Meditation 101

Meditation can be one of those challenging obstacles in life that takes practice, commitment, and time to overcome, but when you get in the habit of doing it, has the ability to drastically change a life. It’s also one of those practices that you have to have inherent faith in, because without explanation, once you start committing to trying it consistently, you will notice a difference in your life. Not only will you suddenly feel like you have MORE time in the day when you actually take the time out to meditate, but will have extra energy as well. You will also notice a peace of mind begin to envelop your everyday actions- even if your activities are still strenuous and busy.

I know it’s hard, in this age of the iPhones, laptops and cell phones to take time out for meditation but I encourage you to follow these steps and I guarantee that within a week of daily practice you will start to feel the benefits. The trick is committing to the trying and putting an honest effort into it, even though your brain will immediately challenge you with the resistance you are used to.

1. Turn off the all electronics and find a quiet place where you can sit with relative ease. You can either keep your eyes closed or light a candle and use the flame as a staring point to keep you focused on the practice.
2. Set an alarm for twenty minutes. This takes care of your mind constantly feeling the need to check the clock.
3. Begin to breathe deeply. When you inhale count one and when you exhale count two. Continue this to ten and then start over. This counting helps beginners to focus on the present and to consciously notice the deep breathing. If you find yourself going over ten, quickly become aware and start over at one. Counting from one to ten creates a sense of system to the practice that needs to be paid attention to and the mind is less able to wander off its course. This counting will start to train your mind to be at ease with nothing else to focus on.
4. As you concentrate on the counting, make notice of all the extraneous thoughts that come up. Everything that is in your mind during the day will start to arise: the dry-cleaning bill, the phone call you have to make later, and the food you need to buy for dinner, etc. As each of these chattering thoughts arises, keep to your counting but recognize the thoughts and then watch the thoughts float away and out of your brain. Let them go – become unattached to them.
5. Then start to notice what comes up in the silence when all the peripheral thoughts are gone. What feelings, what memories, what sudden strange realizations—this is the core of meditation: becoming quiet and chatter free long enough to create an empty space where the things that need to be heard, felt or known are revealed.
6. When you are finished, take account for the peace you feel, bow to yourself and your sacred space. Come back tomorrow and do the same thing. Before you know it, you will crave your daily moments of meditation. I promise!

I hope this works for you!   Try it and see! You got nothing to lose, but everything to gain!

Namaste!