You could also have a meditation of questions and answers. It is important to write down the questions that you wish to ask before you begin, so that there is a flow and a direction of the meditation process. Have a note pad so that you can write down the answers that come to you. Usually it is the first answer that comes to you. Write that down, even it you do not understand the reference. Write down everything until it feels complete and then move on to the next question. The question and answer period may go on for a few meditation sessions so do not become discouraged if you dont get all of the answers immediately. Also do not judge yourself or call yourself inadequate if you are not getting the responses that you want. Mediation takes practice and intention to do it well. Also one needs to become accustomed to how s/he receives that information personally.
Ring the bell, to signal the conclusion of your meditation session, or turn off your alarm when it rings. After the time is up and your meditation has ended, begin to stretch and loosen your neck and shoulders, and your back and perhaps your arms and legs. Breathe big breaths in to bring you from that deep place. Do not force yourself beyond your time that you told yourself would be the amount of time for that day. There are other days to extend the time.
Meditation takes a lot of practice and time. There are many mental and physical obstacles to overcome. The mind is always active and always condemning. It judges you harshly without cause, it holds you guilty, it keeps you in a fearful place, it believes that it is under attack, it says empathically that you can never change, it is full of resistance and self loathing. The mind never speaks of your true nature, which is joy, love, compassion for all creatures, kindness, deep wisdom, abundance, and the unlimited free flowing capacity.
It is also helpful to keep a journal of your spiritual progress and your meditations. Which techniques work best for you, how often do you get to a still place, is there anything that came up that you did not expect, are you causing yourself stress in a process that is designed to bring more peace and stillness for you, are you judging yourself? Can you make a change to comfort yourself, are you receiving your answers during a Q & A period.
* A Note On Meditation And Breathing. Breathing can start out big and full and then gradually become diminished and more silent. It is part of your focus that leads you to that still place. When you are meditating you are letting the mind rest on a new focal point other than a million thoughts of worry, anxiety, fear and what you will do in the next moment or the evening. Remember a funnel, it has a great capacity coming into the top but it is coming down through a progressively narrower opening, until it passes through only a tiny opening. The same actions are occurring when you are limiting your thoughts to one or more focal points. Letting go of distracting thoughts, worry, and fear, and focusing on less and less until you are at a still place.
Focus: Earlier I told you that there are steps to get you to that still place, the focal points that draw your mind into a still and quiet place. One focus is the present moment, only this moment is what you are focusing on at this time. Another focus is the steady breathing coming into your physical form, or the OM sounds resonating through your mind and body, still other focuses include the elements of the music like running water that you are training your ears to pick out, or the music itself, in a guided meditation you are letting images form in your mind and that becomes a focal point, and in an open eye meditation you are letting your eyes become trained on a physical point that you can see, and gradually you let your mind come to an internal focal point. All of the focal points are designed to assist you to get into the resting place of the mind where the mind becomes secondary. When the mind is resting and not complaining, condemning or judging then you become aware of your unlimited nature, of your gentleness, and divine essence. It is a place of realization of your TRUE SELF and in knowing and remember that you become so comfortable with your expanding and unlimited nature that you only wish to rest in that place.
My suggestions to you are practice, get relaxed, get settled, dont judge, do not compare yourself to others, allow yourself to learn and progress at your own pace, encourage yourself, and reassure yourself when you need to, and keep on practicing and challenging yourself out of your comfort zone. Do not listen to the minds condemnation of you. It is only false ramblings. Reward yourself for your effort. Be good to yourself. copyright 2006 Yoga Kat |
