Start Meditating Today For Joy, Well Being, and Inner Peace! A Quick Guide for Beginners on How to Reap the Many Benefits of Meditation
Intro My name is Cecilia Kinzie and I m out to change people s minds about meditation. You see, I think meditation needs a reputation makeover! Meditation is not just for monks living in a monastery in the mountains, nor is it just for people who follow a certain religion or practice a certain type of yoga, or subscribe to a certain type of diet or lifestyle! Meditation is for people just like you and me who live in today s stressful busy world who are trying to balance the many demands of our lives. Meditation is like an oasis in this fast paced world, a restful place where we can get away from it all. This magical place I am talking about is inside of you, and it can be accessed through the power of meditation. I have been meditating for almost 20 years and although I haven t reached enlightenment yet (smile and wink), it has been an amazing tool to help me through many life and health challenges. Now I teach meditation to others and I am so excited to be able to share some of the things I ve learned about meditation with you! If you would like to know more about me and the meditation I teach please check out my full bio at my website: http://www.circleforselfhealing.com/about The Many Benefits of Meditation The Mind Body Connection Gradually, study after mind body study, carried out with the most careful scientific protocols, produced incontrovertible evidence that the mind can indeed influence and heal the body. ~ Herbert Benson from The Relaxation Revolution The book The Relaxation Revolution by Herbert Benson is full of studies that scientifically prove that meditation can significantly impact our levels of health. When we trigger a relaxation response, through meditation our physiology actually changes. We can experience decreased heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism, and decreased brain activity. These changes are beneficial for our well-being. Although science has proved the mind body effect, it doesn t take a rocket scientist to know that relaxation is good for us. Everyone knows that we feel better on a vacation relaxing at the beach 2
instead of at the office. Although stress is a necessary part of our lives, chronic stress can lead to poor emotional and physical health. Since we can t always take a vacation, meditation allows our minds to take a vacation every single day. Best of all, the vacation is free and only requires 10-15 minutes of our time! When we meditate we take a break from thinking about all the things that are stressing us out such as: work, family, relationships, and finances. By quieting our mind of all its worries, our bodies naturally start to release tension. Let me explain this concept using a metaphor. Once I was parked on a residential street and I happened to see a little brown mouse in the street and a huge black cat running after it! The mouse was a smart little fellow and decided to stop running and lay still. The cat seemed completely confused by the mouse s actions. Not only did the cat stop chasing the little mouse, she lost interest in the mouse and ran away in the other direction! In this metaphor the mouse is your mind and the black cat is your worrisome thoughts. As long as your mind is engaged in the worrisome thoughts they will continue to chase you. When you meditate and quiet your mind the worrisome thoughts have no more power over you and just like the black cat, they are likely to leave you alone! Control Over Our Thoughts And Emotions I can tell my hand what to do, Augustine once observed, and it obeys. Why can t I do the same with my mind? ~ Eknath Easwaran The more we practice meditation and the better we become at it, the more we have control over our thoughts and feelings. This does not mean we will turn into numb robots, but it does mean that our thoughts and emotions are less likely to run (ruin) our lives. For example, we ve all had a bad day where nothing seems to go right, instead of letting the momentum of the bad day continue to make us grumpy (and grumpier) we can stop and take a few minutes to meditate. Meditation is like pressing the pause button on a remote control of our lives. Imagine taking a few minutes to meditate on gratitude and find a sense of inner peace in the middle of a bad mood, it can really change your whole day around! Meditation can also be used to release repressed emotions. Sometimes what we do to avoid our feelings can be actually worse than the feeling itself. I tend to overeat when I am avoiding feeling something, for some it might be watching too much T.V., or for some it might be much worse such as using drugs or alcohol to avoid pain. When we sit down to meditate we can tap 3
into our feelings and feel them in a completely safe environment. By embracing our feelings in a meditative state we are honoring ourselves and acknowledging our humanity. Through meditation, we can gently set the intention to release the negative emotions so that they may flow through us like a wave, releasing any hold they might ve had on us. Receiving Inner Guidance Meditation here may think down hours to moments. Here the heart may give a useful lesson to the head and learning wiser grow without his books. ~William Cowper Meditation is a time where you can sit with yourself and be silent without having to worry about anyone s needs but your own. Meditation is a time to connect with your inner guidance and ask your body how it s feeling and what it might need. When you ask for answers in a meditative state the answers you receive can be revealing. If you are not sure about a decision you need to make, clearing your mind through meditation can actually give you clarity about the overall picture. One of the easiest ways to make sure you are receiving the best guidance is to ask your heart. Of course, only act on the guidance you receive during meditation if it feels good and right to you and is not harmful or destructive to others or yourself. Remember, you are asking yourself what you really feel about a situation without the interference of other s opinions or the static of everyday living. The Key to Happiness Meditation is painful in the beginning but it bestows immortal Bliss and supreme joy in the end.~ Swami Sivananda In the end, we are only motivated to do something if it has the potential to make us feel better. Meditation takes us to the source of happiness which is simply our own peace of mind. Meditation teaches us that happiness is not dependant on the outer circumstances we might find ourselves in. If we have no peace of mind and are constantly thinking negative thoughts, happiness will remain out of reach no matter how successful we appear in our lives. It might be hard to fathom that happiness can occur from the daily practice of just being; however, meditation allows us to discover an unexpected source of happiness within our own being. You 4
must experience it to believe it, but once you feel the bliss achieved through meditation you ll be hooked! Living a Consciousness Life First you try to meditate and after a while you become meditative. ~J.Kleykamp In the end, meditation is not just about achieving a state of peace a few minutes a day, but it s about becoming a more conscious person. Once you make meditation part of your daily routine you will find that the inner peace and relaxation stay with you throughout the day. Situations that used to unnerve you won t be such a big deal anymore. After my husband and I dedicated at least ten minutes a day to meditation on a consistent basis, we were happily surprised how we breezed through hosting thanksgiving which used to be a very stressful time for us. Even though meditation takes little time, it can have a huge payoff in the quality of your life. 3 Simple Meditation Techniques for Beginners So now you probably want to know how you can start a meditation practice. The best way to start is by listening to guided meditations (for a variety of guided meditation mp3 downloads please go to: http://www.circleforselfhealing.com/meditations/) until you get the hang of it. If you want to get started right away, below are three simple meditations you can try. There are many different types of meditation techniques, but I'm going to share with you three of the easiest techniques for a meditation beginner. Before you get started, find a comfortable place where you will be undisturbed for at least five to ten minutes. I recommend sitting in a comfortable chair with your spine upright (if comfortable), your feet planted firmly on the ground, and your arms and hands uncrossed. 5
Technique #1 Breath Meditation The breath meditation technique is one of the easiest meditation techniques for beginners. Close your eyes and focus your attention on your breath. Really notice how you are breathing. Is it shallow or deep? Are you breathing from the belly or upper chest? Just notice. Clear your mind and just be still. Relax. If your mind wanders just bring your attention back to your breath. Start with five minutes a day and gradually increase until you can meditate for 30 minutes a day. The point of this meditation is to clear your mind of chatter and worries and just focus on the quality of your breath. The monotony of just focusing on your breath can be very relaxing. Technique #2 Burning Flame Meditation The burning flame meditation is also an easy meditation technique for a beginner. Just close your eyes and imagine a bright burning candle. Really see the flame and watch it sparkle. Notice the violet, orange, and yellow colors burning brightly. Get lost in the beauty of the flame. If your mind wanders, just bring it back to the imaginary flame in your mind's eye. This can be very relaxing. You can also do this meditation with the image of a blooming flower or with any image that you find relaxing. Technique #3 Healing Heart Meditation Put your attention into your heart and breathe into your heart. As you do this, feel your heart opening. Imagine yourself surrendering your problems and forgiving those that have wronged you in the past. Imagine letting go and feeling a sense of peace and well being. Bask in the feeling of well being for as long as it feels right. I recommend at least 10 to 30 minutes a day for the most benefit. Meditation Tips #1 Try to Meditate at the Same Time Every Single Day. The best time to meditate is right 6
after you wake up, or right before going to bed. By meditating at the same time every single day you are more likely to make meditation part of your daily routine. #2 Start With Only 5 Minutes a Day. You can gradually build up by five minute increments until you reach 30 minutes a day. Remember that it is not the quantity of meditation, but the quality of your meditation. If you only start out with 5 minutes a day you are more likely to build confidence and not give up before you ve gotten the hang of it. #3 Make Sure You are Comfortable. I prefer to meditate in a comfortable chair with my spine supported and upright, feet planted on the ground, and my arms and legs uncrossed. I only recommend meditating lying down if you are trying to fall asleep. If you practice yoga you can meditate in the lotus position, although that position is not comfortable for everyone. #4 Try the Many Different Types of Meditation Available. There are many different types of meditation and you have to find the one that works for you. I prefer guided imagery meditation also known as visualization meditation and that is what I teach. However, there are meditation practices that focus on the breath, use sound or chanting, or take you on a guided journey... Don t give up on finding a meditation style that fits you, the benefits will be worth it! #5 Be Gentle with Yourself. Learning how to meditate takes a long time. I ve been meditating for over 15 years and my mind still wanders at times. It s normal for your mind to wander, just gently bring your attention back to yourself with the same patience and compassion that you would have for a little child or puppy. Meditation can be a great way to cultivate compassion for yourself! 7
Resources Guided Meditation and Online Classes: Circle for Self Healing Guided MP3 meditation downloads and classes over the phone. If you sign up for the e-mail list you get a FREE guided meditation! There is also individual meditation coaching available. http://www.circleforselfhealing.com/meditations/ Guided Meditation CD Journey into Meditation by Lisa Guyman available at amazon.com Books The Relaxation Revolution by Herbert Benson Conquest of Mind by Eknath Easwaran Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn Happy Meditating! 8