| Our hectic schedules are crammed with crises, | | | | that's just an excuse for not meditating. |
| to-do lists, issues marked urgent and overflowing | | | | How to meditate will probably depend on your |
| in trays... Far away from everyday events, at | | | | purpose. I vary how I meditate depending on |
| your core, lies a place of quiet, calm, serenity, and | | | | what I want to gain from the meditation. If I'm |
| stillness... Feeling connected to life and your core | | | | stressed, I choose to focus on my breathing or |
| can be an everyday and effortless activity. Mark | | | | on consciously relaxing different parts of my |
| Thornton | | | | body. If I have a goal I'm trying to achieve, I |
| Should you meditate? The short answer is "Yes!" | | | | focus on sending energy to that goal. If I want to |
| So if that's all you wanted to find out, you can | | | | connect with the inner peace that I know is |
| stop reading right now. But I hope you don't | | | | somewhere inside of me, I focus on the silence in |
| because next I'm going to give you my take on | | | | my mind and try to let all thought float away. |
| the what?, why?, when?, where?, and how? of | | | | Here are a few different meditation techniques |
| meditation. | | | | that I use depending on the situation and what I |
| First off I'll warn you that I'm not a purist when it | | | | hope will be the result: |
| comes to meditation, so if you're looking for a | | | | * Breathing meditation: My preferred breathing |
| lecture on Buddhist spiritual principles on | | | | meditation is to put my attention on my breath |
| meditation, you've come to the wrong place. I'm a | | | | as it comes in and out of my nose. I gently follow |
| busy, working parent who uses meditation to | | | | my breath there and notice how it moves |
| calm myself, to bring peace and happiness into | | | | naturally into and out of my body. This is the |
| my heart, and to bring awareness and clarity into | | | | place (my nose) where I find it easiest to keep |
| my life. If you're looking for more of a Buddhist | | | | my attention. I find this technique instantly calming. |
| perspective, you might try reading the author | | | | Others suggest consciously noticing your breath |
| Lama Surya Das. But if you're looking for an | | | | as it passes from your chest down into your |
| approach less wrapped in spiritual language and | | | | diaphragm or belly and then back up. When my |
| more tailored to a modern, hectic life, then I hope | | | | attention drifts away from my breath, I gently |
| this article helps you. | | | | bring it back. If I have some thoughts, I simply |
| What | | | | note that I'm "thinking" and I shift attention back |
| There are more formal definitions for what | | | | to the breath while allowing the thoughts to drift |
| meditation is, but really what it comes down to is | | | | away. I use breathing meditation to calm myself, |
| just a basic focusing of attention and quieting of | | | | relieve stress, feel happier and more at peace, to |
| the superficial thoughts of the mind. It's becoming | | | | clear my mind, and to connect with the stillness |
| conscious of what's going on in your head rather | | | | of the Universe. This can be done in a longer |
| than being on auto-pilot as usual. Meditation is a | | | | meditation session or in mini-meditations at |
| chance to: | | | | anytime during your day. If you find yourself |
| * contact the inner stillness that exists beneath | | | | getting extremely upset at something, focus for |
| the level of your thoughts | | | | a second on your breath and you will find it gives |
| * bring your calm attention to an issue or feeling | | | | you a little bit of space in your emotional turmoil. |
| you want to resolve | | | | * Visualization meditation: If you have an issue |
| * stay calm at anytime under any situation | | | | that you feel needs your mental and emotional |
| * relax your mind and body | | | | attention, a visualization meditation can often help. |
| * connect, on the spiritual side, with the creative | | | | Breathe slowly and use your imagination. If you |
| energy of life. | | | | have a goal you want to accomplish, focus on the |
| And guess what - you already do a form of | | | | goal as if it were already complete - imagine how |
| meditation all the time. You focus attention on | | | | you will feel when your goal is complete and feel |
| replaying the argument you had with your spouse, | | | | this positive feeling inside of you. If you have a |
| on how fat you are, or on how little money you | | | | person who you are feeling angry toward, imagine |
| have. If none of those work, how about the ever | | | | a positive energy inside of your body as a bright |
| popular, unconscious meditative refrain of "I look | | | | white light of kindness, and then surround an |
| like crap today." These are the types of negative | | | | image of that person with the light while |
| things your mind turns to when you're asleep at | | | | consciously saying "I forgive you for any pain |
| the switch, when you're not consciously paying | | | | you've caused me." (When you forgive someone |
| attention to what you're thinking. | | | | and release your anger, it allows you to release |
| When you decide to meditate, you choose to be | | | | negative energy stored inside of you, it allows |
| consciously aware of where your attention goes | | | | you to react more calmly to that person, and it |
| and you can choose to let go of thoughts that | | | | allows you to find better solutions to any |
| don't support you in a positive way. When you | | | | additional problems with that person. Forgiveness |
| decide to meditate, you can also choose to | | | | allows you to find peace within yourself.) I use |
| become quiet inside - something your thinking | | | | visualization meditations for goals, for improving |
| mind rarely lets you do. | | | | relationships, and for energizing myself. If I feel |
| Why | | | | like I have low energy, I imagine that white light |
| Here's a short list of some of the benefits of | | | | of positive energy flowing through my body. |
| meditation: | | | | * Awareness meditation: This is simply the |
| 1. Reduces stress levels in the mind and body | | | | process of becoming consciously aware of your |
| 2. Can help with depression, fears and conflicted | | | | actions, your body, or your surroundings. This is |
| emotions | | | | an easy way to reduce stress, bring quiet or |
| 3. Improves self-confidence | | | | stillness to your mind, and bring calm |
| 4. Helps cultivate peace and happiness in your life | | | | understanding to almost any situation. It can also |
| - it can actually raise your innate ability to be | | | | be done anywhere, anytime for a few seconds |
| happy | | | | or for much longer periods. The technique is to |
| 5. Slows aging and improves memory | | | | simply notice what is happening. I like to use this |
| 6. Helps heal the body, strengthen the immune | | | | when I need to relax or slow down, or when I |
| system, reduce PMS, and relieve headaches | | | | start feeling worried or uptight about something. |
| 7. Allows you to bring calm to any situation | | | | The point is to calm the mind and allow you to |
| 8. Helps you to create a more purposeful life | | | | consciously decide where to put your attention |
| 9. On the spiritual side, many who promote | | | | rather than allowing your untamed thoughts to |
| meditation state that it's a way to consciously | | | | keep running the show. |
| connect to the creative force of the Universe or | | | | 1. If you choose action awareness, focus your |
| God | | | | attention on exactly what you're doing and how |
| 10. Allows you to focus your creative energy to | | | | you experience it. If you are walking, become |
| attract the things you desire into your life. | | | | aware of how the sidewalk looks and how it feels |
| When and Where | | | | when you put your foot down to take a step. |
| Anytime! Anywhere! Yes, you can set aside a | | | | Become aware of the temperature of the air and |
| specific time for meditation and sit in quiet | | | | the sounds in your environment. If you're eating, |
| contemplation for an hour or more in your | | | | become aware of how your food looks, tastes |
| meditation room that you designed using feng | | | | and smells. Try to become aware of how your |
| shui, but you don't have to. I know that method | | | | body feels as you eat. If you are washing dishes, |
| certainly isn't an option in my life right now, but I | | | | become aware of how you hold the sponge and |
| still benefit greatly from meditation. | | | | what the water feels like running across your |
| You can meditate in the shower in the morning, | | | | hands. |
| when you're in line at the grocery store, for 20 | | | | 2. If you choose body awareness, try the |
| minutes during your lunch hour, for a few minutes | | | | process of feeling the energy flowing in your |
| before bed, whenever - the options are endless. | | | | body. Can you feel the energy in your hands? |
| Many meditation proponents suggest setting aside | | | | There is life pulsing through your hands so there is |
| 10-20 minutes right when you wake up in the | | | | definitely energy there! How about feeling energy |
| morning and right before bed. Those are good | | | | in your legs or your shoulders? Can you locate |
| choices if they fit your schedule. Those times | | | | any tension in your body and bring awareness to |
| don't fit my schedule so I take 15 minutes during | | | | it? Notice how it feels. |
| my day at work to meditate and I slip in | | | | 3. If you choose awareness of your surroundings, |
| "mini-meditations" throughout my day when I'm | | | | notice where you are, what you see, what it |
| standing in a line or waiting at a traffic light or | | | | sounds like, what the temperature is, and whether |
| anytime I feel tension building in my body. | | | | there is silence that you can find between the |
| Find the time of day that works for you for a | | | | sounds. |
| longer meditation, or slip in a mini-meditation while | | | | Common Pitfalls |
| you're waiting for something or walking | | | | * "I can't stop thinking!" This is really common and |
| somewhere. Don't deny yourself opportunities to | | | | as I discussed above, you don't have to stop |
| meditate because you think you can't find the | | | | thinking. Allow the thoughts to be there, return |
| perfect time or place. | | | | your attention to where you want it, and let the |
| How | | | | thoughts float away. |
| There are as many ways to meditate as there | | | | * "When I quiet my mind, I get upset." This |
| are experts to tell you about them. If you are | | | | means that you have something unresolved |
| new to meditation, one of the most important | | | | emotionally that you need to deal with. If it only |
| things I want to tell you is that there are no rules | | | | arises when you quiet your mind, then you are |
| except relax! Meditation is not a job or a | | | | using continuous unconscious thinking to cover it |
| competition. It is a path to calmness, gentleness, | | | | up. Try to allow yourself to accept the emotion |
| kindness, and relaxation. | | | | and let it run through you. Cry, punch a pillow, or |
| Years ago when I first considered meditation, I | | | | get professional help from a therapist to help you |
| thought I had to overcome the relentless voice | | | | work it out if necessary. |
| chattering away in my head, the relentless | | | | * "My to-do list is running through my head and |
| thoughts. And guess what - I could rarely stop | | | | I'm coming up with things I don't want to forget." |
| the voice, so I thought I was a failure at | | | | Keep a note pad next to you. Write down the |
| meditation most of the time. I remember going to | | | | item and then let it go from your mind. It will be |
| a two-day silent meditation retreat where a | | | | on the pad when you're done meditating. |
| teacher guided us in sitting meditations and | | | | * "I don't have time for this." Surely you have 2 |
| walking meditations. By the end of the second | | | | minutes while waiting at the traffic light or in line |
| day, I finally experienced a quieting of my mind. I | | | | at the store. In fact, if you do a mini breathing |
| went home feeling incredibly joyous and peaceful. | | | | meditation while waiting in line at the store, you're |
| But by the next day my doubts about meditation | | | | much less likely to get annoyed by the fact that |
| returned. If it took me two whole days in silent | | | | the person in front of you is paying in pennies. |
| meditation to get to a point where my mind was | | | | * "I keep falling asleep." Try changing the time |
| quiet, how was I ever going to fit meditation into | | | | that you meditate, your position (sitting or |
| my life? | | | | standing rather than reclining), or accept that |
| I have since learned that you don't have to | | | | maybe you need more sleep and go ahead and |
| silence your thoughts to meditate. You can simply | | | | take a nap. |
| become aware of the fact that you are thinking | | | | * "I'm bored." So what? Accept that your bored. |
| and then let the thoughts float away. You don't | | | | That is just a thought trying to divert you from |
| have to beat yourself up over the fact that you | | | | your purpose. It is brought about by the fact that |
| can't stop the thoughts. In fact, it's better if you | | | | you are consciously choosing to slow your mind |
| accept the fact that your mind can be a busy | | | | down. Don't let it derail you. Know that you can |
| place and just turn your attention to what you | | | | stand to be bored for 20 minutes and you will find |
| want to focus on over and over again when your | | | | that your thinking mind stops using this as an |
| mind starts to stray. Think of your mind as a | | | | excuse. |
| playful puppy and gently lead it back to where | | | | Adding meditation to your life can be truly |
| you want it to be. In time with practice, you'll find | | | | rewarding and there is always space for it. It can |
| that it's easier to let go of the inner distractions | | | | help you become more peaceful, healthy, |
| and bring your mind to where you want it to be | | | | self-confident, kind, relaxed and creative. It can |
| whether that is to inner silence or to focus on a | | | | help you come to know yourself better and |
| specific issue. | | | | become more powerfully connected to your life. |
| Also, unless you are on a specific spiritual path, | | | | The information I've provided in this article can |
| there is no specific way you have to sit or stand | | | | get you started and may be enough for most |
| to meditate. Sit, stand, walk, lay on your stomach | | | | people. But if you want to learn more about |
| at the beach and watch the waves - whatever | | | | meditation and its benefits, please visit my |
| works for you is fine. Don't limit yourself because | | | | website for additional recommended reading. |
| you think you have to be sitting a certain way - | | | | |