| For January 2010 one of the monthly goals that I | | | | my senses. Especially me smell and taste. Eating |
| set myself was to meditate for 30 minutes each | | | | after meditation is pure bliss. The foods taste |
| evening. Bearing in mind that I had meditated only | | | | explodes into your mouth feeling like it hits every |
| a few times before this in terms of sitting down | | | | single taste receptor on your tongue in increasing |
| cross-legged. I was unsure initially and did not | | | | crescendos. I cannot give you examples per say |
| expect much results wise. My meditation practice | | | | but you notice it within yourself and the |
| was the one that I described in another article | | | | improvement is huge. |
| previously. I basically concentrate on the stillness | | | | You Can See Others Suffering- You can see their |
| of the mind and the inner body, whichever | | | | suffering against woes that are all scenarios |
| appears to my awareness and if something | | | | created in their own mind that have no reality |
| comes over it like a thought or bodily sensation I | | | | basis. Sleeping people who have undergone no |
| watch for myself identifying with it and return to | | | | spiritual awakening walk around with a state of |
| the silent source. It is a great practice inspired by | | | | frozen terror on their faces because they are |
| Eckhart Tolle and one I recommend | | | | rehearsing the worse case scenario all the time. |
| wholeheartedly. I was astounded at the benefits | | | | They have no foothold in the present moment. It |
| and side effects. I noticed things like: | | | | is like I have said before this is really quite scary |
| A Jump In Awareness - If you want to do this | | | | and can make you feel like they are robotic when |
| you must be prepared for a rapid and noticeable | | | | that glazed over look comes to their eyes. |
| change in your views on life. Issues that you have | | | | Other Things of Note |
| that you have barely been aware of or have not | | | | - I found my eyes regularly opening in some |
| been aware of recently will stare you in the face | | | | meditations towards the end. It was like I was |
| daily. | | | | forcing them closed when they were attempting |
| A Deep Knowing That All Is Good - You know | | | | to stay open. I would go into a meditation tired |
| that something may not go right for you one day | | | | and raise my consciousness and alertness to find |
| but even if it does then it is OK. Things are things | | | | my eyes opening alertly. |
| and are susceptible to change. You can work on it | | | | - Meditating before bed helped me. If you can |
| tomorrow. This is the basic teachings of the | | | | stay alert enough then you can improve the |
| founders of all religions. All is good in the universe. | | | | quality of your sleep as you connect with source |
| You Care Less About Your Public Image - I used | | | | through meditation and awake mentally and |
| to get anxious going out shopping or using my | | | | physically refreshed and recharged. I remember |
| authority over my own life. I found myself taking | | | | once waking from a sleep and just knowing I had |
| less consideration of what others thought about | | | | gone so deep and touched my source. I awoke |
| my actions and appearance. I did not wear | | | | as alert as if I was going about my everyday life. |
| scruffy clothes or anything. | | | | No grogginess. |
| Unexplainable Experiences - During meditation if | | | | - Do not meditate when super tired. I once or |
| you stick at it you will experience altered states | | | | twice made the mistake of meditating (at 11pm) |
| of being that feel absolutely fantastic, peaceful | | | | after going out with friends and I fell to sleep a |
| and abundant. You will also find that it is near | | | | couple of times during it. It is just not the same |
| impossible to describe to someone how it feels. It | | | | quality if you are really tired. |
| is literally beyond words. Many times in deep inner | | | | - By the 20th day I found myself completely |
| body meditation I lost the boundary of where my | | | | comfortable meditating for 30 minutes and just |
| physical body started and began and my | | | | returning to my source. It turned from a chore |
| consciousness expanded literally beyond my | | | | into something that I just enjoyed doing. It was |
| physical form. Imagine trying to verbalize that | | | | difficult to make sure that I did it on time daily |
| form of spiritual awakening? | | | | but these are teething problems and will be |
| Once I remember sitting at my kitchen table and | | | | cleaned up. |
| starting an impromptu meditation session alone | | | | Areas I Will Improve On |
| which turned into a long one of something like 45 | | | | - I need to improve my posture. During |
| minutes (I was not counting). I experienced pure | | | | meditation my back would arch as I have always |
| ecstasy. It was amazing. It is like the greatest | | | | had bad posture being a tall skinny guy. I need to |
| experience of your life that you can think of right | | | | improve this to keep up with my spiritual |
| now and have that ecstasy dial turned up 1000 | | | | awakening. One technique that is doing well for |
| times. It was the source of ecstasy I found and | | | | me is to ignore all of the "shoulders back, chest |
| tied to no particular event. It was too strong for | | | | out" stuff and just feel as if there is a string |
| me and jolted me out of my meditative state. I | | | | attached to your crown on your head lightly |
| will never forget it though and plan on reaching it | | | | tugging up. Let everything else below that relax. |
| regularly. | | | | - A regular place. I meditated often on my bed, |
| You Lose Sense Of Time (It is A Good Thing!) - | | | | sometimes on my chair in the kitchen and |
| Time is something that is totally in the mind and in | | | | sometimes on the sofa. Having a regular place |
| deep meditative states you come to the | | | | helps cement the habit and just makes things |
| realization of this. When you are totally focused | | | | easier. |
| on the silence within and in the moment time has | | | | Conclusion & Recommendations |
| no place in your reality. Hours can go by in what | | | | These 30 days have felt like a year Sometimes in |
| feels like minutes. | | | | meditation would go so deep into the timeless |
| Awareness of Eating Habits - I stopped binge | | | | realm within that I would open my eyes after |
| eating junk food. I noticed 7 days into the trial | | | | feeling hours had passed and it would be a few |
| that after meditating you feel an empty kind of | | | | minutes. Overall I am really proud of myself. I |
| inner peace. When I have found that in the past I | | | | have never done anything as consistently as this |
| have eaten to compensate unconsciously to "refill" | | | | and am going to continue with 30 minutes of |
| myself again as my ego needs fullness that it | | | | evening meditation t. I expect to add 30 minutes |
| perceives is lacking. It is a habit I have just | | | | of morning meditation too one day in a natural |
| bought awareness too and it shows that even | | | | location but I am happy that there is enough to |
| skinny guys/girls can comfort eat. It is a | | | | still learn at this level and slowly but surely wins |
| psychological disorder not a physical one. | | | | the race. |
| Awareness Of Drinking Habits - The last time I | | | | This is the first stop and basis for personal |
| drank alcohol was New Years Eve 2009-2010. Got | | | | development. If you or anyone else knows |
| pretty drunk actually. I started the meditation | | | | someone who is getting into personal |
| ritual New Years Day. I notice that the habit has | | | | development then meditation is where it all begins. |
| been burned into my mind and body that when I | | | | Success and spiritual awakening really are an inner |
| walk into a bar I HAVE to buy a drink and it has | | | | game. I would recommend that if you want to |
| to be alcohol. I get a lot of stick from people who | | | | start meditating daily then start with 15-30 |
| know me as a guy who drinks but it feels even | | | | minutes daily if you are a total beginner using my |
| better to know that I am sticking to my principles | | | | Awareness Meditation technique or another if |
| through the criticism. I know they will respect me | | | | your intuition pulls you towards is. At the start |
| for that even if they do not say it. | | | | your mind will be hectic and will pull you away with |
| Awareness Of Deeper Issues - This is something | | | | its excuses and nagging voices but just watch |
| that I really struggled with. Most people think that | | | | that little voice and you will eventually find the |
| meditation will just solve their external problems. I | | | | calm you are searching for and within one month |
| found that it just brings them to your awareness | | | | too. |
| when they were not so obvious before. You | | | | Start small and commit for just the next 30 days. |
| suddenly find yourself shifting away from views | | | | A calendar month makes this much easier. If you |
| and paradigms that have controlled you for your | | | | do not like it after a month then you do not have |
| entire life and it is unsettling but stick with it. You | | | | to continue but you may also be leaving |
| are unveiling all the mental emotional baggage that | | | | something amazing on the table if you do not try |
| needs to come to your attention for you to | | | | it out. It is really difficult at the start to |
| improve your life and under go a spiritual | | | | concentrate for longer periods of time. I would |
| awakening. | | | | recommend that you set aside an EXACT time |
| Heightened Senses - One thing that I have found | | | | each day to meditate in the exact same place. |
| that improved dramatically by a huge amount of | | | | |