Meditate YOUR way and reap the rewards
Meditate YOUR way and reap the rewards
Monday, May 11, 2009 by
I'd be willing to bet that you know someone who meditates regularly. I'd also be willing to bet that that person is someone who experiences peacefulness often and whom good things tend to happen on a regular basis.
The idea of meditation has gone relatively mainstream - it's an accepted practice in our world today and generally speaking, even if we don't do it ourselves, we accept the fact that meditation is a healthy way of taking care of our emotional and spiritual well being. Meditation is a form of personal mindset coaching; it builds emotional resilience. In short, it makes us more peaceful. And when we're at peace, life is easier; we're easier to be around; we get along with and communicate with people more effectively. All of these truths lead to one result: increased opportunity and abundance.
So if the above is true (and it is), why aren't more people practicing meditation? The answer is because the word mediation conjures up visions of a yoga guru sitting atop a mountain, legs crossed, palms up, eyes closed, in deep, concentrative thought. Not that there's anything wrong with this picture, of course, but there's no doubt that many of us have preconceived beliefs about meditation. Most of those beliefs are limiting. When I ask people if they meditate, I hear things like, "I don't have the time;" "I don't have the right environment;" "I can't sit still." Perfect, me neither.
The truth is that there's no one perfect way to meditate. There are many. The cool thing is it doesn't matter how you do it. What matters is that you change your thinking around whether or not you can meditate and do something - in a way that works for you - so you get the rewards outlined above. I'll illustrate 4 different ways of meditation below. Pick one, or create a variation of one, or make up something - and try it 1 day a week to start and record how you feel afterward. I'll bet you'll experience peacefulness and clarity that makes you want to do it more often.
1. Traditional. Okay, if you're open minded about all this mediation stuff than you can try traditional meditation techniques right off the bat. In doing this, you'll want to find a quiet place - this could be a quiet room in your home, your backyard, the woods, the library - even your car. Get comfortable. Sit indian style (or legs in front of you, whatever makes you most comfortable) with your back straight, palms up resting on your legs. Gently close your eyes or keep them open. Breathe in and out through your nose. Your mind will start to wander; when it does, turn your attention back to your breath and stay focused here for as long as it feels right. Try this for just 5 or 10 minutes; extend your meditation sessions as you continue. Upon completion, notice how you feel. Perhaps you feel a bit more peaceful and relaxed. And remember, there's no success or failure when you meditate. It's the process itself, regardless of what transpires, that's important to your well being. For more information on how to traditionally meditate, visit this link: http://www.how-to-meditate.org/meditation-posture.htm/
2. Walk or exercise. Meditation is as much about clearing your mind and connecting to source (or the universe, or God, or the earth - whatever your spiritual beliefs are). When you do this, you access peace. For many, walking or exercising is a great way to clear their mind. Taking 20 minutes a day to focus on your "to be" list instead of your "to do" list is crucial to achieving a state of peacefulness. The key here is to be intentional around clearing your mind; simply going to the gym and working out as normal doesn't accomplish this. However, if you find great peacefulness in exercising, turn it into a meditation practice too by focusing on your breath and keeping your mind clear of thoughts. Do this, and you'll get a spiritual work out in addition to a physical one.
3. Listen to music. Music plays an important role in the world as it consciously changes our physical state. We can be upset, put on our favorite song, and immediately feel better. Well, how we feel is a reflection of the thoughts we're thinking. So meditation is about exercising our "mind muscle" and learning how to manage our thoughts. When we do this, we build our emotional resilience and strengthen our ability to be calm in the face of adversity. You can be just about anywhere and meditate with music - in your room, the car, even the subway. The best music to meditate to is slow in rhythm and beat (remember, we're trying to slow our thoughts down and ultimately clear our mind completely of all thoughts), and purely instrumental. Words are okay, they just tend to slow one's ability to focus on the breath and clear the mind. Again, be intentional about focusing on your breath. After 15 minutes of music meditation, you'll notice a difference right away.
4. Journal. Journaling is one of the most therapeutic forms of meditating because the results are so instantaneous. When you journal, the moment your pen touches paper or your fingers hit the keyboard, you start to feel better. Why? Because you're unloading your thoughts out of your brain. The average human being has 60,000 thoughts per day, many of which are toxic. Journaling releases these thoughts and literally clears your mind. Go to the the dollar store, buy a $1 spiral notebook, find a pen in any drawer in your home, and write. Or, go to www.frameofmindcoaching.com and access free journaling software. You'll get a free, web-based, password protected journal, complete with 52 weeks worth of writing assignments. The key to journaling in making it a meditative practice is not just writing about what happened in your life, but how that makes you feel. Now you're clearing your mind of thoughts (because feelings are a reflection of thoughts, remember?) and giving yourself the opportunity to focus on what makes you feel good.
So there you have it. Meditating can be as traditional as the Dalia Lama himself, or it can be any activity that provides a channel for you to access peace. Clear your mind, focus on your breath and just be still and silent. When you do this, you access peace, and in turn, start to allow the universal law of attraction to work in your favor, bringing people and opportunities into your life that perhaps you never thought possible. Oh, and let's not forget: you'll feel better!
