Meditation is something that I will regularly suggest to my clients as a way of helping to alleviate stress in their lives and to help them focus more easily, after all, the mind and body are as one and one will not be healthy without the other being healthy so it is desirable to keep both in good order.
The main problem people seem to have with learning to meditate is that they can not find the time, or I can not sit cross legged for long periods, or my mind will not stay quiet long enough and I lose interest...etc. Any excuse will do if you are lazy people!
Meditation is like another skill, it takes time and constant effort to become proficient in. We are not talking about the effort involved in building a house, just regular and frequent persistence. You do not have to site cross legged, you can sit in a straight backed chair, or lay down even. As for time, you only need around 10-20 mins daily for meditation to dramatically change your life!
I have been meditating since my early teens and actually probably before that and I have found it's benefits to be life enhancing and enriching. I personally am a Buddhist and have undergone training and initiations for my meditative practices but this is not to say that it is the same for others, you do not have to go this way to gain greatly from meditation. Anyone can do it.
I meditate all day! My entire life is lived in calm abiding mindfulness...you can do this too you know. The results are that I am physically very healthy and mentally/spiritually very healthy. When problems occur or negativity arises, I am able to overcome and antidote it with my strength of mind and spirit. This leaves me with a perpetually positive outlook on life and able to move freely unattached through it.
Meditation has many health benefits at the physical level such as sustained immune function, normalized blood pressure, normalized metabolism, and much more all due to the lowered levels of stress hormones in the body because of your positive and relaxed outlook. Science has even proven that people who meditate and are positive and relaxed are healthier than those who do not.
So, How To Meditate Then??
This is the confusing part for most. I meditate in the traditional and non-traditional sense, meaning that I sit cross legged and do my daily practices and I meditate throughout my day.
Meditation is whatever you wish to make it you see. It has some different aspects such as;
-
Single Pointed Focus
- This is where you take an object or just your breathing and focus intently on it only, seeing all aspects as the observer not the participant.
-
Energy Meditations
- This is like single pointed focus but you are using your inner vision to focus energies in specific areas. This is also known as Tantra, Esoteric or Vajra meditations in Buddhism. This requires training from a true Buddhist teacher and is usually taught after you become better at single pointed Focus or Samahdi meditation.
For now we are going to look at single pointed focus meditation.
This need never be complicated and is in fact very simple, but do not think that you are lesser than because of this. Understanding the simplicity of meditation is the great gift. Some of the world's great masters still keep it very simple.
To do this meditation simply get comfortable either in a cross legged position or sitting with your feet crossed at the ankles in a straight backed chair. Next either choose an object, a flower for instance, or focus on your breathing and nothing else. Now just sit and notice the object for as long as you can before your mind inevitably begins to wonder. It will be about 2-3 minutes for most newbies. Not long is it! That is ok.
You just simply and gently bring you mind back to focusing on the object. continue this for as long as you feel you can. Do not strain as this will not make it happen any quicker! Good, you've just meditated for the first time..well done! Repeat this each day and gradually you will find that it is easier and you will be able to go longer each time.
You see what you are actually doing is separating from yourself. You are the observer not the participant. This will dawn on you eventually and then you begin to extend this calm observation into daily life. Then you will really notice the difference as you will be able to concentrate on things far better, you are able to better examine situations in your life without getting caught up in them and you are generally far calmer and more centred than before. This is turn means a happier you and a healthier you and this makes you want to meditate more and so the cycle goes.
You are able to problem solve better as you are soon able to separate from the inner arguements and simply watch them. You soon are quite calmly able to see the direction to take as it will ring true in your heart and off you go. All this from a simple meditation. Powerful stuff!
For some the use of meditation music is needed and this is perfectly ok. For others they may feel this inner reflection and focus when painting or playing a musical instrument or walking on the beach...this is all meditation! I meditate when I am out surfing, I reflect and observe my inner world between waves..good meditation. How many of you out there do something like this?? Then take the time to do it! Recreation is meditation as it very much centres you in the moment which is essentially what all this leads to. An understanding that there is no other time except now, this moment and to be fully in it with a silent, joyful heart and mind, is what we are here to do! Experience the perfection of stillness in the now and know that all things are tranquil and our "percieved" reality is nothing more than an illusion created by our untrained minds.
So get up off your posteriors and find a comfortable place and begin the journey to inner peace and total wellness today and try some form of meditation. You won't explode or disappear...well at least not right away! Just have a go and see for yourself how beneficial to your total being it is.
Until next time.
Best of health to you.
Craig Hitchens (B.Sc.Nat.)
Get a Reduced Price Consultation Online Today!
All Information Is Copyright to Craig Hitchens Therapies.
