Ananda Meditation

Meditation has the power to change every aspect of your life. To be successful in the practice of meditation means that you are changing for the better in all aspects of your life, whether in relationships, in health, or in financial success. All of these areas of daily life can be improved with the practice of meditation. 

This is because meditation is a discipline. It takes practice to form new positive habits and supports these positive changes, such as improved patterns of reacting, uplifted thoughts, and greater awareness in the present moment. 

“Meditation is listening. The mind must suspend its normal activity of analyzing, of weighing alternatives, and of generally ‘talking’ so much that one cannot hear melodies that the superconscious is playing to it. 

“Meditation is the process of returning to your own center. It is learning to relate to life and to your environment from who you are, and not from the way other people try to define you.”

—Swami Kriyananda in The Essence of the Bhagavad Gita: Explained by Paramhansa Yogananda

No, you have many options for sitting comfortably for meditation, including positions other than sitting in the iconic cross-legged on-the-floor position. 

Paramhansa Yogananda encouraged those he taught the practice of meditation to do whatever allowed them to take their minds off of the physical tension in the body so they could soar in spirit. This meant for many, helping them to find a comfortable position in a chair. Many people have also found using a meditation bench to be helpful. 

The main position that Yogananda emphasized is to sit upright with a straight spine, back away from the chair if applicable, palms facing upward and resting at the junction between hips and thighs. 

The length of meditation, especially for beginners, should be set based on realistic goals for yourself — so that you can succeed and enjoy the practice of meditation. 

It is better to meditate 5 to 15 minutes and develop the habit. A consistent routine is key to success. This means deciding on the most supported time of day for a meditation habit to become more and more ingrained in your daily rhythm. Many people find that this is just upon rising or before bed. 

As you find your habit to strengthen and the peace or joy you feel in meditation to lengthen, you can increase your time. 

Finding a group to meditate with will increase your ability to sit and meditate for gradually longer periods.  Check our calendar for times to meditate with us.

If possible, set aside an area that is used exclusively for meditation. In time it will become saturated with spiritual vibrations. A small room, a corner of your bedroom, or even closet can suffice, as long as it is well ventilated.

Keep it simple. All you really need is a chair or small cushion to sit on, and perhaps a small altar. Face East if possible, and place a wool or silk blanket on the floor to insulate your body from the subtle magnetic currents of the earth.

The best times of day to meditate go with the natural changes in the day: 

• 6am (dawn or early morning)
• 12pm (noon)
• 6pm (evening or dusk)
• 12am (midnight)

The yogis also say that these are also powerful times of day that make it easier to internalize and uplift our energies in meditation.

Some of the well-known benefits of meditation include:

• Deep relaxation, both physically and mentally
• An improved immune system response and overall stress reduction
• Deeper concentration and ability to focus, clarity of thought and perspective
• An improved sense of humor
• An improved sense of compassion
• Higher levels of energy
• Increased creativity
• Ability to accomplish activities more effectively 

As the breath flows, so flows the mind, the yogis say. There is a well-documented connection between the state of the body and the state of the mind, called the mind-body connection. Especially, between the breath and the mind. When we meditate, and begin with controlling the breath as taught in the Lessons in Meditation series of Ananda, the breath becomes calm which in turns help to calm the mind. As the mind becomes more calm, the breath can continue to slow and the feeling of stillness and expanded awareness of meditation prevails.

The breath is the greatest obstacle to deep meditation because as long as there is bodily tension, movement, or activity, there is energy that draws us into the physical body and matter. The point of meditation is to remove our energy from the senses and the outward-driving forces so that we can internalize and uplift all of our energy one-pointedly towards our Seat of Joy, located at the point between the eyebrows.

The ultimate goal of meditation is unity with Spirit. It is also what many people call an experience of Bliss, or Satchidananda: ever-existing, ever-conscious, ever-new Bliss as Yogananda describes. 

Other definitions of this state of unity have been called enlightenment, oneness, Self-realization, nirvana, or samadhi.

If you are ready to get started and want support right away, feel free to contact us and we will point you toward whichever offering we currently have available that suits your interest. We will often have group meditations that you are welcome to join. Please check our calendar for upcoming events.

We recommend watching the above video on one of the concentration techniques we practice so that you can decide if we are a good fit for you.

If you are interested in learning more, consider enrolling in our introductory course, “Lessons in Meditation.” This is a thorough introduction to the practice of meditation as brought by Paramhansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi, and it will give you an opportunity to get to know our teachers, and even introduce you to devotional chanting and prayer.

As Yogananda said, The time for knowing God is now!

 May He bless you on your journey and please let us know how we may be of service to you. 🙏