Meditation is
the collective term for a number of techniques used to still the mind, relax the body and
produce a state of inner harmony.It differs
from sleep, hypnosis or other types of relaxation simply because your mind remains alert.
There
are many ways to meditate.You can meditate
while sitting, walking, or practising yoga, but it is easiest to learn by sitting
comfortably in a quiet room for several minutes twice a day, every day.There are 2 basic steps: to focus on a
single word or phrase (of your choice - perhaps "peace" or "one", or a
religious word) or simply to focus on your breath; and to ignore or disregard all other
thoughts.
When
we focus on a single word, thought or image, we produce a state of calm that increases
mental alertness, while relaxing other body systems.
Meditating twice a day for 15-20 minutes has been shown to be
the most effective.Make an effort to practice
every day, even if its initially only for 5 minutes.You may find its easiest to meditate first thing in the morning and last
thing at night.
Find a quiet place.Make
yourself comfortable by either sitting cross-legged on a large cushion on the floor, or
upright on a straight back chair, with feet flat on the floor and hands resting lightly in
your lap.For meditation, don't feel tempted
to lie down as this might make you fall asleep.
It is important to clear your mind of anxiety and your body of
physical tension.Just close your eyes and
let your breathing become slow and gentle.As
you breathe out, sigh to release the tension in your body.Bring your attention to each part of your body that feels tense, and as you breathe
out, feel the area soften and relax. By focusing on your chosen word or
your breath; let it have your whole attention.Continue
to breathe slowly and naturally.Just let
your breaths come and go.If you are using
your breath as a focus, count each breath as you exhale repeating the word
one, 1 and 2, or count to four and repeat.
Do not force your mind to concentrate, just let it rest without
effort on your chosen focus.Just ignore
any other thoughts and let them flow out again.
Gradually let your mind return to everyday thoughts.Open your eyes but stay sitting for a minute or
two.Stretch gently before you get up.
Meditation takes practise so persevere! Practise at
least once a day for 5 minutes, gradually lengthening the time.
What is meditation?
There are many types of meditation. The
one definition that fits almost all types is..."Consciously directing your
attention to alter your state of consciousness."
There's no limit to the things you can
direct your attention toward... symbols, sounds, colours, breath, uplifting
thoughts, spiritual realms, etc. Meditation is simply about attention... where
you direct it, and how it alters your consciousness.
What is the purpose of meditation?
Traditionally meditation was (and still
is) used for spiritual growth...i.e. becoming more conscious; unfolding our
inner Light, Love, & Wisdom; becoming more aware of the guiding Presence in our
lives; accelerating our journey home to our True Self... our Spirit.
More recently, meditation has become a
valuable tool for finding a peaceful oasis of relaxation and stress relief in a
demanding, fast-paced world.
Other uses include:
Healing
Emotional cleansing & balancing
Deepening concentration & insight
Manifesting change
Developing intuition
Unlocking creativity
Exploring higher realities
Finding inner guidance
General Guidelines for Meditation
Put your expectations aside, and don't worry about doing
it right. There are infinite possibilities and no fixed criterion for
determining right meditation. There are, however, a few things to avoid.
They are...
Trying to force something to happen.
Over-analyzing the meditation.
Trying to make your mind blank or chase thoughts away.
Putting too much emphasis on doing it right.
It's not necessary - or
advisable - to meditate on a completely empty stomach. If you're hungry, have
a little something to eat before meditating.
Find a quiet, comfortable
place to meditate. You can sit in a comfortable chair, on the bed, on the
floor... anywhere that's comfortable. It's not necessary to sit cross-legged.
Your legs can be in any position that is comfortable.
Eliminate as much noise
and as many potential distractions as possible. Don't worry about those things
that you can not control.
When you sit to meditate,
sit comfortably, with your spine reasonably straight. This allows the
spiritual energy to flow freely up the spine, which is an important aspect of
meditation. Leaning against a chair back, a wall, headboard, etc. is perfectly
all right. If, for physical reasons, you can't sit up, lay flat on your back.
Place your hands in any
position that is comfortable.
If it does not go against your beliefs, call on a
"higher source" for assistance in your meditation. Any form is all right. This
can be quite helpful, but is not absolutely necessary.
I take a few moments to
focus on my breathing. As I breathe in, I imagine gathering all my tense or
anxious thoughts, and as I breathe out, I blow all those thoughts away.
Now as I breathe in, I
draw down calm and tranquil thoughts from my mind. As I breathe out, I spread
these thoughts through my body. The body relaxes, and my mind becomes calm.
I imagine stepping into
a hot air balloon. The balloon slowly lifting up into the blue sky, looking
down, I see the picture of my life. Any problems seem so small.
I take this moment to
enjoy silence, peace and rest my mind, as the balloon gently descends, I return
to my day with a quiet and peaceful mind.
I stop and observe the
space between my thoughts. I move to that space with my awareness and it begins
to expand. I feel the power that lies between and behind my thoughts.
It is the power of who
I am. It is the strength within. I begin to see the potential of my life.
Sitting quietly, I
become aware of my surroundings. I focus on any object in front of me, allowing
it to fill my awareness.
Letting go of any
distractions, I hold only the object in my awareness. Even if I am distracted,
I gently return my focus to the object. I identify one quality of the object,
and focus on this. I hold this one thought. www.just-a-minute.com
The primary
focus in this Mindfulness Meditation is your
breathing. However, the primary goal is maintaining a calm, non-judging
awareness, allowing thoughts and feelings to come and go without getting
enmeshed in them. This creates calmness and acceptance.
Sit comfortably, with
your eyes closed and your spine reasonably straight.
Direct your attention
to your breathing.
When thoughts,
emotions, physical feelings or external sounds occur, simply accept them,
giving them the space to come and go without judging or getting involved with
them.
When you notice that
your attention has drifted off and become engaged in thoughts or feelings,
simply bring it back to your breathing and continue.
·
Remember... it's ok and natural for thoughts to arise, and for your attention to
follow them. No matter how many times this happens, just keep bringing your
attention back to your breathing.
Benefits
of this meditation:
Maintaining your calm
inner awareness, balance & clarity in the midst of any situation.
A gradual shift to a
higher level of consciousness... centred in the peace, joy & freedom of your
Spirit.
Increased insight &
clarity... seeing things truly, as they are.
We are not just our physical selves. We are multi-dimensional beings,
composed of an Inner Spirit, a mental body, an emotional body, a vital body, and
a physical body.
The energy of these bodies becomes progressively subtler from physical to
spiritual. Illness begins with disharmony in one of these energy bodies. If not
harmonized, the dis-ease moves outward, effecting the denser bodies, ultimately
manifesting as physical illness.
Total healing requires restoring harmony to all of our bodies. This
meditation is designed to cleanse and harmonize your various bodies with the
healing energies of color.
Sit comfortably with
your eyes closed.
Visualize a large ball
of radiantGolden
lighta few inches
over your head. Visualize that ball of light slowly descending through your
crown, filling your entire being with golden light.
Imagine yourself
absorbing that light as it nourishes, cleanses & heals your whole being - your
Spirit and all of your bodies - dissolving all blocked and toxic energies.
Repeat this exercise,
visualizing a ball ofRed
light.
Continue
through the entire spectrum like this, visualizing a ball of Orange
light;
Yellow light;
Green
light;
Blue light;
Indigo
light; and Violet light. Go through the
spectrum at whatever pace feels appropriate.
Take some time to
visualize yourself in a state of perfect, radiant health.
Benefits
of this meditation:
Cleansing, balancing,
& healing at all levels... Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, Vital, & Physical.
In this simple
healing meditation, you send the powerful healing Life Force directly to the
area in need of help. This Life Force is the energy behind all healing. Wherever
this energy is flowing and in balance, there is health and well being. Wherever
this energy is blocked or out of balance, illness manifests.
1. Sit reasonably
straight and close your eyes.
2. Breath slowly, as silently as
possible. (Holding your breath after inhaling or exhaling is not recommended.)
3. As you inhale,
feel yourself breathing the healing Life Force in through your solar plexus.
Picture this Life Force as a very refined, light energy.
4. As you exhale,
gently direct this light energy to the afflicted area. If there is not a
specific ailing area, disperse this light energy throughout your body as you
exhale.
5. Continue until you
feel the area has received enough Life Force.
This remarkably easy and relaxing
meditation makes use of a little-known secret about the eyes. Allowing the eyes
to rest in a soft downward gaze has an instant, automatic relaxing effect.
Steps of Relaxation Meditation
Sit comfortably
with your spine reasonably straight.
Allow your eyes to
rest comfortably downward, gazing softly, but not focussed on anything.
Without closing
your eyes completely, let your eyelids drop to a level that feels most
comfortable.
Continue gazing
downward... the act of gazing is your primary focus (rather than the area at
which you are gazing). You may notice your breathing becoming more rhythmic.
It’s ok to let your
attention drift a bit. If your eyes become very heavy, it’s ok to let them
close. If you notice you’ve come out of your relaxed space, simply bring your
attention back to your relaxed downward gaze.
Benefits of this meditation:
§Relaxation & stress reduction
§Can be used for an effective
2 minute relax & recharge break
This is a meditation for connecting you
with your Inner Spirit.... your essence or core Self. It uses the light that is
already within you as an object of focus. It's a fairly simple meditation, but
is quite powerful, and potentially very deep.
Steps of Inner
Light Meditation
Sit comfortably
with your eyes closed.
Look at the
"screen" that fills the space behind your closed eyelids.
There will be
particles, images, or patterns of light on this screen. (Consider anything
that is not pure darkness to be a form of light.) Gently focus your attention
on the light.
Don't try to create
or interpret images. Don't attempt to focus clearly. Simply look at the light
with relaxed attention.
If you feel as
though your consciousness is shifting, or you are slipping into a dreamlike
state, allow it to happen. Whatever you experience is ok.
If you find you
have drifted off into your thoughts, simply bring your attention back to the
light.
Benefits of this meditation:
Direct experience
of your calm, unbounded Inner Spirit.
Connecting with
your Inner Spirit taps a wellspring of spiritual energy. This energy nourishes
& enhances all levels of life... physical, emotional, mental & spiritual.
When connected with
your Inner Spirit, life flows more effortlessly, & you begin to perceive the
world as a more supportive, enjoyable place.
Regular contact
with your Inner Spirit catalyzes a gradual shift to a higher level of
consciousness... centered in the peace, joy, & freedom of your Spirit.
Relaxation and
stress reduction.
Increased flow of
fuel to the brain.
Gradual opening of
the 6th chakra - the Inner Eye - giving clear insight & inner vision.
Centering is meditation in action.
Within you is a space that is always calm and at peace. This space is often
referred to as your "calm center". Being centered means remaining in your calm
center amidst the busyness of everyday life. Being centered means not allowing
your inner light to be overshadowed by stressful circumstances or negative
thoughts and emotions.
When you are centered, you are in a
state of clarity, focus, peace, and balance. When you are not centered, you are
unclear, unfocussed, stressed, and off balance.
A good centering technique will require
only minimal attention, allowing you to keep some of your attention on the
activity at hand. Here are some very easy, effective centering techniques.
Simple Breath
Awareness
While involved in whatever you are doing, bring some attention to your
breathing for just a few moments... it needn't be your full attention... just
enough to bring you back to your calm center. Breathe naturally, or perhaps
just a little more slowly and deeply.
Reclaiming Your
Energy
When you are feeling stressed and scattered, take several slow, deep breaths.
With each in-breath, imagine you are pulling all of your scattered energy and
attention back to your inner self... your calm center.
Letting Go
This centering technique combines breath awareness with the phrase or mantra,
"Let go." It is especially helpful when you are tense and/or fixating on a
stressful situation or a negative thought or emotion.
As you inhale, (silently or aloud) say, "Let"
As you exhale, say "go"... while letting go of all that is stressing you.
Inner Sun
Imagine a bright sun filling your heart chakra... the calm, subtle energy
field that permeates your chest area. Imagine that sun gently emanating peace
and joy throughout your entire being.