A Place In The Sun

If you’ve ever thought about meditating but aren’t sure where to begin, this is a perfect post for you. Or maybe thinking of meditating makes you want to shove a fork in your eye. Never fear! Everyone can learn to mediate. But why should you? Mediation is a time to connect to your inner self, slow down the constant chatter of your mind, and tune into the high frequency of JOY that is your Divine Self.

It’s been said that prayer is a form of asking & talking to God/The Universe, while mediation is a form of listening. For me, meditation is a way to rise above whatever is going on in my Earth life, and go within to reconnect and listen to my higher self; the small, still place within each of us. To me it feels like being surrounded in all encompassing Love and Light. A Place In The Sun.

Many times people start to incorporate meditation into their life after something uncomfortable arises in their physical being, urging them to slow down and listen to their Divine Self. Do you suffer from anxiety? Restlessness? Depression? Chronic pain? Dis-ease? These are just some energy blockers that can be alleviated through mediation.  For instance, I used to be an extreme insomniac. It wouldn’t be abnormal for me to get only 2-3 hours of sleep a night simply because I could not turn my thoughts off. My tiredness caused some anxiety and I didn’t want to go on medication, so I decided to try meditation. Once I got the hang of it, I was sleeping better within weeks. Years later, I cherish my daily mediations and rarely suffer from insomnia. My kids sure do love to wake me up the middle of the night though.

Alright, now for the How To part. If you’re a beginner, or fine tuning your practice, I’m going to introduce 3 simple ways to meditate. But before we get to those, there are just a couple things to note that will help you get into the right mindset before your meditation:

• First, find a quiet place where you’ll be uninterrupted. If you have kids and you don’t have a quiet cave in your backyard you can hide in, this might mean setting your alarm before they get up. I know, I know…that’s the worst sometimes, but once you’re up it’ll be worth it. Or sneak a mediation in at your desk on your lunch break. I do mine either in the morning and/or when my daughter is napping in the afternoon.
• Second, sit on a comfortable chair or couch, with your feet flat the floor. Or sit on the floor cross legged. I recommend sitting up with a straight spine so you don’t drift off to sleep, and you want your feet or tush on the floor so you are grounding your energy.
• Now it’s time to relax. Take one slow, deep breath through your nose to the count of 4. Really fill your whole body with fresh air and energy. HOLD the breath for 4 counts, then slowly exhale through your mouth for 8 counts. If your mind is restless and full of thoughts, imagine as you breathe in that you are breathing in white light full of calming, healing energy, and breathing out any negative energy and worries. Notice any parts of your body that are tense and breathe into them so you are fully relaxed.
 Do this breathing exercise 3 times. You’re probably already feeling better!

Now here are 3 ways to try meditating – experiment to find what you like best. Or come up with your own! I will discuss more ways to meditate in future posts.

1. Focus On Your Breath
   This is exactly as it sounds. Notice how your chest rises and falls as you breathe at a normal, relaxed pace. Or feel the air going in and out of your nostrils. Another great way to think of this is that it’s not you breathing, but rather let yourself “be breathed”. Notice how you don’t have to exert any work, there is an unknown force breathing for you. Notice the air coming in and out without having to do anything. Be a detached observer of your breath.
2. Repeat A Mantra
   Some people like to have a mantra (word or phrase) that they can repeat in their head. This is a nice way to focus on something and have as an anchor to return to when your mind starts to wander. As it wanders, just acknowledge the thought but do not get invested in it, and gently move back to the mantra. A nice mantra to start with is “I am” or “I am Here.”
3. Imagine You’re At The Beach
   The great thing about your mind is if you can imagine something, the brain doesn’t know that it’s not actually happening. Your body will respond AS IF it is. So imagine you are sitting on a beach and your mind and body will react as if you really are. I often imagine myself sitting on the sand looking out at the ocean. Now imagine your breath is matching up with the rhythm of the waves gently crashing into shore. You don’t have to do anything, the waves just keep coming in and out – just like your breath.

It’s normal for your mind to wander when you meditate. Many people think they aren’t able to meditate because they can’t slow down their “monkey mind” that’s chattering nonstop. The truth is, you will always have thoughts arise when you meditate; you are a living, breathing human being after all! The point is not to be completely void of thoughts – the point is to OBSERVE the thoughts in a detached way. As you find yourself thinking or feeling a strong emotion, just acknowledge the feeling or thought, then go back to focusing on your breath, your mantra, or the waves. Then when another thought arises, observe it, say “hello” and “goodbye” to it. Don’t get caught up in it. Soon you will incorporate a great asset into your life: that any thought, any emotion, any worry can arise from your endless mind chatter – but the thoughts do not control you. You have the ability to observe them, while still keeping your inner Light and calmness, and remaining in the moment.

Congratulations on taking the step to bring this powerful practice into your life. Honor yourself and do this every day for a month. Even if it’s for just 10-15 minutes a day, keep at it until it becomes a habit. You will feel and notice the affects – I promise you. Soon you might find that your daily mediation is the highlight of your day!

Until next time, below is a video of Stevie Wonder, doing a perfect job singing what I tried to convey in words today – that no matter what is happing around you, there is always A Place In The Sun inside of you.  Enjoy!

In gratitude,
Nicki

https://youtu.be/jECRNZqaBdA