Learning to Meditate

How about learning to meditate and sticking to it! Everyone has heard about meditation but most of us do not have the commitment or tolerance to do it on a daily basis. We all may want to take a closer look; studies are showing meditation to be one of the most healing, positive steps we can take for ourselves.

Definition:
-Meditation: This is a self-directed practice for relaxing the body and calming the mind. Most meditative techniques have come to the West from Eastern religious practices, particularly India, China, and Japan, but can be found in all cultures of the world. Until recently, the primary purpose of meditation has been religious, although its health benefits have long been recognized. It is now being further explored as a way of reducing stress on both mind and body.

My Experience: For years I have had an on and off again relationship with Meditation. Learning to meditate has been one thing that is chronically on my list of things to do. It has been something I have always believed in but did not have the commitment or motivation to maintain as a daily regiment. It is amazing how motivating a chronic illness can be!

I read about and tried many different forms of Meditation and by taking bits and pieces from many different styles I created my own version of Meditation. At first learning to meditate can be very difficult or at least it was for me. First of all for me to be able to sit up was hard and if I was lying down I was likely to fall asleep. But once I found a happy medium I felt I could start practicing.

Clearing your mind of the zillions of thoughts zipping around is not easy and takes practice, but like anything else if you do it enough it becomes second nature. I eventually got all those voices, fantasies and old thoughts to quiet down in my mind and I simply began to focus on my breathing instead. I found meditating to be relaxing and healing.

Would I do it again? I try to do it everyday. It has been a key component in my healing process.

If you enjoyed reading this article, Learning to Meditate you might also like to read about my experience with Tai Chi

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