Meditation is critical on the path to enlightenment. A person is in a sort of meditative state when absorbed in listening to music, intent upon a video game, reading, running, gardening, whatever, and when someone nearby says something to them there is no response. The similarity is the strength of concentration, but for religious meditation, the focus is upon the single virtuous object of the life-giving breath.

To reach a state of peace, stop, and to demonstrate, take a break from reading and take three strong inhalations and with the third fill the belly and hold still awhile to focus upon the breath. The text says, “You stop to be powerful, and to love to pause and grasp for the breath is identical.” It is easy to stop and it is relaxing to take a break from tasks every so often to fill the belly and hold still. When I was young and angry, a wise woman of Finnish and gypsy descent said to inhale and exhale the breath quickly and forcefully three times before inhaling to fulfillment to hold still, and such is the ancient tradition.

A person can focus upon a single virtuous object for a short or long time depending upon the amount of breath inhaled, and if the mind wanders from the object, you have the power to bring it back. You can stand, sit on a chair, sit cross-legged on a cushion on the floor, or kneel in the Thunderbolt Posture. While sitting in a chair it is important to keep the torso upright. The lower legs should be perpendicular to the ground, the feet slightly touching and flat upon the ground. Place your hands upon your knees or on your lap. In the kneeling or Thunderbolt Posture the knees are together in the front and for sitting, the toes are touching, and the heels are a little to the sides to form a comfortable cushion.

To sit down to meditate awhile, to prevent the air from escaping below, pull up to bind the bottom before inhaling a buzz through the nose to fulfillment. To prevent the air from escaping upward, let the head hang down and lock the chin to the upper chest. With the Anal and Chin Lock to bind to the breath and focus inward not outward and stillness is important. To bind means to restrain, to make fast or tight, and the Webster’s New World Dictionary says, “To unite or hold, as if by a feeling of loyalty.” Lo and behold, the air keeping you alive is the Holy Spirit, so a little loyalty is in order.

The mantras describe numerous breath meditations, and when altering the natural rhythm of breathing, physical, psychological, and psychic changes will occur and that is the purpose. The best advice in this regard is caution. Moisture escapes the body when chanting the Sacred AH sound from the mouth, so drinking additional water is important. Water and the breath are necessary for life, nourishing, and refreshing. To fill the belly with a buzzing AH sound to fulfillment to sit a bit is beneficial, and to take a drink of water and acclaim with Sacred AH is healthy. Expand the navel area, and when the belly is puffed up the breath will push up to the chest, and with practice, the mantras say happiness will arise.

“Yes, prepare the way by giving, and anyone ought to be the one to honor.””