| We live in a hectic and uncertain world, with | | | | music that has 60 beats per minute actually |
| violence and chaos surrounding us every | | | | increases the alpha waves that cause calmness |
| minute of the day. We are getting busier and | | | | on both the left and right side of the brain. |
| busier and being bombarded with commercialism | | | | The outcome of this is that you will becom |
| and adverts from every angle. Just like many | | | | calm and relax, similar to if you whistled a |
| of us I have been looking for a way to break | | | | tune. Research has also shown that this |
| the constant information overload to help | | | | "alpha state" can help in your learning |
| give my mind a chance to relax and after many | | | | process, creativity and more importantly |
| years of studying and test trying the art of | | | | becoming more calm.Step 4 - Focus on Your |
| meditation by many of the great religions | | | | Breathing. Breath In and OutNow that we have |
| like Budhism I have found a simple six step | | | | the elements we need to meditate, it is now |
| formula that helps me to unleash the inner | | | | time for you to try . My preferred way to sit |
| peace that really wishes to come out.Step 1 - | | | | when I meditate is to cross my legs and to |
| Find a cool quiet place The first step in | | | | place my hands on my knees with my open palms |
| unleashing your inner peace is to find | | | | up. If you can not cross your legs simply |
| somewhere that will allow you to feel safe | | | | sit with your legs layed out flat. If you |
| whilst meditating and undisturbed. Some of | | | | are sitting in a chair, simply spread your |
| the sorts of places you might consider are | | | | leg apart a little and place your hands on |
| sitting on the ground in the garden, near a | | | | your knees.The next step in the path towards |
| river, or if you are like me and bound to the | | | | peaces is to close your eyes and to breath in |
| city, simply sitting in your lounge room will | | | | deeply and then slowly exhail the air. You |
| suffice. There are though a few key things | | | | need to consistently repeat this process but |
| that you must consider - There should be | | | | whilst you are doing this, there are a few |
| little traffic noiseThere is Nothing worse | | | | important things to remember. When you first |
| than to just start meditating to hear the | | | | start to meditate you will find that as you |
| sound of the air brakes on a truck going off | | | | relax, the things that bothered you during |
| or an ambulance or police car going past. Be | | | | the day will start to resurface and come to |
| Free From DistractionsWhen you first start | | | | the forefront of your mind and we need to |
| meditating you will find it maybe difficult | | | | stop this during your meditation period |
| to get started but with a little practice, | | | | because if you do not, you can end up being |
| and that is the fun part, you will find over | | | | more stressed then when you started. Whilst |
| time that you will get better at it but in | | | | you are breathing, simply look into the |
| the early stages a little distraction from | | | | depths of the darkness and clear you mind.If |
| your children or noise can make it very | | | | you are finding it difficult to let go, try |
| difficult. You Must Feel SafeWith todays | | | | this technique. Whilst breathing in slowly, |
| society being the way that it is, you must | | | | concentrate in your minds eye on the number |
| have a sense of well being before starting | | | | one and focus on the number as you exhail. |
| your meditation. If you have a sense of | | | | Then as you take your second breath, change |
| insecurity you will find that it is very | | | | the number one to a number two and then focus |
| difficult to release your anxieties and most | | | | on the number two and maintain that focus as |
| importantly your thoughts. Be ComfortableMost | | | | you exhail. With each new breath, focus on |
| meditation periods usually will last around | | | | the next number. However, if at any time your |
| 20 minutes. When you first start off you may | | | | focus gets away from you and you start |
| find that it takes a good 10 minutes to get | | | | thinking about making dinner or what you are |
| to a point of being relaxed so make sure that | | | | going to do tomorrow, then simply restart |
| you sit on a comfortable surface before | | | | from the number one. You will find that |
| starting the meditation process. I am a | | | | after a while using this process will really |
| great believer in sitting on the floor | | | | help you to maintain that focus and start to |
| however if you find it difficult to sit | | | | bring out that inner peace a lot quicker.If |
| upright for any period of time, simply sit | | | | you are having difficulty sleeping I find |
| against the wall. Doing this can also help | | | | that using the counting process and the |
| you with your sense of feeling safe. If you | | | | breathing process really helps a lot. Once |
| find it more comfortable sitting in a chair, | | | | again it does take time to master the |
| try your meditation that way. I do not | | | | technique but the more you practice the |
| recommend sitting on a couch simply because | | | | better you will get at it.Step 5 - Clear Your |
| you run the risk that you may fall asleep and | | | | MindOnce you have mastered the process of |
| whilst that is great before going to bed, it | | | | breathing and getting into a relaxed state, |
| is not recommended as the outcome to the | | | | the next stage is to clear your mind. This |
| meditation process.Step 2 - Use a Light | | | | can take a little bit of work and will take a |
| IncenseDepending on where you are, you may | | | | while to conquer but when you do conquer it, |
| find that a light incense will help you break | | | | you will really no what inner peace is. To |
| through the barriers when you first start | | | | clear your mind, you will simply not think of |
| meditating. If you are like me and are | | | | anything but just exhist. The key to |
| constantly on the rush and stressed, when you | | | | clearing your mind is to focus on the space |
| first stop you might find that it is really | | | | around you (whilst your eyes are closed) |
| difficult to focus on your meditation because | | | | without thinking about a thing.When you do |
| of the buzz running through your blood so | | | | this, an overwhelming sense of peace will |
| using a light incense like lavendar can | | | | come over your. You will find that the |
| certainly help.You can purchase incense from | | | | endorphins will give you a tingling feeling |
| any number of stores like chinese food | | | | through out your body and you will be |
| stores, oriental food stores or even some of | | | | extremely calm. You will find as time goes |
| the mystics stores and there are certainly | | | | on that you can in fact turn the tingling on |
| many places on the web where you can purchase | | | | at your own will but that comes with |
| a light incense. Be warned though that it is | | | | practice.Step 6 - Feel the Rush of PeaceThe |
| illegal in some countries to buy incense via | | | | Budhists talk of meditating to reach |
| mail order and more so only buy from a | | | | enlightenment and whilst it can take a life |
| reputable dealer as you never know what you | | | | time or two to achieve that, I can certainly |
| could be importing.Step 3 - Put some quiet | | | | say that when you do get to that point where |
| music onThe saying, "Music Soothes the Savage | | | | you have let go of your surroundings and you |
| Beast" is never a more truer statement then | | | | are at peace its certainly feels like a whole |
| when trying to find your inner world of | | | | new world. At the very least, not being |
| peace. Playing some quiet music will | | | | stressed and feeling that constant buzz |
| certainly help soothe the buzz you have after | | | | caused by the pressures of our day-to-day |
| a hard day but be very cautious on the type | | | | lives, will certainly give you a new |
| of music you choose. You need to ensure you | | | | definition of normal.When you feel that your |
| choose music that will slow you down rather | | | | time for meditation is over, slowly allow |
| than increase your heart rate.Many meditation | | | | your mind to start to think. You will find |
| gurus will recommend music like flowing | | | | that its actually a lot easier than you |
| water, a rushing stream or the sounds of the | | | | think. Then slowly open your eyes and become |
| great outdoors, which will all certainly be | | | | more aware of your surroundings. Give |
| suitable for this process but what I find the | | | | yourself a good five minutes before you rush |
| most useful is music from the Baroque | | | | to get up but when you do, you should feel a |
| period.The music from this period has | | | | sense of calm and peace around your body, |
| particular elements that make it suitable and | | | | mind and soul.The author of this article |
| more conjucent to helping you find that inner | | | | Chris Le Roy has a CDROM of Baroque Music |
| peace. Baroque music is built on 60 beats | | | | that was recorded by a Baroque Guitarist to |
| per minute, which funnily enough is the same | | | | help you with your meditation. To view and |
| as what our hearts should be doing. What | | | | listen to some of the music from this CDROM |
| some research has shown is that listening to | | | | visit his website - Meditation Music. |