Meditation -- Why and How?
Meditation: Why and How?
When I suggest Meditation as a solution to worry, anxiety, restlessness or stress, I hear a lot of people say “oh I tried it, it’s too hard. I can’t meditate.” Yes I have heard this a thousand times. So let’s get to the basics of what meditation is. And how and why to do it, simply.
Meditation is one of the most popular forms of stress relief and relaxation practiced by millions of people around the world. There are several methods to choose from, but let’s stick to the basics.
There are countless you tube videos that you simply watch and listen. And I’ll add some links at the end of this. With these all you have to do is simply plug In your head phones and follow along as you drift off to sleep or any time through out your day.
One easy meditation I use and like is this similar to Transcendental Mediation in a lot of ways. You choose a mantra that has meaning for you, sit quietly with your eyes closed, and repeat your mantra for a period of about 20 minutes, once or twice a day.
The idea is to reach a place of rest or concentrated alertness, which enables you to let negative thoughts and distractions pass by you without upsetting your calm and balance.
You don’t need to stop thinking or shut off all inner dialogue. Rather, if a thought comes up, notice it and steer yourself back to the meditation at hand. As thoughts float in, steer back, and repeat.
Ultimately, After time and practice the inner state achieved through several minutes of daily meditation is blissful and calm. A state of universal consciousness, in which apparent divisions disappear, and you recognize yourself as being a part of everything. An integral piece of a giant and unified puzzle.
While this state is blissful, the idea is not to remain there forever. Your aim is to return to normal waking life, and slowly, over time, integrate more and more of this transcendental nature into your waking state.
You can achieve Meditative states doing daily activities as well. Have you ever just zoned out? Yes! That! That is the state you’d like to be in. You can do this while walking your dog, doing the dishes, gazing at clouds, sitting by the River. These can all be forms of meditation.
Why Meditate?
Effects of early and prolonged meditation include a greater sense of peace, harmony and happiness, oft n regardless of outer circumstances. It also improves emotional resilience, the ability to bounce back from stress. As we all know, street has direct implications on your physical health and wellness. So meditate more!
Another simple meditation is The Big Black Dot Meditation . This one is simple. Though not so easy at first. This is a meditation that, upon first read sounds quite simple, but in actuality is not quite as easy as it sounds. This is the image you will use , if you have a printer, print it:
If you don't have a printer, get some black paper and cut out a large circle, or grab a black sharpie, and draw a big black dot on a piece of white paper.
Take the Big Black Dot, and paste it on the wall where you can in a comfortable position for 15-20 minutes. Lotus style seating isn’t necessary for meditation. Just be comfortable. Make sure the house is quiet, no noise, no distractions.
This dot will symbolize the subconscious self, and to show how restelss the mind is. We hear talk about shutting off the internal dialogue, that incessant internal chatter of thoughts ideas and things, but in reality, shutting it off is often quite difficult.
If all goes well you should notice that your Mind wants you to get up from your sitting and do something else. Bring your thoughts back to the dot. You’ll notice that your mind wants to be entertained. You may wander to thoughts about work, about friends, about the past, about sex, about violence, about movies. Bring it back.
So each time a though pops up. Bring it back so that You are doing one simple thing — focusing on the big black dot for 15-20 minutes.
It’s not necessary to do this every day. You may only do it every couple of days at first. This is good! Any meditation is good! Perhaps set a schedule like Mon and Wed after supper or before breakfast while the house is still quiet. But do this meditation. Practice it and become accustomed to setting aside some time during your busy schedule to Meditate. Because It works!
As always, I'd like to hear how you all make out with this. Anything at all you notice, pros and or cons, it's good to hear how things are going. And other members can gain valuable insight as well from your sharings.
You won’t be a pro Meditator right away. That is ok! Meditation takes practice and is a natural progression.
But whatever form of meditation you do, remember that you can’t do it wrong. Whatever you are experiencing is fine. Don’t expect to have a totally clear mind or to achieve enlightenment overnight. Meditation is a daily discipline that you practice for years, but the benefits are profound.
When you first start, 12 to 20 minutes is plenty. Over time you will find that you will want to meditate longer. It is a natural progression. I usually set the timer on my iPhone for 20 minutes. But if meditating at night before bed, I will simply drift off to sleep mid-mediation. This is excellent! If you fall asleep do not worry!
If you don’t have 20 minutes, a day, just 5 minutes of concentrating on the sensation of your breath either by focusing on the sensation of the air coming in and out of your nose, or the sensation of the rise and fall of your chest is better than nothing.
Now, here’s some homework to complete after reading this.
Get into a comfortable position and focus on your breath. You can focus your mind on one of your personal affirmations or Mantras. Do this for five minutes. Set your time. Breathe and focus on your breath for five minutes! You’re done! Just just meditated! Congrats! You’re on your way!
Another way to calm the mind is by visualizing a peaceful scene such as clouds floating by or the waves on a windy lake growing calmer and calmer. Start by doing this for at least 5 minutes every day, then build on the amount of time you spend meditating, and in a few weeks, reassess how you feel mentally and physically.I guarantee you’ll notice increased clarity mental focus, more energy and less stress in your life.
Do it!
To book a Session:
Blessings to all
