Q&A with Manorama: Where can I start?

Question from Student:

I'm a beginning student and recently attended a workshop with you. I become overwhelmed when I review my notes from class, or listen to your spoken word CD's. My question is, there's so much to understand where can I start? How do I begin a meditation practice? Is there a way I can use mantra and chanting to help as I found this very grounding and soothing in the workshop I took.

Manorama’s Answer:

Dear Student,

Let’s start at a place where you feel comfortable. There is no need to read all your notes and listen to every CD. The first thing I want you to do is to start to listen to your own breathing, your own heart beat, your own being. All vidya knowledge of texts and such will come later, but for now the most important thing is that you focus on you. Just be in contact with you. You physically. You mentally, and you spiritually. If you don’t know what that means well then that’s the very place to start. 

Begin by carving out a lil time each day to sit with your self and say inside, I don’t know who I am… then work to sit with that and breathe into this awareness. Watch the thoughts that rise as you engage this practice. Don’t move to make meaning with your mind, instead learn the art of sitting with the thoughts and not following them. Let the meaning around the practice rise in you rather than you impose meaning. This will help you develop the needed strength for the journey of Self-knowledge.

In Sanskrit, we say, Pade Pade which means Go Step by Step and the long road is travelled.

Love & Blessings,

Manorama