How to Be Enlightened in Meditation

Human beings have meditated for thousands of years to achieve a sense of inner balance, harmony and an understanding of the universe usually referred to as "enlightenment." The millions of modern practitioners of meditation techniques, which typically involve structured breathing and thoughts, claim to have achieved an enlightened state and benefit from improved overall physical and mental well-being. Meditation is considered to relieve stress.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• A quiet, distraction-free environment
• Professional instruction in your chosen meditation technique (highly recommended)
• Loose-fitting clothing
• Time

Choose a Meditation Technique

1. Learn about the vast array of different meditation techniques. Visit the Learning Meditation Web page (see Resources below) to get started, or pay a visit to a nearby New Age bookstore.
2. Decide which meditation technique is best for you. Ideally, it should be one that conforms as closely as possible to your own spiritual and philosophical beliefs.
3. Take a course to learn the technique properly. This is not necessary for all techniques, but many of the more popular schools offer formal instruction. Learning from a person who's already mastered the technique can save you months or years in your quest to become enlightened.

Achieve Enlightenment Through Meditation

4. Wear comfortable clothing before you begin any meditation session.
5. Find a dark, quiet spot in your home, as free from external distractions as possible.
6. Meditate according to your chosen technique's specifications. Proper instruction in mastering these is highly recommended. Most of the popular meditation techniques (such as transcendental meditation and zen meditation) have centers located in major cities across the world.
7. Practice daily. As with most anything in life, the more you practice your meditation, the better you'll get at it.
8. Apply the principles of your meditation technique's philosophy to your daily life. Take time to unwind, appreciate the beauty of the world and behold the interconnectedness of all things and people.
9. Stick with it. In time, you'll become enlightened. It takes patience, focus and effort, frequently for a period spanning months to years.
10. Keep learning. Familiarize yourself with other meditation disciplines. Don't limit your potential by being overly narrow in your approach.

Tips & Warnings

• The cost of learning a meditation technique varies greatly from specific practice to specific practice. Courses range from free of charge to thousands of dollars, depending on which technique you want to learn.
• Chronic physical and/or mental conditions that can benefit from standard, doctor-administered medical treatments should be discussed with a health professional. Meditation techniques are not a substitute for accredited medical care.