By: Terence Young
Anything New Age has started to really take hold in our busy driven western society. We are starting to appreciate what some of these new age concepts can do to really add value to our lives. People have started to embrace meditation as a way to create inner peace and reduce stress in their lives. Everyone from all works of lives are seen touting the benefits of meditation that they have experienced in their lives. So how can meditation really transform your life?
The benefit of meditation is that it quiets the mind and redirects your mind to focus on something else. Its amazing that we can have up tens of thousands of thoughts a day but many of which are just the same thoughts we had yesterday. What meditation can do is quite the mind enough so that your mind can then focus on the important things to think and listen to. If you think this is easy try sitting on a comfortable seat and try not to think about anything. You will be surprised as to how difficult this actually is and how quickly random useless thoughts seep into your mind.
The great thing about meditation is that it can seamlessly mesh into your existing lifestyle. You don’t need to some yoga master in a lotus pose sitting by a river to do meditation.
A wise man once said “Tell me what that is upon which you most frequently and intensely think, that to which, in your silent hours, your soul most naturally turns, and I will tell you to what place of pain or peace you are traveling, and whether you are growing into the likeness of the divine or the bestial.”
By using meditation you can begin to focus intensely in your life that which you want for your life. You can in effect through the power of meditation design the very life that you want without any limitations. After all the only limitations we have in our lives are those that we have placed there ourselves.
Meditation can therefore through the power of thought and focus can actually promote health in your life, abundance, serenity and peace. You will be able to live with a new found gratitude and see things differently.
To start embarking onto the habit of meditation all you need to do is start a routine that you can follow. You don’t need to spend hours sitting still to do meditation. You can set aside 15 minutes or so each day. Find a comfortable place away from distractions. You will want to remove your mobile phone and any other electronic devices. Its only going to be for 15 mins so I’m sure you can live without them for that long.
Once you have gotten yourself in a comfortable position whether sitting down, lying flat on the ground or whatever you choose, then close your eyes and start to concentrate on your breathing. Take deep long breaths slowly through your nose and then exhale through your mouth. You want to take in your breath to a count of 6 in and then exhale counting to 6. When breathing focus on your abdomen. Focus on it expanding and contracting. After a while your breathing will start to slow and you will be in a meditative state. You can at this time either choose to focus on whatever comes to you, focus on nothing or even ponder on a question that may have been on your mind through the day.
You will be surprised at the clarity to which you will be able to deal with questions and problems once you are in a meditative state. Why not give it a go yourself and write down afterwards how you felt and what you thought about. Keep to a regular routine and make sure you keep a journal account of your sessions then go back and read them after several weeks. You might surprise yourself with the revelations you get.
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