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How to Meditate
What
is meditation? Well really it is a technique that you
utilize to become meditative and once you are able to be
meditative in each moment there would be no more need for
meditation. So what do I mean when I say being meditative?
Basically it means having your attention firmly placed in
the moment, completely present with whatever it is you are
doing.
Before I give you tips on meditating, I will tell you some
of the benefits of doing it so it may inspire you to either
start or improve your meditation practice.
The main benefit of meditation is that inner peace will be
attained.
I know that may sound a little boring, but if you really
think about it, it's all we need to create an amazing life.
If you are at peace within then everything you are related
to will respond to the peace emanating from you, in fact it
will create the outside reality for you to be in harmony
with. All areas of your life will be working because you
are at peace with your self. You have read many times from
me and others I am sure that the outer world is happening
because of the workings of your inner world, so it follows
that when you are at peace within, your life will flow much
more easily in all areas.
Bearing in mind of course that life will continue to
challenge us, it has to be this way to assist us in our
journey to manifest our own greatness, but regular
meditation will tremendously help overcome any of life's
obstacles and challenges.
Your higher self is concerned with you finding peace in
every expression, your lower self or your ego self, wants
things now, wants more, wants bigger, wants better, wants
wants wants, or a better term in this context for the ego
would be demands, demands, demands!
When you are at peace within, everything that needs to be
healed can be, everything that needs to be manifest from
you can be, creative ideas and solutions to all your
problems can reach you easily and effortlessly. Peace is
the building block from which all else in your life can
manifest with ease.
Now heres the great thing - who you authentically are can
fall forward easily when there is no resistance within,
basically what that means is that there is nothing you need
to do to be you, you are already you and all of your
greatness is already in there and when you create a peace
within, that natural you, full of all your magnificence
starts to miraculously express itself.
Peace is the way that the natural you can show itself to
the you that you are accustomed to at this moment.
Meditation ultimately creates peace for you, and its not
difficult to do, it just takes some dedication and effort
the same as achieving anything worthwhile in life.
So what is all the fuss about, what is it that you actually
do when meditating? Well there are about as many meditation
techniques as there are recipes in Thailand and believe me,
there is an abundance of different tastes to be had in
Thailand. So I will not offer a particular type of
meditation to follow but rather give you some simple tips
to help you with your practice.
It is always good to meditate with your back vertically
straight so you become a conduit for energy from the Earth
and the sky or spiritual realm. I don't believe it is
important to sit with your legs crossed although if that
feels comfortable then go ahead. My main criterion is that
I am comfortable, but not too comfortable that I would fall
asleep easily.
So you are sitting with your back as vertically straight as
possible, your eyes are closed and you bring your attention
to the moment. The one thing you have that is always in the
moment is your body, this is your natural intuitive vessel.
It is always responding to each moment, it has to to stay
alive. So the easiest way to bring your attention to the
moment is to focus on your body and/or using your senses to
sense your immediate surroundings.
Your mind will wander for sure, so whenever you remember,
gently bring it back to the moment, to your breathing .
Some days you may spend the whole time, (I recommend
starting with a minimum of 20 minutes) with your attention
in your thinking. Don't judge this, it will happen, don't
let this put you off meditating again, after time you will
get some amazing moments when you are totally present, you
may experience feeling connected to everything everywhere
or you may experience absolute blissful peace. Then the
next day you may be lucky if you manage 2 or 3 seconds
staying present, with your mind clamoring away as normal.
The key is to just keep doing it daily, becoming the
observer of your self, not judging anything, just watching
what goes on inside of you. You cannot lose what you
essentially are, but you can lose what you are not and the
more you learn to stay present, the beliefs and attitudes
you are holding that are not consistent or congruent with
who you really are will simply fall away. Don't judge the
process or what you uncover, just keep saying yes. The
observer, which I see as the part of me that is connected
to the whole, will develop and, over time, your focus of
attention will be more aligned with the observer rather
than your thought process.
As well as having a regular time every day to meditate it
is a great idea to practice being in the moment as often as
you can, here are a few more tips to help you do that.
Focussing on your breathing is often used in meditation as
a way of getting your attention to remain in the present,
but using your senses will also suffice.
The idea is simply to bring your attention to the present
moment, you see at any moment, you can be in only one of
two places mentally: you are either immersed in your
thoughts, or you are separate from them. You will probably
find that you, as most do, live from your mind - from
thoughts and emotions.
This is like living on a formula one race track or in a
rushing river. As active and violent as these places are,
they are also mesmerizing and hypnotic. Living from
thoughts as most do is a form of sleep, it stops you seeing
life, and so to remove yourself from this slumber, simply
awaken.
Where are your hands now? Are they relaxed or tense? Do you
know the expression on your face? Is your brow furrowed and
tight? What is the temperature of the air surrounding you?
What is the position of your feet? What supports your body
this moment, and how is your weight distributed?
This awareness of yourself and of your surroundings is Now.
In this attentive state you are separate, watching yourself
read the words on this email, witnessing the thoughts and
sensations coursing through you. Notice I said witnessing
the thoughts and emotions, so the thoughts and emotions are
still there but you give them no power, because your
attention is firmly rooted in the now moment.
Becoming awake lifts you out of the tumultuous waters of
doubt, anxiety, worry, fear and anger. Your attention
places you on a bridge over the race track. You still see
the chaos below, but now you are not part of it. You are
transformed into an impartial observer. It is in this
attentive state that something higher can communicate with
you, if it needs to.
It's from this state that any negative beliefs that you
have been holding can start to dissolve, as I said earlier,
all problems can be healed when we place our attention in
the moment. The moment is life itself, there is nothing
other than this moment, therefore all of life exists in
this moment, therefore all answers, all solutions lay in
this moment, this is where we do life from, this is where
its all happening.
Be as vigilant as you are able; observe yourself as often
as you can remember. Observe the numerous states you enter
and exit from each day. Inquire of yourself, "who is this
that is angry? Doubtful? Fearful? Excited? Depressed?' It
is not you; it is only thoughts in your mind using you!
As thoughts and feelings attempt to confuse and frustrate
you, awaken. Watch these demons, and they will pass. You
are viewing from a higher place. Do not jump back onto the
race track, simply observe from above.
Notice others from your watchful state. They live immersed
in thought, just as you have done to this point in your
life. They are tugged and tousled - at one moment elated,
then sullen, teary, depressed, frightened, and angry at the
next.
As you begin to observe all these states your mind pulls
you through, you will be amazed. Return from these thoughts
to Now; Now cannot be bandied about. Your attentive state
is solid ground.
Do not struggle to understand the thoughts you observe; be
only watchful of them. Treat them as the outsiders and
intruders they are. Say to yourself, "Oh, look at that
angry thought." etc. Become the uninvolved bystander. An
indescribable new life awaits you as you do this.
Incredible an instrument as your mind is, it cannot lift
you above what it knows. And you have a divine instruction
within you to transcend 'what you know, but the mind simply
cannot perform this miracle, you must take the step of
faith: Leave your thoughts behind.
Meditating daily and learning to stay present is simply one
of the best gifts you could ever give yourself, it will
totally transform your life. If you are having issues or
problems in any areas of life, this will help.
Cool Quote for the day.
Infinite patience creates immediate results!
A course in miracles