To bring the mind to the center
When you close your eyes, you will bring your mind to your center of gravity. We know that we can't simply grasp or catch our mind to achieve this. People don't even know where their mind is during each moment. The way of knowing where our mind is located is actually very simple. When we think of anything, our mind will be there. When you think to events in the past, your mind goes to the past. If you worry about the future, your mind is already in the future. When you think of people, your mind will be with them. To reduce this bustle and not let our mind run away, we will need just one little thing for our mind to stay at the center. This little thing is the way we train our mind. It's what we do with our mind when we meditate:
1. Visualization
The first effective way to bring our mind to the center is to visualize an object at the center of your body. It could be a crystal ball of any size. Let it appear at your center. It can also be something similar such as a bubble, water drop or diamond. It will help keep the mind from being disturbed by wandering thoughts.It is the same as children, if they have nothing to do they will run around or bother you. If we offer them a toy, they will be busy with that instead.
A good mental object can also be the sun, a bright full moon or a bright star. It could even be any simple object that you feel comfortable to imagine. For Buddhists, it's possible to imagine the Buddha. For Christians, it can be an image of the cross. For Muslims, an image of a crescent moon could be ideal. Whatever your mental object, imagine it appearing with the least effort possible at the center of your body. Make it simple as much as possible by not doubting or analyzing it. Just a single question when you meditate can disturb all peacefulness inside. Be happy and satisfied with any object you have inside.
2. Feeling the center
Some people cannot be really comfortable with any mental object. It's possible to be content with just a feeling. It's the same as when we turn off the light in our sleeping room. In a moment we feel the softness of the pillow and also how comfortable the bed is.
3. Mantra
Aside from visualizing or feeling, we can also imagine a voice spreading from your body's center or the middle of the object you observe. Let the voice be as natural and as peaceful as possible. The traditional mantra is 'Samma Arahang. The words come from the Great master who introduced this technique in the last hundred years. This word comes from the Pall language. It means right enlightenment. For people who don't feel satisfied with this mantra because of feeling uncomfortable with unfamiliar words, you can recite the mantra 'Clear and bright. Of course it's possible to translate this meaning into any language. If one prefers another mantra which is simple enough and they feel comfortable with, it is also alright. The essential part is that this mental voice lets our mind focus with minimum effort. When we focus on these words, other words or dialogue will not disturb our mind.
When you feel that your mind is peaceful or still enough and you prefer to not recite a mantra anymore, you can leave it and simply be with your centre without any mantra.
