“Many people are alive but don't touch the miracle of being alive.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
I believe in the power of meditation more than anything else in this world. In my early twenties I was spiritually lost, overweight, unhealthy, filled with so much anxiety I could barely leave the house, and depressed. There were a couple of years after high school where I began to wonder if I would ever even make it on my own. I always took the path of least resistance. I never stood up to my fears and, as a result, the life I described above is what the Universe handed me.
During one of my darkest days, in the spring of 1992, my life changed forever. I stumbled into The Book Loft, an independent bookstore in my hometown that I would frequently escape to, and a book by Paramahansa Yogananda called, “Autobiography of a Yogi” caught my eye. I devoured this book and almost immediately began a regular meditation practice. Instantly I felt more calm and at peace.
In fact, meditation made me feel so much better I was compelled to learn more so I enrolled in a four-year Kriya Yoga course that taught Yogic philosophy and advanced forms of meditation. Those four years of study and meditation practice transformed me from the inside out from someone who was unengaged and merely existing to someone who was alive and fully living his best life.
Steemit has been so good to me I’ve been contemplating how I could most effectively give back to our community. The most valuable thing I could think of is meditation so this is what I decided to share with you in my very last post of 2016. Meditation has a way of balancing, healing, and transforming you in ways that are difficult to even predict. A regular meditation practice will provide you with the ultimate freedom and the only way to truly understand this statement is to experience it. All it requires of you is an investment of few minutes of your day.
I can think of no better way for anyone to start this new year than with meditation. Following are a few simple exercises to begin you on your way:
Exercise 1 - Physical/Calming
This first exercise can be performed seated in a comfortable chair. You should try to keep the spine as straight as possible.
- With eyes closed, inhale slowly and deeply. As you breathe in feel your stomach expand and contract.
Concentrate fully on the quality of each breath. Repeat this as many times as you’d like. This exercise is deceptively simple. It trains the mind to stay in the present moment but it’s not always as easy as it seems. Your mind will inevitably try to wander but each time gently usher your attention back to the breath. Don’t fight your thoughts just acknowledge and release them.
Not keeping our minds in the here and now is the source of much of the stress in our lives. Living in regret of past mistakes or fear of the future keeps us from experiencing the joy that is happening in our lives this very moment. This form of conscious breathing can be done at any time when we need to calm ourselves and get centered - it can be practiced walking, doing dishes, riding a bike, or as you lay down to sleep. If you ever feel yourself getting anxious remember - Oxygen is the Antidote to Adrenaline…BREATHE!
Exercise 2 – Psychological/Cleansing
This exercise is best practiced in the seated meditation posture directly after Exercise 1.
- With eyes closed, imagine your head surrounded by warmth and light. Hold this thought in your imagination for a few moments.
- Envision this healing light slowly surrounding your whole body.
- As you inhale, in your mind’s eye, envision the light entering your lungs and gradually permeating every cell your whole body.
- Finally imagine your whole body glowing. Linger with eyes closed, concentrating on the breath, as long as you’d like.
During this exercise make a mental effort to address any stresses or problems in your life. Feel as though the light is searing and burning your troubles away. If you have any aches or pains concentrate on the specific body part that needs healing. With several repetitions, mental stress will begin to melt and you will feel more at ease.
Exercise 3 – Spiritual/Connecting
Close your eyes and gently focus your eyes to the point between your eyebrows. This will feel a little unnatural at first but after a while will seem more natural. Inevitably your mind will race in rebellion for the mere fact that it’s used to being constantly bombarded by stimuli.
This flood of thoughts is perfectly normal and is your first hurdle on your way to deep meditation. When thoughts come into your mind don’t fight them, instead acknowledge their presence and simply release them. Let them go!
- Inhale through the mouth for a count of 5.
- Hold the breath for a count of 5.
- Exhale through the nose for a count of 5.
Repeat these three exercises as many times as you’d like throughout the day. Of course, if you have any questions at all PLEASE ask me in the comments of this post.
Happy New Year, my fellow Steemians! I truly thank you for the best year of my life. Remember, despite the challenges we might face, each of us possesses the power within us to make 2017 our best year yet! If you know someone who could benefit from meditation please feel free to SHARE and RESTEEM.
(Gif sourced from Giphy.com)
“Under the bright sun, many of us are gathered together with different languages, different styles of dress, even different faiths. However, all of us are the same in being humans, and we all uniquely have the thought of “I,” and we're all the same in wanting happiness.” ~Dalai Lama
I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and Steemit enthusiast. I’ve been practicing meditation for twenty-four years and teaching meditation for two years. To follow my unfolding story please visit click on the link to my website below to sign up for my author newsletter.
