@maydayy what are you talking about? you do not need to be "initiated" for Prana(Pranayama/Kundalini Yoga)breathing! you seem to be getting Reiki and Pranic healing mixed up with Prana breathing!
Prana Breathing is the art and science of learning how to breathe correctly which in turn helps to oxengate the body with free energy in the air.(anyone can learn it)
As far as i'm aware it's Reiki practioners that have to be attuned (to be able to get access to healing energy without the need of ever having to draw it from other sources"initiated") which is more of a hands on(laying of hands) healing(with some non-touch techniques) directing healing energy to where ever the energy is most needed without the Reiki healer ever having to specifically pinpoint the area, the energy will go where it is most needed.
Pranic healing is more a scanning of the aura to assess where healing is needed Pranic healers then do a sweep of the aura to cleanse it of any blockages or stagnant energies before they will send any fresh energy through for healing also Pranic healers draw there energy from the Sun,Air,Earth ect then use prana breathing to help them then they will send the fresh healing energy in to their patients aura.
Pranic healing is said to work faster and better that Reiki though they both can compliment each other with Reiki being more gentler and Pranic getting more to the root cause faster.
@Magicenergy I agree with flagg you need to get more in touch with your own higherself through meditation then you will maybe find the answers you are looking for more easily.
@naturex That is down to you, though the longer the meditation the more it helps and its an ongoing thing throughout your life..It can take some people years to master meditation and some others pick it up more easily.
how dose meditation actualy work.when im meditating do i have to enter a state of unconsisness or do i need to be aware of my surroundings like sounds,smells and etc??
I must say I totally agree with Opalraven and Flagg.
I must also check out pranic healing,(Im a reiki master and it is soo good, but the pranic , idefinately want to do now, thankyou Opal).
**There are many differnt ways to meditate, and no, you dont get unconcious.
You can try void meditation, where you just simply clear your mind;
You can meditate by breathing in chi/ki;
You can meditate aligning yourself with the elements:
You can use a guided meditational CD, which is especially good for begnners in meditation.
There are so many ways to meditate, google for more ideas.
@Naturex Ok I'll try to answer and explain about your questions as easily and clearly as I can.
Firstly meditation is unique for each individual there is no set rule on how you should do it, Just basic guide lines to get started with it which are...
CONSISTENCY.....A few minutes each day(preferably at the same time each day) is better and more beneficial than only once a week or monthly.
EXPECTATIONS....Don't expect it to instantly heal your life and all your problems or give you answers instantly this is only acheieved through time and patience the key is balanced and consistent practice.
AWARENESS.....If a diffucult emotion or memory comes up during your meditation dont try and block it or make it go away, acknowledge it and understand why you need to deal with it then let it float away with any visualization you feel comfortable with(e.g put the thought in a bubble that floats up into the air then is gone from sight, or on a cloud that floats away ect)
ACCEPTANCE....Except the world for what it is, let go of expections, know that we're a part of everything and everything is a part of us.. good and bad! Meditation is a clear and calm awareness of the mind.
POSTURE.....it's important to be comforable with how you sit so you dont get fidigty(wear loose fighting clothes or naked what ever you prefer)..a lot of people will advise that sitting in the lotus postion is the best way, which is a very good postion, but any postion where your back is straight, erect but relaxed(not tense or stiff) is acceptable.
BASIC PRACTICE...Be aware of your breath and posture..when your mind wanders and gets to noisy gently return to the awarness of your breathing and posture again..if you feel sleepy it may because your posture is slumping...Let the stomach relax and feel the breath come from the lungs at its own pace without trying to force it. Other forms of basic pratice use mantras(the use of a particular phrase/sound), visualization(the use of images)or free floating which is any though or feeling that comes to mind and then exploring it for deeper expansion of your higerself. no way is right or wrong and differet methods fit for different peoples natures and personalities.
BALANCE....Meditation is all about balance, don't become to lazy or eager in your approach to it..it may take awhile till you learn how much or how little time you need to spend on it(as in 15 mins a day or two hours each day), through daily pratice you will find which balance is best for you.
(My balance is 15 mins each day, and one hour at the weekends)
HEALTH....It's best not to meditate after a heavy meal, be aware of what you eat, listen too, and watch on tv before you attept it as certain things cause the brain to much stimulation which can make meditation a lot harder to do.
Ok there some of the basic guidelines now to answer your questions..
1. How does meditation actualy work?
A. It works through you clearing your mind of everyday thoughts and calms you so you can hear on a more spiritual level.
(this is the simplest way I have to explain this)
2.Do I have to enter a state of unconscious to meditate?
A. I would assume no..as in that state your brain waves would be in "The Delta Wave" which is a very deep sleep or knocked out!
The brain wave used for meditation is "The Alpha Wave" which is the brain wave used for day dreaming, dreams,light sleep, creative Visualization,connection to the subconscious.
We are in the "The Beta Wave" most of the time which is the brain wave that is fully Conscious and awake ,the conscious mind is busy, concentrating and engaged in this state.
Also "The Theta wave" is the brain wave used for deep sleep, lucid dreaming, deep trance and deep hypnosis.
3.Do I need to be aware of my surroundings like sounds,smells and etc?
A. This is down to your own preferences, if you wish to concentrate on the smell of a piece of fruit or incense that you're burning then feel free to do so, or if you wish to concentrate on the sound of running water feel free to do so also....and if you wish just to empty your mind and just be in the moment that is also fine, it all comes down what you feel is right for you.
Hopefully this has given you a better undestanding of how meditation works.
While I was typing this out Laufia posted to your question aswell...which is good advice and there is so much different ways it can't possibly be covered in the one post.
@Laufia I'm glad some of my knowledge is of some use :), I'm considering learning Reiki myself and came across the information about Pranic totally by coincidence, its funny how sometimes when we resesrch one thing we learn about another :)
