Showing posts with label Guide to Meditation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guide to Meditation. Show all posts

Friday, June 27, 2008

Meditation to Achieve Your Goals - How to Use the Power of Your Subconscious to Create What You Want

By Katie Evans

Imagine you are walking along a path in an open forest. You notice the sky above you and the sun shining gently overhead. You feel safe and secure and you're just enjoying yourself. You begin to notice the life in this forest, the trees, bushes, grasses, flowers. You can smell the plants and trees. Perhaps you even reach out and touch a leaf or the bark of a tree. You feel alive and full of life. Just take a moment to be on your path and take in what is around you.

You walk along the path and up ahead, you notice that there is an obstacle blocking your path. And you really want to keep walking on this path. As you get closer the obstacle becomes clearer and you see that it is a wall and that the wall has a sign on it.

Take a minute to see sense or imagine this wall. How tall is it? How thick is it?

What color is it? What does it feel like? How does it make you feel?

You know that this obstacle is what is keeping you from attaining your goal. Perhaps the sign on the wall can tell you what the wall represents. Imagine what the sign says now.

You can dismantle that wall using any powers you can imagine. Begin to deconstruct the wall now until you can see past it. Beyond the wall you see yourself having achieved your goal. Take a moment to imagine life on the other side of this wall - What is the weather like? What do you imagine it is like over there?

You know you want to be on that side of the wall and that you have the tools you need to get there. You can continue to knock down this wall and you can return and continue this work at anytime, just by closing your eyes and imagining it. By doing this you are getting closer to the life that you truly want for your self. Take a few seconds just to feel, see or imagine that power rising with in you. Allow your self to feel that power and to feel good about it.

Repeat this exercise every day, spending just a few moments a day, until you achieve your goal.

Katie Evans is the founder and CEO of the Living Lite Weight Loss Program, which shows people HOW to create a healthier lifestyle. When you use hypnosis and the incredible power of your subconscious mind, you will never diet again, you will simply learn how to create a new relationship with food. For those who wish to make a living helping people heal their lives so they can lose weight and keep it off, there are now Living Lite Franchises available.This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to own her own business (we accept men franchisees, too!) and still have support and guidance in setting up the systems. Ms. Evans is a published author, lecturer and entrepreneur. She also teaches "The Mental Game of Golf" on cruise ships. You can reach Katie at: http://www.livinglitenow.com/tapes-cds.htm or http://www.hypnosisweightlossbusiness.com or http://www.livinglite.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katie_Evans

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Meditation: A Powerful Process To Achieve Prosperity

By Thomas Davey

Unfortunately Western culture all too often categorizes meditation as being something that "hippies do". The truth of the matter is that meditation is an incredibly powerful tool for you to employ on your path to wealth, health and happiness. When you study the lives of extremely successful people, you will find that no matter what their schedule, they put aside quiet time for themselves. Also of interest is that every author featured on The Secret uses meditation on a daily basis!

When you come to understand that there is but one stream of positive energy running through this world, you can then begin to understand the merit of meditation. See, when you quiet your mind, you in effect take your attention off of any negative things you don't want! Thus they are not being attracted into your experience! The Universe will then bring positive thoughts and experiences into your reality. Sounds simple but I assure you that this is fact!

I suggest you apply meditation in two key ways, starting today! Firstly, most of us will come across stressful events during our days. This is the perfect time to take a couple minutes and just close your eyes, get comfortable and just breath in and out deeply. Try to keep your mind "unfocused" so to speak, and if any thoughts pop into your head, try to set them aside. This may seem like a simple technique and it really is as simple as it sounds. You should make sure to find a comfortable meditation position, however do not get too comfortable or you may find yourself falling to sleep!

Often meditation is a much better way of dealing with a negative situation than trying to think positive thoughts right off the bat or attempting to tackle the issue head on. The reason that trying to think ‘positively’ immediately following a negative event does not work is simply due to the Law of Attraction. Negative experiences were attracted to you because of negative thought. And negative experiences attract negative thought! Simple! Meditation provides a simple solution to this unfortunate cycle. Abraham Hicks in the book, “Ask and It Is Given” made a wonderful point which was that it is much easier to focus on nothing than it is to focus on something positive following negative events.

The other way to incorporate meditation is to apply it as a daily ritualistic practice. I do suggest trying this! Aim to set aside a regular time each day to spend about 15 minutes in personal meditation. This practice may not be for everyone but I urge you to give both a try as I guarantee that you will see immediate benefit! Quite often answers to problems will just pop into your head after time spent in meditation. Meditation is really just an extension of what your parents told you when they said, “It’s alright, everything will be better in the morning.”

Meditation is often thought of as a new age type of practice, (as alluded to in the first paragraph of this article), however nothing could be further from the truth! Meditation has been practiced in Eastern cultures for an eternity and one only needs to apply these principles to see the immediate benefits meditation offers.

I hope you have enjoyed this article and don't forget to apply the process of meditation into your life. Start today!

Tom Davey is an Australian based author specialising in prosperity principles to help you attain health, wealth and happiness. For more free information, with articles added daily, on principles to attain health, wealth and happiness, go to www.prosperitylivingonline.com

Article Source: http://www.amazines.com/Self_Improvement/article_detail.cfm/518157?articleid=518157

Friday, May 2, 2008

Meditation Tools And Techniques For A Compassionate Mind

By Laurie Desjardins

Empathy and compassion are two emotions that make us human. It's the ability to identify with another person, to place ourselves in another's shoes, which allow us to have a greater connection with our fellow man.

Unfortunately, with the stress and general busy-ness of life, it becomes harder for us to place ourselves in the lives of others, as we're too busy worried about our own lives and our own families. Though it is easy for us to empathize with those close to us, it's a lot harder to summon compassion for people we've never met.

However, it's possible to learn compassion and empathy through meditation techniques.

Here's the story

A recent study published in the journal PLoS One showed that 16 Buddhist monks had been able to train their brains to be kinder and more compassionate, thanks to years of practiced compassion meditation.

The monks and a volunteer control group underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging brain scans during meditation sessions. During the sessions, the participants were given emotional cues - a baby crying or a woman in distress, for example - and asked to meditate or to refrain from meditating.

The scans showed that the brain circuits that detect emotion and feelings were significantly changed in the monks, where the volunteers showed little change, if any. The deeper the meditation, the stronger the response from the monks.

What this means for you

No, you don't have thousands of hours right now to spend training yourself in compassionate meditation techniques. However, those monks didn't start with thousands of hours under their belts. They had to start one day at a time.

By starting now, you can start making your brain kinder and more compassionate, taking it a day at a time.

Meditation has other, more noted health benefits as well. Studies have shown that it can reduce chronic stress and high blood pressure, and improve clarity and attention. With the high positive impact this can have on your life, it's important to make daily meditation a priority.

Meditation tools and tips

When life gets so busy, it's easy to put off meditation. You don't have time. You don't have space. You just can't fit it in.

However, meditation is one of those rare things that you actually can do just about anywhere. Whether you're at work or at home, if there's a place you can go for just a few moments of quiet, even if it's the bathroom, then you can meditate.

Images provide a very powerful meditation technique for some people. Imagine that the light in the room is sunlight shining on a beach. Turn on the water in the bathroom and imagine that you're sitting by a babbling creek. If it helps, bring in scents like pine or lavender to help you meditate.

Meditation tools are an excellent addition to your meditation repertoire, especially if you're just getting started. It can help immensely to have a physical tool on which to focus your energy. One particularly effective meditation tool is the Zen Stick, a smooth, wooden stick that you toss and catch with your eyes closed. It takes some coordination, but the repetitive motion combined with the physical meditation tool makes it a very quick and successful meditation.

Meditate one day at a time

In the modern world, we are constantly bombarded with a sense of "now now now" and "me me me." We are so worried about the future - what to have for dinner, when to do our taxes, how to finish those projects at work - that we forget to take time to enjoy the present and help our fellows.

Meditation techniques take away that unending rush and bring your focus to the here and now. Take it one day at a time, and you'll be more at peace with yourself, and be on your way to being a more compassionate, empathic person.

About the Author: Reduce your stress, better your health, and establish a feeling of peace and tranquility in your everyday life. Visit SleepingTiger.org today to choose the Zen Stick meditation tool that's right for you.

Laurie Desjardins is a meditation expert and creator of the Zen Stick relaxation tool. If you want to truly align your mind, body and spirit, consider adding the Zen Stick to your relaxation repertoire. For more information about meditation techniques and Zen Sticks, visit http://www.sleepingtiger.org.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laurie_Desjardins

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Mindful Meditation - Touching The Untouched Aspect Of Your Life

By David Barrett

Mindful meditation is all about being present in your life. It is a practice that helps you become truly proactive. Usually it has been found that human nature is reactive to everything. Everything we do is most of the times just a reaction of what we think or feel. It is very important for you to understand that because of this reactive nature, we always pursue an endless cycle of disappointment and conflict. We can convert this unhappiness and disappointment into an endless cycle of pleasure and peace by remaining neutral to our feelings and thoughts. This is what mindful meditation is all about. There is an aspect within us that remains untouched for most of our lives. This untouched aspect is spontaneous and awake. We can connect with this untouched aspect by practicing this form of meditation.

Filling Yourself With Positive Energy

It is not easy to achieve the magical power of mindfulness. It demands for constant and sincere practice. Mindful meditation is very much like any other form of meditation. The only difference is that you do not have to focus on something beautiful while you are keeping your eyes closed and reciting the meditation mantras. You have to achieve neutral feelings towards everything. Whatever thoughts come to your mind, you just let them enter. But, make sure that you have to be neutral towards these thoughts. It does not matter much whether they are good thoughts or bad, you have to give them the same level of attention. This way, the energy of your thoughts will get no feeding and you will be able to get in contact with that elusive untouched aspect of your life - the aspect that is spontaneous and widely awake. As soon as you get in contact with this aspect, your heart, mind and soul will get filled with a lot of positive energy.

The Benefits

There are virtually endless benefits of practicing this type of meditation. Let me share some of these benefits with you...

It breaks the vicious cycle of thought, feeling, and reaction.

You no more get attracted towards negative energy.

You no more try to outsmart the entire universe. You have learned to be humble. You have learnt the precious lessons of surrender and gratitude.

You experience an increased level of happiness and joy.

You experience enhanced acceptance, compassion and tolerance.

The feelings of resilience and relaxation are increased.

This type of meditation enhances your ability to control your feelings and personal responsibility in a much better way.

Your psychological well being is improved.

The level of anxiety in you gets decreased.

Any bad habit, such as substance abuse is reduced.

You will be happy to know that mindful meditation also brings several spiritual benefits for you. You will have a much greater conviction of the existence of a higher power. You will get to know about the meaning of your existence in this world, which is nothing but to spread happiness all around you.

I hope you found this article helpful! To discover the secrets of grounding meditation, and to uncover the most powerful sort of zen meditation music, then be sure to check out: http://www.OnlineMeditationGuru.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Barrett

Using Sounds For Increasing The Power Of The Mind

By Conrad Raw

The use of sound such as in the form of a guided meditation may be helpful because they generally 'guide' you through the steps of meditation with a speaker who uses a calm nearly monotone voice to facilitate a relaxed state. Other sounds could also be that of nature such as waves breaking against a shore, raindrops, a rushing stream or seagulls. By listening and focusing in on these nature sounds, we can find ourselves becoming more relaxed.

Other recorded sounds can be sounds that are meant to produce changes in brainwaves, not unlike the biofeedback machines used years before. In biofeedback training, people had to use bulky equipment, such as a head dress that wired you up to an electroencephalograph, a machine that measures brainwaves. The brainwaves were associated with certain sounds and while you attempt to change the waves, you knew you were successful by the sound heard, or the sounds were produced on a video monitor that allowed you to change the waves by watching. With new technology in the form of DVD's, CD's and tapes, all you need to do is to plug in earphones and listen.

With new technology, sounds can be used on CD's, tapes, MP3 players etc that will change your brainwaves without a lot of effort. These sounds are masked by music or some other sound that is heard on a conscious level, but the sound needed for changing brainwaves is relegated to the subconscious, which will help you to relax and change your behavior and positively enrich your life.

In other sound recordings, the tones used to affect brainwaves are subsonic, that is below the threshold of human hearing. These tones will coax the brainwaves from using beta waves, the waves associated with alertness to theta range, a more relaxed state. You may hear a low humming sound in the background, which are the tones used to affect brainwaves.

The term used for changing brainwaves by sound is brain synchronization, combining the use of both the right and left hemispheres of your brain to work in conjunction with each other.
As you relax and listen to these recordings, the brainwave activity will increase and become more coherent and you will be relaxed but alert.

Using sound for increasing brain function is not new. Pagan cultures often used sound to help to affect mood and induce a trance-like state by the use of music, drums or chanting.

The use of sound to find balance in your life can be achieved by the use of musical harmonics and certain sound frequencies. The use of affirmations in recordings has the effect of going directly to the subconscious which can help in reducing negative self talk and behavior.

Conrad Raw is an expert in practical techniques for personal and spiritual development. He is the author of "Forbidden Secrets Of Personal And Energetic Development." He travels the world to learn and teach and is the founder of Greater Human Potential, a website devoted to bringing you easy to learn techniques to increase your human evolution. Visit his website for a free newsletter filled with tons of great tips and advice.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Conrad_Raw

Monday, March 10, 2008

Find the Meditation Techniques That Work Best For You

By Fred Field

Meditation may be unfamiliar to many people, but it's been around for over 5,000 years. Although it began as a type of religious ritual for the Buddhist, it has now become a method of well being and inner peace used and prescribed by many. The way meditation works is the person gives their entire attention to one thing and doesn't think about anything else. The goal of this it to relax and calm your mind. Of all the forms of tranquility and peace available (drugs, alcohol, love, etc.), meditation is the most long-lived and permanent.

Meditation as well as meditation techniques is actually an art of consciousness, where we are aware of only what we are concentrating on at the time. There are many different meditation techniques available. Although meditation is not yet referred to as a science, it is being researched more and more due to some positive results that have been proven in helping with physical problems. One such instance is brain scans showing that meditation change the way the brain is working and feeling. As of yet, this is still in research stages, but different medication techniques have been tried for many years with patients dealing with many stress-related ailments.

There are different meditation techniques, each with their own method and benefits. After you've been doing meditation, you will probably have tried a few different meditation techniques and have found one you like best. The classic setting method of meditation is probably the most effective for many people. Although some will choose to sit motionless for hours, others don't find this necessary. Your meditation should take place in a quiet room where there will be no disturbances. Many choose to sit cross-legged on the floor while others enjoy a recliner. Your eyes can be open, slightly open to allow a little light in or half open. If you choose to meditate with your eyes closed, make sure there is a light on in the room so light can get through your eyelids so your brain will remain alert. The purpose behind this is that when your eyes are closed, your brain begins to shut down and get ready for "sleep mode". For meditation to work, you should be relaxed like you are sleeping yet be fully awake.

Another method some like to use is the sit-stand methods, which has you sitting quietly for fifteen minutes, then standing for two minutes, sitting for fifteen and so forth for a total of 49 minutes. This method can be done three or four times each day. This method eliminates cramping of the legs, which many experience after sitting for a long time as well as teaching how to meditate in motion.

The use of a recliner also works very well for meditation. The chair should be reclined in a medium recline and your shoes and socks should be off. Many are able to meditate for up to two hours with recliner method technique.

If you want to read more about Meditation and Meditation Techniques visit Fred Fields Free website about Alternative Medicine

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fred_Field

Thursday, February 28, 2008

An Easy Guide To Meditation

By Scott Niekerk

Meditation is similar to progressive relaxation.

We use meditation during our bodywork - Myofascial Release sessions as well as guided CD's afterwards whilst lying on comfortable heat!

Like progressive relaxation, you use this method to focus on yourself. There are many ways to meditate. Some people use it in a religious way, where as some people use it solely for taking time for themselves to focus on the positive.

Meditations Relaxing Effects:

Reduces blood pressure

Helps muscles relax

Reduces anxiety

Helps you to learn to focus, clears your thinking

Reduces irritability

Reduces stress headaches

Slows breathing

Meditation is focusing your thoughts on one thing for a sustained period of time. Doing this on a regular basis helps you to control negative thought processes which can cause stress. It allows your body time to relax, and recuperate from the mental or physical stress the body has endured. Meditation is extremely useful when you have been under long or short term stress, when you have been worrying about problems or you have been physically active.

The idea of meditation is to sooth your thoughts by focusing completely on one thing. Meditation is an active process where the individual seeks to block outside thoughts by concentrating completely on one thing.

Techniques

Sit or lie in a position that you can comfortably sustain for a period of time. Start with ten minutes at a time and then gradually meditate as long as you can maintain your focus.

1) Breathing:

Concentrate on breathing in and out by counting your breaths using the numbers 0 to 9. Visualize images of the numbers changing with each breath.

Breathing as Meditation - In Buddhist and yogic traditions, people claim to have reached an enlightened state by doing nothing more than paying attention to the rising and falling of their breath. What easier way could there be to reach such a state? Especially since breathing - following the ebb and flow of your breath - is an intrinsic part of meditation. By paying attention to your breath, you will rapidly change your state of consciousness, begin to relax, and slowly detach from ordinary awareness. Try to focus on the dimensionless point between your in-breath and out-breath, and glimpse the elements of enlightenment in that space.

2) Focusing on an object:

Look at an object paying attention to detail for the entire meditation period. Examine the contours, colour, texture, temperature and movement of the object. Objects such as candle flames or flowing designs are often used.

3) Focusing on sounds:

Some people focus on sounds. This includes soothing music and sounds of nature.

4) Visualization:

Create a mental picture of a pleasant and relaxing place in your mind. Involve all your senses in the imagery, sight, sounds, smell, touch, temperature and movement.

Keep your attention focused. If external thoughts or distractions wander in allow them to drift out or even visualize attaching the thoughts to objects and then move the objects out of your mind.

This article is original material written by Scott van Niekerk, physical therapist and owner of Wholistic physical Therapy in Brewster, NY. We are a Holistic Treatment center, with physical therapists specialised in Myofascial Release, as taught by John Barnes. Please visit our website http://wholisticphysicaltherapy.com for more information on how we can help you be FREE of pain and stiffness, to have your life back!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Niekerk