The primary goal of meditation in Muay Thai is not simply to be able to make a meditative effort during formal sittings, but to maintain and generalise conscious attention to all aspects of Muay Thai practice and life in general, thereby eliminating mental tension.
Ultimately, the greatest achievement in Muay Thai is the simultaneous refinement of mind and body. The special training of consciousness effectively regulates every biological system of the body as well as its technical and mechanical facilities. Cultivation of the mind leads to cultivation of the body, leading to further cultivation of the mind and so on, eventually attaining an exquisite level of cooperation and coordination between the two.
Successful meditation is easy to be achieved, if practiced in the right way. The following is step-by-step technique for beginners.
Preparation
- First, you have to prepare yourself for the session.
- Remove as much concerns and worries as you can.
- Make yourself as comfortable as possible for instance wear comfortable clothes
- Find yourself a secured and peaceful place for your practice, appropriate temperature is also essential.
- Choose the most relaxed and comfortable as possible sitting position.
- Draw your attention to building the concentration.
- Do not let your mind wander toward unrelated thinking.
Practice
When you are ready, your instructor will help you with each step of practice as follows:
Step 1. Practice in One Pointed Mindfulness on Breathing
a) Take deep breath twice to start concentrate on only your breathing.
b) Close your eyes and let your breathing go by itself.
c) Watch closely the "rhythm" and "depth" of your breathing, which alternate automatically.
d) Ignore any thoughts occurred, by trying to watch breathing until it draws your complete attention to itself as "one pointed mindfulness"
Step 2. Practice Contemplation of the body
a) While watching your breathing, gradually divide your attention to your body. You will find discomfort in several places.
b) Pay all attention on body adjustment. Gradually shift the position of hands, arms, legs and torso; until you are most comfortable.
c) Turn your attention back to breathing, which becomes deeper and makes you feel better than ever.
Step 3. Practice in Contemplation of the Feelings
a) While watching breathing, turn your attention to the feelings at parts of the body, beginning with the right palm. You will find that if you concentrate one pointed at your hand, the feelings of your hand will disappear. Then move your concentration to your right arm, right shoulder, left shoulder, left arm and left hand, respectively.
b) If you can watch your breathing while concentrate on your whole body, you will feel as if most of your disappear or weightless and floating in space. At time stage, you will be rewarded with feelings of total relaxation and peaceful contentment.
c) Make sure to turn your attention back to breathing to retain your full consciousness. Such state of relaxation and contentment can easily makes you fall asleep or enter a trance which are not the purpose of this practice.
Step 4. Practice in contemplation of Mind
a) While watching your breathing, turn your attention to the darkness inside your closed eyes, which looks like dark blank screen of the turned off television set.
b) While instructor provides selected Buddhist chant, you concentrate on breathing and look for picture or colour or light in your closed eyes.
c) If you can see a circle of light in your closed eyes; it is an indication that you get "Jhana" or the counterpart sign of your own mind.
The above four-step practice is part of Lord Buddha's Four Basis of Mindfulness, which helps a person of any religion purity his or her own mind so that to improve physical can mental health, and to lessen stress from everyday life. If practiced regularly, meditation practitioner will develop better understanding of life and ability to reduce ill emotions such as depression, doubt, confusion and etc.
Authors: Yod Ruerngsa, Khun Kao Charuad and James Cartmell
