| Many people have a low opinion of themselves as | | | | even use a chair. Here are some techniques to |
| they progress through life, affecting their ability to | | | | use specifically for promoting self-esteem: |
| interact socially, enjoy life and be decisive about | | | | - Identify yourself with the heart rather than the |
| the things they want. In normal everyday life, we | | | | mind. You can begin the meditation by imagining |
| are constantly identified with the mind and the | | | | you have no mind, only the heart. You can even |
| positive or negative things it feeds us; in cases of | | | | say to yourself 'I am not the mind, I am the |
| low self-esteem, the mind is constantly returning | | | | heart' - emphatically rejecting the mind's |
| to the same circles of denigration and despair | | | | negativity. You can think back to when you were |
| which might have been there as far back as | | | | a child, with an undeveloped mind, running around |
| childhood. | | | | and always in the heart. Try and let this sweet |
| Developing a practice of meditation can be of | | | | childlike feeling permeate your whole body. |
| some help in combating these feelings. By stilling | | | | - Use an object of concentration. Concentrating |
| the mind through meditation, one is introduced to | | | | on a flower evokes in the beauty and innocence |
| a deeper part of one's being which lies beyond | | | | of the heart which the flower also embodies; |
| the mind's judgments of acceptance or rejection. | | | | similarly concentrating on a candle evokes the |
| We have all had experiences 'in the heart', like for | | | | inner flame, the inner urge for deeper truth. When |
| example when watching a sunset or being | | | | breathing in you can imagine these qualities |
| touched by a moment of kindness, experiences | | | | entering you from the object and becoming part |
| which seem to point to a deeper sense of self | | | | of your being, and you can imagine their negative |
| than that experienced by the vacillating mind. | | | | opposites leaving you. |
| Meditation helps us have these experiences more | | | | - A good way to overcome self-esteem is to do |
| often, and gradually identify with them instead of | | | | things you are good at. Meditation can help you |
| the mind's constant self-rejection. | | | | overcome the inner resistance to do this. You can |
| There are many different techniques for the | | | | repeat the English word 'dynamism' silently, but |
| beginner to try, and some will work better than | | | | powerfully and forcefully, invoking the inner |
| others depending on the individual nature of the | | | | strength you need to overcome obstacles such |
| person. Meditation is best done in a space | | | | as fear. Another good English word to repeat is |
| dedicated solely for its use, perhaps in front of a | | | | 'destined', invoking the inner conviction that your |
| little table containing inspiring things that evoke this | | | | life has a unique purpose which cannot be |
| deeper more uplifting part of you - for example | | | | performed by anyone else, even if you haven't |
| flowers, candles, or pictures/statues that inspire | | | | found it yet. Then as you try different activities, |
| you. There are many ways you can sit during | | | | you can try and rely on this inner sense to tell |
| meditation, but by far the most important thing is | | | | you what to do instead of being influenced by |
| to keep your back straight, which means you can | | | | than the acceptance or rejection of others. |