Aloha,

On Friday I said I would show you how to meditate. I have been teaching people how to meditate for over twenty years, and I consistently watch people make it much harder than it is by judging themselves and the process or expecting meditation to be something it isn’t.

The only way you can meditate improperly is by not giving yourself the gift of meditating regularly. A very simple way to meditate is to sit or lay comfortably in a quiet location. Start by taking a long, slow, deep breath. Gently focus your attention on your breathing; if your mind wanders, just bring your attention back to your breathing.

Once again, meditating is similar to standing on the platform in a train station. You can watch the trains go by or get on and go for a ride. When you meditate, just watch your thoughts go by. When you notice that you have been thinking rather than observing your thoughts, just get off the train and, again, begin to observe your thoughts go by.

Meditating is a wonderful opportunity to practice being patient, gentle, and loving with yourself.

Meditating really is good for you.  Try it; be gentle with yourself as you retrain your mind, and you will be very happy with the results. My day just goes better when I meditate.

The Meditation Process:

Find a comfortable place to meditate, where you won’t be disturbed, for at least 20 minutes. If possible, make a special place for you to meditate. Perhaps create a small altar or use a beautiful piece of fabric you unroll mindfully and with sacred intent each time you prepare to sit in meditation. Your mind is very trainable, and anything you can do to signal ‘this is a sacred time for me to connect with my spirit’ is most helpful. Get as comfortable as possible and take a few long, slow, deep breaths.

Gently close your eyes and look upward. As soon as you look upwards, your brain automatically begins to create alpha brain waves which are the predominant brain waves produced during meditation. An easy way to begin meditating is to focus your attention on your breath. If your mind wanders, gently and lovingly bring your attention back to your breath. You may need to return to your breath frequently at first. After a time, you will be able to sit quietly and observe your thoughts without becoming caught up in them.

After 15 or 20 minutes, take another deep breath and slowly open your eyes. Sit quietly for a few moments before you get up. I find it helpful to take a few minutes to write about my experience afterward, although that isn’t necessary. Make this a special time for yourself, one you look forward to and celebrate.

You can focus on your breath, a word, a prayer, a passage in a book, or anything else you find uplifting. Allow the process to be easy, and gently accept your process, whatever that is.

Here is a guided meditation I wrote about spiritual awakening. You can read it into a recorder and listen to it or just think about it as you sit quietly.

Spiritual Awakening

Take a few deep breaths and mentally give yourself permission to relax. Really focus your full attention on your breath and, as you inhale, breathe in relaxation and, as you exhale, release anything unlike relaxation. Allow yourself to fully experience your breath as it moves in and out of your body. As your breath fills your body with life sustaining air, relax the muscles in your chest and let go. Let the feeling of relaxation flow into your stomach, and let go of anything unlike relaxation in your chest or your stomach. (Pause)

Relax your jaw and all the muscles in your face. Breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose, slowly, deeply, and rhythmically. Relax your shoulders and your neck; allow yourself to feel totally relaxed. Allow your consciousness to drift gently moving you into a place of total relaxation.

Imagine yourself standing in the center of an ancient cathedral. You are standing on a huge disk or polished marble; there is a shaft of light flooding the cathedral causing the slab of marble to glow with an inner beauty. As you stand there, you are filled with an immense feeling of love and acceptance.

You ask to understand the energy of compassion. An inner knowing begins to fill you; you see images, feel emotions, and hear thoughts that all teach you about compassion. You stand there with a willingness and a curiosity. You truly want to understand compassion and you do.

Then you ask to understand the nature of a spiritual awakening. As you stand there, the marble begins to resonate. You feel an energy begin to surround you, and you begin to think what a spiritual awakening would mean to you. How it would affect your life and what it would look like for you to have a deep spiritual connection.

You find yourself standing in the presence of your spirit. You look deeply into its eyes and you can feel its love and acceptance. You feel whole in the presence of your spirit. You feel at peace. You ask your spirit for its help, for its support, and its guidance. You take a deep breath and allow yourself to connect; you allow yourself to be one.

Allow the connection to deepen and grow. When you are ready, bring yourself gently back to your room and open your eyes. Take your time getting up. Take a few minutes to write about your experience.

With love and aloha,
Susan

Angels are everywhere just open your mind and your heart to the signs.

Make Angels on Your Shoulder part of your daily routine and share it with a friend!