Every practitioner has own path and rate of progress. As one model that yielded remarkable benefits over many years, I am sharing here details of my mindbody practices. I started on this path when I was 56, without a personal teacher. The process seems to be getting deeper into my mind and body and the benefits seem to be going deeper.

Meditation Practice

My first step on this path was practicing ‘focusing on breathing’ when lying in the bed, eyes closed.

I started practicing meditation after I was well set in the practice of ‘focusing on breathing’ due to which I had a decent degree of mental concentration. In the beginning, my body was very stiff and hurting all over. I worked on improving my postures in small increments, to be able to sit cross legged on the floor, for long periods. Ultimately I could sit and practice for one to one and half hours, enjoying remarkable benefits for the mind and body. More…

Benefits for the body
I gained unbelievable changes in my originally stiff body over many years. I was bearing the initial pains as they were gradually disappearing as the meditation continued. It was thrilling to see the pains disappear like that. More…

Benefits for the mind
I could gradually change my attitudes and thoughts which I never thought possible. More…

Physical practices
My physical stretching practices played a significant role in helping my meditation possible and enjoyable. More…

In Conclusion
What more benefits can I expect, having started on this path at the late age of 56 from the baby level of just feeling the breath lying in the bed, on waking up?

One thing to note in this process is that there is no flavor of Religion, God or physical Guru, though I have freely used ideas from several teachers without adopting any dogma. This is not a boast but a factual sharing of my experience for the benefit of those who wait for formal personal guidance, consistency and ideal conditions even for making a beginning.

My basic philosophy has been to begin doing something, some times, at some level, instead of waiting for the ideal or popular way and never even making a beginning. I firmly believe that one is better than zero, two is better than one, …so on.  I have not been rigid in following any one teacher or his/her teachings. I practiced loosely without any discipline. I made adjustments to the practices and made combinations of them as I felt like. I changed these practices and their combinations time to time. I hope this inspires some fence sitters to get off the fence and take faltering steps like a baby learning to walk who ultimately succeeds even in running.  (Updated in Nov 2010)

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