MEDITATION
Meditation is a practice of training your attention and awareness to achieve mental clarity, emotional calm and a heightened sense of presence.
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How You Can Begin Meditating
Your mind enjoys patterns and repetition, and has spent years of your life setting up patterns that it can follow. When you first start to meditate, you will probably find your mind wandering here and there. Regular practice will make it progressively easier to settle your mind and take advantage of your peaceful, relaxing meditative space. Very soon this will become the new pattern for your mind to follow, if you stick to the same routine.
Allowing Yourself to Unwind
If you allow yourself to go with the flow you will find that the meditative experience is relaxing and quite pleasant. Most people will require several sessions before their mind can become accustomed to the sensation of slowing down. By sticking to a regular time and place to practice you can train yourself to focus.
Who Would Benefit From Meditation?
Meditation is suitable and completely safe for everyone including children. All you need is about ten to fifteen minutes in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Switch off mobile devices, and avoid other distractions wherever you can. Avoid alcohol as this can affect your focus. Let other members of the household know that you don’t want to be disturbed so that you can relax fully. Set yourself a time limit of 10 to 20 minutes for meditation and try to stick to it.
Becoming Aware of Your Breath
Make sure you are comfortable, close your eyes then take three deep breaths which you exhale fully. Proceed to breathe in your natural way, and you should start to feel yourself relax. Those thoughts which begin to arise, allow them to drift away without giving them your attention. Become aware of your breath as you breathe in and out. As you breathe in imagine that you are being filled with peace and light. As you breathe out allow tension and anxiety to flow away with the exhalation.
Flowing with your breath
Follow the rhythm of your breath as it flows regularly in a gentle pattern. Feel yourself becoming more and more relaxed and full of peace. Become aware of your breath as a life-force that sustains you, energises you and makes you more relaxed. Ignore any distractions that float into your mind, and you will find that it becomes easier and easier to sit and concentrate on your breath.
Why is Meditation in the Journal Section?
Meditation is unique because it acts as a bridge. While many people categarise it based on their own personal goals, it functions as a holistic practice which spans all four categories mind, body, spirit and soul. It can function in the role of cognitive training - Mental clarity & calm, physiological regulation - stress reduction & health, relational awareness - connection & empathy and metaphysical exploration - transcendence & stillness. This is why Meditation is in the Journal section🙂.
Journaling
As you progress in your meditation practices write in your journal how you have felt, any issues you may have and changes you might need to make with your environment etc to make your practice more successful. Of course you might be a natural meditator and you can write that in your journal too!
Mantra Meditation
While not a required component of all meditation chanting provides a focus for the mind and can create positive vibrations, leading to increased attention and improved mood. Simply repeat a word which has some significance for you such as ‘healing’ or ‘love’. Repeat the word inwardly on the in breath and then the out breath. In this way you will feel the emotion associated with that word.
Ending your Meditation
When you reach the end of your meditation, return your full attention to your breathing. Take three deep breaths, then bring your attention back to your body and your surroundings. Stretch a little, wriggle your fingers and toes, then slowly open your eyes and take in the view of your quiet space.
Candle Meditation
Using candles in meditation can help with focus and concentration. The lit candle helps to focus the mind, relax your body and tune into your inner self. You can use different coloured candles and scented candles depending on your intention. As normal prepare yourself and your meditation space, light incense if you use it and then set your candle on a table level with your line of vision. Once the candle is lit , sit in a comfortable meditative position and take three deep breaths, exhaling fully. Then begin to study the candle flame, watch as the flame shifts direction and alters position. As you keep your attention on the candle you will begin to feel focused and still inside, this state is known as relaxed awareness. If your attention starts to wander just draw it back to the flame again. You might find that the flame responds to your gaze! Perhaps you might try to will it to grow higher or to remain still. You can now visualise a wish if you desire. To end your meditation take three deep breaths and blow out your candle.
These two books were used when researching this article.
Making Space - ThichNhat Hanh
The Encyclopedia of Mind Body Spirit. Dr William Bloom, Judy Hall, Professor David Peters.
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