Meditation - 6 Easy, Practical and Quick Strategies to Quiet the Mind

6 Easy, Practical and Quick Strategies to Quiet the Mind

One very powerful way of reaching the still, small voice of our soul is through the practice of mediation. Before you run off, meditation simply means familiarizing ourselves with our mind, with our thoughts and with our emotions. It is learning what happens between thoughts.

Meditation means taking the time to go within and experiencing your imagination and serene inner core. Many people turn to addictions (food, anorexia, bulimia, busyness, drugs, alcohol, etc) because they do not know how to achieve an internal state of calmness. While meditation alone isn’t the magical solution to all of life’s issues, it can be a powerful tool to reduce stress and hyperactivity, and decrease mental chatter.

Meditation doesn’t have to involve any detailed, complex practice. It can be as simple as learning to stop, breathe, and center within yourself for a moment or two.

Recall how you typically start off each morning, or how you end each day. Now imagine how your life would benefit if you allowed yourself a few moments of quiet. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you took a few moments to center and achieve relaxation, greater calmness, and useful insights?

Meditative practice is a technique for connecting with your inner spirit. It allows stress reduction, relaxation, healing, problem solving, visualizing and imaging. Taking the time to create a few moments of stillness allows us to move past the eternal chatter of the mind and listen to our inner knowingness.

Are You Your Thoughts?
Meditation helps us learn that thoughts are just thoughts. They easily come and then they go. And we see that we can let them drift away without generating any drama around them. In meditation we can watch our thoughts passing by us like clouds on the sky. Teachers of mediation often describe this state as we are the sky, always present, and our thoughts are the clouds which simply float on past. The clouds may change, but the sky itself is ne*ver changing and always present.

This is like our soul. No matter what thoughts, feelings or emotions come, there is always a peaceful calm that is present within us. Mediation is one way of changing our relationship with the thoughts that typically drive us crazy, or drive us to overeat.

When we first begin to meditate, our minds resist. We are used to a constant chatter in our minds. Our minds jump from thought to thought like a crazed leap frog. As you continue to practice, you will notice that meditation is a simple effort that becomes easier the more it is practiced. The main effort is in creating a new habit to set aside a few minutes to sit.

What? Me Meditate?
Many of us quickly dismiss the entire concept of meditation. We conjure up images of strange people sitting in cross-legged positions repeating “ohm” over and over again. Luckily, there are many options. Listed below are some easy suggestions to help quiet the mind -- and they don’t require much time or learning ability.

Try one or more of these ideas if you either don’t know how to begin, or if swear that you’re just so busy that couldn’t possibly create a moment of silence for yourself. Enjoy!

1. Sitting in Silence

One method is to simply sit in silence every day for about 1 to 20 minutes. Sit quietly, take a deep breath, and simply ask, “What is it I need to know?” And then listen. Notice as your thoughts come and learn to let them go. Imagine placing these thoughts on clouds and letting the wind blow them across the sky.

2. Sitting with a Problem

Try this experiment. When something is deeply troubling you, just sit with it. Don’t do anything. Learn to listen to the wisdom of your being. See if you can drop down from the thoughts circling with frenzy within your head. Drop down into your body and see what lies there. Simply listen, be still and move into silence. Let the wisdom of your body find its own voice

3. Deep Breathing

Lie on your back. Breathe evenly and gently, focusing your attention on the movement of your stomach. As you begin to breath in, allow your stomach to rise in order to bring air into the lower half of your lungs. As the upper halves of your lungs begin to fill with air, your chest begins to rise and your stomach begins to lower. Don’t tire yourself. Continue for 10 breaths. The exhalation will be longer than the inhalation.

4. One Minute Mediation

Each morning, before leaving your house, find a minute to sit down. You don’t need a special position or reserved place. Just sit somewhere comfortable. Keeping your back straight, slowly take in one full breath. Imagine yourself filling up with energy that flows throughout your whole body. At the end of your inhale, wait to exhale for about three seconds.

Then exhale, releasing your breath slowly, imagining that you are releasing from your mind and body all that is negative or heavy. When you believe the exhale is complete, push a little more air out of your lungs. Repeat for about one minute. Lastly, while you are resuming your normal breathing, remain still for about five more seconds.

5. Visual Meditation

If you want to relax and meditate, select a calming photograph. Sit back and relax. Breathe gently, slowly and calmly. Imagine you are there and that you are feeling good and calm. Allow your imagination to take you into a more and more relaxed state.

6. Basic Meditation

Meditators focus on three different kinds of things: a) Some people focus on a phrase -- for example, "I am peaceful." b) Some people focus on an object -- for example, a religious symbol or a candle. c) Some people focus on breathing.

* Find a quiet place. In the beginning, it is easier to meditate in a relatively quiet spot. This will help you “turn off” internal stimuli as well as external distraction.

* Sit so that your spine, neck and the back of your head are in a straight line Sitting in a chair with feet on the floor is a good position. You can also sit cross-legged on the floor or in a traditional lotus position.

* Close your eyes. This is the best way to begin controlling your wandering mind.

* Breathe naturally. Sit quietly for a minute or two and relax your body. You may focus on your breath, mantra or object. A mantra is a sound, word, or phrase that is repeated to yourself. Some people think that the best mantras are sounds which have no clear meaning. A mantra is used as a way of displacing usual thoughts and moving awareness inward.

* Allow thoughts and feelings to come and go with detachment. Don’t try to control them in any way. Just note them, and when you realize that you are not repeating the mantra, gently return to the mantra. Do not try to force yourself to think of the mantra to the exclusion of all other thoughts. You may experience a deep state of relaxation but it is OK if you don't.

* Continue this for about 20 minutes.

* When done, take a couple of minutes to slowly return to normal awareness. Be gentle with yourself when opening your eyes or coming to stand after a meditation. Allow your body and mind to readjust.

Dr. Annette Colby

Helping people let go of self-destructive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors has been the life work of Dr. Annette Colby. Her fascination with the power of the mind, emotions, spirituality, and physicality has led her to become a leader in the field of personal growth and consciousness. She is a valued counselor, and an inspiring teacher, as well as an independent writer, mentor, and guide. She is a highly sought-after trainer with a unique ability to inform and inspire individuals to open their hearts, love more openly, and pursue their dreams.

by Dr. Annette Colby, RD Nutrition Therapist & Master Energy Therapist

Subscribe to our FREE content filled newsletter and see why it’s been called the best e-zine on the net! www.LovingMiracles.com, Miracles@AnnetteColby.com
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2 Meditate - Unlock Your Potential

Meditate to Unlock Your Hidden Potential – Part 2

You can be the creator of your own manifest destiny. Through daily meditation practice and focus on changing your life for the better. In fact, you have the ability to redefine yourself in any direction you desire. The power that you can cultivate is limited only by your own imagination.

As I have mentioned earlier, this will change the lives of people who you come into frequent contact with. Therefore, you must always be kind, trustworthy, and considerate to others. You should make a change in that direction at this very moment.

Why the sudden need for character improvement? It goes hand-in-hand with using power and influence wisely. Remember Lord Acton’s saying: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." The power of your mind has the ability to alter reality. Therefore, this is a power that must be controlled.

How is this possible? Here is an example: If you had two identical twin boys, who haven’t eaten for two days, and you put an apple in front of them; what would they do?

Most likely, they would fight over it, and the winner would eat, most or, all of it. You and I know they should divide it equally, but each of them has really felt starvation, and that is a reality you and I do not feel at the moment. So we are not talking about imagination, but three legitimate points of view, that each becomes our own reality.

Meditation will allow your mind to see multiple points of view, without judgment. If you can see only one point of view, you haven’t meditated long enough. The best leaders, negotiators, and diplomats, know that you have to understand the opposing viewpoint, to move forward, on any issue. There is always justification, on both sides, in any conflict, but true compromise is meeting the opposition in a different reality, than you both started from.

If you had the ability to travel in the space shuttle, your view of earth, from within your space vehicle, would be much different from the person living in poverty, within a refugee camp. You could not see, or feel, that person’s pain, and each of you would have a vivid picture of life on earth.

You can meditate from a mountain top, but once you have seen the full picture, you have an obligation to help mankind, with acts of kindness. Once you have discovered how easy it is to help others, you are no longer struggling with; “who is right and who is wrong.”

Your new reality becomes, “how can I help?”

by Paul Jerard

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. www.yoga-teacher-training.org

1 Meditate - Unlock Your Potential

Meditate to Unlock Your Hidden Potential – Part 1

Meditation is often misunderstood by those who do not practice it. Very often, I hear meditation referred to as, “altered states of consciousness.” That sounds more like intoxicants, rather than bringing clarity to a cluttered mind. Without going too deep into what meditation is, or is not, let’s focus on one of the many things a daily meditation practice can do for you.

Meditation is commonly seen in many Yoga classes, but it has been practiced by a variety of cultures, including Roman Catholic priests, as well as Japanese Samurai, who practiced a form of Zen meditation. I mention this so you can see the full spectrum of meditation and its many facets.

There are many varieties and types of meditation, but the easiest form to learn is, “breath awareness meditation.” Compared to many other meditation techniques, this will enable anyone to experience the benefits of meditation in much less time.

At this point, let’s consider that meditation and Yoga teachers often compare the mind to a monkey. Many thoughts are running through your brain, at the same time, and it is hard to control all of your impulses - let alone, sit still and meditate. So why go through all this trouble?

Meditation has many rewards, and we will now consider one of extreme value. Through daily practice of meditation, you will release the unlimited potential of your mind. The ability to change, or alter the universe, starts as a single thought within your mind.

One human decided to harness the power of fire, and did he/she foresee the global warming effect? How could he/she imagine where we are now? This is just one of many thousands of examples of Karma - the law of cause and effect. Therefore, one seemingly small change, of any kind, will have a ripple effect on the universe.

Some of the seeds to change the universe, rests locked up in your mind, but you have the ability to shape the future by any small changes that you make. Let’s say you have a friend, family member, or associate, who cares for you deeply, but, up to now, you have always taken it for granted. Can you imagine what would happen if you take the time to groom that relationship? The answer is you would have a loyal ally and all you had to show was kindness or appreciation.

You have the ability to alter your own personality and affect the world around you. Hopefully, your personality will always continue to change for the better; if so, this will alter everyone around you for the best.

by Paul Jerard

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. www.yoga-teacher-training.org