I believe a daily meditation practice in some form is vital!

 

Please do not assume that meditation is just about sitting with crossed legs for hours trying to think of ‘nothingness’ (a Taoist monk once told me if you can truly clear your mind for one second…. then you have reached true enlightenment!), nor does it mean learning complicated obscure meditation techniques from the Far East, having to shave your head, wear sandals, or anything that is bizarre or obscure.

A meditation could be simply looking at a piece of art, listening to music, walking, swimming…. the list is endless.

It is unfortunate that religion has seemingly ‘captured’ the idea and practice of meditation as it’s own. When I mention to new patients that meditation is an important part of my sessions, I sometimes notice a ‘look of horror’, as if I’m going to indoctrinate them in some weird cult, or they will lose free will, or be negatively ‘mind’ programmed… nothing could be further from the truth!  

 I believe that meditation is allowing yourself a time to reflect and focus; a chance to bring yourself into the ‘centre’; stopping your mind/thoughts from racing away without control. Meditation is about not being distracted by your Ego thoughts; having some time with your authentic self; a time to confront your current life situation from a centred, calm, authentic place.

Through meditation we can remind ourselves that every life situation, no matter if we have perceived that situation to be good or bad, presents us with a unique opportunity to learn, develop and grow.

Meditation gives us that opportunity. With practice we can connect to our authentic, creative self and our intuition knows that every situation provides us with wonderful, exciting new opportunities to learn from.

 

Meditation is asking the Universe a question…..Intuition is the answer!

 In my weekly blogs I will write about very simple meditation techniques. Alternatively, seek out a local meditation teacher – always try and get some recommendations before joining a new class. But for now, why not simply take 10-15 minutes a day just sitting or lying quietly contemplating the calm, relaxed middle/centre ground to your current situation or just the day ahead.

Then just become aware of your intuition or ‘gut feelings’ from the quiet centre place; be mindful of your thoughts, images, feelings, memories; try not to get caught up in the excitement and over-stimulation of the Ego thoughts that will enter your mind at the beginning of your practice; just keep returning to the centre in a very relaxed, calm way.  

 

Through meditation we perform that daily inner cleansing of Ego thoughts. Practice can return us to the centre purity and authentic self; it can free us of those imbalanced Ego thoughts which generate restlessness and inner ‘dis-ease’. Instead we can return to the authentic alertness, inner attentiveness and mindfulness that makes it possible for us to interact with ourselves and others in a creative, positive and authentic way.

Freeing ourselves from the bullying nature of the Ego ‘inferiors’ (its negative and distracting messages) has the wonderful effect balancing of our inner mind.

Just as our home’s exterior may becomes dirty through living in it and the weathering of the elements, so our inner mental space can become cluttered with the extraneous and unnecessary preoccupations of our Ego’s imbalanced thoughts and messages.

These Ego thoughts may have a root in the misunderstandings that are embedded in our core belief system: our fears, anxieties, imbalances, concerns, fantasies and false ideas that make inner peace and harmony seemingly impossible to achieve.

 Inner calm implies that we just let go and correct those misunderstandings. Trust and return to our natural authentic centre.

Through meditation we can let go of old anger and hostility, and any attachment to ‘mental’ injuries, unfairness and injustice that we perceive people have done against us; we can discard all negative philosophies of being ‘special’ and petty inauthentic thinking.

When balancing ourselves in this peaceful and quiet way, we become freed of the enormous burden entailed by carrying such mental Ego imbalances and return to oneness.

Just a daily 10-15 minutes of quiet balanced thinking will help you in so many ways: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Just try it!

 

Some questions for you to ponder:

 

Does your Ego tell you: “You can’t sit still”?

 

Can you make time in your busy day for 10-15 minutes of meditation?

 

Are you worried you will lose some control in meditation?

 

Does the distracted ‘Monkey mind’ that comes with meditation upset you?

 

Are you worried what you will find when you sit quietly with yourself?

 

Do you believe that meditation can only be a religious practice?

 

A very simple meditation and breathing exercise for you to try:
 
1.  Sit in an upright position, spine in an alignment, head relaxed and ‘floating’ on your neck, which in turn is fitting into a relaxed shoulder position. Take time to get your position correct.
 
2.  Imagine a centre core line travelling down the middle of your body, from the crown of your head, through the middle of your head, neck, chest, abdomen, between your legs and out between your feet.
 
3. Imagine this centre line to be similar to the core of an apple and use it to bring yourself into a ‘perfect’ physical balance. Be happy to move and adjust until you reach a position that feels comfortable, yet allows you to be mindful of your physical body and its place in the environment that you are in.
 
4. Give yourself a few moments to get settled into that position. As your quietness increases feel free to continue to adjust and settle….just like a bird settles into a nest.
 
5. Then visualise your centre core as if it were a central tube that you can breathe down, notice how your body reacts to the changing direction of your breath…be mindful how the speed and depth of your breath changes, without a mental input from you.
 
6. Then notice how the ‘quality’ (a Chinese term) of the breathing improves; namely how your body reacts to the more natural simple breathing.
 
7. Allow your mind to harmonise with the breath; you will not be sure if the breath is leading the mind, or body leading the breath.
 
8. Try and surrender to that moment of balance and harmony and allow yourself to dissolve into the moment.
 
9. Be ‘in the moment’ as long as it feels comfortable and enjoyable…once the melting stops, slowly re-energise yourself back into your surroundings. Don’t forget to give yourself a stretch and check that you are fully aware before slowly moving from your meditation position.