“I want to do it. I can do it. I have to do it. I am going to do it---no matter what! No matter what charm, attraction or temptation appears in my awareness; no matter what thought, image or sound comes into my awareness---I am going to listen to the sacred sound of my mantra and create inner peace…and love.”
Meditation Matters and we are here to tell you, you too can do it! We hope to be give you tips and encouragement as you begin or continue your journey to the Self. Remember, yoga, the oldest science of life that includes meditation, can teach you to bring stress under control, not only at the physical level, but on the mental and spiritual level too.
Let’s begin:
* Schedule 20 minutes every day. Plan your day around this most important meeting with yourself.
* Find a quiet space without interruptions. Sit up straight and get comfortable.
* Think of a mantra or word that you will use in your meditation that you can continue to go back to repeating internally. What is it that you need today? Peace, calm, love, patience, hope, joy...
* Close your eyes and connect with your breath. Let your breath ebb and flow feeling the rise and fall of the belly and chest.
* When thoughts come up, acknowledge the thoughts, and let them pass by like clouds. Begin using your mantra like you are calling out to your inner self trying to find what you need. Keep repeating the mantra. Eventually you will begin to feel what you were looking for.
* Do not be discouraged by continuous thoughts that may come up. Each thought can actually release a little stress as long as you return to your mantra when recognizing a thought.
* Meditation is not about trying or judging. It’s a mental yoga that has so many benefits if practiced regularly. Just commit to the 20 minutes every day and see what happens. Start to feel the calmness in your soul.
“Close your eyes and you will see clearly. Cease to listen and you will hear truth.”
The Benefits of Meditation
For those who are skeptic or think they can’t stop the thoughts enough to sit quietly for 20 minutes to meditation, below are the benefits to re-think again.
Better clarity of thought
Reduces stress
Controls anxiety
Improves mental and emotional health
Enhances self-awareness
Increases concentration and attention span
Improves sleep
Reduces memory loss
Can generate kindness
May help fight addictions
Helps control pain
Can decrease blood pressure
Accessible anywhere
Cultivates inner peace
Meditation is similar to physical exercise in that we are practicing a skill. The more we practice the skill, the more capable we get at using it. Unlike exercise, you won’t feel sore afterwards, so there is no need for days off. It nourishes the soul. Be patient. Commit to 20 minutes a day for eight weeks for your brain to start seeing benefits from meditation.
Need support to start your own meditation practice? Try Transcendental Meditation with a local certified TM teacher in your area. The TM technique is taught in four sessions, four consecutive days and two hours each session. www.tm.org For Indiana residents, Paul Wilson at pwilson@tm.org is highly recommended.
Meditation is like connecting to the Soul?
Remember, yoga and meditation are about connecting to your true self. It’s like peeling back an onion one layer at a time to find your soul. We often get disconnected in this busy life we lead with all the labels of worker bee, parent, partner, friend, sibling, teacher/student, and more.
The great pianist Arthur Rubenstein said,
“There is a word, a secret word, a strong word, the Soul. The soul you find in every language; everybody uses it easily. It’s a term, a current term. But, I never could make out what it really means; what is the Soul? I questioned people, for instance the great Mr. Einstein, the great mathematician, the inventor of the radium, Mrs. Currie. We spoke about it. They couldn’t give me an answer, not a good answer in any case. Religions. All the religions use it very easily, but couldn’t convince me at all, no. I don’t know. I came to the point to believe that it is a power in us. I discovered at concerts sometimes, that there is something in us which is a power which...which has a hold on people you know. This power might be the Soul, and the Soul of all humanity, of all of us together, might be at the basis of creation. Who knows?” — Arthur Rubinstein—
In John Ortberg’s book, Soul Keeping, he asks the following question: Have you ever felt that you needed the time and space to let your soul catch up with your body? That’s a good indication your soul needs rest. He explains that the soul was not made to run on empty, but unfortunately, the soul doesn’t come with a gauge.
Meditation is good for the mind, body and soul. Isn’t it worth finding 20 minutes a day, every day, to sit quietly and just “be”? Ortberg also said that the capacity to do nothing is actually evidence of a lot of spiritual growth.
Why Meditate?
You might be saying to yourself that this question was already answered with all the physical, mental and emotional benefits listed above. With time, it’s all about discovering and developing peace within. The Dalai Lama once said, “Although attempting to bring about world peace through internal transformation of individuals is difficult, it is the only way”. Once love and compassion are developed within an individual, they are able then to create an atmosphere of peace and harmony. This atmosphere expands from the individual, to the family, to the community and eventuality to the whole world. So, schedule 20 minutes every day and let the peace start with you.
Namaste! (The light and peace in me honors the light and peace in you).
Sally Bassett
February 2023