by Stevi Dinizio
Often we have perceived meditation as a spiritual practice, which involves emptying your mind to achieve clarity, peace or closeness to God. In actuality, meditation practices awareness in the mind and body. Anything we do which calls on us to focus all our attention on one thing classifies as meditation. When we listen to our breath, we meditate. When we focus in on the relaxation of the muscles in a good massage, we meditate. When we listen to our favorite music and allow the notes to take us into another world, we meditate. Meditation comes in many forms, and here I want to present a couple of those forms and some ideas on how to put them into practice.
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One of the most common forms of meditation is called concentration. This is the basis of all meditation, in a sense, because in every variety meditation creates a oneness of mind in order to bring about self-awareness. Learning to concentrate allows you to gain oneness of mind and shed distractions, whether physical (text messages) or mental (frustration, anxiety). Because meditation requires consistency, it is important to practice concentration meditation every day, some say twice a day, to see the rewards of the exercise, which are clarity, discipline and mindfulness. To put this into practice, try sitting or lying comfortably in an isolated, quiet place. Choose a positive word or phrase to focus on and repeat it in your mind over and over. Allow your breathing to go deep and slow. For more tips to jump start your concentration, visit this site over HERE.
Another kind of meditation is called creative meditation or visualization. This kind of meditation helps to cultivate personal qualities, such as compassion, humility and patience. Generally, this involves guidance from a recording or
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physical person. In this form, you imagine either specific images or sensations that will produce positive effects on the mind when meditated upon over a course of time. Again, all forms of meditation take consistency in order for us to see desired results. By keeping up with creative meditation/visualization, you can grow and blossom the qualities you desire to see in yourself. To get started, find a beginner’s CD to guide you through the steps.
And here are my top three favorite tips to keep in mind as you begin your daily practice of meditation (if you so choose):
- Start with you breathing – Remember the importance of deep breathing. It slows your heart rate and allows you to relax so you can start your meditation time off right.
- Pick a place to meditate – Do not use a room where you sleep or work to meditate. You want a space where it is quiet and no one is likely to walk through. It can be the corner of the laundry room or even your bathroom.
- Experiment! – There is not one right way to meditate. You can sit or lie down, keep your eyes closed or open. If you do not like one way, try another until you are comfortable.
Find this interesting? Continue your reading and education HERE and HERE.
Check out the rest of Stevi Dinizio’s Wellness Wednesday posts on CCD HERE
