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Pathways of Meditation – Eastern and Western

It has been said that meditation is nothing else but the practice of rising above desires. It is the Royal Road, the easy path to overcome these desires. Because we live in a world that is dominated by sensory attractions, the natural consequence is the accumulation of desire. Finding a way to minimize outer sensory attraction, and intensify inner sensory awareness, is the core objective of both Eastern and Western meditation.

The Eastern Path

Eastern practitioners of meditation have followed a different path to Western practitioners. The former, through centuries of deep practice, developed what can be termed passive meditation. This form of meditation seeks to empty the mind of all engagement with sensory awareness and yoke, or tie, the beingness within to the higher principle of Self. This leads to many supportive practices that are within the disciplines of Yoga. Pure Yoga is to yoke oneself to God. The journey of the Eastern meditator brings all bodily functions under control and listens to the quiet inner sounds and rhythms of beingness.

Many Eastern meditators use a mantra to help them focus. These mantras are broad and diverse. They may be verbally intoned or performed quietly in the inner sanctum of one’s mind. Each is designed either to keep focus on the inner realm, or, in the case of a devotee of a particular path, to help a person vibrate at a particular frequency with the energy of the name of the divine form or principle invoked through intonation and repetition.

Posture assumed in meditation also varies from East to West. Most passive meditators consider sitting up straight to be vital. The spine is regarded as the conductor of life force which runs from top to bottom and back along the spine in a continuous simultaneous flow. The understanding that a straight body is beneficial therefore guides the posture.

The Western Path

Western meditation is regarded as active. It involves engaging the mind in activity and, while having the same desired outcome, differs in the manner in which it comes into its own. For instance, the Western meditator will oftentimes use very distinct principles of autosuggestion to bring forth relaxation. This is a form of self-hypnosis, and while the term may confuse, it is what is says. It is a manner in which commands are given to the body, by way of the mind and in communion with the spirit, to take very specific actions. Once these commands become second nature, relaxation follows very quickly from that point. In this form there is active use of the faculties of imagination, visualization and the associated sensory faculties of feeling and olfactory involvement.

With practice active meditation can, through the use of uniquely powerful symbols, assist the meditator to ascend – within his or her own being – to places of higher consciousness. These places are states of deep inner knowing, peace and tranquility. Intuitive knowing and a broadening of perception are general outcomes from such activity.

Western mystery school traditions use active meditation to walk neophytes through levels of engagement with the inner world of their being. Over time and with great discipline, these neophytes become initiates in the school’s inner domain. From these inner world domains come great sensibilities in the world of healing.

Time and Ritual in Meditation

Timing and ritual do pay dividends. Choosing to practice your given form of meditation at or around the same time each day builds a rhythm with which the body-mind complex can flow. Early morning, before the mind has become engaged in the distractions of daily activity, is regarded as a very good time for meditation. At the end of the day, prior to closing the body and mind off for sleep, is an equally good time. The benefits of a morning and evening ritual cannot be overstated, since the former timing clears the mind for a day of peace and the latter does the same for a night of healing. Eastern meditation is particularly strong in this ritual. Western is less so, but the realisation of it’s importance is slowly hitting home to the greater mass of Western meditators.

Resources for Meditation Practice

Training materials for both Eastern and Western approaches to meditation are widely available. The marketplace for such material abounds with an infinite variety of approaches to both Eastern and Western practice. The passive pathway is more associated with the spiritual wisdom of the East, and sources of training can be found through quality classes conducted by gifted teachers as well as through books and recorded meditations. The active pathway has an even greater array of source materials from which one may choose. For example, programs are available that assist meditators to entrain their brains through the use of frequencies, guided meditation, and stress management. Guided Meditation recordings, for instance, are quite varied, enjoyable, and lead one on a journey of powerful Self-discovery.

Benefits of Meditation

Regardless of which path one chooses to follow, the benefits of meditation have been proven over and over. Health and states of happiness improve, learning and performance improve, spiritual awareness and self-knowing grows, and the positive list goes on. For greater understanding and continuous information on the benefits experienced through meditation, we recommend you visit this website regularly.