#56 Arm Above Head Meditation

Sitting comfortably, curve the arms overhead, in the form of an arch. By absorbing the mind in the space of the armpits, Great Peace will come.

Verse 79

How to do this Technique

• For this meditation, one can sit in any position that makes one comfortable.
• One can even sit on a cushion. Then raise your arms above your head, and join your hands with the palms facing each other.
• The elbows should be bent so that the posture is comfortable.
• The arms and hands now form an arch above the head.
• Now close your eyes and focus your attention on the area of the armpits. Remain aware of the area of the armpits.
• That is what the verse means when it says, absorbs the mind in the space of the armpits. Certain postures increase our awareness of particular parts of the body. For example, if you bend forward and touch your toes, you immediately feel a stretching sensation in the legs. The posture described in this verse increases our awareness of the armpits. When you sit in this posture, you immediately feel the armpits. Then it becomes easier to focus your attention on the armpits. It is not necessary to look at the armpits. Just close your eyes and fix your awareness, your attention on the armpits.

Normally when one’s fixes one’s attention on a particular part of the body, the mind may start wandering after a while. In this meditation, it is easier to maintain one’s attention on the armpits. That is because in this posture one continuously feels the armpits. When we continuously maintain our awareness of a particular part of the body, the mind remains silent. A time comes when the mind becomes permanently silent. It is then that we experience Great Peace, as the verse says. This is a simple meditation that can be practiced by almost anyone.