Meditation made simple

“In prayer you communicate with God; in meditation, God communicates with you ... 
In silence lies the ability to listen.” - Julia White

Last night on my radio show "Mind Body Spirit Hour", my co-host Shelly Wilson and I, shared the importance of connecting with our higher self through meditation.  We realize that meditation is a stumbling block for many people.  This is mostly because we traditionally think of meditation as a quieting of the mind, an activity by which we leave all our thoughts behind and become blank canvases. For those who can achieve this, meditation is a wonderful component of their spiritual lives. But for the rest of us, meditation looks like something reserved for monks.  In fact, one of the most common statements I hear over and over again from my clients is that they "just can't meditate".  

What if I gave you some simple steps to get started, and told you that meditation does not require hours of practice per day?   As we mentioned last night on the radio, I promise that once you make the decision to awaken your spirituality and connect with your soul -- you will find that changes start happening.  Once you make the decision to connect to your higher self and ALL that is, we are awakened to our true calling.  Just being willing to release all pain on the cellular level, we begin a metamorphasis almost instantaneously.  

Okay, so you have set the intention to open yourself up to the wonders of a spiritual life -- now what?  At least once a day, all you need to do is sit in quiet and stillness.  Then simply watch as your deep desires slowly open before you, revealing the honesty and joy of your higher self.

Meditation doesn't have to be difficult. Meditation is simply focused awareness on ALL that is within you, waiting to be valued. Instead of trying to suspend all thoughts during meditation, decide to pay attention only to certain thoughts. For instance, listen to your breathing, or gentle classical music, orfocus on the sounds of your heart beating.  You can also focus on a single image such as a candle, budding rose, or an angel figure.  Try not to get frustrated with any thoughts that want to intrude. Instead, simply greet those thoughts and ask them to please step aside for now.  Then, go back to the image or the focus you had before.

Here are some basic pointers on how to meditate:

1)  Sit comfortably. I prefer to sit in a chair where my feet can rest comfortably on the ground. There's no need to sit in a cross legged position on the floor, unless you are perfectly comfortable that way. You may also lie down, but if you do, you might fall asleep.

2) Dress in comfortable clothes. You really don't need to go out and buy special yoga pants, etc! Casual sweat pants, or even pajamas, will do.

3)  Eating right before you meditate isn’t recommended. If you eat and then want to meditate, plan to take an hour to let your meal digest.  Avoid eating heavy or processed foods prior,  so that energy flows easier and your focus remains unclogged.

4) You can light candles, burn incense, use crystals, etc. Whatever puts you in the mood. Try to do this each time you meditate, so that it becomes a ritual for you. Meditating at a certain time everyday, is also helpful.

5)  Start with 5-10 minutes a day, with the intention of working your way toward longer meditation. It's a lot easier than you think, once you get used to it. Some people spend an hour a day, or 30 minutes in the morning and at night, meditating. The more you meditate, the stronger your connection to your higher self will be.  I personally meditate for at least 15 minutes every morning.  When I do not take that time for myself, I notice a big difference -- I might feel rushed, or more easily frustrated with others, or the task before me.  

Most people don’t believe they have the time to set aside an hour a day to meditating. And that’s fine. You don’t need to start with an hour, or even plan to work up to that. You can start with five minutes. Even two minutes will do! For example, if you take two more minutes each morning when you shower, and you allow yourself to stand under the water and meditate - you’ve practiced! Or, before you leave the house for the day, set down all your stuff by the front door, go sit on the couch, and focus on your breath. Two minutes, five minutes, and what do you know - you’ve practiced!  The key is to be consistent and patient.
 
5) When you first begin meditating, where you do so is as important as how often and how long.  In time, you’ll be able to meditate during a traffic jam, or while waiting in line at the grocery store.  Pick some place at home or at the office where you can reliably go for a few minutes to get some peace and time to yourself. Maybe this is at the foot of your bed, or an unfrequented stairwell in the building where you work. Wherever it may be, make that your meditation space. You can choose to decorate it with candles, a soothing water fountain, tapestries, or crystals.  Decorate with whatever will help make the location sacred to you.

6) Next decide how you would like to meditate.  Do you want to sit in silence and clear your mind? Do you want to chant with a mantra? Do you want to play soft music? Do you want to focus on a candle? Do you want to send your intentions out into the Universe? Do you want to make contact with your higher self?  You can simply say on the in breath, "I am light" and on the out breath, "I am love".  Start with breathing naturally and purposely until you have created a comfortable rhythm.  

As you commit to your practice, you’ll find that over time, how you meditate will change. There is no need after awhile to become too attached to one way of meditating. As your spiritual self becomes a stronger presence in your life, you will know what feels best for your purpose. 

So what are you waiting for?  Lets give it a try right now.