“An enlightened disciple who wants to meditate, therefore, prepares in advance by purifying themself and disengaging from all kinds of irrelevant preoccupations. They try to develop to the highest possible degree their desire to improve and perfect themselves in order to help others and be an example, a model, a true son of God. They are animated by the sublime desire to do the will of God in everything. But wishing and wanting alone will not enable us to carry out these precepts: we also need a certain amount of knowledge. 

A great many people want to live according to these precepts, but without success, because they do not know how to set about it. If you have left the hot-water tap running or the gas turned on, it will come back to you in a flash just as you are about to meditate – and that will be the end of your meditation!

If you want to meditate you have to understand the nature of psychic work. You must never try to rush the brain, for example, and force it to concentrate from one moment to the next, for this does violence to the cells of the nervous system, and the result is that they seize up and you get a headache! The first thing to do is to relax, to remain passive, as it were, while, at the same time, keeping an eye on the gradual pacification of your cells.

Prepare yourself in advance, therefore, and when you are free in body, mind and feelings, when you have finally escaped from the prison of your everyday life, you can begin to rise within yourself. Naturally, it takes practice to be able to do this quite quickly, but eventually you will find that it only takes a few moments.

To begin with, therefore, you must use gentleness, peace and love and, above all, avoid any form of violence. This is the secret of a good meditation. And once you feel that your nervous system is well disposed and that your ‘batteries’ have been recharged (for this passive attitude gives the body an opportunity to replenish its supplies of energy), then you can focus your thoughts on the topic of your choice.”
Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov – Izvor Book 224 The Powers of Thought