Meditation is a journey you take from your thoughts to your heart center.
Meditation offers your soul a blanket as you would a friend in need.
Practicing meditation caresses the soul the same way you might gently pet a beloved dog when you feel lonely.
Through meditation, you provide the mind with words of affirmation, encouragement, and motivation.
Meditation is an unconditional love for the Self and all beings, radiating from within and simultaneously consuming the individual.
What is meditation?
While meditation does tend to focus your thoughts on a specific story, imagery, mantra, or word, it differs from mindfulness in that it does not always bring your mind to the present moment. For more on mindfulness, please follow this link.
Like mindfulness, meditation requires both action and practice. When thinking of meditation, you may envision an image of a person sitting cross-legged on a cushion, hands resting on the knees, fingers in a mudra, and mouth chanting “OM” repeatedly. If this image makes you sick with nausea, anxiety, and self-doubt, you are not alone. Indeed, this is one way to practice meditation, but it is not the only way.
Meditation can be unique to each individual. You can lie down, stand up, or truly find any comfortable posture. You can chant, imagine, focus on a candle, or even move or not do these things.
Meditation should light up the soul, allowing you to notice thoughts, feelings, and emotions without any expectations. Practicing meditation allows for emotional and mental stability and peace.
In our time together, I will encourage you to practice meditation independently by listening to guided meditations. I may suggest we practice meditation together, in which case, I will lead you through guided meditation, or we will listen to one.
Practicing meditation has many benefits.
The benefits of practicing meditation are endless. Meditation can help you connect with others, yourself, and your community. It can improve focus, quiet the inner critic, reduce stress levels, heal your past, and more.
In addition, practicing meditation with others provides accountability, spiritual support, and the power of shared experiences.
Regardless of your unique practice, finding what works for you is important. And, if you hate it, you are in no way required to do it. But give various techniques a try before negating it entirely.
Here’s a link to my Insight Timer profile for you to try a meditation now.