| People often think of meditation as a difficult path | | | | can be extremely difficult when we're so used to |
| to spiritual enlightenment that requires many | | | | planning for the future or analyzing the past, but |
| years of study. In reality, easy meditation | | | | with regular effort it can be accomplished. |
| techniques to relieve stress and bring about calm | | | | Another easy technique for meditation can be |
| can be learned instantly. What's harder is | | | | described as "be here now." This involves three |
| disciplining oneself to practice meditation every | | | | simple steps:o Tell yourself that you live here and |
| day. | | | | now, not in the past or the future.o Become |
| Many sources define meditation as a system or | | | | aware of the many activities occurring within you |
| method to quiet the mind so that body and soul | | | | and around in the moment.o Cultivate awareness |
| can become relaxed and calm. Two easy | | | | of "here and now" in all that you do. |
| meditation techniques can be termed "listening to | | | | The "here and now" meditation technique is |
| silence" and "be here now." | | | | intended to help the practitioner shed the burdens |
| In the "listening to silence" method, all that is | | | | of past and future. By reminding yourself that |
| required is the you sit quietly for 10 to 15 minutes | | | | you live in the present, you relieve yourself of |
| and be silent. That's all. Simply be silent. It can be | | | | worry about things that can't be undone and plans |
| amazing for new practitioners of meditation to | | | | that may not come to pass. |
| discover how rare silence is in the world, and | | | | By focusing your awareness on present activities, |
| what a profound effect it can have on the body. | | | | you realize what a miracle your body is, with its |
| Heart rate slows down, bringing with it lower | | | | many autonomic processes that keep you alive. |
| blood pressure. Muscles relax, allowing the | | | | You also increase your awareness of how the |
| chemicals produced by stress to be washed | | | | universe is happening at the same time - wind, |
| away by the circulatory system. Breathing | | | | sunlight, rain, plants growing, people living - and of |
| deepens, bringing more life-giving oxygen into the | | | | your place in it. |
| body. | | | | Finally, by cultivating awareness you relieve |
| The hardest part of silent meditation is to quiet | | | | yourself of the responsibility to control what |
| the chatterbox of the mind, what some call the | | | | happens around you. You come to know that the |
| "monkey mind," always moving and making noise. | | | | universe exists both within you and apart from |
| In silence, thoughts will still come, but the | | | | you, and you need only live into the present |
| practitioner tries simply to observe the thought, | | | | moment to attain peace. |
| and not interact with it. Letting go of our thoughts | | | | |