so needed. Before I introduced, any of these techniques
I would make sure my students had a good firm asana and pranayama
practice not necessarily excessive, but solid, so that they
were stronger physically and mentally, preparing them for what
may come up when one sits down to meditate.
I know that this is not the only way, but is the way I have
been taught, to take meditation slowly, slowly, as moving too
quickly can mentally scar a student, I feel, just as much or
more so than any physical scaring.
References:
- Swami Satyananda, A Systematic Course In The Ancient Tantric
Techniques of Yoga And Kriya, (1981), Bihar School of Yoga,
page 197
- Same as above, page 499
Bibliography:
Swami Satyananda Saraswati, A systematicCourse In The Ancient
Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya, (1981), Bihar School
of Yoga,
Derek Lucas, Handout 19 Unit 3, W.3.4, Hockley Yoga School,
Meditation: II: Concentration and Meditation.
|
