Meditation, Practice

Meditation........seems simple, sit quietly, breathe........peace. I taught a meditation class today.....it was really interesting to hear the comments when I questioned my students about their experience. Some accused me of hypnosis, others said they couldn't stand to be still for five minutes, others said the more they tried to let go of their thoughts, the more thoughts they had. A couple said they itched, one got a cramp, it went on and on.....there were moments it seemed for a few that stillness was possible, and that is good.

Why is it so hard for us to experience stillness? to do nothing but sit and breathe. I admit, often meditation is difficult for me, there is a dancing, drunk monkey being stung by a scorpion in my head too. ( I heard that phrase in a teacher training years ago, I love it) There are times when I have meditated and true bliss was achieved.......then there were those times when something like

a song or phrase, for instance.....plop,plop, fizz,fizz became embedded in my brain and there was no escape.

But those moments, when awareness is truly on the breath, and the sticky thoughts are released, those moments are worth all the times when some silly commercial or some worrisome thought moves in for the duration.

For some meditation requires visual help, guidance if you will, for others, soft music and a mantra works, and then there are exquisite moments, when you sit in the early morning light,

listen to the birds, breathe slowly, and you are transported.......all worries, fears, it all fades into

oblivion......and the rest of the day is like sailing on a sea of glass.

My very most favorite meditation......Dr.Wayne Dyer has a small book on meditation "Getting in the Gap". The book comes with a cd, and for me every time I do this meditation, I am transported. I can do it at night, and I sleep like a baby. If my day is stressful or I am just having difficulty staying centered, I pop the cd in, and twenty minutes later.....life is different.

"Getting in the Gap" you focus on the "gap" between your thoughts. That void or space, is where I have found bliss in ways that are unexplainable. In the book, Dr. Dyer talks about using the gap to help you manifest what you want in life.......I have used it for that also, and I can tell you it works.

So, if you have never tried meditation, or maybe you did and you gave up........first, it is like yoga....

it is a practice. Go to the library, there are books and cds a plenty, look on line, lots to choose from. If the first one doesn't seem to work, then try something different. For some, just gazing at a candle flame and breathing works, for others sitting comfortably and bringing all awareness to the breath, and sometimes it takes detailed guidance, music, candles, and lots of practice......

but I can assure you, the practice will change your day, it will change your life.

PS. NOT SURE WHY I DID NOT INCLUDE THIS ON THE POST LAST NIGHT

GO TO rickandjilda.com there are three meditations/relaxations that I recorded, download them for free!