Practicing Staying Present to the Now

Copyright © Harry Henshaw, Ed.D., LMHC, 2012 . All rights reserved.

Transformational Counseling is about assisting others to transform their life.

Transformational Counseling is a process of assisting others to learn how to let go of the past and live fully in the present. To live fully in the present is to become awaken to what is truly real and to our own natural power.

Much of our life is spent living in the past, and in the process, attempting to fix it, to make it something that it is or was not. It is from living in the past that we also attempt to create our future, the result always being a living of life as it was in the past.

Transformation takes place when we learn to exist in and be present to the Now. The practice of staying present to our natural power and to that which is real is becoming conscious to what is so, to the Now, to the present.

What is so, the Now, has no meaning and exists outside of thought and language. As human beings we tend to give meaning to everything, including other people, ourselves and even life itself. It is in our meaning making that we leave the present and create our life from the past, a life that can be filled with a great deal of anxiety, fear and stress.

What is so merely exists and it is in the experience of the Now that we begin to live a life of power and freedom, a life and way of being free from our past.

A specific technique that is very powerful for practicing staying present to the Now is meditation. It is in meditation that one creates the space to experience a very deep state of relaxation, a state that is very healing to both the mind and body.

As we know, in meditation one’s metabolism slows down, including heart rate and blood pressure. The consistent practice of meditation will reduce anxiety and stress. For some the practice of meditation allows them to access true Being. For others it is way of reconnecting to the Spirit within us.

It is in the consistent practice of meditation that the subject and object distinction inherent in language, thought and meaning making collapses thereby resulting in our access to the present, to the Now.

The meditative process can be enhanced by the use of therapeutic relaxation music. Music has always been a very powerful modality for promoting a very deep state of relaxation and even healings. I have found that musical compositions that are harmonically slow, repetitious, with sustained voices, which are rhythmically, random in tempo assists an individual in experiencing a very deep state of relaxation.

A second important component of the use of therapeutic relaxation music is the use of binaural audio tones that have been interwoven into the music. The binaural tones, through a process referred to as entrainment or frequency following, gently guides or directs the mind/body to generate more of the targeted frequency of brain wave activity for an even more profound state of relaxation.

The meditative process of practicing staying present to the Now is as follows:

1. Take a comfortable position in an upright sitting position.

2. Allow your legs and arms to be open.

3. Allow your eyes to focus upon a chosen object. The chosen object could be a candle light in a darkened room or any point that you choose.

4. As you focus on the chosen object, allow your muscles to slowly relax from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.

5. Take three slow deep breathes in through your nose as you inhale. Hold each breath to the mental count of four. Slowly exhale each breath out through your mouth. Continue to breath at a slow pace after the three breaths.

6. Continue to focus on the chosen object. When your mind wanders to some thought or thoughts slowly and gently bring it back to your focused concentration upon the chosen object. Simply let go of the thoughts that arise. The thoughts are from the past. Stay focused to what is so.

7. Continue the practice for a prescribed period of time and then go about your daily activities. Each day that you practice you may even choose to lengthen the time you spend with this technique.

The ability to stay in the present, to access the Now, can be enhanced with the consistent practice of meditation. What this will necessitate is one making the practice of meditation apart of his or her daily schedule. With the consistent practice of meditation one will also create the ability to stay even more present to what is so even when not actively engaged in the meditative process.

It is through a commitment to the practice of meditation on a daily basis that one will begin to live more fully in the Now.

Harry Henshaw, Ed.D., LMHC
http://www.enhancedhealing.com

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God is Love by Anagarika Eddie

Photo by Roobee via Flickr

Copyright © Anagarika Eddie 2012. All rights reserved.

A good friend of mine, a Methodist, asked his minister if people who didn’t believe in Jesus were destined for hell. The minister thought for a moment and said, “God is love.” This reply is a sign of the shifting landscape of spirituality.

Successful spiritual institutions have always reflected their followers’ level of conscious awareness. This is so because spiritual institutions are not isolated. When they become isolated, the conservatism they hope will preserve them is exactly what destroys them. Followers seldom challenge their spiritual institutions when they intellectually outgrow them; they just walk away.

As humanity evolves, and its level of understanding expands, the current institutions and their doctrines have no choice but to evolve as well. We are no longer ignorant people living in middle age muddle. If institutions don’t adapt, they will be discredited and replaced by institutions that satisfy the hunger of an evolving consciousness. This has happened throughout history, and it’s happening now.

This new consciousness is not a choice for people, or something to be stamped out; it is inevitable, unstoppable. Attempts to stifle it will be temporary at best and eventually unsuccessful. It will be wiser to simply adjust, because armed with this new consciousness, an individual’s religion will be thoroughly tested and investigated from a standpoint of free inquiry, no longer from a standpoint of blind belief and intimidation. The world is not becoming less religious; it is becoming truly religious.

Truth, that enigmatic quality of lasting peace and security in our hearts, cannot be imparted from an outside source; it must be experienced. Spiritual institutions that dictate, and then expect us to follow blindly, will no longer be tolerated. Just as democratic societies love political freedom, those of the new consciousness will demand spiritual freedom as well, where each individual will discover his or her own truth inwardly without fearing the judgment of an outside, authoritarian power. If you look carefully, you can see this happening all around us.

The old consciousness, which is a throwback to medieval belief systems handed down by authoritarian Gods, is giving way to new spiritual freedom. Controversies throughout the world reflect this change of behavior where ruthlessness is clashing with an arising sensitivity and intelligence. Falling in love with a religion, then defending it against all opposition, is as illogical and emotional as a lover who imagines dangerous rivals encircling his beloved, and risks his life to protect her. Fortunately, this form of lust is usually only short-lived obsessions for those with a developing new consciousness.

Institutions, including spiritual ones, which adjust to the needs of this new, evolving consciousness of individuality and freedom will thrive. Those dragging their feet and fighting it will not. This will not happen overnight. Many will continue to look upon all of this as blasphemy, but those who examine things carefully will see the implications clearly, and prepare themselves for the coming changes.

Acceptance of this new reality is only beginning. The infighting and disagreements will be no different from clashes of cultures in the past, where new ideas were looked upon initially as so threatening that the messengers were shunned, sometimes killed. Eventually, new ideas ease their way into a society that can’t quite accept them, but are intrigued nevertheless and acknowledge the new ideas as cultural jokes. Finally, new concepts are accepted seriously when the culture reinvents them as their own original ideas to fit into their particular beliefs, as they must.

This shift in consciousness is happening now. The human longing for creativity, historically reserved for the few artists, writers, and those of inspired occupations, is going mainstream. The need to be creative is overwhelming the need for pleasure and security. Artists think nothing of living in their cars while painting their masterpiece, writers hammering out pages in one-room apartments oblivious to worldly pursuits, while truly spiritual people are going deep inside, taking the time, the risk, and the sacrifices involved to understand themselves, to understand what Truth really means, to come face to face with God just as the prophets throughout history had done. Why accept second hand spirituality from something read or heard?

Material things so valued in the past no longer will weigh us down so much. A certain level of material comfort will always be necessary, but now, more importantly, we will demand our time to create. No longer will it be, “How much money can I make?” but rather, “How can I make ends meet while I support my passion?” Will society as we know it change? Yes. Will crime decrease? Of course. Will we be a stronger and happier society? Definitely. We see this happening in small ways already. What passion could be more creative than one of authentically finding out what God really is for oneself, instead of being spoon-fed and mislead about Him by unenlightened, self-righteous sermonizers?

Many ignore warnings that rich men have a better chance of passing through the eye of a needle than getting into heaven. The fact remains, however, that a rich man cannot relate to a poor man. He patronizes those less fortunate, but secretly, or even openly, fears them, seeing poverty as a threat, a reminder of what he could become because his values embrace only power and wealth. As a new consciousness evolves, however, we will become increasingly vulnerable and sensitive to the pain of those less fortunate, less intelligent, less endowed with creative energy. Those whose consciousness is slower in evolving will fight to maintain the status quo (to keep “economics” the real present day world religion), but nevertheless, a freedom from the mass hysteria that too often now represents our beliefs, will certainly evolve.

Christ and the Buddha recognized the blinding influence of wealth and organized religion, and gave us examples to follow. They were literally beggars, turning their backs on the established religion of the day armed only with enlightened minds. Currently, how many are prepared to follow them, that is; become enlightened? Who welcomes financial hardship and psychological upheaval in exchange for a spiritual life that, as promised by these two unique men, holds out the real possibility of total inner freedom instead of guilt and fear?

But because we lack faith, few have experienced an authentic spiritual life; we really don’t believe the teachings of the Buddha and Christ. They tried to tell us about spirituality, but we weren’t paying attention; we opted to take the easy way out — we built religions around these men instead of following their ways and finding true spirituality within ourselves – and we got what we deserved; a shallow understanding of spirituality. We don’t intuitively feel it. We prefer to noisily talk and think about it while going about the business of amassing fortunes and worldly relationships, instead of reaching in the silence toward God.

St. John of the Cross describes the risks of fame and fortune in his masterpiece; “The Ascent of Mount Carmel”: . . . “and the fourth degree of evil that comes from joy of worldly things is: And he departed from God, his salvation. This man has made money and things of the world his God, and David said, ‘Be thou not afraid when a man shall be made rich, for when he dieth, he shall carry nothing away, neither riches, nor joy, nor glory.”

Clearly, we have refused to believe what was being taught; spiritual self-sufficiency through our own efforts. We refuse because it is easier to just believe. If we are born in India, we believe as a Hindu. In Thailand, as a Buddhist. In the US as a Christian. We believe what our parents taught us because putting forth the effort or time to see for ourselves requires courage and work. We are too busy with everything except God. We talk the talk, but we don’t walk the walk, however, this is all changing; if you look closely, you can see the signs everywhere. The new consciousness is beginning and you can be a part of it.

It is always your choice.

Anagarika eddie is a meditation teacher at the Dhammabucha Rocksprings Meditation Retreat Sanctuary and author of A Year to Enlightenment. His 30 years of meditation experience has taken him across four continents including two stopovers in Thailand where he practiced in the remote northeast forests as an ordained Thervada Buddhist monk.

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Meditation as reboot for the mind and body

Horace Weston Taylor: Contemplation, 1919, gouache on board via Wikipedia

Author: Bryan

This is a familiar experience to any of us who has been working with a computer for a long time.  We open a number of windows and/or programs at the same time.  Our computer should be able to handle it because it was designed to multi task.  Then, in our haste to get more things done we run a few programs too many.  The impending result is the cursor not being frozen despite our mouse manipulations.  Eventually, error windows pop up.  Yes, our computer has hanged because of too many programs running and whatever we were working on may have been lost.   So much for technology.

The mind is like the computer that hanged.  Our minds often have too many ‘programs’ running in the form of worries, speculations, expectations, he said, she said, what happened in the past and what we think will happen in the future.  Eventually these programs cause our mental and emotional system to ‘hang’ just like the computer.

Fortunately, our computers have a solution when it hangs.  We often press the buttons ‘Ctrl-alt-delete’ or ‘Reboot’ or ‘Restart’.  This makes everything start up again with all the programs in their inactive modes.   Meditation is like the reboot function for the mind and body.  It restarts our stressed out minds by coming back to the present moment.  Being in the present moment is like being brought back to the menu page of our computer screen.  And as our minds relax, so does our bodies.

Technology consultants advocate not rebooting our computers too often because of the danger of losing memory files.  However, unlike computers, our human minds do benefit from frequent refreshing and rebooting from too much work and stress.  Meditation helps reboot our immune systems, refresh our focus, enhance our memory, and restart our lives in the present moment.    It’s an old technology for humans that’s far from being phased out.

Mediation from various schools and traditions have now been acknowledged by modern science as being beneficial to both psychological and physiological health.  Results have shown that inner stillness practices can alleviate stress, enhance immune systems and emotional quotients, and create better focus and creativity in a person.    Meditation is currently being used in some medical cases to compliment the management of illnesses and recovery.   Meditation and visualization is an ancient human tool passed down through the ages that all may benefit.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/meditation-articles/meditation-as-reboot-for-the-mind-and-body-5389827.html

About the Author

We are the online media producer that aid seekers in their journey towards ONEness within, Oneness with others and Oneness with the world around us. We translate the practices of the ancient traditions into a format that would be appreciated by the generation of the New Earth. We move with the current tends of the material world as a portal for others to the Conscious Universe. Through this portal, we contribute to adding to the ‘Critical Mass’ of higher human awareness that would lead to a world of Harmony and Peace.

Visit our website: http://www.onwiththeflow.com

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Meditation For Losing Weight

Image: Chi Chang Wu via Wikipedia

Author: Maria Bende

There are several studies showing that meditation for losing weight is working quite well. Weight loss in said to be helped by the power of your own mind more than any diet that you might try. The mind is really a strong healer, maybe the most powerful one that exists.

Scientists and medical practitioners have started seeing the relationship between the intent of losing weight and using meditation for accomplishing this and several doctors and psychologists are already incorporating various self-hypnosis and meditation techniques with their clients or patients.

There are many people who have been helped with weight loss meditations and in fact these meditations can be practiced at home, even without the help of a third party helper.

This is a lot of money saved in the process as well. So how can you use meditation for weight loss if you are struggling with a helpless dieting problem?

Creative visualization meditation using one of the easy meditation postures such as simply sitting in a chair or cross legged on the floor is one of the most powerful ones for dieting. Basically when you are are stressed, you are eating to compensate for your agitated state of mind. Once you start meditating, you release your stress, which means that the extra food craving is no longer there, or at least, the urge to eat is not as strong as before. And this is the first step to truly lose weight.

Creative visualization means that when you are meditating with your eyes closed, you are basically visualizing yourself slim, healthy and happy, in the way you want to become. In your mind’s eye you are passing along a store window and you are looking at your own reflection. This image shows a beautiful person, slim and without a worry in the world. The person is energetic, healthy and feeling light. You notice that there is a new vigor in your step.

This type of meditation is in direct contrast with the usual mental images we have in our mind. Let’s face it, we always imagine ourselves fat, ugly, not loved by anyone and in turn this image makes us depressed and feeling constantly in a bad mood. And in turn, this bad mood brings us doubts that we can actually do it. And these doubts bring with them stress which makes us crave food, and the negative cycle goes on and on.

The creative visualization above (or anything similar to this) cuts this catch 22, breaks this negative cycle and helps us find ourselves again. It helps us start fresh with our goal in mind, the goal that will serve use well in our quest to lose weight and get our slim waistline back.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/meditation-articles/meditation-for-losing-weight-4367492.html

About the Author

Learn more easy meditation techniques such as the alpha meditation and many more by visiting http://www.meditation-techniques-made-easy.com/.

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Mindfulness Meditation: Living in the Moment and Feeling Happy

Image via Wikipedia

Author: David Wilcox

Mindfulness is a meditative practice which seeks to help the practitioner to live in the moment. It is based on eastern meditative practices, specifically Buddhist techniques, which train the mind to experience life in the now. The philosophical belief that is the foundation of mindfulness practice is that human beings are much more than what they appear to be on the outside, and that this earthly experience we call life tends to cloak or veil our true nature from us. As a result, mindfulness meditation practices attempt to focus our minds away from the illusion of earthly life, and onto our true nature, our hidden self. The idea is that by living in the moment, and discovering our authentic self, we will feel and be happy.

A simple example of mindfulness practice would be, as I sit here typing this article, I could practice mindfulness by emptying my mind of everything except the act of typing. This would ground me in this moment, and would help train my mind not to wander into worrying about the future (like considering when I will publish the article, or will anyone want to read it). Then as I move onto another task, I would become completely immersed in that until that is completed. This practice will help me gain control of my thoughts and feelings, thus leading to mental freedom.

As you can see, mindfulness meditation practices can be very effective for gaining control over negative thought patterns. For example, a great deal of the mental anguish people experience is caused either by brooding over past mistakes and problems, or from worrying about the future. Mindfulness exercises can soothe the anguish by helping train the mind to accept the hurts and mistakes of the past, and to work on what they can control right now in order to make the future better. And for many people suffering from depression and anxiety, or other forms of neurosis, meditation and mindfulness practices have been demonstrated to be extremely effective at reducing, or curing altogether, these mental ailments, helping them to feel happy again.

The benefits of mindfulness practice are obvious. The only problem with mindfulness meditation practice is that it cannot always be easily integrated into the life of a non-monk (which of course makes sense, since these techniques were developed by monks, for monks). Also, mindfulness is seen in Buddhist philosophy to be an end as well as a means. And as a Christian, I feel that mindfulness is a means to achieving an ever expanding conscious awareness of how the Spirit of God is working through me, and in my life and the lives of others. Mindfulness cannot work for me as end unto itself.

However, these problems should not deter anyone from practicing mindfulness, because the benefits far outnumber any problems. And the problems can be overcome. I have been able to practice it in a way that works for me both from a pragmatic standpoint, and a philosophical one. Here is a basic outline of how I integrate mindfulness into my life.

1. I try very hard to give my complete attention to whatever I am doing, or whoever I am interacting with at the moment.

If I am teaching my class for 65 minutes, they receive the very best I can give them for that time. If my kids want to play, I give them everything I have for that time. I try to limit distractions, and focus my mind only on what I am doing right then and there. Notice I said I try, because it is not easy. But it can be done, and I find when I do it then I am much more productive, and less worn out at the end of the day.

2. When I meditate, I really have trouble quieting my mind, particularly if I have a busy day ahead. So my main focus in meditation is to get my objective mind very still.

Learning how to make my mind still helps me to stop worrying about things I cannot control. It also helps me be very effective at completing the tasks I need to accomplish that day. And, it has helped me learn to control my thoughts, emotions, and impulses much more effectively.

3. If I make a mistake, I move on and immediately see it as a learning experience.

I do not beat myself up over my failings anymore. Not that I am happy about them, but I try to look at them more for what they can teach me about where I am heading in life, and the spiritual progress I am making. This helps me turn a negative quickly into a positive, it shields me from making the same mistake again, and I do not live in the past brooding over and regretting what happened. I do not expect to be perfect, but I do expect to be aware and present. That is the goal I work towards. I try as best as I can to let things go.

I hope this article helped you to think about ways to work mindfulness and meditation practice into your life so you can begin enjoying the benefits of this practice. Learn how to more effectively practice living in the moment.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/meditation-articles/mindfulness-meditation-living-in-the-moment-and-feeling-happy-4311403.html

About the Author

Dave Wilcox writes articles on spirituality, self-improvement, fitness and diet.

To learn more, visit http://www.squidoo.com/the-best-fat-burning-workouts or

http://www.squidoo.com/meditation-for-self-improvement

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Christian Meditation: A Case for Practicing Meditation in the Christian Tradtion

Meditation at Big Green Gathering 2006 Festival by gavinandrewstewart via Flickr

Author: David Wilcox

If you were to ask most westerners what they thought about meditation, they would likely crack some joke about long haired Gurus in orange garments, sitting cross legged with eyes closed, incense burning, their fingers turned into little ok signs as they rest them on their knees, breathing in and chanting loudly AUMMMMMMMMM.

And while this is certainly an image of meditation that has some basis in reality, it reveals the basic misunderstanding of meditation which permeates the western world. There are many reasons for this misunderstanding, however the biggest reason, I believe, is that most western exposure to religion has been in a Christian tradition, and Christians are taught to be skeptical of meditation. However, Christians should not be skeptical of meditation. Meditation was practiced for centuries by Christians from around the world, and still is today. There is also evidence from the Gospels that Jesus practiced a form of meditation when he retired by himself every morning and evening to be with his Abba. Meditation is a spiritual practice which is common to all religious traditions, including Christianity. So, what is meditation then?

Meditation is a form of prayer which attempts to focus and quiet the objective or conscious mind in order to lead a person to connect with the central core of their being. In simple terms, meditation practice tries to establish a link between the human mind and the human heart. In doing so, the practitioner is brought into contact with their true self, and their conscious awareness of life is expanded.

Christian Theology and Biblical teaching supports the idea that the Holy Spirit resides within each person. Within us, in the central core of our being, is an infinite power, the Power of the Spirit. However, what is also clear from Christian teaching is that the Spirit within must be contacted through focused prayer, otherwise the Power of the Spirit within remains only a potential power, dormant and unused. St. Paul refers to this by teaching us that the Spirit groans within us, and prays for us, because we do not pray as we should. Meditation can be the key to unfolding the Power of the Spirit within by quieting and focusing the objective mind, and bringing it into direct contact with the central core of being, the Holy Spirit within. In this way, meditation can become a transformational practice, as it unfolds the Power of the Spirit into the lives of ordinary Christians. And when the infinite Power of the Spirit is unleashed in a person’s life, anything becomes possible.

Traditional Christian worship is good, and important. However it is often too formal, too ritualistic, and too rooted in the objective mind. Unfortunately, the objective mind often becomes an impediment to real and genuine contact with the Spirit within, as it wrestles with the cares and concerns of life. The objective mind is also easily distracted, and loses itself easily in spiritual distractions such as listening to sermons which, as Paul said so well, tickle the ears. Meditation brings us in communion with our source, the teacher within. John the Evangelist tells us that we need no teacher, for our teacher, the Holy Spirit, resides within us. Meditation can become the way that we learn to listen to the lessons the Spirit wishes to teach us and the world we live in.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/meditation-articles/christian-meditation-a-case-for-practicing-meditation-in-the-christian-tradtion-4219365.html

About the Author

Dave Wilcox writes articles on topics such as self-improvement, spirituality, diet, and fitness.

For more information on meditation, please go to:

http://www.squidoo.com/meditation-for-self-improvement

or

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How to Meditate Effectively

Meditation via Wikipedia

Author: Stacy (@TheZenGirl)

What image comes to mind when you think of meditation? Perhaps a gentle old man sitting quietly on an ancient Asian mountaintop? Meditation practice originated centuries ago in the Far East but has become more mainstream in Western culture. Today, millions of people all over the world practice meditation to relieve a variety of problems in their personal lives and promote a general sense of well-being.

Practicing meditation requires us to dip below our “surface” thoughts and into the realm of the subconscious. Meditation is focusing on the space between your thoughts. Much like a computer that needs to be defragmented on a regular basis in order to run at its optimal level, meditation is a wonderful tool that gives us a chance to recalibrate our mind, body and spirit. In effect, meditation helps us to realize our full potential and success as human beings.

There is no right or wrong way to meditate, but there are ways to meditate effectively.

1. Open Your Mind
One of the most important steps to meditate effectively is to keep an open mind. Every person is unique, and so is each meditation experience. Try not to judge or criticize yourself and be open to whatever experience comes your way. You might be pleasantly surprised.

2. Set Aside a Quiet Time and Place
It is crucial to set aside a quiet time and place in preparation for meditation. Schedule the time on your calendar and treat it like and important meeting you would not want to miss. Turn off your phone and communicate to family members or housemates to give you interrupted time for yourself for at least 20-30 minutes. One of the best times to meditate is first thing in the morning because this is when the subconscious mind is the most impressionable and you will most likely start your day with positive thoughts. However, If you suffer from insomnia or thrive later in the day, an evening practice might be best for you.

3. Sit in a Comfortable Position
Your body’s posture during meditation is also important. The ideal posture is a comfortable sitting position, legs crossed, with your spine straight and erect. If you are not able to cross your legs, simply sit in the most comfortable position that is true for your body on that day. Be sure you can sit in that particular position for a long time period and try not to lay down, as often it’s easy to fall asleep.

4. Do a Short Breathing Exercise
Sometimes it may be effective to practice pranayama, or conscious breathing, for 5 minutes to calm your thoughts and prepare your mind and body for meditation. One effective pranayama exercise is alternate nostril breathing. Close one nostril with your fingers, exhale completely then inhale completely. Close the other nostril and repeat. Once you become comfortable, see if you can slow down your breathing, inhale for 5 counts and exhale for 10 counts. This brings awareness and leads to a singular point of focus that is important as the next step in how to meditate effectively.

5. Create a Point of Focus
Our minds are chock full of thoughts, worries, fears and desires. Meditation is focusing on the quiet space between thoughts in order to recalibrate and balance ourselves. Focus on your breath, an object like a candle flame, and/or a mantra. A mantra is especially effective in replacing any thought that re-enters your mind and a gentle way to bring yourself back to that “space.” It can be a non-verbal om or any other combination of rich vowels that feels comfortable to you. When we practice meditation regularly using the same mantra, soon we train our mind to associate the word(s) with a calm meditative state. By extension, this makes our mantra a very powerful tool to deal with stressful situations in our life as a result of a regular meditation practice.

6. Accept Yourself
It’s no secret that it’s not easy to meditate or more people would be doing it. Like most things practice makes it easier, but our minds will inevitably wander. Try not to be hard on yourself. Simply accept it and return to your point of focus each time it happens and move on.

7. Enjoy the Benefits of Meditation
Not only does meditation rejuvenate the body and promote inner peace, it also can be a source of inspiration. Most humans use only a very small percentage of our brains. This approximate 5% is controlled by our physical selves and our ego. The remaining 95% of our intelligence resides in our subconscious mind, where the most powerful ideas and best solutions to our problems lie. The power of our subconscious mind is one which many past leaders have tapped into, such as Thomas Edison, Buddha, Jesus, Confucius and Einstein, to name a few.

At first the benefits of meditation may seem small, but using these effective techniques on how to meditate are very powerful. Over time you might just feel like the peaceful, enlightened man (or woman) on the mountaintop.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/meditation-articles/how-to-meditate-effectively-3965221.html

About the Author

Stacy Bergdahl is a world traveler, yoga fanatic, marketing maven and spa-goer and committed to eco-friendly life practices. Check out my wellness resource blog Zen Friend for all things mind, body and spirit. Visit my previous travel blog at The Berglon’s Wanderlust and follow me on twitter @TheZenGirl. Happy reading!

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Different Views on Meditation

Easy Mandala via Wikipedia

By: Juan Skyzinski

Meditation is thought as overrated nowadays. Most people think that meditation is for Buddhist monks and nuns. But what most people do fail to realize is that all of us meditate, we just tend to use different meditation techniques.

Most of us think that meditation is deeply connected to religion. True enough, Meditation has been in rooted with religion but it is not limited to such. For instance, in Hinduism, they practice meditation techniques that involve proper posture, breathing and chanting mantras. They believe that this meditation can lead them to self realization, empowerment, come closer to Brahman god like discernment and the wisdom to attain peace and resolve worldly matters.

In Buddhism, They practice meditation techniques which also involve posture, breathing and chanting. They also believe that they can resolve worldly matters, attain inner peace, self realization, empowerment and wisdom. The difference is that in Buddhism, They do not believe that they can be closer to their god. In fact, they do not have a god. They believe that their meditation techniques can help them achieve the eight noble truths and finally find themselves in Nirvana. They believe that being close to these eight noble truths is Zen itself.

In Christianity, their meditation techniques are simpler. They believe that meditation is prayer. They detach themselves from the physical world and focus on their god. They believe that this technique would bring them to a personal conversation with Jesus Christ. In doing so, they can get help by solving worldly matters, uplifting their spirits, clearing their thoughts and being guided through every decision. They describe deep reflection and having an epiphany as having a piece of what they can call heaven. It’s like heaven on earth.

The Native Americans have the same objectives in mind: self realization, purpose, inner peace, guidance, peace and problem solving. Yet, they have different meditation techniques. Their meditation involves the use of peace pipes, dancing, chanting, pilgrimages and other forms of sacrifices that has been innate in them.

It might sound absurd but Atheists also meditate. They might not think that they are not doing it, but they actually do meditate! They practice different meditation techniques but like religion, they arrive at the same results; self-realization, solving problems, inner peace, decision-making, selflessness and finding a different point of view. Their meditation techniques involve taking a walk, listening to soothing music, sitting on the roof, etc. Therefore, may it be in a religious way or not, we all practice meditation techniques that are almost similar with each other’s views.

About the Author

Juan Skyzinski is a freelance writer who write based on his own personal accounts and experiences.

To know more about Buddhist Meditation, please visit these websites:

www.buddistmeditation.org

www.buddistmeditation.com

www.buddistmeditation.net

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Different Views on Meditation

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Can Spirituality Be An Escape?

" HALLUCINATION_RETRIEVAL_SAILF ..." by gmayster01

I had a friend who learned Transcendental Meditation and practiced almost every day. She felt happier, more relaxed, even blissful as long as she meditated. If she missed a few days, she found that she didn’t feel much different than before she began to meditate. Although she felt better when she meditated, it wasn’t solving her underlying problems.

I’ve known many people who’ve used spirituality and meditation as a way of avoiding dealing with their issues. Since they feel good when they’re pursuing a spiritual path, guru, or new technique, they think that will make all the uncomfortable stuff dissolve and go away. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Spirituality is no more a magic bullet than anything else.

According to Lawrence LeShan, a psychotherapist, meditation teacher and author of “How To Meditate,” meditation can help strengthen the structure of our personality, making us better able to deal with our challenges. And it may give us more insight into our issues, but meditation doesn’t do away with them. It may reduce overall anxiety, make us feel safe, therefore better able to face ourselves, but we still need to do the internal work needed to bring about change.

Anything that allows us to feel bliss and euphoria, whether it’s drugs, lust, romatic love, alcohol, achievement, spirituality or meditation, can become addicting. We become enthralled to the feeling and want to repeat it as often as possible. It makes the bad feelings fade away. Spirituality is a healthier escape than any of the others, but it still can be an escape. We need to ask ourselves, “What am I trying to escape from or avoid?”

There needs to be a balance and a grounding at the same time. Getting carried away with bliss can mean not attending to day to day affairs, such as paying the bills, eating right, and having healthy relationships. I knew a woman like this. She was so wrapped up in her pursuit of peace that when she received a chunk of money in a settlement, she didn’t want to be bothered by trying to invest it. Instead, she gave the money to a friend to invest it for her. Unfortunately, the friend put it in a high risk investment, which failed, and she lost all of her money. The euphoria from spirituality and meditation doesn’t erase our personal responsiblities.

We seek to recognize our wholeness through spirituality and meditation. Instead of feeling like we have a “hole in our soul,” spirituality helps us to understand that we are truly whole and complete as we are. It allows us to be more fully present in our world and expand our awareness of who we are. But as long as it’s being used to avoid our feelings and deep issues, we can’t move forward. We’re either resisting discomfort or moving toward wholeness. We can’t do both.

We have to be able to balance our spiritual practices with our everyday and emotional lives. Spirituality and meditation gives us a sense of connection that we can then take into the rest of our experience. When we are able to acknowledge our issues, work through them, and accept all of ourselves, we’re honoring our spiritual essence.

Copyright 2007 Linda Ann Stewart

Source: http://www.articlecircle.com/ – Free Articles Directory

About the Author

As a nationally known hypnotherapist, writer, speaker, and coach, Linda-Ann Stewart has taught multitudes of people how to reduce stress, improve their self-esteem, break negative habits, and improve their lives. She leads seminars and teleseminars on empowerment, self-esteem, creativity and stress reduction. At her website, www.Cedarfire.com, she offers personal development articles, affirmations, audio products, a newsletter, and much more.

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Spiritual Center in the Garden

Inside Garden 360: Paulo Brandão

Spiritual Center in the Garden

By Irwin Myers

Among the beautiful flowers and healthy vegetables you can grow in a home garden, you can also help to cultivate your spiritual center. With the reward of having beautiful plants, you can also use the garden space for meditating. With the proper planning, well-chosen plants and attentive care, your yard can become a peaceful haven. You can turn a standard back yard into a colorful, inviting space.

If you plan on having a drastically transformed garden, it may be best to contact professionals. If you are interested in installing a fountain or other large feature, professional services of some sort are practically necessary. Hiring someone to install fountains or ponds assures a beautiful appearance. An adept landscaper will also provide a beautiful appearance with advice on where to place plants for optimum eye appeal.

The ancient Chinese principles of feng shui can help create a positively-charged space that will help you achieve a spiritual center. Flowers whose colors are in the “warm” section of the color wheel (red, orange and yellow) are good for raising energy and stimulation while the cool colors (blue, green and purple) are more soothing. Think about your needs and how you intend to work on your spiritual center. A fountain is not going to fall within all budgets, but it is a great addition to a relaxing space.

Tending a garden yourself can be a wonderfully rewarding experience. If you have not done much gardening in the past, taking up a garden can be a baffling challenge, but taking up this quest will stimulate your mind. Having this new stimulation set in a relaxing space can help unite two seemingly disparate entities, such as mind and body. This will help you achieve a greater sense of balance and calm, as well as a spiritual center.

Once the primary work for your garden is complete, being able to enjoy the space is of the utmost importance. Having a few pieces of patio furniture will provide a place to sit, relax, read and unwind. A chaise lounge style chair will allow you to sit up and read, or to lie down and take time out from a tiring day. Be sure to purchase patio, outdoor-safe furniture for such a purpose.

Working on a garden can be an extremely fruitful procedure that gives you the perfect opportunity to improve your spiritual center. No matter what you choose to grow, it is the gardening process that can help you gain the greater feeling of calm and self-unity that you are looking for.

Article Source: Articles Engine

Irwin Myers is the president of Wellness Engine, a company that is dedicated to teaching wellness through multimedia. Our first production is Psychic Smarts. Visit us at our website at Visit our website at Psychic Smarts and our blog at Psychic Smarts Blog