Rebecca Elia's Blog

All about Feminine Health, Healing, and Greece

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Creating Meditation


Whether we wish to create space in our lives for prayer, meditation or quiet time, all of us need a protected time and place to unwind, regroup, and reconnect with the Divine. With everything and everyone pulling us in every possible direction, we all long to return to our center. Here are a few simple suggestions to help you create meditation-balance in your lives.

1. Pick a protected place where you will be undisturbed.

2. Create a consistent dependable time, when you are neither too tired nor too wound up to relax without falling asleep.

3. Commit to a regular practice, slowly building up length of practice over time.

4. It may be best to avoid lying down, as you may drift off to sleep.

5. If you are on the go, or simply too hyped-up to relax, then consider a walking meditation outside, surrounded by nature. Ideally, find a place where your feet touch the natural (unpaved) ground.

6. Stick with it, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

7. If you are outside, engage all of your senses. Smell the air, feel the earth beneath your feet, listen to the wind and to the birds, notice the different colors and textures.

8. If the calmly sit by the edge of the river and serenely watch your thoughts flow by technique is not working, try a waterfall, instead. This works for some of you more dramatic types, or those of you who, literally, have a lot to let go of—people, attitudes, emotions, relationships, beliefs. Visualize whatever you’re letting go of at the top of Niagara Falls and then watch with excitement as it/they plunge dramatically into the raging waters below. If you do this long enough, eventually the sense of excitement and drama dissipates. (I have fun with this one!)

9. Remember to begin/end with a blessing and gratitude.

10. Enjoy this time! You’ll be amazed at how many problems get solved, how many solutions appear, and how many creations manifest when you step out of linear time into this space between space.

4 comments:

  1. Hi :D

    I found your blog through Andi and am happy. I am into meditation and have been really bad about it lately so here I find you and inspiration to be good to myself again.

    I am adding you to my favorite blogs.

    have a nice Suday

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  2. Hi Madeleine,
    I am so glad that you found my blog and that it has been helpful to you! Thank you for your kind comments. You are not alone--we all tend to put ourselves last. Perhaps we can all remind each other to be good to ourselves. Happy Meditating!

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  3. Thanks for the reminders. I usually have to hike, walk or run outdoors to approach a meditative state. I started taking yoga last year and it helped. Since then, occasionally I can sit still in the middle of the day and just focus on my breathing for several minutes without falling asleep or becoming impatient. This is progress!

    When monkey mind gives me insomnia, I sometimes imagine a small cataract to help me sleep. No Niagara falls, though, day or night. That made me laugh! I'll have to try it sometime when I feel antsy.

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  4. Cara-
    You are soooo welcome.
    Yoga is fantastic.

    I'm impressed that you can focus on your breathing midday--that was something that I could never seem to do at my new-patient-every-ten-minutes day job!

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