The art of meditation is bringing your mind into your body and releasing focus on everything but the present moment. When you meditate, you are elevated to a different state of mind, and many people practice it in order to relax or to bring clarity to their emotions. However, meditation can be utilized in the world of storytelling as well.
One of my writing professors once taught us how to use meditation in order to set up a scene. Especially when you are trying to figure out dialogue, allowing yourself to disappear into your mind and release control of your characters can help the scene develop. When you just sit back and allow your characters to do the talking for you, you may end up being surprised by what they say and what they bring to your story all by themselves.
Start off by closing your eyes (for the best effect, turn all the lights out in the room as well). Keep your thoughts on the rhythm of your breathing. Imagine an endless sea of darkness before you; slowly start to count backwards from ten. As you count, visualize each number appearing in front of you. Try to incorporate a specific thought with each number. What comes to mind when you think of the number ten? Is it slumber parties, or long summers running through the sprinkler on the lawn? Does the number six imply innocence? Bratty behavior? For every thought or emotion, try to add some visual cues to the number that you see. If you do not sense anything, don’t try to force an image. Just see the numbers as you see them; the beauty of meditation is the way you practice it is never wrong.
When you reach one, hold your mind on the darkness again. Then, slowly raise a light in your mind. See the outline of a staircase. Go to it; begin to climb. Pay attention to each step under your foot. Count them, this time going forwards to ten. At the top of the staircase, there is a hallway. A number of doors are spaced along it. Open one. As it opens, feel a frigid breeze hit your face; you are looking out on a snowy mountaintop. Close the door and move to the next one. When you open it, find yourself on a wooden dock, looking out to sea. Close the door and open the next one; see one of your favorite places in the whole world. Observe it. Think about what it means to you. Step through the doorway, and enter.
Move around your favorite place. See things, hear things, smell things, touch things, taste things. Put yourself fully in this place that you love. And as you walk around, begin to hear voices. They come from somewhere near you, but out of sight. Follow the sound. As you get closer, the voices become clearer. You may know the speakers–they may be your characters–or they may be complete strangers. Stop, and listen to them. Write down what they’re saying.
You may modify this meditation in any way that feels necessary, but always remember the important part is to really stop and listen.