Tantric Active Meditation

By Angelique Shofar

"The treasure is hidden within you as much as it was hidden in Buddha or Christ."

I am a Goddess! The very pronunciation of these 4 powerful words evoke and put light on the Goddess essence I embody. Sometimes I forget that I am a Goddess and my actions and words have me scrambling and struggling to become the Goddess I already am. I may get fixated on what I must do each day to ultimately gain the sensual shawl of a Deity. Again, I forget who I already am. The loss of conscious memory changes my entire world keeping me outside my true self.

The same concept applies to spirituality. It is commonly thought that spirituality is a difficult attainment. Yet it is neither difficult nor an attainment. According to Osho's Tantra philosophy, whatsoever you are, you are already spiritual. Nothing new is to be added to your being and nothing is to be discarded from your being. You are as perfect as possible. It is not that you are going to be perfect sometime in the future. It is not that you have to do something spectacular or incredible to be yourself. You are already there.

If spirituality is some attainment than of course it is going to be difficult - not only difficult but really impossible. If you are not already spiritual, you cannot be, you never can be, because how can one who is not spiritual be spiritual. If you are not divine already then there is no possibility, there is no way. No matter what effort you will make, effort made by one who is not already divine can not create divinity. If you are not divine, your effort can not create divinity. Then it is impossible.

And so this logically destructive cycle continues and humans are lost, confused and in the dark about life and living, being and existing. They are struggling and trying too hard, being tense and tight in the process, - living in the world of the mind. Ask them where they're going... they don't know!

I love how Osho puts it so simply in his manuscript of The Book of the Secrets. He reminds us that the ultimate is already the case. It is already here. No need to struggle to get a PhD or win a Pulitzer Prize or some distinguished award to attain. Simple techniques can help. It is no longer an attainment but instead - a discovery. It is hidden, and it is hidden in very very small things.

The personality is just like clothes. Your body is there but hidden behind the clothes you wear; in the same way your spirituality is here, hidden in certain clothes. These clothes are your personality that you put on. You can be naked physically and spiritually. But you do not know because you've been wearing and hiding behind those clothes for so long. You forgot how to be naked, how to see your true, raw beautiful and divine essence. You've been too busy covering up your real self. You have become the clothes you wear. That is the only barrier!!

We are already that which will be, which should be, which are to be. The future hides in the present. All possibilities are here in the moment as a seed. Only we need to take off our clothes, or break a foggy window in our house (the body) or a small surgical procedure may be required to remove the cataract in order to come into one's vision. Small efforts rather than big ones will reveal what lies hidden in the divine treasure you carry.

Yet we live in a very dramatic world. Glitters, psychedelic lights, huge TV & theater screens, heavy machinery, overwhelming technology, fast fuel injected cars, oil, diamonds, and the pursuit of money and material things. Gosh, having to measure up to all those big things can be pretty overtaxing and strenuous on any individual. Imagine thinking and believing that you have to do something so big, so grand, and so humongous to become spiritual or enlightened. That is a lot of pressure in itself. No wonder on one gets there. It's just not how energy and the law of nature work.

The way is small, no big effort or production is necessary, only small efforts, in fact, the smaller, the better. And effortlessly is even better. Why is it that the more one tries, the harder it is to attain? Like trying to get pregnant or trying hard to find a partner to settle down with and marry. Your very effort, your tension, your occupiedness, your longing, your expectation becomes the barrier. With a very small effort, an effortless effort as they call it in Zen - doing as if not doing - it happens quite easily! The more madness you apply, the less the possibility because one is using a sword where only a needle is required.

So you are asking if something is smaller how can a bigger step be possible. The concept is irrational and unscientific. Even science - with its limitations - knows that the smaller the particle the bigger the bang or the effect. What is an atomic bomb made of? Very small atoms! Who would have ever conceived before that era that 2 atomic explosions would completely wipe out two big cities in Japan - Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Two hundred thousand people were simply wiped out of existence in seconds. And what was the force used? An atom! The very smallest particle - blew up 2 cities. You can not see the atom. Not with your eyes, not by any means. It can not be seen with any instrument only the effects can be seen. Are you with me?

Tantra is concerned with the atomic secrets in the human being, in the human mind, in human consciousness. Tantra contains atomic secrets and atomic methods. If you can attain those methods, then results will be explosive, cosmic. The formula is small but the results are massive.

In my Tantric meditation - simple full body movements and simple isolated body part movements can bring about a big shift in one's energy field, in ones consciousness, in ones being, in ones life. It only took one sitting to feel the energy moving itself into a state of equilibrium. I only sat still and watched it happen like magic. It felt so good that I began to do it easily and effortless throughout the day. And I was excited to bring my son in on this. And with him, he immediately had a bowel movement. As the energy in me shifted from the upper quadrant of my shoulders, neck, facial muscles, my chest and heart became lighter and freer. That very day I got a stream of emails and messages inquiring about my serves and the opportunity to teach yoga classes. I was amazed, stunned and laughing my ass off! I remembered that I am already a Goddess!! I am in my Goddess state of being. Nothing more, nothing less! Now my fire is ignited and I am in motion again. Now I must share the secrets with you and keep spreading the Goddess love everywhere.

Join me for a free introductory Osho inspired Tantric Meditation with the use of stones.

Angelique Shofar is a sexual wellness & sensual lifestyle coach; a tantric yoga/dance teacher & freelance writer. She facilitates sensual~ cultural events, retreats & workshops around holistic sexuality, wellness & empowerment. She is the founder and director of The Spirit of Wellness. Visit her online at: http://thesexualgriot.typepad.com and her blog at http://sexualgriot.blogspot.com Email her at: thesexualgriot@gmail.com

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Pushing Through a Difficult Period of Zen Meditation

By Ted Hanulak

The following article deals with the "counting of breaths" meditation in Soto Zen. The first thing that you should understand about Zen meditation is that there is no "bad" meditation period. Struggle is good. When thoughts start flowing in and you think you are going to loose your mind, that is when the battle begins! Usually when you are taken in by extraneous thoughts you should simply just go back to your counting. If it seems to be extra difficult, then I would recommend the following:

Clearing the Mind

Take a moment to relax. Close your eyes and try to turn your eyeballs backwards as if you are attempting to look backwards. Do this for about 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, relax your eyes forward again and resume your counting. You may find that you have to do this a couple of time before it works. This may sound strange but it will work.

Kyosaku Stick

If you are sitting with a group or "sangha" that utilizes a monitor, the kyosaku stick is your best friend. Many groups allow you to raise your hand to ask for the kyosaku stick. Others will use it at the monitors discretion. The kyosaku stick is a flat stick that is used to strike the meditator's back and shoulders in the muscular area between the shoulder blades. This will stimulate your body and mind to push forward.

Kinhin - Walking Meditation

Kinhin is traditionally used for in between meditation periods. It helps stretch out the legs and also clear the mind. If your sitting alone and it gets unbearable, rather than quit, get up and walk around your house for a couple of minutes. During this time, try to only think about walking. feel the carpet under your feet. Be aware of every step you take. After a couple of minutes, sit down again and resume your meditation.

These are just a couple of ideas to help get through "difficult" meditation periods.

Ted Hanulak is the head instructor / Sensei of the Japanese martial art of Senso-Ryu Aikijutsu. He teaches Aikijutsu and Zen meditation out of the Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis

http://www.aiki-jutsu.com

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How to Clean the Aura Using Meditation

By Jack Chua Koon

We are not just physical but multi-dimensional beings. We consist of mental, emotional, astral and etheric layers.

Our human aura is like an illuminated egg if someone can perceive energy directly, the Mexican shaman Don Juan Matus mentioned in Carlos Castaneda's book - A Separate Reality, can perceive energy directly and he claims it looks like an illuminated egg with a votex of energy coming into the aura, the votex where the spiritual energy enter our aura is called the assemblage point.

There are 7 layers in our aura based on the chakras, but some says there are 12 chakras. When we use meditation and try to 'clean' it, we have to clean every layer. Many new age mystics just tell you imagine and visualize a white light coming down and engulfing your whole aura, this sometimes doesn't work well. I usually clean every layer as I go along. Start by doing some kind of relaxation procedure like counting 1 to 10 or say to yourself, upstairs, downstairs, over and over again until you feel bored and sleepy,or you can get some relaxation music to help you get to alpha or theta brain states. Once you done that, mentally say to yourself " I am at level 1' and move your awareness from head to toe or vice versa, the idea is to scan your level 1 for blockages, once you sense that something is there, move your awareness to it, it should 'melt' or disperse. If it is still there, try breathing it colors, you may have to experiment with the color that will remove the block, repeat the same procedure with all other level, eg. I am level 2, I am in Level 3, When you say this, you are telling your mind to adjust to the next level using intent, Intent is the force that changes the level. Some times if you are at level 1, and you sense something 1 feel in front of you and you cannot get it off, and you try the usual color breathing method, This could be due to the fact that this blockage is actually at some other level eg. Level 3 and you can usualy remove the block if you move your awareness to level 3. Sometimes when you move your awareness into the blockages, you get 'impression' like a past event or sometimes it plays like a movie in your mind's eye, this is usually the reason for the block.

You have to scan your aura like you are enclosed ina n egg, that means there could be blockage 2 feet in front of you in a certain layer.

Using brown color can help to ground yourself while using too much black color can cause depression.

According to Diana Cooper in her book Discover Atlantis, there are 12 chakras. There is a chakra below the feet that is called the Earth star chakra, then there is the Root chakra which is at the spine below, the sacral and naval chakra are both different chakras. The rest is usual, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, crown. after the crown chakra, there is a causal chakra which is at the back of our head. The soul star chakra which is above the crown and finally the stellar gateway chakra which is above the soul star.

Jack Chua is a meditation student, for more info on meditation visit site

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Easy Meditation Method For Inviting Enlightenment

By Anmol Mehta

The vast majority of humans go through life without ever experiencing Reality beyond what the ordinary dualistic mind projects. Bound tightly by the ego-centric mind, they live their entire life stuck in mediocrity, mostly struggling for this or that, while experiencing a few fleeting joys. One of the things that I hope to accomplish in this life, is awaken in you a passion for the supreme, for the highest, and to that end, I think having an enlightenment experience or two can go a long way.

Enlightenment experiences are glimpses of that aspect of life and your being, which are beyond time, space and self. These enlightenment experiences come in infinite variety, and in addition to giving you deep insight into the true nature of reality, they also inspire you to live life at your highest potential.

Seeing the truth of singularity makes you question the nature of duality and thought, while experiencing the utter freedom of these states, makes you question the value of your attachments. So how can we go about facilitating these experiences?

Enlightenment experiences are not subject to your will. They occur when there is a shift of awareness beyond the ego-centric mind and life can be defined as an opportunity for setting the stage for such shifts to take place.

Some of the best tools for creating such a stage are without a doubt Meditation, Yoga and Pranayama (Yoga Breathing Exercises). But, in this article I want to share with you a very simple and key tip, which I have noticed through personal experience, helps create the situation that is conducive to enlightenment experiences occurring.

This simple method is that of napping. Yes that is correct, you read it fine, napping. I have noticed time and again, that when napping during the day, the phase between wakefulness and sleep invariably opens the doors to infinity.

It does not matter where you nap. On the bus to New York, on the sofa, in bed, does not matter. The key factor is for you to maintain your awareness as you drift off to sleep. If you can do this you are in for a treat. So try to remain alert as sleep comes and see what magic takes place. It is not even necessary for you to chase enlightenment experiences. Invariably we all end up napping at some stage due to whatever reason and when that happens, treat it like an opportunity to break through.

I want to mention here that you can have similar results with simple nighttime sleep as well. Although, the probability of a shift in awareness is less than napping, the phase when the ordinary wakeful mind is diminished and sleep is yet to come, is a very conducive time to penetrate the veil of the dualistic mind.

In addition, if you can develop a habit of meditating prior to sleep, this transitory phase and overnight sleep itself can become a very spiritual, precious and cherished time for you. One of the key aspects of developing this ability is discovering in which position you cannot sleep easily. You can then use that knowledge to give yourself a better opportunity to practice this technique on a nightly basis. It is well worth the effort.

Anmol Mehta is a Yoga & Zen expert. His Free Guided Meditation Techniques & Kundalini Yoga Website offers the Learn How to Meditate - Free Beginner Meditation Class and many Free Yoga Exercise Videos.

This article is available for reprint on your website and/or newsletter, provided it is not changed and you include the author's signature.

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Learn Simplified But Powerful Meditation in 15 Mins

By Shiyam G

Hai, this is Micky. I'm here to share my little secret that will help you to relax easily and refresh yourself in your day-to-days activities. I'm not a guru or a teacher, but a benefited person of what I ought to share with you.

Ok, here I start. Many things in our life make us tired, lazy, irritated, unhappy and so on. These things will drive-out our energy and leave us empty. This I'm sharing with you is a simple method of meditation. By practicing this you can recharge yourself and be active always.

Just sit relaxed and comfortable on floor or possibly in a chair. Just be relaxed. Close you eyes slowly, and make yourself comfortable. Now concentrate on your breathing over the nostril. You can feel the air going in and out through the nostril.

While practicing this your mind and body will completely become relaxed. If you feel sleepy, it is a indication that you need a good sleep. Be in peace and silence, that you can concentrate more on your breathing. Do not think about any thing or even not think that you are Meditating.

Now your mind will be relaxed and at ease. Just concentrate on your breathing no other thing is needed.

After a while on meditating slowly open your eyes with a relax breathing cycle (breath In and Out).

Now you are relaxed,recharged and energized with energy to run your Race, to play you Baseball match and even continue with your Martial Art coaching and with your Education.

Some may find this a little difficult concept, but remember 'Practice makes a Man Perfect' so practice just for 5 mins every morning and also whenever you like. Also don't avoid this is just a simple one. There is Wisdom in every simple thing, as Jesus explained with those Flowers and Birds.

Practice this simple way of Meditation every day, surely it'll be more helpful for your Physical & Mental health.

http://www.simply-relax.com

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Where's the Right Place to Practice Zen Meditation

By Ted Hanulak

When people hear the term "Zen meditation" they envision robes, candles, incense burning, people sitting in pretzel positions, etc. They would be correct. That is the traditional view of Zen meditation. The wonderful thing is, you can also practice Zen meditation while walking the dog, waiting for an appointment at the doctors office, driving your car. In other words, anywhere.

The practice of "shikantanza" which is Japanese for "just sitting" can be use in any situation like "just walking"," just driving" or "just going to the bathroom". Whatever you are doing at that moment, is what you are doing. You concentrate on just that action. Many times people will drive while daydreaming or talking on the phone. This is how accidents occur. If you are focusing on the driving you may be able to prevent the accident. Shikantanza is the active practice of "living in the moment".

Another way of looking at it is "taking your Zen with you". It is important to sit everyday at least 20 minutes. "Sitting" implies sitting in meditation on the floor. Traditional sitting can be viewed as "charging your batteries". After sitting, it is time to unplug, get up and go live your day. Everything you do, walking across the room, picking up a pencil, looking to your left, etc. can be part of your practice.

Through this practice, situations that would normally aggravate most people, like being stuck in traffic, waiting for a bus, anything that would test someones patience, is simply more practice for you! Because of this, you will begin to feel more centered. These types of situations will not bother you as they once did because of the new way of looking at.

Remember Zen meditation practice doesn't end on the meditation pillow. It has to be part of every moment of your life.

Ted Hanulak is the head instructor -Sensei of the Japanese martial art of Senso-Ryu Aikijutsu. He teaches Aikijutsu and Zen meditation out of the Aikijutsu Academy of Indianapolis. http://www.aiki-jutsu.com

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Benefits and Techniques of Meditation

By Ramakrishna Thinnavelli

Healthy mind lives in a healthy body, it is perfectly truth because your happiness depends on your mind and it depends on your body. Without physical health you can't be completely happy, and without mental happiness you can't be completely healthy. So you need both of them, how to improve mental and physical health? Only solution is meditation.

Actually which take place in the mind, and sometimes these are equally as important as the physical benefits. Psychological benefits of meditation include improved creativity, learning ability, and memory.

As you focus on meditation stress relief, you will introduce more oxygen into your blood because of the improved breathing you will use during your meditation session and you will find suddenly get more energy.

Important Benefits of Meditation:

1. Meditation gives the meaning of life
2. Reduced your breath rate gradually
3. Through meditation your mind and body will be free
4. Your blood pressure will be control
5. Increased metabolic activity
6. Reduced your heart rate
7. Reduction in high frequency range heart rhythm variability
8. Decreased agglutination of red blood cells
9. Increased forced your vital capacity
10. Reduction in stress hormone production
11. to Focus on Self-Healing
12. to Help Control Internal and External Pain

Meditation success is mainly depend on specific place and environment, you must keep your surrounding with peaceful environment; time is also very important in meditation practice, everyday you must perform10-15 minutes breathing exercises to relax your body and mind. This time can relax you and can give you piece of mind for the whole day.
easy techniques for meditation

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Dreams For Our Well Being Meditation

By Tolga Savas

Dear kindred soul, as you know we humans have a rich history, and dreams play an important role in our journey, it has always been the case, earliest recorded dream dates back to 1760 B.C. to ancient babylonian times contained in "epic of Gilgamesh, and mentions Ishtar and Izdubar, in this recorded dream, the king summons his seers and commands them to interpret a concerning dream. Similarly famous story in the Old Testament the Book of Daniel (2: 2-3) which mentions the King Nebuchadnezzar: "commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams.

So they came and stood before the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream and my spirit was troubled to know the dream." In the end it was Daniel, who, enlightened by the a vision sent to him by God, interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream, first explaining " the secret which the hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days." Daniel (2:27-28). As you can see many cultures have always taken dreams very seriously.

But what are dreams? why do we dream? the answer to that question is up to the individual, as we are in a dream state we fall in to utmost relaxation of our being, similar state can be achieved in meditation, this also might raise the question; can we dream without sleeping? well I don't really know the answer to that, all I know is we sometimes daydream,

We can all learn to analyze our dream, buy spending quite a long time to understanding the meanings and decoding it, we can have a dream diary to write them down, while it's still fresh in our mind. There is a lot of people who take dreams very seriously, and I am one of those people, and in the search engines if you just search "dreams" you will get millions of search results. Dreams are personal to us, we usually share them with family and friends. Also there are many dream analyzers online and all are eager to re dream your dream with you.

I personally believe, when we try to analyze a dream we must try to accomplish this by taking the whole dream and everything seen, heard and felt as one. example if we saw ocean in a dream, the meaning for it, is interwoven with every other detail of that particular dream, this is very important to truly get the one real meaning.

And every dream must be translated as good and pure.

Meditation

You heard about it, you might have practiced it, you may have made it part of your daily life, it has been scientifically proven that meditation works for your well being, we are all out there trying our best to be healthy by eating well, counting calories, exercising and so on which is highly beneficiary for you, how about the the health of our soul. Our inner self our mental state. How many people do you know who looks after that department very well, we tend to say there is no time or I will look into it some other time. Please remember dear friend tomorrow is not promised to me or you, so what we do today that counts. meditation is one of the best things you can do now, to improve your well being and it doesn't cost you a dime.

Tolga Savas

International Psychic Clairvoyant offering psychic medium readings, psychic readings, dream analysis, real psychic advice, dream translations, psychic chat online, astrology forecasts, Kumalak the Mirror of Destiny, See the Future that is Now

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Meditation Can Be Your Key To Getting A Great Night's Sleep

By Keira Adams

Practicing meditation can be a great tool in the battle to achieve a more restful night's sleep. You CAN achieve a deeper and more refreshing sleep that will leave you ready to tackle your new day. Meditation is often very helpful for those who have trouble falling to sleep in the first place. It's a way for them to deeply relax their muscles and also their minds, thus allowing sleep to come more quickly to them.

A lot of people, for a variety of reasons, may try taking numerous different pills. However, you should know that with sleeping pills, you run the risk of interrupted sleep and daytime drowsiness. If you decide to use meditation instead of medication, it takes practice to learn the techniques that work for your body in particular, so be patient.

You can meditate in many different ways, such as using music, or not using music, lighting candles, or trying a more intense technique of yoga meditation by sitting quietly and letting your mind wander. Meditation will help to reduce your stress and anxiety, so that you get a better night's sleep.

There are several tips to help you reach better results with your meditation. You could try utilizing techniques such as a mantra, which is a positive phrase repeated aloud or in your mind, listening to relaxing CDs, or focusing on deep breathing exercises. When negative thoughts creep into your head and interrupt your meditation, try sweeping them away, making room for positive thoughts.

When you have a peaceful place with no distractions you will be able to easily meditate. Use the following tips to help you concentrate.

1. Find a quiet place where you're not likely to be disturbed. This place might be somewhere in your house, or a lakeside park bench. Remove the television, phone and other things that might cause a disturbance.

2. Get comfortable. Find a sitting position that is comfortable for you, using pillows or cushions if required. Remove your footwear, and do not wear anything that restricts you.

3. Try to relax. With your eyes closed, set your mind free to go where it wants. Think of a peaceful lake or a meadow while you meditate.

4. Take a deep breath. Inhale deeply and rhythmically, while concentrating on the air being drawn in and exiting your body with each breath. Stress relief and increasing your oxygen levels can be achieved by these deep breathing techniques.

In order to get a good night's sleep, try practicing meditation for 10 to 15 minutes before you go to bed. This should help improve your sleep patterns, and leave you feeling nice and refreshed for the day ahead.

Keira Adams writes about women's wellness and stress management. If you want to know more about the calming practice of meditation, visit Meditation-Info at http://www.meditation-info.com

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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.

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Unusual Meditations Techniques You've Never Heard of

By Elise Lebeau

Meditation is a very personal thing. When my Empath and Intuitive skills went "live", I was overwhelmed with information and soooooooooooooo many people recommended meditation.

But I hated meditation...No kidding! Just sitting there, trying not to think of pink elephants. It was like a refined form of torture and, worst of all, oh so boring...

The answer came from one of my Spirit Guides one day. He suggested I try a mediation that involved watching movies. Huh? Does that count, I wondered... Since then, my guides have come up with all kinds of unusual meditation techniques that work for me, and now I love it.

Since I am an engineer, things make sense to me when they have a purpose. In my life, meditation is an processing activity, like a computer that needs some time to open up Word or to connect to the Internet. Computers also needs processing time when turning off, to cleanly organize all the new data that has been created.

When I meditate, I keep my left brain out of the way so that my right brain can process all the information I've been receiving (the right brain handles creative, intuitive and abstract data). When I'm done, my mind-computer is responsive again and I'm not just staring at the little hourglass, waiting for the processing to complete before I get my answer!

These are my two favorite meditations techniques. Try them out and feel free to tweak them! Remember that meditation is supposed to feel good.

The Movie Meditation:

1) Select a movie and set your intention to "meditate" while you are watching it.

2) As soon as you start watching, your brain will do what needs to be done to start processing. Even if you don't know what that involves, your brain does! Just like your brain knows how to keep your body functioning while you think of something else.

Movies are great because they keep your left brain busy, leaving the right brain free to go in processing mode. This is a lot easier than trying to turn down your left brain!

3) After the movie, take a moment to "reboot" your mind-computer. Do you get a message? What thoughts pop into your mind? This is a great time for profoundly creative ideas to come up so make sure you're listening! And take notes, if you feel so inclined! They'll be priceless!

The Cat Meditation

You know how some people take "cat naps"? A few minutes here and there and they're all refreshed! I've noticed that processing doesn't have to be done all at once in a gruesome 1 hour session. Your brain always knows where it left off processing and it can continue at any time!

The Cat Meditation is a series of very short meditations (and by short I mean that 5 seconds is enough!) that you can easily do without needing to stop the flow of your day. Over time, I have found that I was yearning for longer processing time without ever having to force it.

1) In the Cat Meditation, you're actually turning down your left brain for a brief period. This is different than the Movie Meditation, where you keep your left brain busy in order to facilitate processing. To do this, just imagine a blank screen in your mind. Like you're watching a movie screen but the movie hasn't started yet.

2) Keep it short! For most of us, it won't be long before you start seeing thing (or hearing things) on your blank screen. By then, your left brain has started being active again so you're done!
tip: If you can't keep the screen blank (it's ok, I had a hard time with that at first), try counting to 10. Your left brain might be more willing to stay quiet if you give it a little something to do at first.

3) Here are some great ways to practice this:- Do a Cat Meditation while reading a book each time you turn a page- Do a Cat Meditation while watching TV on the first commercial (mute the TV first!)- Do a Cat Meditation when you get in the car every morning- Do a Cat Meditation when you start to brush your teeth!

Enjoy!

Elise Lebeau, M.Sc. is a Professional Intuitive. She provides a fast-paced, result-oriented approach to intuition. Embrace YOUR intuition with the online, interactive Applied Intuition Program. All it takes is 5 minutes for 20 days, for less than the cost of a book!

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The Mandala Cure: Releaving Anxiety through Meditation

By Michelle Normand

Whether you know it or not you are probably quite familiar with mandalas. If you have gazed upon a magnificent rose window adorning a local cathedral or spent time enjoying a fragrant spring daisy, then you have already been touched by the beauty of a mandala.

Sanskrit for sacred circle, mandalas are an ancient art form dating back to Tibet over 2,500 years ago. The Tibetan Monks saw the mandala as more than a circle divided into an ornate design, they saw it as a representation of the Universe; a blend of different symbols and colors coming together, bonded by its center, to form in harmony.

Look at the Christian’s usage of the labyrinth or marvel at the mandala healing ceremony performed by American Indians and you will find that the sacred circle has transcended its ancient roots. Many present-day religions and civilizations have come to view the mandala, with its gentle symmetry, as a symbol of the balance in nature, the unity within the world, and the harmony we all seek within our lives. Even the world renowned psychologist and founder of analytical psychology, Carl Jung was struck by the healing abilities of the mandala. Jung went on to write many papers about the subject and regularly used mandalas as a healing tool with his patients. Now this same restorative power is in your hands.

Coloring or creating mandalas is a simple process. Basically a form of active meditation, you suspend your inner dialogue while you draw images on a page or color a pre-made design. As with any form of active meditation you will be able to achieve the same calm, peaceful effects of traditional meditation without the difficulties of sitting still for hours at a time or trying to empty your racing mind. By meditating on a mandala, specifically the center of the design, a person can easily be drawn into the circle to find their focus, and most importantly keep that focus. Great for beginners or anyone short on time, mandala coloring books are a great way to introduce yourself to this healing process.

Coloring mandalas is a peaceful pastime used by a variety of peoples and institutions to heal the mind and the body. Today you will find mandala coloring and creation being used in nursing homes, elementary schools, cancer wards, and mental health facilities across the country. As someone who once struggled with both General Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder I know first hand the calming, meditative power of coloring a mandala. For free mandala downloads, go to my website at www.30minutemandalas.com and enjoy the power and simplicity of a mandala.

Michelle Normand is the author of the 30-Minute Mandalas coloring book series including her latest installment, 30-Minute Celtic Mandalas. For more information about Michelle or to download a free mandala coloring page, please visit www.30minutemandalas.com.

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Meditation Using Binaural Beats

By Phillip Meyer

About six years ago I came across a new technology that helped with my meditation like nothing before. I have been meditating for as long as I can remember and was no novice at it when I learned about Binaural Beats and how using them, people around the world were gaining the ability to meditate just like the zen monks with 20 years plus practice.

This I thought was to good to be true so I ordered the demo from a respectable company which I will talk about later. This was a turning point in my life, I pushed the button on my CD player and to my surprise not only could I meditate better, but I felt a great shift in my ability to hold and stay in a deep meditative state, it was like magic. Instant meditation at the push of a button "Wow".

Let me explain a little more about just what these binaural beats are. One frequency it delivered to one ear while another of a different frequency to the other and the brain picks up on both at the same time and blends them into one. This results in whole brain thinking and both left and right hemispheres of the brain begin to think more and more as one. The binaural beats can be progressive by using deeper and deeper carrier waves and your meditative experience will growth great depths as you progress.

The technology works by taking you through the stages of Alpha, beta, Theta and Delta and over time deeper into delta than you have ever been before, this is where the magic happens and you will feel a lasting shift in your every day life. Feel better and have a great mood most of the time, it increases your ability to just let everything be OK. I highly recommend you kick start your meditative practice no matter what level you are at. I don't recommend very many things unless they really have the mojo and I have had tremendous results with binaural beats in my meditation practice.

Do yourself a favor and get on over to my blog and sign up for the newsletter, I have some very important and exciting news to share with you about the company that is the cutting edge in this technology as well as a wealth of other information about meditation and many other helpful subjects about mind, body and spirit. Meditation has been around before written records of the practice and now it has come to a whole new level. I cannot express the importance of getting started in a meditation routine, it is helpful in just about all areas in your life. Better health and well being are just around the corner and anyone can take advantage from the young to the old.

Namaste,

Phil,

Meditaion Destination Crew thanks you and hopes you will drop by our blog and check us out you will be happy that you found us.http://meditationdestination.com

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Are We There Yet?

By Tammy Vigue

My first experience with meditation was like a "bootcamp"....as "taught" by a man I lovingly refer to as the "Meditation Nazi" (think Soup Nazi from Seinfeld) His instructions were "Sit Down in a cross legged position, connect your thumb and index finger in a "mudra", close your eyes and focus on your breath.....DON'T MOVE. I'll let you know when 15 minutes is up".

The bootcamp/"buddhacamp" was every day for 30 days at 4:20am. We started at 15 minutes and progressed to 1 hour. Silent, seated meditation. No guided visualization, no mantra...Just the instructions not to move and to focus on our breath. Sounds simple enough, right?!....

I refer to it now as the "Are We There Yet?" syndrome My mind wasn't used to being still. It reminded me of traveling with young kids and their incessant "Are we there yet?" until you reach your final destination. Only in this case my "destination" was sitting still for 15 minutes. 15 minutes might not sound like a long time, (when you're doing something else) but 15 minutes of sitting still for me was like the longest car ride in history. It went something like this....

Minute 1...This is going to be a breeze...all I have to do is sit here for 15 min? No problem. Focus on my breath....I can do this....

Minute 2...How long has this been? (Are we there yet?) It must be at least 10 minutes by now...My legs are killing me...

Minutes 3 to 15.... My back is killing me. How long has this been already...? (Are we there yet?) Okay...focus on your breath....you can do this... Wow...my leg really hurts...I wonder if this could permanently damage my knees...okay...focus...just breathe....focus on your breath....The person beside me is really breathing heavily...I wonder if they have fallen asleep...I can't believe how tired I am... why do we have to do this at 4:20 anyways...oops...focus on your breath....watch your breath...just breathe....Hey I really like that song"Just Breathe" by Faith Hill...(mentally start to sing it)....Oh, I wonder how long it's been...(Are we there yet?)

15 minutes...Final destination.

But an amazing thing happened as the days went on...I began to realize that nothing was permanent. The sensations (pain) I felt in my body moved and changed, and I learned that I wasn't attached to the thoughts or emotions that surfaced. It was a powerful lesson for me that I didn't have to try to change my experience of things- that I could be aware of what was going on within me without judging it as "good" or "bad". Just to be.

And I was hooked...

So, the moral of the story is...don't give up. Your mind may try to play tricks on you in the beginning (Are we there yet?) but if you stick with it you'll notice amazing changes in all areas of your life. Not just when you're "Sitting Still"....

To find out more about the author and Sit Still meditation and stress reduction programs, visit Sit Still at: http://www.sitstill.ca

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5 Easy Ways To Meditate

By Trevor Johnson

There are many different ways to meditate. Each one is a different method with broadly the same end result. Check out these different meditation methods to see which suits you best.

Walking meditation

This is one of the easiest ways to meditate, although obviously it isn't as separate from the rest of the world as you need to be aware of your surroundings. With a walking meditation you pay attention to your feelings and your surroundings. Allow yourself 20 minutes or so and if possible choose a place where you're away from traffic. A local park is good. Then go for a gentle walk and take in the area. Notice the smells and sounds and pay attention to what you see.

Breathing meditation

At its simplest, you find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed and start to take deeper breaths than you'd normally take. Breathe in a long, slow, deep breath. If possible hold it for a second or two before releasing it, again slowly. Repeat this over again, at least 5 times and ideally more. You'll find that this is a quick way to bring about a more relaxed state in your body.

Binaural beats meditation

This is the "modern" way to meditate and is the method I personally use regularly. You can purchase this kind of meditation and then play it on your CD or MP3 player. You need to find a place where you won't be disturbed for the length of the track, which is typically 30 to 60 minutes. The track will play a background noise - usually rainfall or music - as well as binaural beats. These beats play two slightly different tones, one into each ear. Your brain then tries to resolve the small difference between the tones and it is this which brings out a meditative state with next to no effort on your part. This kind of meditation is very powerful - don't get taken in by its simplicity!

Cosmic meditation

Quite similar to the binaural beats meditation, this is usually linked to Cosmic Ordering which is a structured form of Napoleon Hill's ideas from Think and Grow Rich. A cosmic meditation usually takes the form of a guided meditation which will get you relaxed and then allow you to send your current wish or goals list on to the cosmos.

Guided meditation

There are many of these available on the internet. They usually last between 20 and 60 minutes. Typically a guided meditation will start with a relaxation procedure so that you're relaxed and receptive for the main part of the meditation. It will then move on to the actual aim of the meditation, whether this is deep relaxation, healing your body, contacting your higher self or any other goal you have chosen. You can choose a single guided meditation or they are often sold in bundles of several guided meditations.

Whichever way of meditation you decide to use, you'll find that it helps to relax you and relieve the stresses and strains that seem to accompany our modern lifestyle.

Discover more ways to meditate and decide which is the best meditation method for you.

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Zen Driving Meditation For Busy People

By Anmol Mehta

Is the rat race eating into your spiritual evolution? Are you finding less time to do your meditation, yoga and other spiritual practices? Never fear Zen driving meditation is here.

Unfortunately for many of us, work, family, education and more work seems to be consuming our lives. The worst part of this hectic life-style is that the one aspect which should not suffer, does. Our spiritual growth. In this article I will present you with a terrific meditation technique that you can do while driving or while in transit. This should, hopefully, help you in getting your spiritual work back on track and enjoying the marvelous benefits that such work bestows.

In America we drive a lot, and even those who don't drive a lot, often take trains and buses as part of their daily life. This "idle" time presents us with a great opportunity to get in some meditation work and there are many meditations that can conveniently be done during this time.

An obvious warning of course is that please DO NOT practice this meditation if it distracts you in any way from your driving.

Zen meditation techniques all have their roots in mindfulness or being in the moment. This meditation technique is no different and is also designed to help you come into the "here and now" as much as possible. Below is a step by step guide of how to practice this meditation. It is given assuming you are driving, but can easily be extrapolated to other modes of transportation.

Driving Zen Meditation Technique

- Start the meditation by taking 5 long deep slow breaths. This will relax you.

- Now, bring your attention to your breathing and just observe its flow without manipulating it in any way. Meditate on it's physical characteristic as closely as you can. Feeling it's temperature, texture, depth etc. Continue this meditation for 1-5 minutes. This will settle your mind down.

- Now begins the heart of this meditation. Begin to watch the scenery go by as you drive with an unfocused, holistic gaze. In other words, let your vision relax, incorporate the periphery and without any point of focus just observe the world as you journey through it. Just observe the trees, sky, clouds, houses, cars as they pass by. Just be empty within and allow the world to pass through you. That's it.

- To add another component to this meditation technique, whenever you come to a stop return your attention to your breath and then when moving, meditate once more on the scenery.

- If at any time driving requires your focused attention please stop the meditation and pay attention to your driving.

Commentary on Driving Zen Meditation Technique

This meditation technique has the ability to reveal to you the True Nature of Reality. Etched in my mind are occasions where the absolute perfection of life and the moment, were fully realized while practicing this technique. This meditation was one that just came to me naturally and I am happy to share it with all of you.

Anmol Mehta is a Yoga Teacher & Zen Expert. Learn yoga from Free Yoga Videos and explore Nude Yoga on his extensive Meditation and Yoga site, Free Online Guided Meditation Techniques.

This article is available for reprint on your website and/or newsletter, provided it is not changed and you include the author's signature.

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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/

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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

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Seven Indicators that Meditation is about to go Mainstream

By E. Raymond Rock

Although meditation is thousands of years old, it is relatively new in the west. Here in America, new ideas seem to introduce themselves at three levels. First, a new idea is viewed as threatening and it is feared. Later, it is made fun of, ridiculed and laughed at. And finally, it is accepted as the unique idea of those who originally ridiculed it! Meditation is presently making a turn from the second to the third level, where we find humorous depictions of people meditating on all kinds of advertising. This is a hint that just around the corner will be a serious discussion and an embracing of meditation. In fact, it's already begun!

Here are the seven indicators that meditation is about to go mainstream:

- People are getting restless regarding their spiritual beliefs.

- Organized religion is losing numbers..

- Drugs, alcohol, and smoking are no longer effective escapes.

- Bookstores and coffee shop hangouts are getting busier.

- Christians are discovering deeper avenues, such as; St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, Meister Eckhart, Thomas Merton, and St. Thomas of Aquinas.

- A new cooperative rather than divisive movement is rising.

- The word meditation is now being spelled correctly (mediation?).

Another indication is that people are just beginning to notice how their attitudes toward their particular religion might separate them from others of different faiths. The most prejudiced and judgmental religions; the very close-minded ones, still can't see their own divisiveness in the way they view other religions. When challenged by differing outlooks, especially those contradicting their dogma, they radically and violently react in the most disparaging ways to all that dare defy them, believing that others are against them and threaten them, and react accordingly with a collective paranoia. By only judging others, however, they cannot see their own hatred and fear, nor do they want to face these two negative emotions.

The fact is that most mature religions are broad minded, understanding that beliefs are just beliefs and that religion is merely theory because it can never be proved. Arguing over theory is counterproductive, like pushing on a string because the foundation of religion is based on hypothesis, and hypothesis can never serve for logical discussions. For example, God exists is hypothesis because in actuality, nobody has ever seen God and have only communicated with God through prophets. Therefore, what can be argued about God? As Walt Whitman once said; "This is what you shall do; love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God . . . . . "

A sign of spiritual maturity is feeling comfortable with neighbors who practice another faith regardless of whether it is Islam, Buddhism, New Age Spirituality, Wicca, Catholicism, Baptist, Judaism, Atheism, Agnosticism, American Indian, or thousands of other religions, including no religion. A sign of spiritual immaturity, on the other hand, is fighting against all these other faiths and practices; which only keeps one angry, aggravated and unhappy.

As people begin to understand that one religion doesn't fit all and accept that there are many ways to heaven through many doors, they will naturally look for common religious values that all can share. Meditation is one of those values. Meditation requires no beliefs; it is completely experiential and non-invasive regarding one's beliefs similar to a vacation away from work that doesn't interfere with your job at all but actually refreshes you so that you can perform your regular tasks even better.

As meditation goes mainstream, we will find commonality among our differences. We will also discover how to be happy again instead of being fearful and angry because of divisiveness. Meditation is glue that can hold good people together, yet requires no allegiance to a belief system, and with no allegiance to belief, we become free to be complete human beings with no further need of religious intolerance.

We can finally love our neighbors.

E. Raymond Rock of Fort Myers, Florida is cofounder and principal teacher at the Southwest Florida Insight Center, http://www.SouthwestFloridaInsightCenter.com His twenty-nine 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 Theravada Buddhist monk. His book, A Year to Enlightenment (Career Press/New Page Books) is now available at major bookstores and online retailers. Visit http://www.AYearToEnlightenment.com

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Trouble Meditating? Try These Tips

By Jhanna Dawson

Years ago, I remember reading about meditation and how people would have life altering experiences including reaching Nirvana, discovering their purpose on earth, and astral traveling to far off countries and even other planets.

And yet, whenever I tried it, I would barely manage to get myself settled in before thoughts of my day would come to mind. 'Gently let those thoughts go and return to your meditation', I had people tell me. What did that mean?

After many years of attempts, and reading books about Kundalini, Transcedental, and other meditation types, I'm finally comfortable with meditating. I have learned to create the meditation around my needs, not the needs of the teachers, authors, or whomever.

From this, I have discovered several tips that have helped me get from the days of squirming around and finally giving up after five minutes, to someone who meditates regularly, sometimes for five minutes sometimes for as long as my children allow for it.

Many will argue that it's not true meditation if one doesn't follow the traditional styles of meditation, but two things that one needs to remember are, what are you trying to accomplish during meditation, and it's your meditation, so there is no right or wrong way.

Needless to say, when meditating, try to find a quiet place. Someplace that is away from the television, computer, cell phone, etc. Why be near obvious distractions? If possible, close the shades, or blinds, so it's a somewhat dimly lit room. The dimmer the better, in my book.

Even though the idea of one meditating conjures visions of sitting in the lotus position, many people actually meditate while sitting upright in a straight back chair. With feet flat on the floor, one is able to 'ground' themselves or connect with the earth, allowing energy to flow up and down the body.

The rest of the body is relaxed, and sitting erect with the back straight, and against the back of the chair. My personal preference is to be lying down. I'm more comfortable this way, and if I drift off to sleep I can carry that meditation thought and mindset into my subconscious.

Some people prefer music, choosing relaxing and soft tunes to carry them through their meditation. However, I recommend meditating in silence. If you're used to the usual busy buzzing of constant background noise from the radio, television, or other white noise, this may be a hard one to do. Suddenly being in absolute silence can be a bit 'loud' but eventually, you will learn to welcome the silence and appreciate it.

I recommend when meditating that you wear comfortable clothing. If you're at home be comfy and change into sweats, yoga attire or, pajamas (my personal favorite). If you happen to be able to catch a few minutes, meditating at work is achievable but at least take off the tie, or belt or heels. If you're sitting there trying to create a peaceful space in your mind and heart, it's going to be a more difficult if a piece of clothing is pinching or binding you.

Now you're ready for the meat of the matter, meditating! Many people make attempts only to have their 'inner silence' bombarded by persistent chattering of the mind. 'Did I pay the garbage bill? Speaking of garbage, I wonder how so and so is doing? I always liked his sister, Sarah. That is such a beautiful name, reminds me of butterflies...' and so on.

This is where the mantra, which allows for one pointed concentration, becomes handy. It brings focus to only that word or syllable, and helps shut out other thoughts. Granted, thoughts tend to work their way in, but just by returning to the mantra we are able to tone the other thoughts way, way down. It gives our minds something else to focus on instead of everything else.

Along with the focus on the mantra, the vibration itself of the mantra that is chanted allows for deeper meditation by raising the vibration of the body.

If chanting a mantra isn't your style but you still need help with quieting the mind, then try one of my favorite tips. Focus on breathing. Now, when I first started meditating this tip didn't help me at all.

Then I had it explained to me a bit differently in a book by John Selby. He put it this way: focus on air coming into your nose, what does it feel like? Is the air cold when you inhale? Is it warm? If the air feels cold, can you feel the air rushing through the hairs in your nose?

Once you've mastered the focus on just your nose, then also focus on your chest as it rises and falls with each breathe. By focusing only on these two areas, your mind won't have time to fit the other outside thoughts in. And, as always mentioned, if you find your mind starting to wander to other thoughts, don't fret. Just come back to the mantra or re-focus on the breath coming in and out of your nose.

How long you meditate is entirely up to you. If you only have a few minutes, then a few minutes it is. If you have the luxury of an hour, then by all means take the time, relax and dive into the beauty of a nice, long, meditation and see what effects it has on your body and mind.

Finally, as you come out of meditation, feel being in your body. Give each part of your body a smile, and take a moment to stretch, and really feel it.

The bottom line is, everyone can achieve the benefits of meditation. Once we realize that meditation isn't an all or nothing practice, we are able to let down our guard about not doing it perfectly right from the start and every time. Just by taking the time to relax and quiet our minds, we can produce results we never thought possible before.

I hope these tips have given you the encouragement needed to give meditation a go, whether it's for the first time or the 100th time.

Jhanna Dawson
Mia Bella's Diamond Team Leaderhttp://www.creatinglight.net775.530.1097

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