# Yoga/Meditation

There are many techniques for practicing meditation. What do you want from meditation? Happiness, healing, enlightenment? Be always in good contact with your body and your soul. Feel what they want and need.

## Meditation for Beginners

Sit down comfortably. The hands are in the lap or on the legs. The back is straight. The abdomen is relaxed.
1. Concentrate on your body. Think several times (5-10 times) the mantra "Om" in the head, chest, abdomen, hands, legs, feet, in the ground and then in the whole universe: "Om Shanti. Om Peace ... "
2. Stop one minute every thought. When thoughts come, push them off.
3. Linger one minute in the meditation. Thoughts may come and go as they want.
4. Relax. Feel the peace and relaxation in your body.
5. Move your body, your feet and your hands. You're back. Ahead with optimism.
-> Video: Meditation for Beginners (Youtube, 6 min)

## Computer Meditation

A guided meditation on the computer is a fast way of relaxation. Through simple yoga movements in connection with positive sentences you can resolve emotional blocks and get a positive spirit in five minutes. See also the video.
1. Visualize yourself as a Master of life (Buddha, Shiva, Goddess) and rub the earth with your feet, "I am a Master of life. I go my way positively. "
2. Move a hand and think: "I send light to ... (name). May all people be happy. May the world be happy."
3. Connect with the enlightenment energy (God, enlightened Masters), rub your palm in front of your heart and think, "Om all enlightened Masters. Om inner wisdom. Please guide and help me on my way."
4. Get inner peace, rub the palms above your head and think, "I take things as they are. I let my false desires go off."
5. Put your hands on your legs. The spine is straight and the belly is relaxed. Stop one minute all your thinking. Sit only there. Don't think. Then relax.

## Yoga-Meditation

We sit upright in our meditation seat (cross-legged, heel seat, chair) and in our meditation posture (hands on the legs or lap). The back is straight and the belly is relaxed. The eyes are open, semi-open or closed.
1. Sun = We see a beautiful sun in the sky. She sends her rays down on us. We wrap our whole body with light and think the mantra "Light." We take a golden ray of sunshine and wrap ourselves with it completely. We circle with the light around our body and think the mantra "Light, light, light." We let the light flow into us. We fill our entire body with light and think often the mantra "Light."
2. Body = We bring our mind to rest by a mantra. We think the numbers 1 - 20 in the head, chest, abdomen, feet and into the earth.
3. Cosmos = We make big circles with our arms, visualize the whole universe full of stars around us and think the numbers 1 - 20 in the whole universe.
4. Blessing = We move a hand in blessing and think, "I send light to (name). May all people be happy. May the world be happy."
5. Master = We rub the palms in front of the heart chakra, connecting us with the enlightened Masters and think, "Om all enlightened Masters. Om inner wisdom. Please guide and help me on my way."
6. Mantra Om = We put your hands in our lap. We think a minute when breathing out (at breathing in, or at the inhalation and exhalation) the mantra "Om" in the belly.
7. Stop thinking = We stop a minute every thought. If thoughts come, we push them away. Then we relax for a minute.
Oracle = Forward with optimism. You are guided by the light (by the enlightened Masters, by God). Follow consistent your inner wisdom and your love. Make every day your spiritual exercises. Bring the light on your way into the world. Success.
* Video Yoga-Meditation

## Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation is a relaxation technique by alternately tensing and relaxing the muscles. The presented form was developed by Yogi Nils in his Yoga groups. We can do it in sitting or lying down.
1. Muscle tension = We tense the muscles of the legs and feet. We stop every thought. We can hold our breath or breathe normally. Then we relax the muscles of the legs and feet. We tense and relax in the same way the arms and hands, the head (face) and the whole body.
2. Numbers = We count several times the numbers from 1 to 20 in the head, focusing on the head and breathe into the head. Our mind calms. We focus on the chest, breathe into the chest and count the numbers 1 to 20 in the chest. We breathe in the belly, and count there the numbers 1 to 20. We focus on the legs and feet, and count there the numbers 1 to 20. We visualize under the soles a large ball and count the numbers from 1 to 20 in the ball.
3. Sun = We see in the sky a beautiful sun. She sends her rays down on us. We feel her light and warmth on our skin. It is as if we are on holiday in the sun. We enjoy the sunlight. We wrap our whole body with light. We take a golden ray of sun and let the sunlight everywhere circle around us. We think the mantra "Light." We let the sunlight flow into us and fill us with light. We think the mantra "Light."
4. Sending light = We move a hand and send another person light. We envelop him with light and let the light flow into him. Think many times the word "Light". After that we send light all over the world. We wrap the whole world with light, fill it with light and think often "Light."
5. Stop thinking = We stop a minute every thought. Then we linger in meditation. Thoughts may come now if they want to. We feel our the body and enjoy the peace and well-being. If we have meditated enough, we come back again. We move our feet and hands. We stretch and move ourselves. We sit up and are back.

## Sun Meditation

This is the main meditation in the yoga groups of Yogi Nils. It finishes each yoga class. We lay or sit down comfortably. Cover you for lying, so you do not get cold.
1. Relaxation = We tense the muscles of the legs and feet. We keep the tension, stop all thoughts and breathe into the legs. Then we relax. We stretch the muscles of the arms and hands. We breathe into the arms and hands. We relax. We tense the muscles of the head and face. We breathe into the face. We relax. We tense the muscles of the whole body. We breathe into the whole body. We relax.
2. Numbers = We count several times the numbers from 1 to 20 in the head, focusing on the head and breathe into the head. Our mind calms. We focus on the chest, breathe into the chest and count the numbers 1 to 20 in the chest. We breathe in the belly, and count there the numbers 1 to 20. We focus on the legs and feet, and count there the numbers 1 to 20. We visualize under the soles a large ball and count the numbers from 1 to 20 in the ball.
3. Sun = We see in the sky a beautiful sun. She sends her rays down on us. We feel her light and warmth on our skin. It is as if we are on holiday in the sun. We enjoy the sunlight. We wrap our whole body with light. We take a golden ray of sun and let the sunlight everywhere circle around us. We think the mantra "Light." We let the sunlight flow into us and fill us with light. We think the mantra "Light."
4. Sending light = We move a hand and send another person light. We envelop him with light and let the light flow into him. Think many times the word "Light". After that we send light all over the world. We wrap the whole world with light, fill it with light and think often "Light."
5. Om Shanti = We think inhaling "Om" and exhaling "Shanti". We stop all other thoughts. We feel calmness, serenity and peace in us. We stop a minute every thought and move gently our feet. We focus on our feet and move on, until our mind comes completely to rest. We relax. We lie a few minutes relaxed just there. We are in harmony with ourselves, our life and our world.
6. Coming back = We come back slowly. We move our feet and hands. We stretch and move ourselves. We sit up and are back. Life can come. We have the sun within us.

## Mantra Meditation (Easy Relaxation)

We lie down comfortably. We can do this meditation in bed for a long time while listening to beautiful music. It is good for all persons who cannot slep or want to relax in bed.
1. Lie on the back. Pull your knees to your chest and put the arms around. Rock yourself back and forth easily. Think or speak the mantra: "Om all enlightened Masters. Om inner wisdom. Please guide and help me on my way."
2. Prone position: "I send light to (name). May all people be happy. May the world be happy." Hands under your head. Move your pelvis (spine) and move your feet.
3. Turn right in the Child Pose: "Om Shanti". The hands lie on the legs or one hand on the legs (or the hip) and one hand under the head (stops your thoughts).
4. Turn left in the Child Pose: "Om Shanti". The hands lie on the legs or one hand on the legs (or the hip) and one hand under the head (stops your thoughts).
5. Supine position, left feet on the right leg: "Om Shanti". You can move the feet and the hands a little bit.
6. Right feet on the left leg. Move your feet and your hands: "Om Shanti".
7. Legs extended. Move the feet. Count the numbers 1 to 20 in the head, thorax, belly, legs and feet.
8. Move your hands in circling, visualize the universe and think: "Om Universe". Relax.
9. Relax completely for some minutes. Hands at the sides or on the belly.
10. Sit up and do the Buddy Breathing. Press with the thumb the right nostril and inhale through the left nostril. Press the left nostril and inhale at the right side. Make this several times until inner peace occurs. Then go back in your everyday life.

## Power Animal

The power animal meditation (see Wikipedia: Animal worship) makes us aware that we have helpers on our way. In Yoga, each deity is associated with a power animal. Shiva has as a totem a white bull (Nandi). The bull is a sacrificial animal. Shiva sacrifices his ego (he takes things as they are), concentrates on his goals and thus enters a life of light. Vishnu has as helper an eagle (Garuda). The eagle is a winged creature, which brings love and wisdom in the world. Brahma has a white swan (purity, cosmic consciousness). The elephant Ganesha is holding a bowl with sweets in his hand. He goes his way with joy. The Goddess Durga rides a tiger and swings many arms around her head. Who lives as mother of all beings (as a spiritual master / mistress), needs the power of a tiger and many methods (weapons) in order to help his fellow man successfully.
1. Moving = We gently move the arms, legs, the feet and the head. We think ten times the mantra Om in our body. Then we relax. Our thoughts come slowly to rest.
2. Our life = We look at our life. What are your main goals in life? What is your way of life? Through which scenery leads your way? Is the sun shining? Does it rain? Is the landscape flat, mountainous, a desert or full of flowers? Is your way rocky, hard to walk, easy, twisted or straight?
3. Power animal = We go our way of life. On the horizon lights up our goal. Create a pictorial vision of your goal state. Focussing on the pictorial vision of our goal, we can recognize the path we must take to reach our goal. Along our personal winner way we meet our power animal. It embodies the qualities we need in order to achieve our goal. What is your power animal? What does it say to you? Think his words several times as a mantra. Get the victory in your life by concentration on your power animal.
4. Stop thinking = We stop a minute every thought. We move our feet and hands. We rotate the spine left and right. We relax.
5. Optimism = Go your way optimistic. You will succeed.

## Shiva Meditation

Shiva is the supreme God in Yoga. We can see him as the symbol of a victorious yogi. Shiva has a cosmic consciousness. He lives above the world of duality. He lives in the light (sat-chit-ananda, peace-unity-bliss). Shiva as cosmic consciousness can occur in many forms. The most famous incarnations of Shiva are the meditator, the blessing (the karma yogi), the ego sacrificer (subordinated under the goddess Kali/under the will of God) and the dancer with the life (Nataraja). Shiva is the Master of life. He lives his life with the qualities of earth (associated with Brahma, happiness), fire (associated with Rudra, power), water (associated with Vishnu, love), air (associated with Muni, wisdom) and ether (associated with all that exist, space, unity, transcendence).
1. The Winner = We shake the fists near our head and think: "I am a winner. I reach my goal. ... My goal is...."
2. The Strong = We rub the feet on the ground and visualize the Mount Meru among us, "I'm sitting on the Mount Meru (Himalaya Mountains). I maintain equanimity in pain. I'm going with perseverance my way."
3. The Egoless = We make large circles with our hands around us, visualize the cosmos full of stars and think, "I live in the great system of the cosmos (nature). I take things the way they are."
4. The Hatha-Yogi = We visualize within ourselves the Kundalini Serpent, twist in the spine, move our toes and think: "I am a Hatha Yogi. I save myself with my spiritual exercises."
5. The Karma-Yogi = Shiva means "The Good". He works for the goal of a happy world. We move our hand, send all beings light and think, "I send light to (name). May all beings be happy. May the world be happy."
6. Master Yoga = We rub the palms before our heart chakra, visualize the sky above us and think, "Om all enlightened Masters. Om inner wisdom. Please guide and help on my way."
7. Shiva Picture = Concentrate on a picture or a statue of Shiva. Move one hand and take the energy from Shiva. Think several times the mantra "Om Namah Shivaya" (I connect myself with Shiva) or "Shivo Ham" (I am Shiva) and feel how the energy of Shiva flows with the mantra in you.
8. Meditation = We put our hands in the lap, move your toes and think one minute the mantra "Om Shanti. Om Peace" in the belly. Then we stop a minute every thought. The spine is straight and the belly is relaxed. Sit only there. Don't think. Then relax.

## TV Meditation

If we watch TV every day it is difficult for us to stay on the path of inner happiness. The happiness research has clearly established that much TV consumtion leads to unhappiness. It causes attachment, aggression, fear and unwisdom. Not the outer pleasure but the inner happiness is the center of life. We need love, peace and spirituality to get a happy life. When we watch television, we should be aware of the negative influences. We should wisely select our television programs, watch only little or no television (one hour a day) and cleanse us spiritually after each television (self-reflection, spiritual reading, meditation, walking).
1. Globe = We visualize the earth beneath us, rub the earth with our feet and think, "May all beings be happy. May the world be happy."
2. Television = What man on television today touches you negative or positive? Clean the energetic connection, visualize him as a Buddha. Give him a positive sentence. Aggressive people you can send wisdom and inner peace. With happy people you can rejoice. Suffering beings you can give light and strength. Think the sentence as a mantra until you have overcome all attachment or rejection. Everything you see outside makes a knot in your soul. Create harmony in your mind. The first step to happiness is a positive world in your mind. We move a hand and send all the people in the television light: "I send light to .. I wish him / her wisdom, love and happiness. May all people on TV be Buddhas or Goddesses of love."
3. Mantra = We put our hands together in the lap, move our feet and think many times the mantra "Om Shanti" in our body, in our legs and in the whole world. We stop a minute every thought. We relax. Practice love, peace and wisdom. Send every day all people light. This is the way to become enlightenment und to live in the light (in happiness, in God).

## Breathing Meditation

Through the breathing meditation, we can absorb spiritual energy and fill our bodies with light. Our mind becomes peaceful and positive.
1. Breathing out = We concentrate on exhalation. We breathe out deeply. We breathe out all of our worries. We give all our worries to the earth (universe, life). Rename all your worries, "My grief, my worries, my problems are ...." Enumerate all of your worries. Breathe out all your worries. Give them to the earth, "I let go of my worries. I take all things the way they are."
2. Inhalation = We focus on inhalation. We visualize a sun in the sky and breathe in the light. We fill our body with light. We connect us with the positive, "Positive in my life is ..."
3. Reflection = We reflect on the deeper meaning of life? What is important in your life? What is your way of wisdom? Think the mantra: "My way of wisdom is ... Unwisdom is ..."
4. Blessing = The back is straight and the belly relaxed. We move a hand in blessing and think, "I send light to ... May all people be happy. May the world be happy."
5. So Ham = We put the hands in the lap. We think "So" by inhalation and "Ham" during exhalation. So is the sun (light) and Ham is the body. We focus on the breath and the mantra. Thus we fill us a minute by breathing with energy. Our mind becomes calm and positive. We observe one minute just our breath. We breathe in and out normally. We can observe the breath in the abdomen, chest or in the nose. We focus on our breath and stop all thinking. We relax.

## Flower Meditation

You can do the flower meditation in sitting or lying down. It is a good way to awaken the Kundalini energy.
1. Movement = We move the shoulders, arms, hands, legs and feet. We turn our head and make faces. Then we relax.
2. Feet = We visualize in the middle of the soles each a flower. We try to see the flowers as clearly as possible. What color are the flowers? We breathe to the bottom of the feet and think 10 times the mantra "flower."
3. Chakras = Similarly, we visualize flowers in the pelvic floor, sacral chakra, navel, solar plexus, heart chakra (in the center of the chest), throat, forehead and crown chakra. We breathe into the individual chakras, visualize flowers there and think "flower."
4. All flowers = We visualize all flowers in the chakras at once and think "All flowers." We combine all the chakras together. We think the mantra until we see all the flowers or feel them. Which flower type we see?
5. Light circle = We let a beam of light circle around our body. We wrap us totally with the light. We think the mantra "light." We let the light flow into our body and fill us with light. We circulate in our body with light and think "light". We think the mantra so many times, until we are full of light.
6. Medium energy channel = We visualize a twine from the pelvic floor up to the crown chakra and let light circling around the twine. We think the mantra "light." We move our toes. We meditate on the energy channel (the twine) in the center of the body between the pelvis and the crown chakra.
7. Resting point = We circle with light in the heart chakra, abdomen, forehead, crown, root chakra (pelvic floor), hands and soles of the feet. We place the light in that chakra, where it wants to be placed. For most people, it is the heart or sacral chakra. We focus on our chakra and thus bring our mind to rest. We stop a minute every thought. We relax.
8. Coming back = We return. We move the hands and feet. We stretch ourselves. We sit on. We take our peace with in everyday life.

## Healing Meditation

We sit or lie down. We relax.
1. Sun = We visualize above ourselves a beautiful sun, raising both hands to the side at head height and think several times the mantra "sun." We let the light of the sun flow down on us and massage it into the body.
2. Earth = We visualize the earth below us, rub the earth with our feet and think: "I send light to the earth. May all beings in the world be happy."
3. Healing Massage = We consider what part of our body needs healing in the moment. We let light flow into it, massage it in circles and think the word "light" as a mantra. By the light massage we resolve the tensions in the particular area of ​​the body and enable it in the self-healing. We can visualize the light in a color we feel that it heals us. We think the color name as a mantra. We can successively rub the light of healing in several parts of the body, thinking always the mantra "Light".
4. Cosmos = We visualize the cosmos around us full of stars, make big circles with our arms and think, "Om cosmos. I take the suffering in my life. I consistently walk my way of health and healing."
5. Buddha of Healing = We visualize before or above us the Buddha of Healing (an enlightened Master). We rub our hands in front of the heart chakra and think, "Om Buddha of Healing. Om inner wisdom. Please guide and help me on my way."
6. Question of Healing = We focus on a part of our body who needs healing or on a personal problem. What is the way of our healing? What do we have to do? What triggers our problem? We think so long until we are satisfied with the result. When we hear no answer, we are either blocked inside (we don't want to see the real causes of the problem), or we have a bad contact to our inner voice (we sense ourselves poorly). The best way then is slowly to get into thinking about our problem.
7. Sick people = We move a hand, bless all people with light and think, "May all the people who have the same problem as I be healed. My problem is ... The way of healing is ..."
8. Om Shanti = We think inhaling "Om" and exhaling "Shanti". We stop all other thoughts. We feel calmness, serenity and peace in us. We stop a minute every thought and move gently our feet. We focus on our feet and move on, until our mind comes completely to rest. Then we linger in a slight meditation. All thoughts and feelings may come and go as they please. We relax.

## Breakthrough to Enlightenment

There is in all people a thought which hinders the enlightenment and the inner happiness. This thought mostly has something to do with unwisdom, immodesty and lack of love to all. We need either wisdom, humility, resting, self-discipline, some fun or universal love. We need a special thought which awakens the lacking quality. Suddenly the happiness, the love, the light and the peace is in us. The right word in the right moment for the right person causes a breakthrough to inner happiness. What is now your magic word?
1. Shower = We visualize a shower above us. We turn on the shower and clean us with enlightenment energy. We think the mantra "Water" and massage water (or light energy) from head to toe in our body. We rub all tensions and stress from the body.
2. Earthing = We rub the earth with our feet. We draw a circle with a color of healing around us. We think the name of our healing color several times as a mantra. What is your healing color (purple, orange, yellow, red)?
3. Friend = We go in the shower on the spot. We move our feet. We visualize a boyfriend or a girlfriend and say a positive word. What is your positive word? Imagine that the word actually reaches your person. Think your word several times as a mantra: "My word for... is... (I love you.)"
4. Enemy = We remember an enemy (aggressive person). Whom do you feel in this moment as an enemy? Who is your opponent? Give him a positive word. What do you say to him? Forgive him and get inner peace. Move a hand and send him wisdom and love. Think your word so long as a mantra, until you are in peace with your enemy.
5. A word for you = Investigate your own mind. Is there a thought that blocks your inner peace, your happiness and your love? Which positive word can overcome it? "My negative thought is ... My positive thought is ... (Forward on the way of wisdom, love and happiness.)"

## Shanti Meditation

Shanti means peace in yoga. The term "Shanti" refers to both the outer and the inner peace. As yogis, we wish a world of love, peace and happiness. So that we can successfully work for a happy outer world, we should first make peace and happiness within ourselves. Those who have no peace within themselves, can cause very limited external peace in his world. It is important that we create every day the peace in ourselves.
1. Body = We gently move our head, shoulders, arms, hands, legs and feet. We turn in the spine right and left. We resolve all tensions in the body by feeling in our body and moving the tensed parts. Where you are tensed today? Move and relax this area.
2. Breathing = We breathe deep into the pelvis. We fill the whole body with prana (breath energy). We breathe in the legs, the feet, the arms, the hands, the head, the thorax and the abdomen. At the same time we think the mantra "Om".
3. Lighting circuits = We see a beautiful sun in the sky. The sun emits light and heat down on us. We feel the warmth on our skin. It is as if we lie on holiday in the sun. We enjoy the sunlight. We take a golden ray of sunshine and wrap ourselves with it completely. We circle with the light around our body and think the mantra "Light, light, light." We let the light flow into us. We fill our entire body with light and think often the mantra "Light."
4. Sending light = We send another person light. We envelop him with light and let the light flow into him. Who do you want to send light today? Think many times the word "Light". After that we send light all over the world. We wrap the whole world with light, fill it with light and think often "Light."
5. Om Shanti = We think inhaling "Om" and exhaling "Shanti". We stop all other thoughts. We feel calmness, serenity and peace in us. We stop a minute every thought. When thoughts arise, we push them away. We move the feet and toes. We relax. We lie a few minutes relaxed just there. We are in harmony with ourselves, our life and our world.

## Videos

* One-Moment Meditation: "How to Meditate in a Moment"
* Meditation video Yogi Nils (germ., 6 min.)

# See also

* Relaxation techniques
* Paradise Meditation
Mantras available as Wikimedia sound files