This article is the fifth in a series on meditation. The last article explored challenges in meditation and how to overcome them. This article presents ways to deepen your experience of meditation.

Practicing regularly will bring you deeper into meditation and you’ll experience more of the benefits as well.

Once a week consider practicing for longer period of time.

Explore taking a meditation class or retreat: This creates a great context for meditating. You’ll have undisturbed time carved out of your schedule, you’ll get some instruction and have the support of like minded people too.

Books and support from friends can also be helpful.

Let’s talk about your diet for a moment as this can effect your meditation as well. According to yogic science there are three types of food:

The first category contains food that supports lethargy and lack of energy. These foods all animal products such as beef, pork and to a lesser extent fish and fowl and lamb, all alcoholic beverages, any food that is old or processed. In yoga these food are know as being “tamasic.”

The second group are energizing foods and include: foods that are bitter, sour, salty, excessively hot, burning, pungent, harsh, eggs, fish, fowl and lamb. Caffeinated drinks and alcohol also fall into this category. These foods are very stimulating to our system. In yoga these foods are referred to as “rajasic.”

The third category of foods are calming, spiritualizing foods such fresh fruits and vegetables in their raw form whole grains and legumes, fresh dairy products, nuts, natural sweets such as honey and dates, small amounts of fats from vegetable or dairy sources only. In yoga these types of food are known as “sattvic.”

If you are looking to deepen your meditation practice then it would be wise to cultivate a diet of sattvic foods helps to bring balance and spiritual energy to your meditation.

Essential oils may also be useful for deepening your meditation. They have been used through out time for meditation and spiritual purposes. Scents used for this include:

Vetiver
Sandlawood
Frankincense
Ylang Ylang
Rosemary
Rose
Cedar
Sage

Essential oils can be used in diffuser or you put a few drops on a tissue, or a drop or two on the back of your hand.

Another way to deepen your practice is to ask you inner wisdom, your inner guru, spirit or guides for guidance. To do this simply be quiet and ask inside how to deepen your meditation and see what happens?

The place where you practice is important – where are you meditating? Is the space peaceful and conducive to meditation? Practicing in nature is always nice: in the mountains, by the sea, in a field. Most of us have a favorite place in nature where we feel more connected to ourselves and the greater whole.

Remember, most of all to have patience with yourself. As the saying goes “Rome was not built in day.” It is the regular practice over time that produces results.

To provide support and guidance with your practice, Howard VanEs and www.letsdoyoga.com offer the following audio program: Meditation, Finding Peace & Quiet Inside.

Author Bio: For over 19 years, Howard has been a dedicated practitioner of hatha yoga and has been teaching yoga and meditation for the last 14 years in the Bay Area of CA. Howard is the primary author of the “http://Letsdoyoga.com” wellness book and audio series . He offers public classes and retreats world wide.

Category: Self Help
Keywords: Meditation, Meditation instruction, What is meditation, spiritual practice, How to meditate