Be still, O my heart, be still and know God
Often a seated position—either on a chair or in a variant of the lotus posture of the Yogis, is considered a necessary prerequisite for centering. It should be done in a quiet room or in a natural setting. The process of centering involves a slow dropping away of cares and concerns by trying to focus and hold the consciousness steady. Concentration devices are often introduced to help in the process. Such devices may include a silently repeated mantram:
Visual concentrative images may be a simple sun or flower depicted in the mind’s eye, or a more complex linear construct such as a yantra. Another aid is the labyrinth, effectively drawing the mind to its central source. These techniques may take the mind directly into a trance-like state of great fluidity and receptivity; this is the essence of the center: flowing, non-identified, serene, and blissful.
The basic task of centering is to realize the mind in its natural, “uncreated” state—without form or identification—and actualize it beyond the so-called meditational period.
Before enlightenment, chopping wood and carrying water; After enlightenment, chopping wood and carrying water. — Zen proverb