I found the following thoughts on analytical meditation and its use for depression the site http://viewonbuddhism.org/
"All things are preceded by the mind, led by the mind, created by the mind."
- from the first verse of the Dhammapada (quotations from the Buddha)
Why meditate?
"If there is something you truly want to know,
then you truly want to listen to your own wisdom.
You know, meditation is learning how to listen with your own wisdom,
so that you can see.
I think why meditation is amazingly important,
is that somehow our unconscious world is much bigger.
It is huge, universal, and we don't understand that one.
Meditation allows this world to be light and knowable, understandable.
That is why it is important.
Normally we are totally robbed by the egotistic, conventional mind,
not allowing the fundamental mind to be functioning.
That is why one should have confidence,
truly... through experience,
one has confidence in one's spiritual journey."
By Lama Thubten Yeshe
To make the most out of the following analytical meditation, it is good to realise that we should not only observe the analytical mind, but also any arising emotions and feelings. Let yourself open up to the whole experience. A good way to start the analytical meditation is to make sure you are motivated for it and by doing a breathing meditation.
Start-up breathing meditation: WATCHING THE BREATH (I have adapted this)
Getting orientated
- Find a space where you won't be interrupted, turn off your phone, tell those around youto let you relax for 20 minutes.
- Take a comfortable position, also a position that doesn't hinder blood flow.
- Let your thoughts roam freely for a few minutes
- Give yourself permission to relax
Begin the breathing meditation
- Let your thoughts concentrate on the tip of your nose, feel the breath going in and out.
To help your concentration, you can count every out-breath as one, and count from 1 to 10. When you arrived at 10, simply start at 1 again. All the attention is with the feeling of the nose and the counting, nothing more, nothing less.
Regularly check yourself if you are still concentrated, do not get angry when distracted, simply return to counting from 1.
Just before ending the breathing meditation, release the concentration on the counting and the tip of your nose, and simply be aware of how you feel for a minute or so.
To help your concentration, you can count every out-breath as one, and count from 1 to 10. When you arrived at 10, simply start at 1 again. All the attention is with the feeling of the nose and the counting, nothing more, nothing less.
Regularly check yourself if you are still concentrated, do not get angry when distracted, simply return to counting from 1.
Just before ending the breathing meditation, release the concentration on the counting and the tip of your nose, and simply be aware of how you feel for a minute or so.
ANALYTICAL DEPRESSION MEDITATION (unadapted)
- What am I so concerned about?
- Are there thoughts that keep on repeating themselves in my mind?
- Am I only concerned about myself, my own problems and pain?
- Am I realistic about my own situation?
- Am I really helpless, hopeless, hungry, completely alone, poor and cold?
- How many people in the world are really helpless, hopeless, hungry, alone and cold?
- Try to feel some compassion for their suffering.
- Imagine a little light in your heart that becomes brighter and brighter.
- Open the heart and let the light shine out to other people that really need some love and affection.
- Imagine that their suffering decreases because of your light.
- Now realise that you can use this light also for yourself, and radiate love and affection to yourself.
- Fill the whole body with light and simply enjoy it.
After any meditation you can dedicate any positive or unselfish thoughts, any positive energy to a goal or person of your choice.
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