Meditation with objects

 

Rocks are a solid connection to the earth.

Meditation can help you achieve self-awareness and greater insight into the world around you.
Additional benefits include relaxation, lowered blood pressure, and a reduction in stress-levels which are clinically proven to promote better health.
Meditation involves training the mind to be in the present moment and words, objects, and images all help in bringing the mind into a calm and steady state.

Maintaining single-pointed awareness occurs with regular practice and one of the easiest methods is to imagine an object that will give the mind something solid to focus on.
Meditation is pleasurable and should be free from struggle but all to often the mind wanders as thoughts intrude and people give up, thinking that they can’t meditate.

Begin slowly. Start with a few seconds, then minutes, until you find that you are able to sit still with the mind rested and enjoying the experience for as long as you need in order to complete your meditation session.

Solid State
Using your imagination, visualize a rock. It can be any shape, size, or color. The choice is yours as this is your meditation.
Using images and objects from nature are a natural organic choice as they ground you by maintaining a connection to the earth.
Focus on your imagined rock. See it; explore its shape and all its features. How shiny or dull is it. What other aspects do you see? How does it feel beneath your fingers as you imagine touching it. Is it rough or smooth, warm or cold?
Is the rock a solitary object or do you see other rocks with it?

Play around with this image as you notice the solid permanence of the rock. What is the environment that the rock is situated in; a desert, a garden, a river?

There is no right or wrong way to practice this meditation technique.
Use it for as many meditation sessions as you would like and gradually you will find that you can both enter into and remain in a state of meditation with ease.

Centering Meditation

Focus on your inner center to create the changes you desire

One of my favorite methods of meditation is Centering Meditation.
This is a simple method that makes positive use of the energy contained within the body in order to create affirmative changes within the mind and the body.
Whenever stressful or challenging periods are encountered, centering allows the self to quickly overcome potentially difficult situations and prevent negative and detrimental effects from occurring. Anxiety is released, the muscles of the body relax, and breathing slows down, promoting clarity of thought.

Method
If possible, sit in a comfortable position with the legs folded so that your body makes a triangle shape from both knees to the crown of the head with the spine as a conduit for energy to travel from base of spine to crown of head.

Draw awareness inward to the belly and focus on the flow of the breath
Notice the rate and rhythm of the breath
Slow the breath down until it becomes slow, steady, and even
Inhale with a deep breath, feeling the abdomen expand
Exhale, breathing all the way out by drawing the navel to the back of the spine to assist with the exhalation
Let the abdominal muscles relax before beginning your next inhalation

Continue with this deep breathing technique for about 30 breaths, staying focused on the flow of the breath into and out of the center of the body

Breathe away any tension in the body
If the mind wanders, simply return to the flow of the breath and the center of the body

As you maintain steady focus on this deep centering breathing, the body continues to relax from the base of the spine to the crown of the head

Now, with each inhale, draw peace through whole body and feel stillness and serenity flow effortlessly through you as obstacles release via the exhalation

Continue until you feel completely relaxed, peaceful, with no attachment to troubles or tension.

This meditation method hones the mind away from stressful situations while releasing toxins via the flow of the breath. Oxygenated air passes into the deepest parts of the lungs where it replenishes the body.
Try it at bedtime to experience a restful sleep, and in the morning for heightened intuition and expanded awareness.
Combining pranayama techniques with meditation in this manner strengthens, balances, and increases energy in both your body and mind.

Guided Meditation:Relaxation

Open the window of the mind to experience full relaxation

It is useful to record your guided meditations onto a recording device so that you can fully concentrate on the sounds and images without the distraction of having to read the next sentence or paragraph.
I have endeavored to write the guided meditations into useful chunks that are relatively easy to memorize.

The general idea is to eventually take the image, and permit your mind to travel to the tranquil place that exists within your mind’s eye. No two people will “see” or experience the same meditation even though the y are following the same guided meditation because your experiences and memories are different. It is your own visualization. Let it be unique to you and allow the images to flow.

Take your time during each visualization. Spend as long as you would like to or need to in one image, developing it fully before moving on.

GUIDED MEDITATION: RELAXATION

Sitting or lying down, depending on your physical abilities, close your eyes gently and focus on creating a rhythmic flow of breath.

Let your arms rest loosely by your sides, or place your hands face up on your lap.

With each inhalation, breathe in the richness of life.
As you exhale, release the breath in a slow and steady stream.
Feel tension and stress leave the body on the breath.
Slow the breath down even further with each inhale and exhale.

Focus on the crown of your head.
In your mind’s eye, notice your scalp and feel the skin in the top of your head relax.

Move slowly to your eyebrows. Relax the forehead and facial muscles.
Consciously release all anxiety, allowing the facial muscles to relax.

Purse your lips for 3 seconds and release.
Let you mouth relax into its natural form. This can mean that the lips are closed, or slightly apart. Ensure that the jaw is relaxed and not clenched.

Continue down to your neck and shoulders. Shrug the shoulders and let them go.
Feel the relaxing energy travel slowly down your arms to the tips of your fingers.

Feel peace fill the inner space where tension once resided as the upper limbs relax.

Move to your hips. This is often a place of deep-seated stress and anxiety.
With each exhalation, breathe all tension and worry away through the body and out through the toes.
Feel the connection to the ground beneath your feet.
Feel supported and grounded by the union.

Feel relaxed and contented.

Stay in your relaxed state until you feel that it is time to return to your day’s duties.

Slowly bring awareness back to your body.
Allow the eyes to open.
Keep the breath calm and steady, the body relaxed.
Feel recharged, invigorated, and contented.

Know that you can return to this peaceful safe place simply by closing your eyes and following the breath’s journey.
It resides deep within you.

With practice, you will restore balance and harmony simply by returning to a calm and peaceful flow of breath.
Embrace your ability make contentment a daily reality.

Awareness Meditation

A bird house is hidden in the asters.

Look deep within yourself and see what lies beneath the clutter of the mind.

Meditation has been used for thousands of years for self-reflection, self-awareness, healing, and enlightenment. Today’s technology enables us to see the physiological and chemical changes that occur throughout the whole body.

Varied health professions now teach meditation as a means of stress management and improving a patient’s overall quality of life in a wide-variety of diseases such as cancer, hypertension, and back pain.

Meditation is also a means of reducing the symptoms and discomfort of depression, anxiety, and anger, as well as increasing energy and vitality. People who meditate regularly are clinically shown to have fewer overall symptoms of stress, fewer cardiopulmonary and gastrointestinal symptoms, less emotional irritability, and cognitive disorganization.

Awareness meditation draws your attention away from a particular object or illness to an overall knowledge and feeling of inner calmness and peace. During this specific method of meditation, the mind concentrates less on individual problems or issues and settles instead on promoting an inward focus, enabling the mind and the body to experience a profound state of restfulness. In turn, the brain becomes balanced, while the mind and body move beyond thinking, to simply being.

Awareness Meditation: An Introduction

• Prepare your meditation room as outlined in previous postings
• Ensure there are no distractions that will disturb you for the next 10 to 20 minutes
• Allow all energy that arises through your meditation practice to flow.
• Be open to all that you may experience
• Simply observe

Sitting or lying down, depending on your physical abilities, close your eyes and focus on creating a rhythmic flow of breath.

• Relax and focus on an object of meditation that you prefer, such as the breath or a candle flame.
• Observe without any judgment.
• If the mind moves away from this object, return to it when you become conscious of it.
• Notice any feelings of relaxation that occur such as the breath slowing down, muscles relaxing,
• Notice the growing space between thoughts and your meditation object
• Stay with your growing awareness of inner peace
• If any other feelings occur, allow their energy to flow through you.
• Notice what rises up through your meditation
• Release what you no longer need.
• Allow the focused attention to dissolve into awareness
• Enter into the space between the thoughts.
• Draw the inner stillness to you and fill yourself with tranquility and silence.

When you conclude your awareness meditation, know that you can return to the feelings of peace simply by returning to the flow of your breath. Awareness and self-knowledge grow with each meditation enabling you to think with precision and act from a source of love.

STRESS-FREE MEDITATION

Relaxing vacations have proven health benefits

Stress-free Living
When you are constantly on-the-go, you risk losing track of what’s important in life. This creates adverse effects on your physical health as well as significantly impacting your psychological and spiritual well-being.

Researchers at the State University of New York at Oswego published a large study in Sept. 2000 based on 12,866 men, aged 35 to 57. They found that regular vacations lowered the risk of death by almost 20%, helped ward-off stress-related illness, and improved health over the long term. Compared with men who took no vacations, those who took regular vacations were 21% less likely to die over the next nine years and 32% less likely to either have a heart attack or die of heart disease.

The findings of this study are relevant to both men and women regardless of age too. When you feel chronic pressure about time, as opposed to short-term acute pressure, it compounds the stress that already exists, and increases your likelihood of developing high blood pressure, cardiac problems, and other health risks.

Meditation Balance
Meditation helps to rebuild your energy, enabling you to be still, quiet, and connected with the centers of your heart and mind. Without this, you risk leading a hectic lifestyle in which you feel emotionally and physically wrought and chronically exhausted.

A balance between rest and activity enhances productivity because you are able to focus, are more observant, and creativity can flourish. Your mind requires meditative time to stay inspired and alert. The difference between being tired or rested often translates into the difference between being overwhelmed with daily challenges or finding resourceful solutions to them.

Making Time for Meditation
Once you train your mind and body to relax and receive answers and blessings during meditation, you will find it easier to return to a peaceful state by remembering what tranquility feels like, and thereby using the breath and physical adjustments to restore harmony and be fully present and conscientious.
In time, every moment is a meditative moment.

Sitting or lying down, depending on your physical abilities, close your eyes and focus on creating a rhythmic flow of breath.

With each inhalation, breathe in the richness of life.
As you exhale, release the breath in a slow and steady stream.
Feel tension and stress leave the body on the breath.
Slow the breath down even further with each inhale and exhale.
Consciously release all anxiety, allowing the facial muscles and the limbs to relax.
Feel peace fill the inner space where tension once resided.

Let your mind drift to a safe and serene nature scene.
This can be a garden, beach, lake, or country scene. Whatever you are drawn to, real or imagined is the place that you will travel to in your imagination.

Focus on a calm scene

Experience the peace of this relaxing environment.
Remember how you feel: protected, nurtured, and free.
Stay in your safe place until you feel that it is time to leave.

Slowly bring awareness back to your body.
Allow the eyes to open.
Keep the breath calm and steady, the body relaxed.
Feel recharged, invigorated, and contented.

Know that you can return to this peaceful safe place simply by closing your eyes and following the breath’s journey.
Peace resides deep within you.

With practice, you will restore balance and harmony simply by returning to a calm and peaceful flow of breath.
Embrace your ability make contentment a daily reality.

MEDITATION: PEACE AND PERFECTION

Creation is beautiful and is always a work in progress.

Meditation and Creation
In our western culture we are taught to set goals, to achieve, to succeed. When life does not go smoothly, and we end up having to take detours on our chosen path, we can sometimes think that we have failed to live up to the expectations of others and even ourselves.

However, it is worth remembering that being perfect should not be goal in life.

Ancient cultures make this point very clear during craft activities such as blanket and quilt making. They will deliberately create a small “flaw” in the pattern as a reminder that none of us are perfect except God, the ultimate Creator.

Accepting Change
Life is always changing and no matter how hard we try, we can never keep everything in our life the same. Accepting change is challenging as sometimes things change and we become sad. Happily though, life does change and there are joyful moments in our lives where we can retain the happy memories and also share our happiness with others.

While it is important to be the best that we can be and to do the best job that we can in all circumstances, releasing the misconception that we HAVE to be perfect is freeing.
None of us are perfect and none of us will ever be truly perfect.

Nature is a reminder that nothing remains the same.

Embracing Imperfection
Meditation helps us to relinquish our ideals and releases us from clinging to the human perception of perfection.
We see around us the beauty of the world and humanity, but we know that true perfection exists within the source of peace and Love when we connect to God through meditation.

Despite our imperfections, meditation shows us that we ARE loved and welcomed with an open heart.

Your Personal Meditation
During your meditation experience, don’t worry if your mind wanders or thoughts intrude.
Stay relaxed and return your attention to the breath or your chosen internal object of focus.
Don’t worry about your practice having to be perfect.
Stay focused on the ultimate goal of meditation which is to draw closer to the Divine.
Know that you are welcome and that your meditation practice will get you to the place where Love resides.
Return to your meditation and draw deeper into the peace that resides within.
Each time you enter into meditation you will encounter fewer distractions and experience longer moments of tranquility and happiness.

STRESS-FREE MEDITATION

Reflection Pool at Ayurveda Clinic in Mysore, India

Purpose of Meditation
Meditation is often viewed as a form of relaxation therapy; however relaxation is a by-product of the actual technique itself. Meditation produces many positive results but its ultimate goal is to enable the practitioner to attain a state of Bliss and connection to God.

The meditation path, therefore, has much to offer and the relaxation response should not be dismissed but utilized and appreciated for the gifts that they are, strewn along the meditative journey.

Meditation produces an altered state of consciousness which helps protect against anxiety and depression. Researchers are using this altered state to help patients help themselves overcome the debilitating effects of these pernicious ailments.

Health Benefits
Numerous studies show that when patients are given instruction in a meditation and relaxation technique for a minimum of 8 weeks, the results clearly demonstrate a significant reduction of anxiety, depression and other stress-related disorders such as high blood pressure (hypertension) to name but a few.

For patients, the gains include not only the ability to experience relaxation , but the ability to experience a reduction in pain and the associated feelings of discomfort, a reduction in hypertension, and the ability to have self-control over their condition without the use of drugs with the associated negative side-effects.

Improvements in health not only continue during the weeks and months that an individual continues to practice meditation, but the effects actually become more pronounced with deeper efficacy and positive change.
The long term use of meditation produces a lasting effect that has profound significance for not only maintaining good health, but for both prevention and producing better long term health.

Meditation Technique
Choose your most comfortable seated posture
Feel grounded and supported by the earth
Focus on the breath
Slow the breath down until it is slow and steady
Follow each exhalation and allow the breath to lengthen and deepen
Notice the space between each breath and enter into the space
Feel the energy of the breath fill your body
As you exhale, release all tension
Continue with this technique until you feel deeply relaxed
Feel the energy of the breath flow through you with no obstacle
Notice the levels of relaxation that exist within the mind and the body
Let the mind enter the deep vastness of your life-energy
Allow the mind to dissolve from a place of concentration and enter a place of stillness and peace
Remain in this peaceful place until you sense that it is time to begin the tasks of your day

After Your Meditation
You can pre-empt any anxious thoughts or moments by noticing changes in your mind and body’s calm and relaxed state. Then, by returning to the rhythmic flow of the breath, you can quickly bring yourself into a tranquil and stress-free place.

INNER CHILD GUIDED MEDITATION

Meditation helps You to See and Embrace the Wonders of All Life

The Inner child is a term used in psychology to describe an aspect of a person’s psyche as though it were a separate being. It lies beneath the layers of adulthood that mask the innocence and clarity with which a child views the world. The Inner Child is often used as a means of addressing emotional memories stemming from childhood and connecting to the child within can help guide you to speak from your heart and the source of truth.

The following Guided Meditation is a means of rediscovering the dreams held by a child, exploring a child’s view of looking at the world through wondrous eyes, and remembering hopes and dreams that will help you find your passion.

Before you enter into your meditation, create an appropriate environment or sacred space by lighting a candle. See yourself sitting in a safe place surrounded by the light of the sun. Feel its warm embrace nurturing you.

Guided Meditation
Sit in your chosen seated position for meditation with your back supported and the spine as straight as possible. Sit in as upright a position as you are able with your hands in a relaxed manner by your sides or on your lap. The feet are placed with the sole of the foot flat on the ground.

If you are sitting on the floor, choose your most comfortable seated position. If you are able, try placing the heel of one foot in front of the ankle of the other foot without discomfort and maintain this position for the length of time of the meditation.

The hands are relaxed and resting either on your lap or by your hips.

With the eyes gently closed, begin your meditation.
Inhale slowly and begin to notice your breath. Exhale slowly and steadily.
And continue.

Breathe steadily into the base of the lungs, feeling the belly rise gently. Exhale and release the breath in a steady stream.

Never force the breath.

And continue, concentrating on keeping each breath of equal length; breathing slowly in, exhaling slowly out.

Draw awareness to the breath until the breath is slow steady and rhythmical

If the flow of the breath is uneven, make any adjustments necessary to maintain a steady breath.

Keep your body and inner focus relaxed.

With each lengthened exhalation feel the body relax even further, staying focused only on the rhythmic flow of the breath. Feel the facial muscles relax, the shoulders drawing down and away from the ears.

With each controlled inhalation fill your body with the energy of your breath.
With the exhalation feel the arms relax, releasing further away from the body.

Feel loved and safe, surrounded by the love from the light.
Continue with this technique until you feel extremely relaxed.

See you Inner Child sitting beside you.
Hold onto your Inner Child’s hand

Feel the warmth of the hand and the embrace of the light

Hold your Inner Child to you and let your heart open
Feel light and love envelop both of you

Listen to anything that your Inner Child has to say
Tell your child that you hear what they are telling you and that you love them

Spend as long as you need to, listening to anything that you hear or experience.

All obstacles melt away
Feel joy and happiness and that life is good

Continue to hold your Inner Child as you embrace life together
Let the child dissolve into the light while you remain surrounded by the light.
Feel renewed and aware of all that life has to offer.
Draw on the energy of the light at any time.

Animals Live in the Present and Seize Moments to Play

After Your Meditation
Delight in the basic joys of life; a sunset, birds flying, colors on tree bark, the feel of grass between your toes, a refreshing drink.
Let yourself laugh and play more without fear of what others may think.
Balance work, rest and play.
See life for the precious gift that it is.

Meditation and Spirituality

Meditation and Spirituality

How does meditation help you deepen your spirituality?
This is a vast subject with enough material for a book but I will mention some key points so that you will know that when you are meditating you are doing more than relaxing; you are getting to know, deepening, and expanding your spiritual self.

With regular practice, meditation enables you to gain control over the mind by stopping it from leaping around from one thought to another. This ability to concentrate also brings with it self-discipline. From here, the mind becomes pure as it focuses only on that which is beneficial and good.

The purpose of meditation is to connect with the Creator. Many people get distracted on the way by the feelings of peace and relaxation that they acquire and end up going no further than trying to achieve more and more relaxed, when all the while a greater experience lies ahead.

What does it mean to live a spiritual life?
Spirituality is a personal experience and is a journey of education and fulfillment. This means that people are at different places on their journey of discernment, but only when you enter the spiritual path and invite Spiritual guidance into your being do you begin leading the life you were born to live. You have an unwavering guide within you who will help you identify the choices that you need to make in your life.

You are the person responsible for making choices and changes. You have the freedom to decide when and if you are going to move away from the negativities of the past and move forward. The Spirit is never pushy and it will never make decisions for you but is always there. When you find yourself in situations that are troubling, ask for guidance.

Meditate Daily
Your meditation practice speeds up the process of identifying problem areas. The veil that covered the mind is removed and you see into the mind clearly. Here you can acknowledge the aspects hidden deep within the shadows of your mind and to set about removing them.

Clear away the debris that blocks the mind from leading a successful and productive life and transform your life anew. Practice fresh feelings of honesty and forgiveness, non-judgment and peacefulness.

Release demanding traits that are defining a lifestyle that you do not want. Enter a state of harmony and bliss by stilling the mind, surrendering to change, and reaching the highest level of awareness that enriches and nourishes you.

Meditation Strengthens Serenity
Meditation focuses your energy on the spirit. It redirects it to a place of Bliss that cannot be described, merely experienced.
Meditation brings clarity and peace and also directs all the energy involved in thinking to a single-pointed focus where it connects with the Creator.

Intuition
Trust what you sense deep within you. Listen to the still small voice inside you and hear what it is saying. Trusting in your intuition endows you with the skills to embark upon new challenges and adventures in life.

Meditation helps you see the way forward.

Visualize and Speak your Prayers
Change the way you act by acting as though what you ask for in meditation and prayer has occurred. The pressure is off you as peace arises and guidance from within moves through your life.

Meditation and Spirituality
Meditation equips you with confidence and gladness as you witness yourself succeeding in overcoming old behavior patterns. You understand that you have the tools to help you complete each step on your path. Unwavering Bliss permeates your life both during meditation and following it.

Your whole life becomes a meditation. Your whole life becomes Bliss.

When you offer your inherent gifts of kindness and generosity freely, you feel enriched and renewed by knowing that you are compassionate and doing work that helps humanity.
You owe it to yourself and to the world to live the fullest life possible, assured in the love that is awaiting you.

What you give out, you receive back.
If your thoughts and actions are positive and loving, you will receive this from others and your needs filled in abundance. You learn to live your life free from negativity.

Meditation and Peace
Inner peace comes from helping others. Living a contented life that embodies the positive benefits of connecting with the energy of the Spirit is within your reach. You gather strength in getting to know people and their unique perspectives and skills.
Keep your heart and mind open.
Become a person whose life is spiritually strong and open to the possibilities in everyone.

LEARNING TO MEDITATE

LEARN TO MEDITATE BY TRAINING THE MIND TO MOVE BEYOND OBSTACLES

LEARNING TO MEDITATE is achievable by anyone in a few simple steps.

The mind is in the habit of following a random train of thoughts and when you are learning to meditate you are effectively teaching it to follow a single-point of focus. In other words, what you are doing is training the mind to meditate.

Concentration
Concentration of the mind can last from a few seconds to several hours. When you perform any task you are focused on it, whether it is tying your shoelaces or following a recipe, and as you know, if the mind is distracted the task takes longer or steps may be missed and mistakes occur.

When a beginner is learning to meditate, it is not easy for the mind to concentrate on the breath or the space between the breath when it is trying to meditate. The beginner mind often needs an object to focus on, then with practice, the mind enters into a meditative state with ease and can focus on light, space, and connect with the Supreme Consciousness.

TRAIN THE MIND TO MEDITATE BY FOCUSING ON A SINGLE OBJECT

Steps for Concentration for Meditation

• Find a pleasing object that holds your interest such as a flower, a lit candle, a rock.

• Sit in a comfortable seated position that you can stay in without fidgeting.

• Gaze at the object without any eye strain. Notice how beautiful it is. Marvel at it's creation.

• After a few minutes, close your eyes and hold the memory of the object in your mind's eye.

• If it disappears, gaze at your object again for a little while longer then close your eyes and concentrate on your chosen image.

• With practice, you will be able to close your eyes and bring the object to mind instantly.

• Now you can focus on more subtle objects such as the breath, inner light, healing sound such as OM.

Benefits of Concentration
Whatever you focus on, your mind forms thoughts, emotions, and actions around a particular stream of thinking.
For example, if you focus on a strawberry, notice the colors and the perfume of the fruit, your mouth waters in memory of how sweet and juicy the fruit tastes and so you decide that you must have one.

During Meditation, when you are able to focus not on physical objects but on pure objects such as love or God, you become like the essence of what you are concentrating on.

You Can Do It
Meditation takes practice, but it is easily doable. Many people struggle because they try it once or twice by attempting to empty the mind, but that is too challenging because the mind is not under control. It keeps on leaping around.

The simple steps above will help you to achieve concentration and take control of the mind.

In turn, you will find that you progress very quickly from holding an external image in your mind to one where you enter into meditation and find the peace and bliss that emerges as a result of meditation.

Meditation Practice

Meditation Practice
Change is inevitable and it happens all around you from the rising and setting of the sun to the changing seasons. Having a meditation routine can be comforting, reassuring, and safe because of its predictability but without conscious awareness of the content, it can become stale.

Breathing-in New Energy
Life is about balance, harmony, and choice and your meditation practice should reflect the changes that you experience in your own life by enabling you to meet your daily needs and bring healing and knowledge into your life.
Breathing new energy into your daily practice comes through accepting the need for change and surrendering to the possibilities before you.

Embracing Change
Surrendering to subtle shifts of your energy releases built-in issues that are restrictive and negative while enabling you to embrace the potential that lies within.

Photo by Margaret Stockley

The mind compartmentalizes roles, thoughts, and emotions, and meditation helps you to break down limitations. It is a cleansing procedure to go through as you perceive the positive transformation in your physical abilities and in your thoughts and awareness of your surroundings.

Awakening To The Self
Your sense of self and spirit awakens to the freshly created space in your life that is ready to welcome the new. This awareness enables you to remain in the present and listen to your inner wisdom.

Surrendering To Your Meditation
Learning to be in the now enables you to let go of the past while not being afraid of things to come. As you remain in the present, aware of your thoughts, you experience the joy of a deepening sense of purpose and direction that alters how you approach your practice.
Surrendering to anything new can feel as if you are losing control but gradually you develop the ability to still the body and mind and ensure that you free yourself of self-limiting expectations.

Enjoy Your Meditation. There are no limits; only self-imposed ones. So open yourself up to receive and explore the wondrous possibilities that present themselves.

New meditation information is added to the site every week with links to additional articles on how to meditate, reduce stress, and gain inner peace.

Meditation:Healing Stress

Meditation: Healing Stress
When you are in control of your thoughts and emotions, you are in control of your physical body and able to view the world with clarity of vision and compassion. You are able to envisage a better way of living and you also gain a unique perspective of viewing the world around you.

We don’t often think about the importance of maintaining awareness of our thoughts. Think about a race car driver though.


He or she cannot risk the mind wandering and thereby losing concentration. It’s easy to see what may happen.

When any aspect of the body is unhealthy, other parts suffer. A stressed mind adversely affects the body if there is no release from the undue tension. Disease spreads if healing is impinged in any way and when one person is in pain they affect others who see their suffering.

As you take care of your home and environment, should you not also look after your living body and the thoughts that you keep?

Your body, thoughts, choices, and mind all undergo many transitions through each stage in life and you have a choice to either respect and maintain your body at each level to enable it to achieve its highest potential, or to consume and do whatever you want with no thought to the end result either on your own body or on the environment around you.

Meditation

Maintaining a healthy life is determined in part by what you eat and drink, how you think and act, and increasing your devotion to a spiritual path.

All decisions lie with you and it is by taking time through meditation that you are able to know what you should be doing and take the steps necessary to stay on the path even if you do not know where the journey will end and have only a rough idea of the destination.

Meditation both frees and clears mind occurs when you remove the existing thoughts and preconceptions that you carry with you everywhere you go.
It sweeps the area clean for a fresh beginning.
Remaining focused on the present, consciously choosing to act in a loving manner, and living in gratitude on a spiritual path directs the mind inwardly and away from distractions.

Through meditation you achieve conscious relaxation and freedom from stress. Meditation gives you the peace that you seek and helps you keep it.


Affirmation
Release yourself from stress using the following affirmations or words of your own choice that meet your daily needs.
You may first speak them aloud then draw the words in and out silently with each breath.

I am relaxed and free
I am at peace
I am loved and accepting of others
I trust my inner self to lead me in the right path.
I am always connected with the Divine Love in the Universe.

If you have any suggestions for meditation articles please write to me from the website (there's a place at the end of each posting to do this) and I'll be happy to write on this subject.
New meditation information is added to the site every week with links to my additional articles on how to meditate, reduce stress, and gain inner peace.

Meditation: Inner Peace

Peace

Noise is everywhere; in the streets, in shops, even inside your head when you keep replaying past conversations. Sounds of laughter, crying, shouting, and music can affect your mood even when it is in the background and you are not aware of paying it very much attention.

So when life gets so hectic and fast paced and you say to yourself, “I just want a break. I need some peace,” where do you go to find it?

A spa? A sacred place of worship? A stroll in the park or by the ocean? A library?

Finding peace can be a temporary fix. When you leave the confines of your special haven, relieved of stress and anxiety, you return to the noise and disruption you faced earlier and before too long you find yourself longing for both the peaceful feelings that you experienced and solitude again.

True lasting peace will not be found if the tranquil place is an external one.

Lasting peace is cultivated over a period of time, provided it is given the right environment so that you can first recognize it, and then enable it to deepen its roots and strengthen over time.

When to Find Peace

Now is the best time. Don’t wait until you think you’re life is so organized that you can step straight into a tranquil existence.

It is through meditation that you experience serenity and tranquility. You create a memory for it within your mind and body.

When feelings of anxiety or stress come upon you, you can draw on the skill-set of meditation and return the breath to a slow and steady state. In doing so you calm the mind and the body, creating a situation that promotes calmness and freedom from worry.

Make Time to Meditate

Meditation is like any other skill, whether it’s tying your shoes or driving a car. It takes practice to learn how to do it. Over time, your meditation practice helps your concerns to dissolve and gives you the knowledge to know how to stay calm in all situations.

You learn how to release the issues that prevent you from experiencing joy and as you go deeper into your meditative practice, you learn how to free yourself from fear and worry.

By tapping into the calmness within, you move into a meditative state with ease and carry the inner peace with you in all your activities.

Meditation leads to peace.

If you have any suggestions for meditation articles please write to me from the website (there's a place at the end of each posting to do this) and I'll be happy to write on this subject.
New meditation information is added to the site every week with links to my additional articles on how to meditate, reduce stress, and gain inner peace.

Meditation Benefits

If you've ever wanted to pursue a hobby, diet, or exercise plan and struggled to complete the course, meditation is the solution to your success.


Recent clinical studies have compared what is happening in the brain during the thought process and during meditation. Using fMRI's, they have been able to see the parts of the brain that are involved when you think and when you meditate.

Basically, habits of any kind follow a specific neural pathway within the brain which becomes easier to traverse with each repeated action. This is a good thing otherwise we would all have to re-learn how to dress every morning!

The downside is when a thought or action becomes outdated or is based on fabricated truths where your present experiences continually add to a past experience by telling yourself, "see I knew ... would happen, or so-and-so would be like that."

You are reinforcing past beliefs which have changed over time and are not in fact true any more.

What this means is that your existing habits are well-ingrained and tough to change without assistance. Meditation is the easiest method to use if you are serious about wanting to make a difference in your life.

Brain cells (neurons) switch on and off depending on their specific use, so that your body can successfully function with each body part knowing its role. New thought patterns can be formed, but just like a little-used country path that is covered in undergrowth, it is challenging to walk through at first.


With repeated use it becomes easier to traverse until you can walk through it without any obstacles in your way.

Meditation actually facilitates a new way of thinking.

Rather than rehashing the same experiences, you begin to acquire a different understanding of who you are and what you want based on new and more accurate knowledge of your thoughts and habits.

Meditation promotes relaxation and peace, which the brain likes and wants to return to. When you associate meditation with a new behavior, you actually make it easier to stay on track and not fall back into old habits.

Meditation alleviates struggles and is your very own tool to making life more enjoyable and easier.

Making meditation part of you everyday not only brings peace, but helps you lead the life that you want.

If you have any suggestions for meditation articles please write to me from the website (there's a place at the end of each posting to do this) and I'll be happy to write on this subject.
New meditation information is added to the site every week with links to my additional articles on how to meditate, reduce stress, and gain inner peace.

Meditation Relaxation

People often say they want to meditate in order to relax because they're too tense, stressed, or worried and see meditation as a way to create more relaxation in their life.

However, many activities can help you to relax such as:

• owning and petting a cat or dog
• going to a spa
• having a massage
• watching a sunset
• reading a book
• going for a walk

These may help you to relax but what's the difference between meditation and relaxation?

Using fMRI's scientists have been able to see the positive physiological changes in the frontal lobe of the brain that meditation creates. So in addition to creating a relaxation response, meditation changes the brain in ways not previously thought possible, further explaining the reasons why people not only feel good after meditating, but why there is heightened intuition, improved memory, and a "younger" brain.

You can turn your relaxation activities into a meditation experience by the use of single pointed focus.

Next time you sit down with your pet or go for a walk, be mindful about what you are doing.
Focus only on that activity for fifteen minutes. For example, when walking, be aware of what is going on around you, such as vehicles passing by, birds singing, leaves rustling, but not distracted by them.
Focus on each footstep, what the ground feels like, how slow and steady your breath is.

Make each moment a meditation.

If you have any suggestions for meditation articles please write to me from the website (there's a place at the end of each posting to do this) and I'll be happy to write on this subject.
New meditation information is added to the site every week with links to my additional articles on how to meditate, reduce stress, and gain inner peace.

Meditation:Concentration

Taking control of the thoughts is central to meditation. The world in which we live in is an instant world, which moves very fast. Expectations are placed upon us to achieve what we set out to do very quickly and this only adds to pressure, stress, and worry. The mind gets used to juggling many tasks and when preparing to meditate it should come as no surprise that the mind is still leaping around and thoughts are hard to still.

Your Meditation Practice
No matter what your ultimate aim of a meditation practice is; greater peace, insight, intuition, connection to God, increased spirituality, or relaxation, if the mind is constantly being pulled in different directions following a seemingly endless trail of thoughts, then your meditation practice ends with disappointment and you may even be tempted to give up.

Train the mind
You can successfully train the mind with a few simple steps.

Before you sit down to meditate, teach the mind to concentrate on ONE single task. Given the multitude of things we do every day, ONE object should be easy. Choose one method and stay with it until it becomes so easy that you can enter into a meditative state with ease.

• Practice mindfulness in all activities e.g. dressing, bathing, pouring water, chewing food. Each activity that you participate in should be examined fully and you will in turn experience not only concentration, but an enhanced appreciation and enjoyment of what you are doing.
• Focus on your breath whenever you have to wait on something or someone. Don't sit gazing around you. Draw the awareness inward to the breath and notice its rate and flow. Expand the breath and slow it down.
• Maintain single-pointed focus by studying a word or phrase in a religious or spiritual book. What does the word or phrase mean to you?
• Relax the mind by gazing at nature elements such as clouds drifting by, waves rolling in the ocean, ripples in water, leaves rustling in trees, and any other object where you can allow the mind to relax and follow without any thought.
• Focus on the space between your thoughts. This is more challenging but with practice the space becomes larger and you can truly focus on the highest spiritual energy.

In a meditative state, the mind is not empty, but focused. Each time you prepare to meditate the mind is more and more familiar with what is expected of it and enters into meditation with grace and ease.

If you have any suggestions for meditation articles please write to me from the website (there's a place at the end of each posting to do this) and I'll be happy to write on this subject.
New meditation information is added to the site every week with links to my additional articles on how to meditate, reduce stress, and gain inner peace.