To feel the Force flowing through you, you must be an open conduit through which the Force may flow. The question is, how are we, as Force users, better able to condition ourselves in this way? Of course, physical conditioning plays a part in this equation, because a strong body is key to a sound mind. But more important is our mental state. Our mentality is key to opening the uses of the Force...studying the force, using the force, and becoming proficient in the ways of the Force. As Jedi, of course, we prefer to use non-violent means to solve our problems. Based on that alone, mental balance is more important than physical prowess. The way to properly condition ourselves is through meditation. You will find that most people with a balanced mind study some form of meditation, or practice it in unorthodox ways. Meditation for me usually involves sitting cross-legged in a dark room, with no sound or light. By doing this, you cleanse the environment of negative influences. From this point, I like to close my eyes and feel the energy radiate from my body and move around me. If you try this, you will find that you can often enter a trance-like state, through which you control your breathing and heartbeat to the point that they slow down significantly. For some people, Focus, rather than clearing the mind, works better as a meditation. I encourage you to try it both ways...try to relax and feel the energy flow through you, or try to concentrate, and focus your energy on either a mental or physical object of your choosing. Not necessarily to move it, but to feel the connection through this object.
The first thing that you will want to do when preparing for meditation is select the area in which you would like to meditate. Most students feel "drawn" towards a particular place in which they feel comfortable...preferably an area that you can stretch out, and where it is dark. (Beds, for example, work quite well.) The area which you choose for meditation should be kept clean, and open. (cramped spaces, or areas with stuffy air, will not be as proactive as a clean, dry, open air space.) One other factor that lends itself quite well to meditation is darkness. It is definitely possible to meditate in the light, but most beginning students find it easier to meditate in a dark area. In conjunction with the dark meditation area, try to keep noise in the room to a minimum. My personal preference is a complete absence of sound...some students may prefer a light music, however...if they would like something in which to "center" themselves. There is a very inexpensive line of "mood music", if you will, known as "Lifescapes". You can find these generally below the $12 range at Target, or other stores of that nature. New Age music works well, as does classical music, and so does "ethnic" music. Everyone feels a certain connection to their heritage. For myself, I lean towards soft Celtic tunes. Another strong ethnic sort of music for meditation is soft Oriental melodies (Go to a Chinese restaurant if you have no idea what I'm talking about. You'll figure it out.) With the presence of music, it is important to keep the music very low. If you are using music in an otherwise dead silent room, the volume of the music should be kept just below easy hearing level, so as to become "background" music, instead of being to focal point of your meditation.
If meditating on a bed, try to use non-abrasive sheets, or sheets that are light. The thing to aim for is to be as unconcerned about your bodily sensations as possible, when you first start out. The reason I say this is that one of the keys of beginning meditation is a clear mind. The more physical stimuli occurring as you try to clear your mind, the more difficult it will be. This also applies to the clothing, and amount of clothing, that you wish to wear. The key is to wear whatever feels comfortable...as much or as little as you deem necessary, however you feel most "natural".
So that generally takes care of your surroundings, and the clothing that you'll wear. So how should YOU physically prepare? After all, meditation is an exercise of the mind and body...so it would only make sense that both should be the most important factor in your preparations. My own routine begins with a warm shower. I tend to stay away from hot showers...mine are generally lukewarm-warm. I follow this up with some tea...the soft taste of Green Tea and the classic charm of Earl Grey are my personal favorites, although, as always, your own impressions are most important...if warm milk works for you, drink warm milk. Avoid soda or coffees, however, as they contain obscene amount of caffeine...I generally try to get tea that has very little caffeine. Some students of meditation begin with a light stretch. I like to advise caution during this step. Stretching is generally only to be done after a thorough warmup period, so as to loosen your muscles. I, myself, do not even bother with stretching before meditation, as I do plenty of it during my daily workout. The purpose of your physical preparation is to achieve the same goal as the preparation of your surroundings...minimize the physical stimuli as much as humanly possible...hence, if your nose is bothering you, blow it. If your hair is in the way, comb it back. It's all that simple.
So by accomplishing these steps, you should be physically and mentally prepared to begin your meditation. (The physical preparation also serves as a mental preparation..after a given length of time, during which this physical preparation becomes standard practice, it becomes such a routine that it prepares you mentally.)
In the beginning, one should learn to practice meditation skillfully while sitting. Later, you can apply the principles learned during sitting meditation to the practice of meditation in any other position; walking, standing or lying down. When you sit for meditation, you should sit in a posture which will help you to achieve tranquility quickly.
You can sit cross-legged on the floor, or try sitting on a chair if you find the floor too uncomfortable. The important thing is to keep your body relaxed, finding the best position that allows you to sit still for a long time without the risk of falling asleep! Taking care of your sitting position at first, can greatly improve your ability to meditate effectively.
Some people, when they first start to meditate, are so keen to make rapid progress, that they meditate with too much force. As a result they make very poor progress and often suffer discomforts such as headaches! When you first start to meditate, it is worthwhile to remind yourself that seven year old children are some of the most successful meditators in this technique, because of their playful and innocent attitude towards the meditation. Therefore don't be too serious or try too hard: maintain a light attention and a happy mind. So, following, is a step by step guide to help your meditation.
1. The sitting posture, which has been found most effective for attaining tranquility easily, is the half-lotus position. This position (with some practice) allows you to sit still for a long time without aches or pain. Rest your right leg on the left one, with your back erect. Your hands should rest palms-upward on your lap. The tip of your right index finger should be in gentle contact with the tip of your left thumb. This hand position serves as an alarm: if you should suddenly get drowsy, finger and thumb will push together, warning you to avoid falling into a mindless slumber! If the half-lotus position is really too uncomfortable for you, it is better to choose another more comfortable position. The important thing is to make sure, whatever position you adopt, that your back is straight and that your body is relaxed without feeling sleepy.
2. Keep your consciousness steady and softly close your eyes. Relax every part of your body, beginning with the muscles of your face. Then relax the muscles of your neck, your shoulders, and your arms-right down to the tips of your fingers. Relax your chest, your abdomen and your legs-right down to the tips of your toes. Make sure all parts of your body are relaxed.
3. Feel as if you are sitting alone in the world, and the air around your body is made-up of tiny particles of happiness and joy. Slowly inhale into your body a full and gentle breath. As you breath-in, feel that you are breathing-in those tiny particles of happiness and joy. Feel that inside your body, there is just an empty space, with no muscles, no organs, no tissues. Feel that the breath is filling your body with happiness and joy. As you breath-out, feel that the out-breath is carrying away all troubles, all worries, all thoughts. Inside your body is just an empty space filled with happiness and joy. Relax your mind from every thought and continue to maintain this state for as long as you can. With your eyes closed, you will find that your mind travels from one idea to another, and when it wanders, the ideas upon which the mind dwells, will influence the feelings, the emotions and the state of happiness in the mind. Meditation means the way by which we take control of our mind to stop our thoughts from wandering. The basis of all methods of meditation is to concentrate the mind upon a single object of a single idea and it is the inherent qualities of this object or idea that will lead you to success in meditation. We will use a crystal ball as an object of meditation because it has the inherent qualities of brightness and clarity, and will encourage the mind to be bright and clear too.
4. Open your eyes slowly. Look carefully at a crystal ball. Notice the shape, the purity, the clarity and the brightness of the crystal ball as if you are taking a photograph of it into the deepest part of your mind. Then close your eyes again and relax.
5. Slowly visualize the crystal ball floating in front of your face. If you have no crystal ball available, you can visualize instead, the bright, clear image of the full moon, floating in front of your face. Reduce the size of the crystal ball (or full moon disc) until its size is equal to the tip of your little finger. Imagine that the Crystal Ball moves towards you, through the bridge of your nose.
6. Now, slowly move the crystal ball backwards until it arrives at the point in the very center of your head. Here, the crystal ball stops still, suspended in silence. Make the crystal ball as bright as you can and as clear as you can. The crystal ball is floating downwards until it reaches the back part of the roof of your mouth. Here, the crystal ball pauses. Make the crystal ball as bright as you can and as clear as you can.
7. Now, slowly move the crystal ball deep down into your body. It floats slowly and gently downwards, like a bubble, deeper into your throat, deeper into your chest, deeper into your body. In the central part of your body, you imagine two lines. The first one runs from your navel directly through your back. The second line runs from the right side to the left side. The two lines intersect at a point no larger than the eye of a needle. The crystal ball moves downwards until the point of intersection is at the center of the crystal ball. Make the crystal ball as bright as you can and as clear as you can.
8. Move the crystal ball upwards a distance equal to two finger breadths, to a point called the very "center of the body". We will not move the crystal ball any where else. Allow it to remain here in calm and peace. Constantly observe the clarity, purity and brightness of the crystal ball. Always make the crystal ball as bright as you can and as clear as you can. The crystal ball will become brighter and brighter, clearer and clearer until it is as if you see it with your own eyes. At this stage you will soon find the crystal ball sparkling and shining like a diamond. This stage is called "Pathama magga" (the Initial Path). (By the way, this technique, if you missed it up above, it designed from Indian Techniques. At this stage, the mind is firmly established on the shining crystal ball, which in turn is firmly seated at the center of the body.
This is where the meditation continues. It continues for as long as you wish, whenever you want to stop. Meditation is the sort of thing that you do for yourself, regardless of time.
The above technique was found on a website, tinkered with a bit, and released. Unfortunately, I am unable to remember what website this comes from. If you know, please contact me, that I may give due credit to my source. Remember, Meditation is not a cure-all. It will only help you if you allow it to help you, as a Jedi.
May the force be with you, and may you use it wisely.