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