Hi everyone,
How's your week been so far? Today I want to share with you some of my favourite ways to meditate. Why? Because simply put, meditation can change your life. Up until about four years ago, I hadn't really done a lot of meditating. In fact, the closest I'd come was at the end of a yoga class, and you can bet I was the woman thinking about the 60 things I needed to get done immediately after leaving class and itching to get out. I wasn't by any means in a calm, centred meditative state. I was much more likely to be meditating while doing the yoga itself because if the huge amount of concentration and focus I needed to pull off the postures and not hurt myself...it's still the same in this regard at least ;).
It was only after going off steroid medications 100% and going into serious healing mode for my debilitating eczema (and other host of conditions), that I really looked into meditation. I needed every bit of help I could get to stay centred, calm, to help withstand the unbearable pain, and to get my mind out of self-pity or worrying about the future. Normally moving meditation would have been more appealing to me but given that any movement produced heat within my body which in turn caused me excruciating pain and itchiness, I turned to the being still kind of meditation.
Since then, I have tried various different methods, ways and types of meditation to find what I like best and in what situations. Although there are times when I may not meditate for a few weeks, I always come back to it as it really is an incredible tool that I recommend you aim to include as part of your daily experience. Even if it's only five minutes, it will help you over time to manage stress, find peace within your world, no matter what your situation, relieve the "monkey mind", refocus and centre you, and help you to have a more enjoyable life experience overall.
Today I want to share with you a few of my favourites. Hopefully this will give you some ideas and inspiration on how to incorporate meditation into your life, and if you are already doing so, it may just give you a few new ideas to explore for your personal practice.
Guided Meditations - I love listening to guided meditations with my earphones on through my iPhone/MP3. I have tried many different kinds and while I definitely have some firm favourites, I have been able to meditate "successfully" with many of them. My current favourite guided meditations are the Infinity Express Meditation and the Spiral Sweep Meditation by
Peggy Phoenix Dubro . I like to call these energy meditations. By that I mean they focus on the energy body and igniting and expanding awareness of the energy flowing in, out and around all of us. I LOVE the way these meditations make me feel. I can literally feel my energy growing and expanding and buzzing throughout the meditation. Anything that raises my chi is a winner in my books so these two meditations get big thumbs up from me. I have also tried and enjoyed meditations where you are talked through a journey usually in nature, and other meditations where healing mantras are used, and yet other types of meditations where you focus a single point of your body or breath. All have been of value but nothing works for me like a good conscious energy meditation!
My favourite way to listen to guided meditations is in bed laying down, right before sleep or first thing in the morning. I find I fit them in this way. I find laying down during meditation to be incredibly relaxing. I also walk down to the beach, which I am fortunate enough to have only a few minutes away, and sit on the beach with my eyes clsoed and listen to my guided meditations there. The combination of fresh air and a still mind is like nothing else. I absolutely love the moment at the end of a meditation, when my cells are radiating with peace and energy, when I open my eyes to see the infinite sky and ocean in front of me. Nothing is more real and honest and full of truth to me than these moments.
"Little Breathers" - This is my term for quick anytime anywhere meditations where I simply put my attention onto my breath. I focus on breathing in for four counts, holding my breath for 4 counts, and then breathing out for four counts. I find this four-four-four sequence to calm me very quickly and allow me to draw my attention in to a single point without too much difficulty. I use this little instant meditation technique everywhere. When I'm driving, working, making juice, watching a film, walking, you name it. I use it whenever I think of it, and I also use it deliberately when I am stressed or tense. I have never timed my little breathers, but I would guess they last for anywhere from a minute to fifteen minutes.
HoloSync - HoloSync is an audio technology that claims to take the brain deep into relaxation very quickly and to over time, produce deep and dramatic benefits and results for the person using it. I tried a free sample of HoloSync and enjoyed it enough to purchase the first level (I think there are over 10 levels from memory). I really enjoyed using HoloSync and found it definitely took me into a deep relaxation very quickly. Usually to the point of sleep however! To get maximum benefit from HoloSync, it is said you need to dedicate one hour per day, every day, to listening to the CDs. I did this for about three months but found the time investment was very difficult to always commit to. I also really missed my energy meditations. I do still intend to explore HoloSync more in the future, as I am curious as to the impact it has on me as compared to other types of meditation. I am extremely good at stressing, so meditation and relaxing activities are essential for me to build into my life and I like to consider and experiment with what I like most, and also what works best for me. Have any of you used HoloSync? What are your thoughts on it? Did you feel the difference or experience the benefits it is said to provide?
Yoga - While not strictly meditation, the focus I have to perform a sequence of postures in yoga, takes me into a sort of moving meditation. As with all forms of meditation, I sometimes have to pull my head back into it and stop the outside thoughts, but I find this easier to do when my mind has to focus on challenging movements for my body. There is of course also the savasana at the end which I use to relax both my body and mind and go into deep meditation. Well at least now I do, after years of practicing how to get into that meditative state!
Beach walking (or outdoor walking) - Walking in nature provides another wonderful form of meditation for me. Usually when I combine meditation with these walks, it's because my intention is meditate and the feel of the sun or fresh air on my skin provides my point of focus, or the feel of my limbs and abdomen and butt carrying me along. If I'm walking on grass or sand, I try to do so barefoot and it;s this direct contact, this grounding, that brings me to a state of simple meditation. My thoughts still wander but they tend to become simpler, more peaceful, happier thoughts which then slowly narrow in their span, eventually coming to a more singular focus where I am in a beautiful meditation. There are many guided walking meditations out there also that you could listen to as you walk. I haven;t tried them myself but know others who have enjoyed them immensely.
Reiki - I love Reiki. I find it so utterly relaxing and peace-giving. It's an incredibly healing experience for me and that's why I became a Reiki Practitioner. I typically give myself reiki when I meditate, to enhance the experience and conduct the chi around my body. While it's not meditation, I find it enhances the experience and allows for a deeper sense of wellbeing after meditating. I also enjoy giving reiki to others through any form of touch.
Buddhist Centres - there is a Buddhist Cente fairly close to where I love that I absolutely adore. On Friday nights and often at other times on the weekend, they have group/community meditations for free. I have been to these meditations many times and find them so deeply healing. The energy of the group meditating together in such peace and acceptance is truly a magical and heart-warming experience. I feel like I'm in a different world when 'm there. Unfortunately, I am not there often enough but when I get there, I am extremely happy. A half hour group meditation is led by a monk, and then a talk on some of the key beliefs and pricniples of buddhism is given. At my local Buddhist Centre, people flock to hear Ajahn Brahm speak. Honestly, this amazing spirit of a man is HILARIOUS. When I first went to a talk, at the recommendation of my best friend, I was in fits of laughter. Ajahn Brahm spoke about funny stories and told fun jokes while expressing messages of such importance. I was instantly a huge fan. I have since listened to many of his talks on the centre's website
here . If you are a Perth local, I definitely recommend you attend a Friday night meditation and talk. If you are not, there are downloads of his talks available at the website.
Well guys, I hope that gives you some ideas for your own meditation practice, or some inspiration to begin one. Even five minutes per day a few times per week is a great start. If you don't like it right away, don't give up. Just keep trying different methods and ways until you find something which you can stick with. Meditation is hard, but the gains are so worth it.
Have a brilliant end to your week.
Love,
Casey
Hi everyone,
How's your week been so far? Today I want to share with you some of my favourite ways to meditate. Why? Because simply put, meditation can change your life. Up until about four years ago, I hadn't really done a lot of meditating. In fact, the closest I'd come was at the end of a yoga class, and you can bet I was the woman thinking about the 60 things I needed to get done immediately after leaving class and itching to get out. I wasn't by any means in a calm, centred meditative state. I was much more likely to be meditating while doing the yoga itself because if the huge amount of concentration and focus I needed to pull off the postures and not hurt myself...it's still the same in this regard at least ;).
It was only after going off steroid medications 100% and going into serious healing mode for my debilitating eczema (and other host of conditions), that I really looked into meditation. I needed every bit of help I could get to stay centred, calm, to help withstand the unbearable pain, and to get my mind out of self-pity or worrying about the future. Normally moving meditation would have been more appealing to me but given that any movement produced heat within my body which in turn caused me excruciating pain and itchiness, I turned to the being still kind of meditation.
Since then, I have tried various different methods, ways and types of meditation to find what I like best and in what situations. Although there are times when I may not meditate for a few weeks, I always come back to it as it really is an incredible tool that I recommend you aim to include as part of your daily experience. Even if it's only five minutes, it will help you over time to manage stress, find peace within your world, no matter what your situation, relieve the "monkey mind", refocus and centre you, and help you to have a more enjoyable life experience overall.
Today I want to share with you a few of my favourites. Hopefully this will give you some ideas and inspiration on how to incorporate meditation into your life, and if you are already doing so, it may just give you a few new ideas to explore for your personal practice.
Guided Meditations - I love listening to guided meditations with my earphones on through my iPhone/MP3. I have tried many different kinds and while I definitely have some firm favourites, I have been able to meditate "successfully" with many of them. My current favourite guided meditations are the Infinity Express Meditation and the Spiral Sweep Meditation by Peggy Phoenix Dubro . I like to call these energy meditations. By that I mean they focus on the energy body and igniting and expanding awareness of the energy flowing in, out and around all of us. I LOVE the way these meditations make me feel. I can literally feel my energy growing and expanding and buzzing throughout the meditation. Anything that raises my chi is a winner in my books so these two meditations get big thumbs up from me. I have also tried and enjoyed meditations where you are talked through a journey usually in nature, and other meditations where healing mantras are used, and yet other types of meditations where you focus a single point of your body or breath. All have been of value but nothing works for me like a good conscious energy meditation!
My favourite way to listen to guided meditations is in bed laying down, right before sleep or first thing in the morning. I find I fit them in this way. I find laying down during meditation to be incredibly relaxing. I also walk down to the beach, which I am fortunate enough to have only a few minutes away, and sit on the beach with my eyes clsoed and listen to my guided meditations there. The combination of fresh air and a still mind is like nothing else. I absolutely love the moment at the end of a meditation, when my cells are radiating with peace and energy, when I open my eyes to see the infinite sky and ocean in front of me. Nothing is more real and honest and full of truth to me than these moments.
"Little Breathers" - This is my term for quick anytime anywhere meditations where I simply put my attention onto my breath. I focus on breathing in for four counts, holding my breath for 4 counts, and then breathing out for four counts. I find this four-four-four sequence to calm me very quickly and allow me to draw my attention in to a single point without too much difficulty. I use this little instant meditation technique everywhere. When I'm driving, working, making juice, watching a film, walking, you name it. I use it whenever I think of it, and I also use it deliberately when I am stressed or tense. I have never timed my little breathers, but I would guess they last for anywhere from a minute to fifteen minutes.
HoloSync - HoloSync is an audio technology that claims to take the brain deep into relaxation very quickly and to over time, produce deep and dramatic benefits and results for the person using it. I tried a free sample of HoloSync and enjoyed it enough to purchase the first level (I think there are over 10 levels from memory). I really enjoyed using HoloSync and found it definitely took me into a deep relaxation very quickly. Usually to the point of sleep however! To get maximum benefit from HoloSync, it is said you need to dedicate one hour per day, every day, to listening to the CDs. I did this for about three months but found the time investment was very difficult to always commit to. I also really missed my energy meditations. I do still intend to explore HoloSync more in the future, as I am curious as to the impact it has on me as compared to other types of meditation. I am extremely good at stressing, so meditation and relaxing activities are essential for me to build into my life and I like to consider and experiment with what I like most, and also what works best for me. Have any of you used HoloSync? What are your thoughts on it? Did you feel the difference or experience the benefits it is said to provide?
Yoga - While not strictly meditation, the focus I have to perform a sequence of postures in yoga, takes me into a sort of moving meditation. As with all forms of meditation, I sometimes have to pull my head back into it and stop the outside thoughts, but I find this easier to do when my mind has to focus on challenging movements for my body. There is of course also the savasana at the end which I use to relax both my body and mind and go into deep meditation. Well at least now I do, after years of practicing how to get into that meditative state!
Beach walking (or outdoor walking) - Walking in nature provides another wonderful form of meditation for me. Usually when I combine meditation with these walks, it's because my intention is meditate and the feel of the sun or fresh air on my skin provides my point of focus, or the feel of my limbs and abdomen and butt carrying me along. If I'm walking on grass or sand, I try to do so barefoot and it;s this direct contact, this grounding, that brings me to a state of simple meditation. My thoughts still wander but they tend to become simpler, more peaceful, happier thoughts which then slowly narrow in their span, eventually coming to a more singular focus where I am in a beautiful meditation. There are many guided walking meditations out there also that you could listen to as you walk. I haven;t tried them myself but know others who have enjoyed them immensely.
Reiki - I love Reiki. I find it so utterly relaxing and peace-giving. It's an incredibly healing experience for me and that's why I became a Reiki Practitioner. I typically give myself reiki when I meditate, to enhance the experience and conduct the chi around my body. While it's not meditation, I find it enhances the experience and allows for a deeper sense of wellbeing after meditating. I also enjoy giving reiki to others through any form of touch.
Buddhist Centres - there is a Buddhist Cente fairly close to where I love that I absolutely adore. On Friday nights and often at other times on the weekend, they have group/community meditations for free. I have been to these meditations many times and find them so deeply healing. The energy of the group meditating together in such peace and acceptance is truly a magical and heart-warming experience. I feel like I'm in a different world when 'm there. Unfortunately, I am not there often enough but when I get there, I am extremely happy. A half hour group meditation is led by a monk, and then a talk on some of the key beliefs and pricniples of buddhism is given. At my local Buddhist Centre, people flock to hear Ajahn Brahm speak. Honestly, this amazing spirit of a man is HILARIOUS. When I first went to a talk, at the recommendation of my best friend, I was in fits of laughter. Ajahn Brahm spoke about funny stories and told fun jokes while expressing messages of such importance. I was instantly a huge fan. I have since listened to many of his talks on the centre's website here . If you are a Perth local, I definitely recommend you attend a Friday night meditation and talk. If you are not, there are downloads of his talks available at the website.
Well guys, I hope that gives you some ideas for your own meditation practice, or some inspiration to begin one. Even five minutes per day a few times per week is a great start. If you don't like it right away, don't give up. Just keep trying different methods and ways until you find something which you can stick with. Meditation is hard, but the gains are so worth it.
Have a brilliant end to your week.
Love,
Casey