One aware about two

HKD

Maybe the meaning of life is to bring the two forces together in the one, the conscious mind.

An unconscious mind just feels split into good and bad feelings and doesn’t know why.

——————

Meditation is more than sitting… once you have reached the meditative state of consciousness there is no need to sit at all… ))
But when you have lost your awareness (the golden view) while dancing in samsara maybe it is good to sit for a while again and find back…

HKD

Meditation Guide

There is absolutely no way I can possibly tell you about all the different types of meditation in just one article. My intention is to tell you about some of the general benefits of meditation the different types have in common and introduce you to a few popular forms of meditation.

Many people have never tried meditation and they truly do not know what they are missing. Our world is full of sounds, sights, and other distractions. We are bombarded with these things every day of our lives. Meditation allows you to escape from this for awhile. A chance to truly relax

Through meditation can you truly get to know yourself, organize your thoughts, relax, and even improve your health. That quiet time can give you time to hear your own soul.

It takes practice. We are so used to living in a rush, it’s actually difficult for us to learn to totally relax and release all of the pressure we place on ourselves.

The things that must be considered include the length of time you need to devote to meditation, where you will meditate, your posture and your eye position, and very important, how to control your breathing.

There are many guides and books on proper meditation techniques and I suggest you research this. This one article is much too short to cover all of the proper meditation techniques. Here, I will stay focused on the many types of meditation.

One type of meditation that is definitely designed to help you stay healthy is called HRM, or Heart Rhythm Meditation. This type of meditation is used to coordinate the rhythms of your heart, your breath, and your brainwaves. It is supposed to help you create harmony within yourself. HRM incorporates several types of meditation into one.

Others include what are generally referred to as upward and downward meditation. As an example, HRM above incorporates several types of downward meditation. Other types of downward meditation include reality meditation, active meditation, lover meditation, meditation centered on the heart, in-life meditation, inclusive meditation, and awakening meditation.

Upward forms of meditation include religious meditation, meditation centered on the mind, monastic meditation, denial meditation, dualistic meditation, trance meditation, observer meditation, passive meditation, and fantasy meditation.

Upward meditation is described as drawing energy upwards and consciousness out of the body. That is where the term out-of-body experience is used. Downward meditation invites energy down into the body through the body’s third eye, or heart.

There are types of meditation that utilize both upward and downward meditation, but for the purposes of this article we will focus on those that are more specific.

Reality meditation has an obvious definition. It is based on reality rather than fantasy or imagination, while fantasy meditation relies on your imagination. In fantasy meditation you may imagine you are in another place, have become another person, or maybe even another type of existent or non-existent being.

Another two types of meditation that are the exact opposites of each other are passive and active meditation. In passive meditation, the type most people assume is the right way, the person tries to be absolutely still and do nothing, emptying their mind as much as possible. They may seem or actually even become asleep. If this was the goal, it is a perfect way to achieve sleep.

Active meditation is goal-oriented. The person focuses his or her mind outwardly toward that goal. The person attempts to remain in a state of meditation sending out waves to achieve the goal, usually used to bring peace to an otherwise tumultuous situation.

Denial and dualistic meditation are approximately the same. Many times the person is using this form of meditation to overcome pain or suffering. They focus their mind and tell themselves that they are not really suffering or in pain. Belief can heal, therefore they strive to create a reality where the suffering and pain are gone or it has no effect on them.

Trance meditation is used to diminish sensory capacity. The person uses it to achieve an ultimate calmness. This usually entails rhythmic chanting, suggestions of deep sleep, or submission. Hypnosis is an example of the use of Trance meditation.

The opposite of trance meditation might be alertness meditation or awakening meditation. The person won’t become sleepy as in trance meditation, but their senses will be heightened. The rhythm of the chants are usually faster and the rhythm changes. In a group it may change to keep in harmony with the others in the group.

As I said earlier in the article, this is written just to introduce you to the fact that there are various forms of meditation and each has it’s own uses. You may want to study the different types and look for the one that is right for you before you start.

Meditation isn’t something you should just do because someone recommended you do it. It isn’t something you should start doing because someone wants you to go to meditation group sessions with him or her. What works for them may not work for you. You need to explore the different forms of meditation that are out there and find one that specifically helps you.

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For over 30 years, I have been meditating. For almost as many years, in workshops, consultations, friendly conversations, and writing, I have been encouraging, teaching, or leading people to meditate and create quiet times. During this time, the world has changed considerably, and so have I. My most important learning is: everyone is different. Certainly there are commonalities in meditating, but each individual is unique. I consider that meditation is one of the most empowering practices that anyone can engage in.

A “quiet revolution” is an oxymoron, of course. Meditation is generally a private, quiet practice. In North America its acceptance has changed dramatically over the last several years, although it is still not universally accepted. As with most revolutions, an underground is established before, during, and after the outward manifestations of the awakening. In this culture which I know, more and more individuals are speaking and writing about their meditation practice.

Meditating in groups is also common and very powerful, and yet each meditator still has a unique, quiet, private experience. In the workplace, meditation is rarely practiced openly, nor is it discussed, except in safe, small groups or among friends. When I was a frequent workshop presenter, I had many participants speak to me privately in hushed tones at break times to confess that they meditate. The voices may not be as hushed these days, but still there is a quietness, even a silence, about the practice in many settings.

I am comfortable with the variety of words used to describe meditation. My own purpose for meditation is to connect with the Divine and be replenished by the Source. Some speak about mystical experiences and higher consciousness, while others are more comfortable talking about relaxation, calmness, and resilience. Heightened awareness, intuition, imagery, and vision are frequently used to describe experiences of meditation. I find that helping others to express their own meditation experiences is a powerful process for them, even when the words do not flow smoothly.

Long-time meditators can find other long-time mediators easily. Meditators give off signals or vibrations that are calmer and more aligned with self than those who do not meditate or do not have a meditative-type practice that taps into higher consciousness. Gardening, yoga, certain athletic activities, and regular relaxation can achieve the same soothing signals when practiced in ways that achieve harmony with self.

No matter how or where you meditate, you must make a choice to meditate and practice it regularly in order to benefit fully. Full benefits come with regular practice over a period of time. Meditating only when stressed may certainly be beneficial in the immediate situation, but the long-term benefits of a regular practice include general well-being, health, a strong immune system, longevity, clarity of thought, and balance.

Meditation is sometimes associated with certain religions. Meditation can be practiced in any and all religions, but the two are not synonymous. In my work, I keep meditation distinct from religion; if my clients choose to join the two, that is fine. Those with strong religious beliefs gravitate to the types of meditation that fit their beliefs. Wikipedia has a comprehensive listing of meditation methods at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation

Regardless of the chosen method, the benefits of regular meditation, over time, are as varied as the individuals who meditate. It is quite common for long-time meditators to acknowledge they benefit physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

Recently I received an email message from a long-time meditator in India talking about her meditation experiences. It was a delight to read. It became clear to me that she has integrated the same elements that I encourage people to discover and use.

She uses her breath to relax. She has several processes to handle mind chatter and stress so that she is not disturbed by them in her meditation. She has two different “focal points” for her attention. One is a visual focus, a traditional Indian lamp, which she visualizes as divine light that lightens her heart. Another focal point is one of the most famous mantras, Om, which she chants repeatedly, finding that it takes only a brief time to achieve the state of consciousness that is her purpose for meditation. And she has a regular practice.

Her message was a beautiful summary of what many long-term meditators might report. While working with both new and long-time meditators, I have discovered that the most difficult aspect of meditation is to practice it regularly. All the elements of meditation are easy to understand, but to sit and do it challenges many new meditators.

If you have not meditated before, it may seem mysterious. However, meditation is simple. I recommend a maximum of twenty minutes for new meditators. Here are the elements:

* Arrange time when you will not be disturbed;

* Sit in a comfortable position and relax;

* Close your eyes, unless you prefer an open-eye meditation;

* Breathe intentionally for a few breaths;

* Choose a focal point, such as music, a chant, a pleasing image, a guiding voice;

* Stay with the focal point; if your mind wanders, gently return to the focal point;

* Bring the meditation to a close and return to your activities, refreshed.

If this is your first time meditating, you may feel that “nothing is happening” during the first few times you sit to meditate. That is a common sensation. At the end of your chosen meditation time, simply get up and continue with your day. The benefits are cumulative, which is why I advocate a regular practice.

If you want to meditate, yet are not meditating or are not meditating as frequently as you want, please be gentle with yourself. While it is true that only you can sit down and do it, you can also find ways to make it more appealing. In order to have a meditation practice, you must practice meditation. Above all else, follow your heart and trust your own inner guidance.

What about you? Do you want to be part of this quiet revolution? Are you already part of the revolution but wanting to meditate more regularly? If so, meditate one session at a time until it becomes a natural part of your life.

a 9 Minute meditation visualising the colours of the chakras.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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People are more curious about meditation lately because each day we learn about different benefits of meditation. Although meditation techniques have common benefits, some techniqes can be more beneficial in some cases.

If you are planning to start meditation or just curious if you could really benefit from it; first you need to clarify what you expect from meditation.

We cannot point one technique as the best, but you can choose which is the best for you. Read about different techniques to choose which you can keep on without quitting because some techniques require more time, some needs quidance and some needs tools, so you need to find out which is suitable for you. Consistency will help you to get the best from the meditation technique you choose.

If you want to be sure about the benefits of meditation, here are some scientific researches about different meditation techniques which will be helpfull for beginners.

Mindfulness Meditation Increases Positive Emotional State:

The research team led by Richard Davidson, Vilas Professor of psychology and psychiatry at UW-Madison investigated the positive changes in the brain during and after the meditation.

In the experimental group, participants receieved mindfulness meditation fromJon Kabat-Zinn and the control group didn’t receive training.Meditation group attended a weekly class and they  practised for an hour at home for 6 days a week.

The team measured electrical activity in the frontal part of the brain which is associated with lower anxiety and a more positive emotional state. As expected the meditation group developed more activity at that part of the brain.

Source: University Communications, University of Wisconsin-Madison 

Mindfulness Meditation Decreases Perception of Pain and Improves Cognitive Processing:

Fadel Zeidan, a post-doctoral researcher at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and a former doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and co-authors Susan K. Johnson, Zhanna David and Paula Goolkasian from the Department of Psychology at UNC Charlotte, and Bruce J. Diamond from William Patterson University studied if a brief meditation can be helpfull on cognition.

Participants meditated 20 minutes each day for 4 days and control group attempted a reading session at the same period.

Prior to and following the mindfulness meditation and reading sessions, both the meditation and control group were tested to examine  assessing mood, memory, visual attention, attention processing, and vigilance. Mindfulness meditation improved cognitional skills ten times better of the Mindfulness meditation participants after training than the control group.

“This seems to be strong evidence for the idea that we may be able to modify our own minds to improve our cognitive processing — most importantly in the ability to sustain attention and vigilance — within a week’s time.”explained Zeidan.

Through this research the meditation and control group participants’ sensitivity to pain also examined before and after the sesssions by employing harmless electrical shocks Meditation decreased the perception of “high pain” levels, and also reduced the perception of “low” pain levels

“We knew already that meditation has significant effects on pain perception in long-term practitioners whose brains seem to have been completely changed — we didn’t know that you could do this in just three days, with just 20 minutes a day,” Zeidan said.

Source: Download full research  PDF

Wake Forest University

Buddhist Meditation Improves Visiopatial Abilities:

The researchers led by psychologist Maria Kozhevnikov of George Mason University focused on two types of buddhist meditation Deity Yoga and Open Presence to find out if meditation improves our imagery skills.

In the experiment Deity Yoga and Open Presence practitioners meditated for 20 minutes and the control group rested at the same period. Participants tested before and after sessions about mental rotation abilities and visual memory.

Before meditation sessions although the participants were practitioners of Deity Yoga or Open Presence their test results were similar to the control group, which means meditation doesn’t have a long lasting affect.

After meditation sessions, the results show that the Deity Yoga parctitioners improved their visiopatial abilities dramatically.

Buddhist Insight Meditation Increases Grey Matter In The Brain:

The research led by Sara Lazar, assistant in psychology at Massachusetts General Hospital and co-author of the study Jeremy Gray, assistant professor of psychology at Yale  studied to find out if meditation increased the grey matter in the brain.

Gray said. “The study participants were people with jobs and families. They just meditated on average 40 minutes each day, you don’t have to be a monk.”

Magnetic resonance imaging  proved that practising meditation regularly helps to increase the sensory, auditory and visual abilities and internal perception and also reduction of aging effects of brain.

They mentioned that different kinds of meditation may have different affects on cortical thickening.

Source: Yale University 

Yoga Has a Positive Effect on Mood:

A study led by lead author Chris Streeter, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at BUSM examined if yoga has a positive effect on mood.

One group of participants practiced yoga three times a week for one hour and the control group just walked at the same period. Both were followed for 12 weeks scanning their brains with using magnetic resonance spectroscopic (MRS) imaging. They were also asked to assess their psychological state at several points throughout the study.

“Over time, positive changes in these reports were associated with climbing GABA levels,” said Streeter. Low GABA levels are associated with depression and other widespread anxiety disorders.

Source: Boston University

Integrative Body-Mind Training (IBMT):Helps to regulate your behaviour through your desires

A team of Chinese researchers led by Yi-Yuan Tang of Dalian University of Technology in collaboration with University of Oregon psychologist Michael I. Posner. and UO psychology professor Mary K. Rothbart focused on IBMT to find out what

Posner, who last fall received a National Medal of Science said:”The importance of our findings relates to the ability to make structural changes in a brain network related to self regulation.The pathway that has the largest change due to IBMT is one that previously was shown to relate to individual differences in the person’s ability to regulate conflict.”

Source: University of Oregon  

Vipassana meditation

A study by psychology and psychiatry professor Richard Davidson of the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health and the Waisman Center and his research group examined whether conscious mental training can affect attention.

Because the attentional resources are limited when two visual signals are shown, people miss the second one much of the time. “The attention momentarily goes off-line. Your attention gets stuck on the first target, then you miss the second one ” Davidson says.

Three months of intensive training in Vipassana meditation, which focuses on reducing mental distraction and improving sensory awareness. improved people’s ability to detect a second target.

“The results of the study show that devoting fewer neural resources to the first target leaves enough left over to attend to another target that follows shortly after it”, Davidson says

Source:  University of Wisconsin-Madison

Zen Meditation Helps You for Pain Management:

A research by Joshua A. Grant, a doctoral student in the Department of Physiology, co-authored the paper with Pierre Rainville, a professor and researcher at the Université de Montréal and it’s affiliated Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal studied on Zen meditation to find out its effects on pain.

“Through training, Zen meditators appear to thicken certain areas of their cortex and this appears to be underlie their lower sensitivity to pain,” says lead author Joshua A. Grant and noted that meditative practices could be helpful in general for pain management, for preventing normal age-related grey matter reductions or potentially for any condition where the grey matter is compromised such as stroke.

Source: Université de Montréal

Zen Meditation Helps to Clear the Mind Faster After Distruction

Researcher Giuseppe Pagnoni, PhD, Emory assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and co-workers at Emory University School of Medicine studied how interruption affect the thoughts of meditators.

There were two group of participants, one group was Zen practitioners and the other one was control group. Participants brain was scanned during the task with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants was distracted during meditation.

Zen practitioners brain turn back to baseline before distruction faster than the control group.

This suggests that the regular practice of meditation may enhance the capacity to limit the influence of distracting thoughts. This skill could be important in conditions such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder and major depression, characterized by excessive rumination or an abnormal production of task-unrelated thoughts,” Pagnoni says.

Source: PubMed

Meena speaks to the family members of Pyramid Dhyana Kendra about Meditation in this edition of ‘Pengal Neram’. www.istream.in
Video Rating: 0 / 5

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My wild river reflection…!!!
An impressionnist photo safari concentrated mainly on a daily basis (or almost) on my small piece of planet of 55 000 square feet…!!! A Thoreau "waldennienne" approach…!!!

Reflet de ma rivière sauvage…!!!
Un safari photo impressioniste au quotidien concentré essentiellement (ou presque) sur un petit morceau de planète de 55 000 pieds carrés…!!! Une démarche "waldennienne" à la Thoreau…!!!

If you’d a little bit of time… I invite you to read the last interview made by borealnz on The world through my eyes.. FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

The Postures of Meditation: The Daily Guide to Success

During the ancient times until now, people practice meditation because of its provided advantages. Incorporating meditation as part of your daily life can make a big difference regarding your attitude and outlook in life. But because meditation is a procedure, it involves several steps as well as postures when doing it. 

1. Cross legged posture. Various spiritual traditions and meditation teachers suggest or prescribe various meditation physical postures. One of the most popular postures is the cross legged position which includes the lotus position. It is taught in most meditative traditions that the spinal cord must be kept straight. So, slouching is not a good idea. This is because, when you sit straight, it encourages good circulation of what they call as spiritual energy, which is the life force and vital breath.

2. Seated posture. A meditator can sit on the chair with his or her bare feet, as what the New Thought is teaching. In Orthodox Christianity, a meditator can sit on the stool. While in Theravada Buddhism, a meditator is walking in mindfulness. In Sukhothai, Thailand, walking meditation of the monks is called bas-relief. The meditator sits up keeping his or her back straight holding the spine and head in alignment without leaning and thighs parallel to the floor. The hands are rested comfortably on the arm’s chair or on the knees.

3. Kneeling posture. The meditator kneels with both knees on the floor keeping his or her buttocks resting on his or her toes and heels which are almost touching. The hands rest on his or his thighs.

4. Lying down posture also known as corpse posture or savasna in yoga. The meditator rests on the carpet keeping his or her legs straight and relaxed. Nevertheless, this is not used more often since it mimics the natural posture of sleeping. The meditator can sometimes fall asleep. This is effective in reducing stress rather than a meditation process.

5. Incorporating mudras or hand gestures. There is a theological meaning behind these gestures. Based on Yogic philosophy, these can affect consciousness. One example is the common hand-position of the Buddhist. The right hand rests on the top of the left hand with touching thumbs similar to the begging bowl of Buddha.

6. Incorporating various repetitive activities in stillness such as humming, chanting, or deep breathing to help in inducing a state of meditation. The Soto Zen practitioners do their meditation in front of a wall with open eyes. However, most mediation schools are assuming that the eyes are half-open or closed.

The duration and frequency of meditation also vary. There are nuns and monks who bow for a lifetime meditation. However, the broadly accepted duration is 20 or 30 minutes. This length may increase as the process goes on as what experienced meditators revealed. To obtain the benefits of meditation, it is advisable to follow the advices and instructions of the spiritual teacher. Most traditions require daily practice. But some may experience frustration or guilt when they failed to do it. Sometimes, meditators may complain about meditators knee especially during long hours of kneeling on one’s knees or sitting on cross legs.

Keep in mind that perseverance and acceptance are needed to become successful. This can help you during prolonged hours of meditation and increase focus on your everyday lives.The Postures of Meditation: The Daily Guide to Success

During the ancient times until now, people practice meditation because of its provided advantages. Incorporating meditation as part of your daily life can make a big difference regarding your attitude and outlook in life. But because meditation is a procedure, it involves several steps as well as postures when doing it.

1. Cross legged posture. Various spiritual traditions and meditation teachers suggest or prescribe various meditation physical postures. One of the most popular postures is the cross legged position which includes the lotus position. It is taught in most meditative traditions that the spinal cord must be kept straight. So, slouching is not a good idea. This is because, when you sit straight, it encourages good circulation of what they call as spiritual energy, which is the life force and vital breath.

2. Seated posture. A meditator can sit on the chair with his or her bare feet, as what the New Thought is teaching. In Orthodox Christianity, a meditator can sit on the stool. While in Theravada Buddhism, a meditator is walking in mindfulness. In Sukhothai, Thailand, walking meditation of the monks is called bas-relief. The meditator sits up keeping his or her back straight holding the spine and head in alignment without leaning and thighs parallel to the floor. The hands are rested comfortably on the arm’s chair or on the knees.

3. Kneeling posture. The meditator kneels with both knees on the floor keeping his or her buttocks resting on his or her toes and heels which are almost touching. The hands rest on his or his thighs.

4. Lying down posture also known as corpse posture or savasna in yoga. The meditator rests on the carpet keeping his or her legs straight and relaxed. Nevertheless, this is not used more often since it mimics the natural posture of sleeping. The meditator can sometimes fall asleep. This is effective in reducing stress rather than a meditation process.

5. Incorporating mudras or hand gestures. There is a theological meaning behind these gestures. Based on Yogic philosophy, these can affect consciousness. One example is the common hand-position of the Buddhist. The right hand rests on the top of the left hand with touching thumbs similar to the begging bowl of Buddha.

6. Incorporating various repetitive activities in stillness such as humming, chanting, or deep breathing to help in inducing a state of meditation. The Soto Zen practitioners do their meditation in front of a wall with open eyes. However, most mediation schools are assuming that the eyes are half-open or closed.

The duration and frequency of meditation also vary. There are nuns and monks who bow for a lifetime meditation. However, the broadly accepted duration is 20 or 30 minutes. This length may increase as the process goes on as what experienced meditators revealed. To obtain the benefits of meditation, it is advisable to follow the advices and instructions of the spiritual teacher. Most traditions require daily practice. But some may experience frustration or guilt when they failed to do it. Sometimes, meditators may complain about meditators knee especially during long hours of kneeling on one’s knees or sitting on cross legs.

Keep in mind that perseverance and acceptance are needed to become successful. This can help you during prolonged hours of meditation and increase focus on your everyday lives.

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There are many reasons why we don’t do things that we know are good for us.  When I first was exposed to meditation, at about 19 years of age, I was working on my first academic degree.  I had begun studying the positive effects of meditation.  My exposure to meditation was very scientific, very medical.  I learned how meditation was good for your heart, your stress levels and just overall good for your health.  I would describe it all in very scientific and medical descriptions exclusively.  While I knew it was good for me to meditate I wasn’t overly concerned with keeping my blood pressure down and such.  I was a typical 19 year old student and didn’t worry about “long term effects”.  Luckily, I did enjoy the benefits of meditation from the very beginning; however, I think that what I didn’t realize at the time that I wasn’t meditating regularly because I didn’t make the time to meditate.  While I enjoyed meditating I was “too busy” to take the time out regularly to practice it.  I basically practiced meditating intermittently and not on a consistent basis.

What changed for me was when, years ago, I started meeting people who had been meditating for a very long time.  These people shared with me the positive effects of growth with meditation.  They explained that meditation was a good way to grow emotionally and spiritually as well as physically.  Once I understood that meditation was far more than just a good idea for “medical/physical” reasons, I realized that I had to start practicing regularly myself.  Having been intrigued with “growth” since I was very young, I knew this was my path.  Immediately, I got a book on meditation and began studying and practicing regularly.  I started meditating every day, twice a day because growing while I’m here on this planet is very important to me and always has been.

I think that one thing that can really help anyone with meditating on a regular basis is to find that “reason” you meditate.  If you don’t have a real drive or reason for meditating, other things become a priority before meditating.  If making money, going out, socializing, working, and such all take priority in your life you will find yourself making time for these things while making it harder to find the time for meditation.  If you see that meditation provides far more than just medical benefits, that it increases your happiness, your spiritual well-being and so much more, you will find that these are the real reasons to make time to meditate.

I think another thing that keeps many of us from meditating is that meditation, at first, can be difficult.  When we first start out it can sometimes be hard for our minds to go into a stillness.  It can be a challenge to sit and quiet our minds in the beginning.  It takes practice to get to the point where we can sit still, not fidget and bring our minds to a peaceful stillness of meditation.  I find that often, the solution to this problem is using a “Guided Meditation”.  You can utilize my own guided meditations online, my audio CD or utilize several other places that offer both free or paid guided meditations.  I have found that people who are beginning and use guided meditations have an easier time learning how to meditate and truly bring yourself into the quietness you need.  You may also find that you prefer guided meditations or meditating with others.  It’s much like learning how to ride a bike; once you have training wheels you can take off easily and learn the tricks to go off by yourself eventually.

That brings me to another reason why some people don’t continue to meditate; some people don’t like to be alone.  What I mean by that is that, it’s not that they dislike being by themselves as much as they dislike being by their emotional selves.  When you meditate you get to learn about you and what’s inside of you.  Things come up which you may have ignored emotionally for a long time.  You may find there are things you need to work on emotionally; things that have been hidden in the corner of your mind and need to be brought out, dusted off and healed.  I highly suggest meditation as a way of finding out if there are things that you need to work out emotionally within yourself.  Sometimes being faced with this can provoke a person to step away from meditation because they don’t want to face these emotions ,but I cannot stress enough how important it is to work through these feelings and thoughts using meditation techniques.  I think you will find yourself less stressed and more relaxed once you approach these issues using meditation.

I talk much more on this in my book “Anger Work: How to Express Your Anger and Still be Kind”; which is really a book about healing and how to heal.  If you do find that you have things come up while you’re meditating, make sure that you take time to heal them.  If you have wounds from the past or something that requires some healing it’s important to get that healing and meditating can be a good process in helping the healing process.  Many people utilize meditation in conjunction with therapy, something I encourage when you have things that need to be healed.  Meditation is an excellent barometer to let you know how you’re doing in your healing process because if you can be still and present with yourself then you’re doing pretty well.

Another reason I think people struggle with meditation is simply discipline.  Many people have trouble with disciplining themselves to make the time to meditate.  In the same way that many people won’t make the time to take care of their physical self at the gym regularly; people often won’t make the time to take care of their emotional and spiritual self by taking the time to meditate.  There’s no question, it takes discipline to meditate.  You have to set aside time each day to meditate and that’s why I encourage people to have a discipline of meditating when they first get up and when they go to bed at night.  An easy way to discipline yourself is to set your morning alarm 30 minutes early to meditate in the mornings and go to bed 30 minutes before your normal bedtime so you can meditate before you go to bed.  It’s easier to set aside that time in the beginning and end of each day, as opposed to trying to fit it in between a busy schedule.  You will find that if meditation is important to you, you will set aside that time you need to practice it.  It doesn’t matter when it is, as long as it works for you.  I suggest the morning and bedtime meditation process because this seems easiest for people to fit into their schedules.  Once you start doing this regularly, you will find yourself looking forward to these 30 minute periods you have set aside just for you.

I’d like to encourage you to utilize our online podcasts for meditation to help you become disciplined and take the time to meditate.  With the help of our podcasts we can help you find the wonders, the beauty and the true bliss of meditation.

Eckhart describes the meaning of meditation.

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