How To Meditate Like Raven From 'Teen Titans'

If there's one thing that became self-evident while watching the mind-numbingly popular comic book adaptation known as Teen Titans, which ran from 2003 to 2006, it was that the heroes displayed on the show were so cool that fans all wanted to be like them. Everyone had a favorite hero, and mine was Raven. (Well, OK, mine was Terra, but Raven was my favorite of the main team.) With her sarcastic sense of humor, her dark outfits, and her permanently misunderstood baby goth aesthetic, Raven might not have been exactly like her comic book counterpart, but she was still worthy of emulation. Since I couldn't very well start hitting people with black magic, I settled for trying to learn how to meditate like Raven from Teen Titans.

You know what I mean. Those moments in every other episode in which Raven sits cross-legged in the air, chanting, and trying to keep her mind and powers focused. Raven's powers were tired to her emotions, but, unlike Starfire, whose powers were only activated by strong bursts of emotion, Raven's powers were destabilized by strong bursts of emotion and could destroy everything around her if she didn't maintain her expressionless calm. The meditation was as necessary as it was cool, and I spent many a day trying to master it as if I too had uncontrollable magic that I needed to keep in check.

So clear your schedule and get ready: here's your step-by-step guide of how to meditate like Raven from Teen Titans.

Step One: Buy A Black Leotard And Jeweled Belt

Trust me, if you expect to be successful when it comes to Raven-inspired meditation, then you need to dress the part. Our heroine wore a black leotard decorated with a jeweled belt, and you need that superhero outfit in order to achieve her level of focus. Also, it's a shameless excuse to cosplay.

Step Two: Don't Forget The Cape

It adds drama and gravitas to any superhero outfit. Imagine Batman or Superman without that cape billowing in the wind. Then again, Edna Mode of The Incredibles infamously said, "No capes," so perhaps you can skip this step. I would not, however, recommend it.

Step Three: Sit Cross-Legged On The Floor

For me, this is the hardest step, because you can't believe how inflexible you become in adulthood if you don't practice. Raven basically had her knobby knees flat on the floor as she sat cross-legged and, to be honest, I just plain can't do this anymore. But I suppose the exercise of holding that position keeps the body sharp as the mind drifts away.

Step Four: Keep Your Eyes Closed

Touch the fingerprint of your pointer finger to the fingerprint of your thumb, and hold your arms up and out as you keep your eyes closed. This, along with your crossed legs, helps with the flow of energy throughout your body. Or something. Think of it as a move designed to show a mastery of your physical self as you move on to mastering your mental self.

Step Five: Maybe Just Have Someone Lift You Off The Ground

The next step would be to slowly begin rising psychically off the ground, but, as I can tell you from many attempts on my part, that just doesn't happen in real life. If you have a trusted friend, have them grab you under the armpits and hold you off the ground. If not, try balancing cross-legged on a chair so you can pretend you're hovering.

Step Six: "Azarath Metrion Zinthos"

Raven's infamous chant helps her focus, but you need to understand it in order to wield it. "Azarath" is the name of Raven's home world, which she calls on for power whenever she is in trouble. "Metrion" and "Zinthos" appear to have no agreed upon meaning, although fan theories ranging from them being nonsensical words to them being her real name (or her mother's name) and the name of a pet she once had respectively do abound. Either way, Raven found it hard to focus her powers sometimes without using this chant, so it's imperative to master it.

Step Seven: Hold Your Position

Raven would meditate for hours on end. In fact, it's what she was usually doing when she wasn't fighting crime, eating, or reading. Be prepared to maintain this position, and continue that chant, for as long as it takes.

Step Eight: Channel Your Energy

Of course, all of this is pointless if you don't actually use this time to channel your energy. You can do the moves, and you can say the chant, but the point of the meditation is to channel one's inner energy, find focus and peace, and accept oneself as is. That's the biggest reason why this looks a lot cooler when Raven does it; during those times, she knows who she is, and she's opening herself up to that.

Step Nine: Rinse, Repeat

Repeat as needed until you've mastered the move. Now, you can truly say that you can meditate like Raven from Teen Titans — so you are now the coolest person in the world. In addition, if you followed these instructions to the letter, you now have an amazing costume ready for Comic-Con. It's a win/win situation.

Image: Warner Bros. Television Distribution; Rebloggy (6)