One does not require to be in a quiet place to Meditate.

I keep experimenting with the way I meditate. On a couple of occasions, have tried something directly opposite to what conventional wisdom would suggest. Learning this way stimulates the mind.

Was in my meditation position in the morning, seated on a low cane chair: no, I don't sit cross legged. It is easier if one sticks to a regular routine with a fixed time slot and place for meditation'

Before shutting my eyes, I took in the sight around me. The curtains on the window, the dark grey skies, the visible  top half of the palm trees, a few buildings and birds flying in all directions.

Then shut my eyes and paid attention to all the sounds I could hear.Since the windows were not fully shut, the sounds of traffic- tried to pinpoint where each sound came from. The revving engine of a bus, beep of a bike and the variety of car horns.  Its fascinating to pinpoint on a 360 degree mind-view the origin of the myriad sounds. Some from the vicinity, kitchen utensils clanging, voices..some external: birds chirping, a busy city's busy sounds. When one shifts attention from thinking to listening, the noise which disturbed earlier, does not seem intrusive any more.

My focus shifted on smell. Not much to notice but there were the faint aromas of meals being cooked hurriedly in the morning wafting up from the floors below. Some times the smell of smoke as dried leaves are burnt in the vicinity.

As for feeling my surroundings, there was the gentle morning breeze, the feel of the soft cushion of the chair and the cool marble flooring that soothed my bare feet.

All this with my eyes shut, all my senses fully immersed in the surroundings.

After a while, quietly, without a conscious effort, my mind slipped into a tranquil state. Where I could still hear the sounds around me, but they hardly registered nor did they intrude.

The conscious process of 'being' in my surroundings had robbed my mind of all thoughts that were furiously running through it earlier. 

Meditation is nothing but giving your ceaselessly working mind a break from conscious thinking. Connecting with you inner self, your soul which is the source of eternal energy, inspiration and creativity.

That reminds me. Whenever we are on a vacation (invariably at quiet places such as in the mountains) I always at first think: Isn't this a great place for meditation?

Guess what? The mind finds the total quiet disconcerting. To the extent that the thoughts refuse to die down. Not that I mind it at all. Feeling, enjoying the silence and natural surroundings is in itself a cleansing process for me.