Meditation Techniques From Wat PakNam : หน้า 149/164

Suzanne Jeffrey This meditation technique was re-discovered, and then taught, by Luang Pu Sodh Wat PakNam, the Abbot of Wat PakNam in Bangkok, Thailand. This rediscovery happened in 1914. His “best” student was a Master Nun, Khun Yai, who passed it along to the current Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Luang Por Dhammajayo. Now, however, they do not always teach this method to Westerners, because they feel that meditation should simply be focusing on stillness. Luang Pu stated: “Stillness of the mind is the embodiment of success in meditation”, therefore, any way in which you can still your mind at the center of the body will lead you to achieving success in meditation. Because of this, I am including the steps in meditations that the monks taught at the Wat and ones that do not specifically discuss the Seven Bases of the Mind. Dhammakaya Guided Meditation: Extrapolated From Retreats and What Has Helped Me: 1. Begin your meditation by doing some light stretching exercises. These can include simple neck rolls, gently swinging your arms across your body, easy yoga stretches, standing up and reaching down to touch the finger tips or your palms to the floor, or whatever types of stretches that make you feel relaxed and comfortable, especially ones that open up your back, hips, and backs of legs. Always take your time because the ultimate goal is for you to feel limber and light, stress-free and peaceful. 2. Sit down either on a mat, pillow, rug, or chair. If you sit on the floor, the half-lotus is a preferred position, and that means that your legs should be crossed with your right leg over your left, the sole of your right foot facing upward toward the ceiling. If you prefer using a chair, then both feet should be placed on the floor, and a pillow or cushion might be used for the comfort of your back and to help you sit straighter for a longer period of time. Sitting with your back straight helps you breathe easily. 3. Rest your hands comfortably in your lap or on your legs. At the Wat, there is a preferred position for the hands which is to place your palms up, right palm covering your left palm, with your right index finger touching your left thumb. To help with your posture, you may even put a pillow over your lap with your hands resting on the pillow. This also helps to prevent leaning forward while meditating. 4. Gently close your eyes. This part is extremely important. There is so much tension in and around your eyes that if you properly relax them, the rest of your body becomes much easier to relax. Therefore, when closing your eyes, you want your 150