Dear Laurie,
I hear that’s it’s good to meditate. But I don’t know why or how.
Can you give me a basic explanation and simple instruction on how to begin? Thank you so much!
Grace
Dear Grace,
It would be my pleasure! In many of my yoga classes, we begin with a five-minute meditation. In our awakened state, we spend roughly twelve hours a day with our eyes opened and our energy going outwards, thinking about other people, activities, the to-do lists, life-dramas or swept up in money worries or health issues. We get consumed with worrying about, “Am I liked?” “How can I fit in?” Did I do a good job?” “How can I make things happen?” We are looking for our identification and validation from the external world.
Meditation is an act of inner awareness directing our attention in a specific way. It is also similar to a deep rest and relaxation.
It is an opportunity to draw our energy into ourselves by sitting quietly with our eyes closed. We benefit greatly by taking a few minutes each day to shut off theoutside world and make ourselves a priority, our inner world and get to know who we are.
Meditation helps in other numerous ways. It is a way to quiet down all of the noise in your life. It allows us to practice staying fully in the present moment. By becoming the observer of your thoughts and feelings, you get clear on how you feel, and trust your gut feelings and intuition. Meditation expands self-discovery, helps create inner peace, improves clarity, stimulates creativity, elicits relaxation, and improves mental and physical health by releasing stress.
There are many different methods and techniques. And, just like any new habit you create in your life, it takes dedication, practice and loving patience. Create a time of day that works, a few minutes to thirty or even sixty minutes daily. Find a place in or outside your home that is quiet and comfortable. Sit on the floor, chair or grass. Set an intention to sit quiet and meditate. Close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose and out through your nose. Relax. Become the witness to your thoughts. Allow them to flow. Don’t resist them. Acknowledge them and lovingly guide yourself back to feeling your breath entering your nose, feeling your breath leaving your nose. You can say silently, on the in breath “in”, and out on the out breath “out”. Adding a mantra, breathe in, “I am love”. Feel love throughout your whole being. You can do this exercise for a couple of minutes and then change your mantra to “I am perfect health.”
Other beginner exercises during meditation are counting the length of the inhale breath and the exhale breath, or watching the flame of a lighted candle. Your thoughts will pop in during this time. This is perfectly normal. Know that you are benefitting just by sitting quietly, being loving and relaxed.
With practice, you are learning not to “attach” to your thoughts. You are the witness of them. Then you learn to choose your thoughts wisely, choosing life affirming and positive thoughts that honor your beautiful infinite and fully empowered self, thoughts of unlimited possibilities.
Laurie Martin is a leading teacher of self-love and personal empowerment. Laurie is a Certified Life Coach, Yoga Teacher, writer and Author of Smile Across Your Heart: The Process of Building Self-Love and her new E-Book, The Conscious Breakup Guide. Sign up for her free newsletter to receive her workshop invites or purchase her Yoga DVD, books or services: www.smileacrossyourheart.com. Email:LaurieM@SmileAcrossYourHeart.com