Let it flow - Relaxing into Meditation

 

Imagine that you can direct the flow of the out-breath through different parts of the body. and that all tension flows out with the breath. First of all imagine for several breaths that your breath flows into the centre of your chest, and then flows out from there through your arms. Imagine that your breath emerges from your fingertips and from the spaces between your fingers, taking away all tension in your arms... In this relaxation, if a colour occurs to you for the out-breath, then you can imagine the out-breath leaving your body as that colour and taking all tension with it. If a colour does not spontaneously arise however, there is no need to create one unless you wish to. If you do wish to imagine the breath as a colour, you could choose a spacious blue, a soothing green, a warming red, a cleansing white, or an enriching gold.

Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor’dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, ISBN: 978-1-898185-17-8, page 25 - 27

Relax and make a loud sound - Relaxing into Meditation

 

It is important to let the voice flow naturally – to be open and relaxed, and to allow the voice its natural boldness and freedom. It is actually more difficult to sing quietly than to sing loudly, so relax and allow yourself to make a loud sound.

Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor’dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, ISBN: 978-1-898185-17-8, p23

 

Singing in a group - Relaxing into Meditation

 

Singing is particularly powerful if practised in a group. Each person’s length of breath will be different, so new notes will be starting all the time. Sometimes the effect will be harmonious and sometimes discordant. Lack of harmony does not matter and is part of the experience of the exercise. When the sound is discordant, allow this to be interesting rather than experiencing it as unpleasant.

Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor’dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, ISBN: 978-1-898185-17-8, p22

Let the sound flow freely with delight! - Relaxing into Meditation

 

Singing enables us to let go of our inhibitions and preconceptions about our ability to sing. We open our mouths, and let the sound flow freely with delight. Singing is in itself an invigorating and expansive practice if we allow our voices to be free. It has been wonderful to witness the change in people through this practice. At first a lot of people will barely open their mouths and will find it difficult to produce any sound at all. Once they have practised this a few times however, even the most timid will start to really open their mouths and give voice.

Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor’dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, ISBN: 978-1-898185-17-8, p21

 

Listening - Relaxing into Meditation

 

In the relaxation technique of Listening, that is all we do – we listen. We do not listen and read a book. We do not listen and become fascinated with the contents of the room. We do not listen and analyse the structure of the music. We simply listen.

Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor’dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, ISBN: 978-1-898185-17-8, p17

 

 

Practise breathing through the day - Relaxing into Meditation

 

It can be especially useful to employ a breathing exercise in the morning before the demands of your day begin. It may help you become fully awake and refreshed and ready to start the day.

At other times of day, breathing exercises can calm you if you are feeling worked up, or can encourage clarity if you are feeling flat and lacking in energy. Breathing exercises may also have therapeutic benefits, such as helping with pain relief, insomnia, and emotional distress.

Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor’dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, ISBN: 978-1-898185-17-8, page 13

 

Meditation is not relaxing - Relaxing into Meditation

Meditation does ultimately lead to deep mental, emotional and physical relaxation that is beyond ordinary expectation. The practice of meditation however, requires commitment and discipline which is not specifically relaxing in itself – certainly not initially.  

Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor’dzin, page 4, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, ISBN:  978-1-898185-17-8

Solitary retreat - Relaxing into Meditation

It is a common experience in solitary retreat, that everything becomes stripped bare. One can experience moments of: ‘Why on earth am I mumbling these words in a foreign language, getting up so early, and sitting on my own with aching knees and a stiff back?’ – or something to that effect. At such times shi-nè can be a great strength and support, because of its directness. The practice of shi-nè has its own logic that can be experienced directly. If other practices, such as mantra accumulation, feel less accessible at the moment, it is fine to concentrate on shi-nè.

Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor’dzin & Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin, page 9, Aro Books Worldwide, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-898185-37-6

Meditation is a life skill - Relaxing into Meditation

Meditation is a life skill – like taking exercise or learning how to cook. It is a skill that enables anyone and everyone to live their life more fully and more happily. If everyone meditated for a few minutes every day, the world would be a more peaceful and friendlier place.

Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor’dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, ISBN:  978-1-898185-17-8, page 4

When life is stormy, first learn to relax

I have found that people expect meditation to be a solution to their problems. This was another common factor that arose amongst many of those attending my classes: a need for relief from exceptional personal circumstances such as illness or bereavement. People attended the class in the hope of finding help with a particular personal problem.

A period of life with an unusual degree of stress or difficulty however, may not be the best time to try to begin meditation practice and in such circumstances it will certainly be better to begin with relaxation techniques. It is in fact preferable to have established a degree of stability in one’s life and relief from immediate pain—mental, emotional or physical—before beginning meditation.

Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor’dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, ISBN:  978-1-898185-17-8, page 5

Direct experience of who we are - Relaxing into Meditation

“By letting go of thought we can discover the space of mind without thought. Through Letting Go the arising and dissolving of conceptual mind can be revealed as a wave that surges and breaks on the surface of the deep, still ocean of fundamental mind. Through discovering the quietness of fundamental mind we can gain direct experience of who we are, what we are and where we are, rather than trying to discover this through the ebb and flow of concept.”

Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1898185178, p80,