Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Inward Calm Cannot Be Maintained Unless Physical Strength Is Constantly And Intelligently Replenished - Buddha

 One of my very special places off of Pacific Coast Highway

Lately I've been receiving quite a few emails from readers wanting to know exactly how to meditate. In this post, I will share with you my meditation method:

Find your peaceful place: This can be anywhere you feel comfortable. I like meditating outside so I either go to the top of my favorite trail, or my favorite beach. These pictures are from one of my most recent meditation sessions this past Monday. I find this beach very peaceful and serene.- 

Try to stray away from areas with numerous distractions; turn off your tv, silence your cell phone and if you decide to play music, ambient music is best. 
 I like to sit on these rocks and listen to the water reach the shore

Meditate With A Positive Purpose: The purpose of meditating for me is to maintain a clear and open mind, as well as express gratitude for the gifts of the day. Try to keep your meditation sessions positive by focusing on blessings and gratitude versus pleading for an end to negative situations. If you focus on positivity and acknowledging your many blessings, it will lift your vibrations and a stream of goodness will continue to flow into your life-space. 

Remove any expectations for immediate results, as it takes time to free the conditioned mind. Meditation can be likened to exercise; the more you practice, the stronger your psyche will become.  
Get Comfortable: I recommend investing in a Yoga mat, comfortable clothes [I wear yoga pants and a sports-bra], and a seat cushion [unless you use a chair], as you want to be as comfortable as possible during your sessions. 
This little guy was ready for his close-up

Breathing Technique: This is very helpful for those that are new to meditating. While sitting in a comfortable upright position, close your eyes and breathe in and out through your nostrils. Focus all of your energy on how relaxed your body feels and how lucid your mind is as you inhale and exhale. Don't worry about trying to control the rhythm of your breathing, breathe in and out at your normal pace.  

If you find that your mind has wandered, focus it again on the sensation of your breath as it travels through your body. The key is to eliminate mental chatter so that your mind is in a clear, relaxed, yet alert state. The end goal should be a deeper sense of mental awareness. 
Don't Time Yourself: As you begin to experiment with meditating, don't feel pressured to meditate for a certain period of time. Setting an alarm may serve as a distraction, as your mind may anticipate the moment the alarm goes off. Meditate for as long as you can in the beginning, and the more you learn to eliminate your distractions the better suited you will be when you decide to time your sessions. 

If you meditate inside your home, here are a few things you can do to create a mood that will aid in the relaxation process:

Burn Scented Candles: Turn off all the lights, and burn a few scented candles. Candles can represent the flame that resides within you. Choose candles with scents like Lavender or Sandalwood as they are conducive to a calm and meditative state. 

Invest In A Small Fountain: The sound of water can lend calming and soothing properties to the soul. Instead of focusing on your breathing, you can instead choose to focus on the sound of the water.

Meditation CD's: These are a few CD's I started out with, I find myself reaching out to them on days my mind is particularly cloudy.
- The Soul Of Healing Meditation - Deepak Chopra [a personal fave]


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14 comments:

  1. Those are some peaceful photos... I love!

    My brother has told me a million+ times to focus, find my center, meditate and get familiar with my chakras. I have to apply a few of your techniques with my own and hopefully find a balance that can keep my attention long enough to relax and meditate.

    However, I find that outdoor yoga is more of my thing, and I use that as a practice for meditation. I really need to buy a fountain, those really do help!

    Great advice :)
    -xo

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  2. I used to meditate in college because I HAD TO! As an adult, I now seek spiritual calm as I venture into creating my own business! Thanks for the tips and Derrick and I will surely use them! Namaste :)

    Kelli
    www.theblackcouple.com

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  3. Great post thank you! Meditation really does revive you and maintains a flow of positive energy through and around you :)

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  4. I follow a meditation approach from the Shambhala school of thought. The ideal sitting position is crossed legged, hands resting on your thighs, palms upward, sitting up with your spine straight. To slump and slouch is to cower and close yourself off from the world. With eyes softly gazing six feet in front of me or with eyes closed, I only focus on breathe. Not on intentions, gratitude or anything of that sort. I only focus on breathe. Breating in through my nostrils and out through my mouth. When a thought..any thought comes to mind, I simple label it as "thought." I say that over and over until it passes. I don't dwell on the thought or consider it to be positive or negative. I just call it thought until I go back to the act of breathing.

    I recommend reading any books by Chogyam Trungpa. But there are all types of methods and books. I like this one best!

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  5. gorgeous pictures. people have often told me i need to get into meditating because i do a million and one things but dont take time to just breathe. im going to try these out!

    missdeeplyrooted.blogspot.com

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  6. I love the sound of the ocean, unfortunately it's not so accessible when you live in Brooklyn. Great tips, will try some of them out.

    BTW..Just saw your Essence feature, looking fab as usual!!

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  7. your pictures are gorgeous...I so want to meditate now.

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  8. Awesome and timely post. I was just reading about being near water to help soothe you and open you up to better creativity.

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  9. Love the pics and the advice is priceless!

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  10. These pictures are gaw-geous!!!

    So relaxing...

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  11. wonderful post. a great reminder to meditate! beautiful pics.

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  12. HEYYYY NIKOLE YOU ARE IN ESSENCE IM SURE YOU KNOW THAT BUT YOU AND LO LOOK FABULOUS!!! WOW AWESOME!!!

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  13. @Morgan-Ashley; Thank you! That is definitely one of my most-favorite places! Definitely listen to your brother, he is 100% on point. Outdoor yoga is definitely a good starting point as well!

    @Kelli & Derrick; Thank YOU for being open to meditating in the future! It will definitely come in handy as you take your journey into entrepreneurship!

    @...... You are right about that!

    @Sheena LaShay; I'm definitely going to check it out! Thanks for the recommendation!

    @Shukri; Thank You!

    @BreukelensFinest; Please do, sounds like you are a lot like me. Meditating will help keep you centered and focused!

    @Stepha; Ahh good old Brooklyn. I have to admit I am a tad jealous as I absolutely love it out there. Thanks for the compliment!

    @Corie; Thank you! Give it a shot!

    @ChocolateOrchid; Thank you! I love the ocean, it's so peaceful, and beautiful. It allows me to just take in all of nature, and just be thankful for being ALIVE. Being in the middle of a beautiful beach with sea life all around you always puts things in perspective for me.

    @Robyn's Nest; Thank you! I love your hair in your avi!

    @Big Chop; Thank you!

    @Luvmylocs: Thank you very much!

    @PamelaKorenn; Thank you very much for the compliment sis!!! I just picked up my copy a few days ago!!

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