Photo source: PhotoXpress.com; Design: Carma Spence
Meditation is the practice of “thinking deeply or focusing one’s mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation.” I know from personal experience, that it has helped me calm my nerves, develop a stronger relationship with God and deepen my practice of gratitude and prayer.
Research has proven that regular meditation has numerous benefits, including:
- stress reduction
- slower aging
- improved efficiency
- increased attention span
- improved immune system
- improved metabolism
- better sleep
- improved brain function
And more.
When I was young, my mother shared with me a book about meditation that was written for children, but I just wasn’t ready for it. It wasn’t until I started seeing a counselor for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that I became ready to make meditation a regular part of my life. The book that helped me get on that path was Meditation for Beginners by Jack Kornfield, which comes with a CD of guided mediations.
I have since created meditation practices of my own that help me, and these are what I’m going to share with you today.
Preparing for meditation
I begin each meditation session with a short mind and body preparation routine. I get comfortable and take one or two deep, cleansing breaths. And then I imagine connecting with the Earth through the bottoms of my feet and connecting with the heavens through my Crown Chakra at the top of my head.
Gratitude Prayer Meditation
I use the phrase “thank you” as my mantra, repeating it over and over during my meditation. Sometimes, I’ll also list things I’m thankful for and really experience my gratitude for all the wonderful things, people and experiences in my life.
Sending Love
I imagine that love is filling my heart chakra. And then I open it up and send it out into the world: first filling up my home, then my apartment complex, then my neighborhood, then my city, county, state, country … eventually enveloping the entire world in love pouring forth from my heart chakra. And then I imagine that every being on the planet — human, animal and otherwise — feels that love in some way, large or small, that it touches their heart and eases some of their pain (if they have any).
Movement Meditation
Sometimes, sitting still isn’t an option for me. That’s when I’ll put on some good dance music and meditate through movement. I imagine that my dance is an expression of my love for spirit, that it is a prayer expressed through my body rather than my mind or voice.
Guided Meditation
There are so many guided meditations available on the market these days. Sometimes, I’ll use one to help me be still or to accomplish a specific goal I’m working toward. You can find free ones on YouTube or through many of the experts, like myself, you follow. Or, you can purchase ones from a wide selection of sources. I even offer one that helps you release fear and doubt. Here are a couple of resources I’ve really enjoyed using:
May is Spiritual Literacy Month, so for the five Friday’s in May, I will be covering various topics that touch on spirituality. Here is the planned schedule.
- May 1: Owning Your Spiritual Awesome
- May 8: Meditation tips
- May 15: Finding Meaning in Your Business
- May 22: Intuition and Business
- May 29: Reading the Text of Your Own Experience
Eventually, PDF and audio versions of Own Your Awesome Friday content will be made available. If you’d like to know when this content becomes available, complete this form:
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