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Meditation

by Jessica Rucker

What is it? Meditation is described as a state of being which brings stillness to a person. This can be doing anything from walking in nature, having quite time or even working out, although with our 8 Week Cycles I don’t know how I could make any of these workouts a practice in mediation! But basically, anything that you do that helps center you and tunes you into energies is the act of mediation.

I have been practicing mediation on and off for 4 years and the one thing that I have noticed, when I don’t meditate or at least take the time each day to get back to center, are my mood swings. I also tend to focus on past or future events too much and my workouts are tougher because I’m not focused on the act at hand. When my meditation practice is more regular, I laugh a lot more, I tend not to take things as personally, I have an overall feeling of calmness and it shows in my workouts. I’m more confident and tend to hit my numbers or beat my numbers for that day. Who wouldn’t want to experience that? Here are a few techniques that I’ve used in the past and some that I still use today and some tips to on understanding the mediation process.

The Chatter

Regardless if you’re new to meditation or have been practicing it for some time, you can expect intruding thoughts, it happens to everyone. Focusing on the point in between your eyebrows can help or focusing in the center of each eyebrow can help calm the chatter. Also, keeping a pencil and paper handy to write these thoughts that do come into your mind can help clear the system and make it easier to meditate.

Where to Meditate.

Finding a quiet place where you will not be disturbed is best, this may require that you also find the same time of day to meditate if you have a hectic schedule. Be sure not to get too attached to this time though since it there may be times when mediation at the designated time may not work, so make sure to allow for flexibility.

Body Position for Mediation.

If you’re just starting off, it’s best to keep meditation practice short, maybe 5 to 15 minutes in length. Choosing either a sitting or lying-down position with the head flat on the ground so that the spine is straight. If this brings about uncomfortable feelings whether physically or mentally, place a pillow under your knees.

Mediation Warm Up.

Getting yourself ready to meditate is much like doing a warm up before a workout. It’s important to let the body and mind know what’s to come. I like doing this particular warm up because it helps me focus on the moment and calms me down. Sit or lie quietly and breathe deeply. Count your exhalations, 1,2,3,4 and breathe in, 1,2,3,4 and breathe in, repeat this until you feel relaxed. Another one I’ve used and use after teaching Yoga classes is relaxing the body from the feet up to the top of the head. Whether you’re lying-down or sitting; deeply relax the body starting with the feet, then ankles, shins, knees, thighs etc; to the crown of the head.

The following are basic, easy meditations from a book called Meditation as Spiritual Practice by Genevieve L. Paulson, that helped me and still help me to this day.

Mediation #1

Sit or lie quietly. Feel your brain gently expanding and quiet. Imagine your breath is going into it, bringing openness. After a few minutes, expand your energy to the space around your head. Be aware of that for a few minutes and then just be. As you stay quiet and open, new information may come in or you may just find that you are more relaxed. However, as you continue to practice this meditation, it will increase your intuitiveness and creativity. You will also find you comprehend information more easily.

Mediation #2

Be in a comfortable position, with your back straight. Fill yourself with the rainbow colors, one at a time. If you can’t see them, just imagine they are spreading throughout your body. Energy follows imagination and it will work just as well. Start with red, followed by orange, then yellow, green, blue and purple and end with a radiant white. A total of ten minutes for this is plenty.

Last Updated on Thursday, 29 December 2011 11:27

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