Hey everyone! Today we're going to be finding the best ways to meditate and to find a peace and quiet mind. Also, we'll be learning about our Chakras. In the Hindu religion/culture, the Chakras are very vital to meditation, because they are the vital points of our mind, body, and soul. And that's about all that I know about the subject, so I'm going to post some tips that come from Todd Goldfarb from his blog "We The Change". Yes, these will be beginner tips, so this should help out everyone that has no experience, like myself. I will also post information about Chakras and a meditative practice that should help to give some insight to what we're trying to accomplish.
Meditation for Beginners: 20 Practical Tips for Quieting the Mind
Meditation is the art of focusing 100% of your attention in one area. The practice comes with a myriad of well-publicized health benefits including increased concentration, decreased anxiety, and a general feeling of happiness.
Although a great number of people try meditation at some point in their lives, a small percentage actually stick with it for the long-term. This is unfortunate, and a possible reason is that many beginners do not begin with a mindset needed to make the practice sustainable.
The purpose of this article is to provide 20 practical recommendations to help beginners get past the initial hurdles and integrate meditation over the long term:
1) Make it a formal practice. You will only get to the next level in meditation by setting aside specific time (preferably two times a day) to be still.
2) Start with the breath. Breathing deep slows the heart rate, relaxes the muscles, focuses the mind and is an ideal way to begin practice.
3) Stretch first. Stretching loosens the muscles and tendons allowing you to sit (or lie) more comfortably. Additionally, stretching starts the process of “going inward” and brings added attention to the body.
3) Stretch first. Stretching loosens the muscles and tendons allowing you to sit (or lie) more comfortably. Additionally, stretching starts the process of “going inward” and brings added attention to the body.
4) Meditate with Purpose. Beginners must understand that meditation is an ACTIVE process. The art of focusing your attention to a single point is hard work, and you have to be purposefully engaged!
5) Notice frustration creep up on you. This is very common for beginners as we think “hey, what am I doing here” or “why can’t I just quiet my damn mind already”. When this happens, really focus in on your breath and let the frustrated feelings go.
6) Experiment. Although many of us think of effective meditation as a Yogi sitting cross-legged beneath a Bonzi tree, beginners should be more experimental and try different types of meditation. Try sitting, lying, eyes open, eyes closed, etc.
7) Feel your body parts. A great practice for beginning meditators is to take notice of the body when a meditative state starts to take hold. Once the mind quiets, put all your attention to the feet and then slowly move your way up the body (include your internal organs). This is very healthy and an indicator that you are on the right path.
8) Pick a specific room in your home to meditate. Make sure it is not the same room where you do work, exercise, or sleep. Place candles and other spiritual paraphernalia in the room to help you feel at ease.
9) Read a book (or two) on meditation. Preferably an instructional guide AND one that describes the benefits of deep meditative states. This will get you motivated. John Kabat-Zinn’s Wherever You Go, There You Are
is terrific for beginners.
is terrific for beginners.
10) Commit for the long haul. Meditation is a life-long practice, and you will benefit most by NOT examining the results of your daily practice. Just do the best you can every day, and then let it go!
11) Listen to instructional tapes and CDs.
12) Generate moments of awareness during the day. Finding your breath and “being present” while not in formal practice is a wonderful way to evolve your meditation habits.
13) Make sure you will not be disturbed. One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is not insuring peaceful practice conditions. If you have it in the back of your mind that the phone might ring, your kids might wake, or your coffee pot might whistle than you will not be able to attain a state of deep relaxation.
14) Notice small adjustments. For beginning meditators, the slightest physical movements can transform a meditative practice from one of frustration to one of renewal. These adjustments may be barely noticeable to an observer, but they can mean everything for your practice.
15) Use a candle. Meditating with eyes closed can be challenging for a beginner. Lighting a candle and using it as your point of focus allows you to strengthen your attention with a visual cue. This can be very powerful.
16) Do NOT Stress. This may be the most important tip for beginners, and the hardest to implement. No matter what happens during your meditation practice, do not stress about it. This includes being nervous before meditating and angry afterwards. Meditation is what it is, and just do the best you can at the time.
17) Do it together. Meditating with a partner or loved one can have many wonderful benefits, and can improve your practice. However, it is necessary to make sure that you set agreed-upon ground rules before you begin!
18) Meditate early in the morning. Without a doubt, early morning is an ideal
time to practice: it is quieter, your mind is not filled with the usual clutter, and there is less chance you will be disturbed. Make it a habit to get up half an hour earlier to meditate.
time to practice: it is quieter, your mind is not filled with the usual clutter, and there is less chance you will be disturbed. Make it a habit to get up half an hour earlier to meditate.
19) Be Grateful at the end. Once your practice is through, spend 2-3 minutes feeling appreciative of the opportunity to practice and your mind’s ability to focus.
20) Notice when your interest in meditation begins to wane. Meditation is
hard work, and you will inevitably come to a point where it seemingly does not fit into the picture anymore. THIS is when you need your practice the most and I recommend you go back to the book(s) or the CD’s you listened to and become re-invigorated with the practice. Chances are that losing the ability to focus on meditation is parallel with your inability to focus in other areas of your life!
hard work, and you will inevitably come to a point where it seemingly does not fit into the picture anymore. THIS is when you need your practice the most and I recommend you go back to the book(s) or the CD’s you listened to and become re-invigorated with the practice. Chances are that losing the ability to focus on meditation is parallel with your inability to focus in other areas of your life!
Meditation is an absolutely wonderful practice, but can be very difficult in the beginning. Use the tips described in this article to get your practice to the next level!
Alright, so here's some simpler steps that will help with meditation.
how to meditate: 10 important tips
Why meditate?
On one level, meditation is a tool. It can help combat stress, fosters physical health, helps with chronic pain, can make you sleep better, feel happier, be more peaceful, as well as be present.
But on a deeper level, meditation is a doorway into the unknown. It can help us get a sense of the mystery of who we are.
When you start meditating, you will notice how unruly the mind is. I remember being quite shocked by this! I noticed that my mind was all over the place. Profound thoughts about my past or future jostled with mundane thought clips about what groceries I needed to buy. Some time afterwards I would come too and notice that I had spend 15 minutes running a painful memory over and over. It was like sitting in a crazy cinema!
So, if you’re starting out with meditation, please don’t beat yourself up about your wild mind. It is a natural condition. In time you will learn to work kindly with the barrage of thoughts and you will find some clarity and peacefulness.
Here are some simple tips on how to start meditating. Maybe those of you who already practise meditation could please add your comments of what has worked for you..
1. posture
Whether you sit on a chair or cross-legged on the floor, make sure that your spine is upright with head up. If you are slumped your mind will drift. Mind and body are intertwined. If your body is well-balanced, your mind will also be in balance. To straighten up, imagine that your head is touching the sky.
2. eyes
Try and keep you eyes open. Open eyes allow you to be more present. Just lower your eyes and let your gaze be soft. If you close your eyes you will be more likely to drift away on thoughts and stories. However, it’s important to do what is comfortable for you. Some people find closing their eyes much more effective. It’s good to experiment and see what feels best for you.
2. focus
In ordinary consciousness we are hardly ever present. For example, sometimes we drive the car on autopilot while being preoccupied with thoughts. Suddenly we arrive at our destination and don’t remember anything about the drive!
So, meditation is a wonderful way of waking up to our life. Otherwise we miss most of our experiences because we are somewhere else in our mind! Let’s take a look at what focus is. In ordinary life, we tend to equate focus with concentration. That’s like using the mind like a concentrated beam of light. But in meditation, that kind of mind isn’t helpful. It’s too sharp and edgy. To focus in meditation means to pay soft attention to whatever you place in the centre of awareness. I suggest using the breath as a focus. It’s like a natural door that connects ‘inside’ and ‘outside’. Zen Master Toni Packer says:
Attention comes from nowhere. It has no cause. It belongs to no one
3. the breath
Paying attention to the breath is a great way to anchor yourself in the present moment.
Notice your breath streaming in and out. There’s no need to regulate the breath – just let it be natural.
Notice your breath streaming in and out. There’s no need to regulate the breath – just let it be natural.
4. counting you breath
If you are having difficulties settling, you can try counting the breath – which is an ancient meditation practice. On your outbreath, silently count “one”, then “two”, and up to “four”. Then return to “one”. Whenever you notice your thoughts have strayed far away or you find yourself counting “thirtythree”, simply return to “one”. In this way, “one” is like coming home to the present moment. It’s good to return without a backward glance.
5. thoughts
When you notice thoughts, gently let them go by returning yous focus to the breath. Don’t try and stop thoughts; this will just make you feel agitated. Imagine that they are unwelcome visitors at your door: acknowledge their presence and politely ask them to leave. Then shine the soft light of your attention on your breath.
6. emotions
It’s difficult to settle into meditation if you are struggling with strong emotions. This is because some emotions tend to breed stories in the mind. Especially anger, shame and fear create stories that repeat over and over in the mind. Anger and shame make us keep looking at past events of the past. Fear looks at the future with stories that start with, “What if…”
The way to deal with strong emotions in meditation is to focus on the body feelings that accompany the emotion. For example, this could be the tight band of fear around the chest or the hot roiling of anger in the belly. Let go of the stories and refocus on your body. In this way you are honouring your emotions but not becoming entangled in stories.
7. silence
Silence is healing. I know that there are is a lot of ‘meditation music’ around, but nothing beats simple silence. Otherwise the music or sounds on the tape just drown out the chatter in your mind. When we sit in silence we actually get to experience what our mind is doing. There is steadiness and calmness that comes from sitting in silence. In time outer and inner silence meet and you come to rest in the moment.
8. length
Start with 10 minutes and only sit longer if you feel that that is too short. Don’t force yourself to meditate longer if you are not ready to do that. In time you might like to extend your meditation to 25 minutes. That’s a length that allows you to settle your mind without causing too much stress on your body. Most importantly, shrug off any ‘shoulds’. Some people enjoy sitting for an hour at a time. Others find that they can’t sit longer than 10 minutes. Do what feels right for you!
9. place
It’s lovely to create a special place to sit. You can even make a shrine or an altar that you can face when you sit in meditation. You might like to place a candle on your altar and objects that have meaning to you. It’s lovely to find objects for your altar as you walk. Maybe you find stones, or seashells, or flowers that speak to you.
10. enjoyment
Most of all it’s important to enjoy meditation. You might like to try sitting with a hint of a smile. Be kind to yourself. Start sitting just a little each day. It’s helpful to establish a daily habit.
Chakras
Each one of your chakras should be open yet protected. They often close as a protective measure after a major illness or any shock to your physical system, such as any abuse, rape, large doses of medicines, car accidents, emotional abuse, long stays in a hospital, negative work environment, or sleeping next to a negative partner. We really need to open them if they are closed during a healing session to prevent future illness.
1st Chakra (Base or Root Chakra)
The color for the root Chakra is red and it is grounded with your power. The base Chakra is located at the base of the spine. When the root Chakra is open, you feel in good health and connected with your physical body. It is used to ground your essence into your physical body. This Chakra gives you determination, grounds you and aids in survival in the physical realms. When the root Chakra is balanced, masculine and feminine energy work together to make you strong and vital. When it is not balanced, the feminine aspects disappear and you can become overbearing and have difficulty with the ego. Physically, it governs the kidneys and the spinal column.
The color for the root Chakra is red and it is grounded with your power. The base Chakra is located at the base of the spine. When the root Chakra is open, you feel in good health and connected with your physical body. It is used to ground your essence into your physical body. This Chakra gives you determination, grounds you and aids in survival in the physical realms. When the root Chakra is balanced, masculine and feminine energy work together to make you strong and vital. When it is not balanced, the feminine aspects disappear and you can become overbearing and have difficulty with the ego. Physically, it governs the kidneys and the spinal column.
2nd Chakra (Spleen or Sexual Chakra)
The color for this Chakra is orange. It is used for creativity, vitality and sexual expression and creates the balance between connectedness with other people and time spent alone. The spleen Chakra is located in the sexual organs-- ovaries in women and testes in men. When the masculine and feminine energy is balanced in this Chakra, adaptability and flexibility come easily. This Chakra is connected to procreation and bringing in new life. When it is out of balance, it causes one to fear death. Physically, it governs sex and reproduction along with creativity, intimacy, flow of body fluids and energy.
3rd Chakra (Solar Plexus Chakra)
The color for this Chakra is yellow. Yellow is very good for getting in touch with your power and to build confidence. It is your center of will. This Chakra deals with the human ego, emotions, and self-love. The solar plexus Chakra is located near the stomach. The primary urge of this Chakra is free will. Love essentially comes from the heart Chakra, but the spark is often ignited in the Solar Plexus Chakra. This Chakra gives you strength and provides the ability to hold energy for personal power and emotional control. When it is unbalanced, it produces rage and destructive anger. Physically, it governs the pancreas, liver, spleen, stomach, gall bladder, and the nervous system.
The color for this Chakra is yellow. Yellow is very good for getting in touch with your power and to build confidence. It is your center of will. This Chakra deals with the human ego, emotions, and self-love. The solar plexus Chakra is located near the stomach. The primary urge of this Chakra is free will. Love essentially comes from the heart Chakra, but the spark is often ignited in the Solar Plexus Chakra. This Chakra gives you strength and provides the ability to hold energy for personal power and emotional control. When it is unbalanced, it produces rage and destructive anger. Physically, it governs the pancreas, liver, spleen, stomach, gall bladder, and the nervous system.
4th Chakra (Heart Chakra)
The color for this Chakra is green. This Chakra deals with physical healing, balance, harmony, compassion, and love. The heart Chakra is located near the heart. The heart Chakra is most important in all facets of love. When it is balanced, you trust in others, take risks, love and feel loved. Physically, it governs the thymus gland, heart, blood, circulatory system and the immune and endocrine systems.
The color for this Chakra is green. This Chakra deals with physical healing, balance, harmony, compassion, and love. The heart Chakra is located near the heart. The heart Chakra is most important in all facets of love. When it is balanced, you trust in others, take risks, love and feel loved. Physically, it governs the thymus gland, heart, blood, circulatory system and the immune and endocrine systems.
5th Chakra (Throat Chakra)
The color for this Chakra is blue. This Chakra deals with communication and expression. The throat Chakra is located near the thyroid gland. Opening this Chakra allows you to speak the truth and to express your true feelings with love. From here, you begin to know divine love and your personal power is strengthened with divine knowledge and wisdom. Physically, it governs the thyroid gland, lungs, vocal cords, bronchial apparatus and metabolism.
The color for this Chakra is blue. This Chakra deals with communication and expression. The throat Chakra is located near the thyroid gland. Opening this Chakra allows you to speak the truth and to express your true feelings with love. From here, you begin to know divine love and your personal power is strengthened with divine knowledge and wisdom. Physically, it governs the thyroid gland, lungs, vocal cords, bronchial apparatus and metabolism.
6th Chakra (Third Eye Chakra)
The color for the 6th Chakra is indigo, a combination of red and blue. This Chakra deals with clairvoyance and mental activity. The third eye Chakra is located in the center of the forehead. When this Chakra is open, you experience spiritual wisdom and enlightenment. It is the center of physical and spiritual understanding. Physically, it governs the pituitary gland, lower brain, nervous system, ears, nose and the left eye - the eye of personality.
The color for the 6th Chakra is indigo, a combination of red and blue. This Chakra deals with clairvoyance and mental activity. The third eye Chakra is located in the center of the forehead. When this Chakra is open, you experience spiritual wisdom and enlightenment. It is the center of physical and spiritual understanding. Physically, it governs the pituitary gland, lower brain, nervous system, ears, nose and the left eye - the eye of personality.
7th Chakra (Crown or Christ Consciousness Chakra)
The color for this Chakra is a mixture of Silver, Gold and White and Violet. It is the combination of All that Is and the Divine Connection. The crown Chakra is located at the top of the head. The silver is the feminine energy of creation, the gold is the masculine energy of creation, and the white/violet light is truth and clarity which give clear vision of the truth and protection. When this Chakra is open, you connect with the Godhead and the source of the White Light comes into your energy field. Physically, it governs the pineal gland, the upper brain and the right eye. Amethyst gems are helpful in activating this Chakra when all else is prepared.
The color for this Chakra is a mixture of Silver, Gold and White and Violet. It is the combination of All that Is and the Divine Connection. The crown Chakra is located at the top of the head. The silver is the feminine energy of creation, the gold is the masculine energy of creation, and the white/violet light is truth and clarity which give clear vision of the truth and protection. When this Chakra is open, you connect with the Godhead and the source of the White Light comes into your energy field. Physically, it governs the pineal gland, the upper brain and the right eye. Amethyst gems are helpful in activating this Chakra when all else is prepared.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this post. I'll end it off with a video that will help to explain the meditation process and I will give you an example of a meditation practice. Enjoy!
Meditation Exercises.
Close your eyes and become aware of your breathing. It is not necessary to breath in or out more deeply than usual. Just become aware of the workings of your body -- a gift from the Goddess. Move your awareness through each part of your body, beginning with your feet and working your way up to your head. If you feel any tension in a particular area, you can envision it melting away, or you can just accept that it is there.
Once you have checked in with each part of your body, return your awareness to your breathing. If any thoughts come into your head, let them come and go, like soap bubbles floating through the air. If you find yourself absorbed in a particular though, just release the thought, return your awareness to your breath, and rejoice in your return to the present moment.
Breathe deeply for several minutes. Relax. Forget. Visualise the tensions and worries of everyday life exiting your body with your breath. Relax. Open your consciousness; allow your conscious mind to be receptive and alert. Commune and talk with the deities. Toss around symbols in your head. If you wish, chant one of the names of the Goddess or God, or a group of them. This is an excellent tool for slipping into the twilight world. Light should be subdued, burn white or blue candles if you wish. Also incense.
Personally, for some meditation music, I like to listen to music from Lord of the Rings because it has such a strong connection with Nature, also I'll listen to the Oblivion album, the movie with Tom Cruise in it. The movie was good, but it was the music that I enjoyed very much. I'll give a sample of some of the music I listen to and, if you guys want, leave some comments of some other music you enjoy to listen to that will help others to meditate. Blessed be!
