The Fiona Connection

Meditation is the act of calming the mind and achieving inner peace. It gives you better control over your mind and body and brings you closer to your true self. This is not all; meditation enhances your capacity to love and accept the world with all its warts and pimples. That is why meditation is considered a tonic for your mind, nerves and the body. However, you can achieve all this only if you know how to get the best out of meditation.

For beginners, meditation may take some hard work and loads of patience, but the end result is well worth the wait. It is most important to follow a regular routine. With regularity comes self-discipline, which is the foundation of meditation. Be regular in the time that you practice, and if possible, the place.

The place of meditation is quite important, especially for a beginner. You must seek a fixed spot, ideally an isolated room to meditate. As you get along in your meditation, that special room will develop an atmosphere of peace and purity, to the extent that you will be physically able to feel the positive vibes when you enter that space.

The timing is also an important consideration. The best time to meditate is early morning or sunset hours. You should choose a time when you will remain undisturbed by the everyday activities in your home and life. The main purpose of meditation is to calm your mind, and this will only happen with uninterrupted solitude.

People often wonder how long one meditation session ought to last. While there is no fixed time as such, half an hour a day is fine for beginners. Later, you can remain in a mode of meditation for, however, long your body and mind desire -- the longer, the better.

The posture you adopt is also crucial. Ideally, you should sit cross-legged with your neck and spine erect in a comfortable posture. You should begin by allowing the chatter in your mind to die down. Force never works; so don't command your mind to become blank as soon as you start meditating. Begin with deep abdominal breathing and then regulate your breathing by following a simple inhale-retain-exhale routine. Use a chant or ‘mantra' or simply mouth the word ‘Om' along with your breaths.

Once you are successful in establishing a calm, empty mind and a fixed focal point (most commonly between the eyebrows), you are ready to move up the meditation ladder. At the peak of this ladder is ‘samadhi'- the super conscious state of bliss in which the Knower, the Knowledge, and the Known become one.

Hatha Yoga is one of the most popular forms of Yoga and is widely practiced across the world by lay persons and Yogis alike. It considers the physical form or the human body to be the vehicle for the soul, and lays great importance on physical discipline.

The physical discipline is achieved through ‘asanas' (postures), ‘pranayam' (breathing exercises) and meditation. Through these activities, the body is shaped into a perfect receptacle for spiritual elements.

The ‘asanas' and ‘pranayamas' are used to power the energy channels called the ‘nadis'. The ‘asanas' help to develop will power, concentration and self-withdrawal, and enable the practitioner of Hatha Yoga to move closer towards Samadhi, which is the Yogic term for inner peace and bliss.

The ‘asanas', which are well thought-out physical exercises, make the human body supple and fitter. They make the muscles stronger, energize key organs, improve mind-body coordination and give the mind sufficient strength to stay cool and relaxed in times of crises.

‘Pranayama' is equally important to the practice of Hatha Yoga. It is through these breathing exercises that you activate and channelise the vital life energy (termed as ‘Prana'). When this vital energy travels from the base of the spine to the top of the head, you can achieve Samadhi -- the eternal bliss of inner peace and self-realization. This canalization of ‘Prana' is also termed as Kundalini Yoga, which is one of the many branches of Yoga that has originated from Hatha Yoga.

The term ‘Hatha' has been derived from the words ‘Ha' and ‘Tha'; ‘Ha' means ‘Sun' and ‘Tha' means ‘Moon'. In Yoga, the sun is perceived as radiating positive energy while the moon radiates negative energy. Thus, Hatha Yoga is based on the principle of a harmonizing union between the pairs of opposites (positive and negative). Therefore, taken together, the term ‘Hatha' stands for 'union of force'.

The prolonged practice of Hatha Yoga can help you recognize that a divine light shines within you. This awareness will make you stronger, more flexible and relaxed. The relaxation exercises involved in practicing Hatha Yoga opens the ‘nadis' allowing your spiritual energy to flow freely.

Hatha Yoga is a great way to rid yourself of stress, tension and anxiety. It also helps you improve your overall health and fitness.