What is Meditation?
There are a lot of images around meditation which have nothing directly to do with it. As a state of being, meditation has existed since beginning of humankind and even before, as animals often are naturally in this state although not consciously. 
What meditation is can be seen in very different ways. Meditation is not a technique or method to reach a determined goal, although it is often used for it. That one becomes more relaxed, emotionally and mentally balanced, can be seen as a side effect, but is not the goal for one's meditation. 
Everybody can meditate and can have great benefit from it, it doesn't matter which lifestyle one has adapted or in which situation or condition one is at this moment. And for sure meditation does not depend on one's beliefs or concepts, philosophical, religious or materialistic. Many people connect meditation with religion or spirituality and therefor reject it and so inhibit and waste a precious and creative opportunity. 
An example: We all know that 'walking' is beneficial for one's health and walking every day for a certain time will keep one in good shape and healthy, not only physically but also emotionally and mentally. Also we know that 'walking' is used as a  spiritual discipline in some religions: Christians do walking as a ritual and Buddhist monks have a long tradition in 'spiritual walking'. So nobody because of this has the idea that walking is connected with religion or is a spiritual practice and therefor must be rejected because it doesn't fit into one's different life style. Why this is done with meditation? Indeed, there is no need to reject, only there is the reason coming out of a erroneous concept about it. As we can observe even animals are practicing meditation in their way and for sure they are not connecting any concept with it. 
As humans we can do it being aware of it and so having the full benefit, which goes much further than just one's well-being...

Of course it might be that some people want to start with meditation because they are feeling nervous and desperate or are sick and want to do something against it, so this might work. Indeed meditation furthers each 'healing process' significantly and probably is the most important basic step. If we come during our path to the moment when struggling through life seems just a 'turning around ourselves', then after questioning one's position and reflecting about it, we might come to a meditative state, where one's intention to do something for a specific reason, mostly because we want to reach a certain goal, is fading away... maybe letting us fall into desperation - and coming out of this one might come into a state of trust where one can be open to receive new impulses... Often this happens after something tragic breaks into our, - until then undisturbed lifestyle -, when our cart house of security has collapsed, leaving us without orientation. Often this happens because of a serious health problem...

Although situations in which one is suffering will be felt as a negative state, it can be a new beginning, an opening to fields of awareness and silence, which will give a new sense and a new world view and also a new, until then  unknown security, - coming out of insights which include a view of much wider aspects. The deep longing to connect with 'something' which goes beyond the daily survival, will finally guide one to the state of 'meditation'. But not necessarily one has to go through suffering because of tragic happenings in one's life, to come to the need to meditate, this urge might come suddenly from inside, because one feels that one just turns around oneself with all those needs and wishes, - or even after all wishes are completed -, there is still something missing...

I am here to help you to enter into meditation in an easy way. Meditation by itself is 'a state of being' and I repeat: It is not necessarily connected with a philosophy, religion or any kind of concept. It can be done totally independently and can be practiced in a natural way like eating, walking or sleeping.

You don't need to pay to be initiated into meditation and you don't need to join a group or a meditation retreat, although a retreat might further a start. If you have the urge to meditate then it is possible that you come to a meditative state just by sitting down... But then often falling into an old pattern of doing, which might not be possible to avoid, because one is not aware of it. So you can ask for some help. In this writing I will give you advice how to meditate, so you can just start with it. There is no ritual necessary just plain information and a clear advice. This of course, like all what is offered from me and FalconBlanco, is totally for free. If there is any problem showing up, the best is you read my advice again and then the FAQ and then meditate again. If it still doesn't seem to work, then you can write an email to me and I will answer as soon as possible. There is also a 'hotline' available and you can phone me and ask for advice. If I'm not there you can leave your telephone number at the answering machine and I will call you back (land line only). 
Meditation is available to every body and every where, one only needs to do it. Also information about meditation and how to do it should be available for every body. I am convinced that this would help essentially in every ones growing and healing process and make a new security possible which doesn't come from the outside with all the constantly changing conditions, but from inside by connecting with one's source: Oneself... You can listen to some more thoughts about the subject watching the video: Meditation. (http://falconblanco.org/videos/meditation.wmv) If you have no access to the Internet, then I can send you a DVD with videos and text. For blind people there is a CD with spoken text containing all my writings about meditation. 

If you ask me what gives me the 'credentials' to initiate into meditation and talk about it, then I can tell you that I have been meditating for more than fifty years. I have learned from many teachers, to find out as a consequence, that meditation must not be connected to any belief whatever and not to any kind of concepts, - not even in teaching it! It can be used as a beneficial tool for everybody who wants to develop their capabilities and who is intelligent enough to use what is available and offered - and this I can ensure you doesn't need much, just the interest and openness to do something for oneself...

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What is the benefit coming out of meditation?
Through meditation, having practiced it for some time, one comes to a state of being where one relates and responds in a different way to whatever shows up in one's life, outside and inside. -
By being more relaxed and not building up tension in daily life one is able to observe in a more objective way: not just out of ones limited conditions responding from there, but in a more wholesome way and being able to understand better oneself because one gets to know oneself and also others viewpoints and so one is more effective in every thing one is doing or trying to reach.
One gains a new attitude and a new focus which then changes one's responses. Then one's habits will change. One will become more aware and so more critical about what one takes in and one can decide if this is favorable or damaging one's system or intention. One will live healthier on all levels of one's existence. One will not need to demonstrate anything anymore, not needing to provoke or manipulate others to get what one wants, so being less dependent on others and the surrounding... - Self-expression will gain a new dimension. There are much more benefits, you will find out yourself when having done meditation regularly for some time...

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How to do it
If you have the urge to meditate then it is possible that you come to a meditative state just by sitting down... But then often falling into an old pattern of doing, which might not be possible to avoid, because one is not aware of it. So you can ask for some help. In this writing I will give you advice how to meditate, so you can just start with it. There is no ritual necessary just plain information and a clear advice. These of course, like all what is offered from FalconBlanco and me is totally for free. 
One can meditate anywhere at any time under any conditions. To start with one might choose favourable conditions. These are: Finding a quiet place where one can be without being disturbed by too much noise or other influences. One shouldn't be under the effect of alcohol or any kind of drugs, one shouldn't be too tired or exhausted. Then if one sits comfortably, if possible with a straight back, then one can begin. Twenty minutes at each meditation is enough, one can do it twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. But at least once a day and this every day. Every day!! Maybe you will need to force yourself a little bit the first few days, but then after three weeks it will be an established habit and you will do it, not wanting to miss it anymore. *** OK, now you sit down and close your eyes. You are comfortable? Yes. OK. Now: You don't need to do anything, nothing at all!!  You just sit there and - you are aware of it... What this means that you are aware of your body sitting there. You might be aware of the silence or some noise in the far background. But you don't do anything! You are just aware of what is there. You don't focus or concentrate on it, you are just aware of it, - nothing else. Then what might happen is that you suddenly are aware that you got lost in some thoughts, what means that you went into thoughts about something, it doesn't matter what this is. That is all right and part of the meditation. What means that you don't want to avoid thoughts or any feelings, you don't suppress what comes up. Just let it happen, without judging it or giving any special importance to it. Just let it happen... and observe it. So there is a little tip which will help so that you don't go constantly from one thought into another: The moment when you are aware that you are thinking, then you just switch to being aware of your breathing. The same: You don't focus or concentrate on your breathing, you are just aware of it. Without wanting to do anything about it, just observe it! This might go on for a while and then again you find yourself lost in some thoughts. That's all right! So then you go back to observing your breathing. And so on and on... Then it might be happen that there are moments when there are no thoughts and no awareness of yourself or your surrounding and it seems you were falling into a sleep. This too is all right, don't worry about it, if you were really falling into a sleep, then you will wake up soon, probably you were just relaxed and needed it... Just be aware of yourself and the state of being you are now. Maybe you are indeed more relaxed or whatever... So you get up and go to your daily work...

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Remember: If there is any problem showing up, the best is you read my advice again and then the FAQ and then meditate again. If it still doesn’t seem to work, then you can write an email to me and I will answer as soon as possible. If you are having difficulties and feel uncomfortable and in turn want to stop meditating, just ask for help. If you don't find an answer in the meditation FAQ, then you can email me or use my 'hot line'  or join my yahoo group where you can ask questions about your meditation practise or your comments or have an exchange with other like minded people.
If now you are convinced and you are meditating and you are experiencing the benefits of meditation, then it might be that you want to participate in our initiative to let others get to know about meditation. You can write me how many of this booklet you want, to give them to your friends and we will send them to you. 
This booklet will soon be available in German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Swedish, Check, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Italian and French.
Namaste
BeiYin