Meditation to me means transforming the mind. I use the practices/techniques to develop concentration, ease my anxiety, gain clarity of things I’ve been seeking, and emotional positivity.
I started meditating maybe….4-5 years ago after challenging many things that I was conditioned to believe throughout my life.
My anxiety returned, and I also felt that the world was suffering, and I wanted a hiding place for my thoughts and my fears.
My thoughts with meditation were-I can’t control what was going on around me, but I could control my own state of mind for the better. I was not seeking a new religion and didn’t connect it with religion; instead I wanted to reach a new level of spirituality.
I did however research the practice within my religion (Christianity) and found that Christian meditation is a form of prayer in which a structured attempt is made to get in touch with and deliberately reflect upon the revelations of GOD and I wanted to connect with GOD on a more personal basis.
Unfortunately, I never felt connected to GOD while in church, so this was perfect because it was more private and between GOD and I. Basically-I could talk and listen to GOD without judgment or getting anyone else involved.
I felt that I started making more conscience decisions and I focused more on living in the moment steaming from thinking more clearly. Which is something we often forget to do as our daily life takes control of our being.
“The word meditation comes from the Latin word meditari, which means to concentrate. Christian meditation is the process of deliberately focusing on specific thoughts (e.g. a biblical scene involving Jesus and the Virgin Mary) and reflecting on their meaning in the context of the love of God.” -Wiki
New Age meditations are often influenced by Eastern philosophy, mysticism, Yoga, Hinduism and Buddhism. New Age meditation as practiced by the early hippies is regarded for its techniques of blanking out the mind and releasing oneself from conscious thinking. This is often aided by repetitive chanting of a mantra, or focusing on an object. New Age meditation evolved into a range of purposes and practices, from serenity and balance to access to other realms of consciousness to the concentration of energy in group meditation to the supreme goal of samadhi (a state of intense concentration achieved through meditation. In Hindu yoga this is regarded as the final stage, at which union with the divine is reached), as in the ancient yogic practice of meditation.
O.Mah.Gah-it was not easy starting out. I would sit in a quiet room, hoping to feel and hear something. Nothing happened!
Next I started my meditation sessions with a prayer for whatever I wanted to focus on. It helped me focus more and my mind that was previously running wild-calmed. But then I would fall asleep,lol. I later found out that this was ok and I was on my way to learning to focus at a more attentive state.
I started out with meditating in my car for 5 minutes a day, then 10 minutes, then 20 minutes.
My car was the only place that I had alone time, so I used that time to clear my mind. Now I meditate for at least 2 hours on Sunday. During this time, I am praying, sitting quiet and clearing my mind. I do this first as soon as I awake or if I am having trouble sleeping, I meditate before bed.
I use this time to release any anxieties, frustrations and any worries that I may have. If my anxiety is at a high level, I drink a glass of red wine to calm my mind and focus more. *Don’t follow my lead-this is my way of calming my brain and articulating my thoughts from my subconscious.
I sit in an upright position against a wall for back support and I cross my legs as you see in pictures. Now I don’t stay this way for two hours (that would hurt) but I do sit in the stance as long as I can. If I have an emergency meditation session (when I can’t sleep, have a difficult task or I’m feeling super frustrated) I light candles.
I rarely use chants-unless I am participating in a Chopra Center 21-day meditation, challenge-but the chants rarely work for me. I lose concentration and it defeats the purpose I am working towards.
I’ve found that using meditation helps me to recognize things I wouldn’t normally notice daily. I think more before I react, and I have peace that others will never take away. It’s my secret weapon in this fast world and it keeps me from becoming upset at things that I can’t control.
My thoughts. My Way. My Inner Peace.
#Meditation #SoulFood #SuperSoul #SuperSoulSunday #FindingMyPeace #InnerPeace #ChopraCenter #Spirituality #GodIsLove