Does Fear Get In The Way Of Your Meditation Practice, or Your Success With Guided Meditation?

When we do a guided meditation, or simply meditate, the biggest limitation we face is our intellect getting in the way. We can't stop thinking long enough to let go and flow with the meditation program. Fear is at the root of this problem.

What's fear got to do with meditation? Usually not much, but it has a great deal to do with the intellect. We all carry fear inside of us -- an accumulation of fear that's been added to every time something threatening happens to us. The more we've been hurt -- physically or emotionally, it makes no difference -- the more fear residue we have. (Unless of course we've done the inner work required to release it. That's where therapy comes in.)

Fear, if we carry enough of it, can start to get in the way of living a normal life. In fact, it can be downright paralyzing. But fortunately we have this piece of operating equipment with us to help, called the ego. The ego gets a bad rap, but it's actually not a bad thing. Its job is to help us stay vertical, move through life, and get things done. When we're carrying a lot of fear, the ego, in order to do it's job, will try to help us not feel the fear so much. If we don't feel the fear, the fear won't slow us down the way it might if we were in touch with it all the time. Good job, ego!

One of the ways the ego helps us not to feel fear is by keeping us in our head -- in the intellect. We can't be in two places at the same time, so if we're in our intellect thinking, then we're not in touch with our gut where the fear tends to be. Another way of saying this is that the ego keeps us in our intellect, to give us a sense of control. A sense. We have no more control over life when we're in our intellect than we do otherwise, but all we need is the sense of control, to keep us out of fear. The intellect becomes like a security blanket.

And we don't want to ever let go of a security blanket. That would make us uncomfortable. And that is why, when we try to meditate, the intellect won't let go. Fear is unconsciously keeping us stuck there. Doing a guided meditation to deal with fear directly is going to be tricky, because in order to have an effective session, you'd need the fear out of the way. But if the fear were out of the way, you wouldn't need the session. It's tricky, but it's not impossible.

Max Highstein has authored many guided imagery and guided meditation recordings, including a forthcoming one on fear. To hear samples, visit The Healing Waterfall, his guided meditation website.

Original article

An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation

We can look at meditation practice under four different headings as follows:

1 What meditation is, 2 Methods and Posture, 3 The benefits of Meditation and 4 Integration.

1 What meditation Is

Meditation is a skilful means for working with our distracted minds. Through the practice of mindfulness and awareness, we bring our minds home and slowly are revealed the compassion and wisdom that are our true nature - who we really are. There are many images to help us to relate to this but the sky and the clouds is perhaps the most effective. Through the practice of meditation, slowly the cloud-like thoughts and emotions dissolve, revealing the sky-like nature of mind and from that shines our own true nature like the sun, with the two qualities of warmth and light = wisdom and compassion. When we discover our own true nature, that is enlightenment, freedom from suffering and true happiness.

2 Methods and Posture

Firstly the physical posture: this is the seven point posture of Buddha Vairochana

Legs crossed
Hands in the lap or on the knees
Shoulders back
Back straight
Chin tucked in slightly
Mouth slightly open, as if about to say 'ah'
Eyes open, with soft gaze, looking downward

If we can't remember all these points, we can remember 'straight and relaxed'.

The most common method of mindfulness meditation is watching the breath. Breathing naturally, we focus lightly on the out breath and let go and release our grasping. Naturally there is a gap before the in breath, we rest in that gap. But we don't focus all our attention on the breath - only 25%, another 25% is watching that we're being mindful of the breath and the greatest part is the 50% which is left spaciously remaining.

A helpful image from a famous Tibetan master, Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, is:

Water, if you don't stir it becomes clear, mind left unaltered finds its own natural peace.

We are advised to start practising in short sessions, and to try to establish a regular practice. Remember that a bucket of water thrown at a rock will make no difference, yet a constant drip will eventually wear away the stone.

3 The Benefits of Meditation

As our mind settles through regular practice, we become more spacious, more in touch with ourselves and our fundamental goodness. This slowly dissolves our negativity and we become more whole and complete. As we become more at peace with ourselves, so we become more at peace with others also. Thus our good heart, our compassionate nature is revealed. The benefits can also be physical - lower blood pressure, even changes at a cellular level in our bodies.

4 Integration

We are encouraged to create a habit of practice, so that we have something to integrate. To integrate meditation in action is the whole point and purpose of meditation. Then, when we meet difficult circumstances we may find we have a greater understanding of the situation.

Learn More

If you'd like to learn about meditation or practice meditation then you may want to take an Edinburgh Meditation Class.

Original article

A Simple Meditation Practice

Meditation is a practice that is growing in popularity for people who seek a simple, non-intrusive method of releasing stress, and provide them with their desired sense of wellness. People who have undergone this mode of therapy have been shown to be happier, less stressed, deal better with pain and are generally more productive in their work - all leading to a better lifestyle.

The practice of meditation does not require any equipment, and can be as easily performed in a group class or at home alone. But a common question that troubles many who start out is 'whether they are doing it right? This article will outline a method of how to perform simple meditation, so beginners receive the maximum value from the process - as they are not questioning their technique.

When starting out in meditation, body posture is the first element to explore. The best posture is one that you can remain in comfortably for 10 minutes or more, enabling you to find the peace of mind that you desire. Although many people perform meditation in a seated position on the floor with their legs crossed over, it is not necessary. If possible, you should also ensure that your head and spine are aligned and lengthened. Lying flat, or sitting tall are the best methods to achieve this. Comfortable posture ensures that your mind stays focused on the meditating so that you can work at clearing your conscience. If you try meditating when you are slouched or uncomfortable, you will realize that your mind will drift away far more easily.

Your eyes are another element to work on. They can be slightly open, with a soft focus, open with a focus on a particular item (like a candle flame), or closed completely too all external stimulation. If you find your gaze being regularly distracted and you cannot free your mind of the thoughts that you have, either close your eyes or try the candle.

You then need to free your mind of all thoughts and simply let it be. This will enable you to experience the beauty of meditation stillness.
One focus technique of meditation is to use your rhythmical breath to ensure that your concentration does not wander. Observing the breath, or counting the breath is all that is required.

As you are meditating, it is recommended that you just let whatever thoughts that pass through your mind pass with ease. This helps you in relieving the stress that is normally caused by many of the thoughts that trouble us each day. If you have emotions that are troubling you when meditating, it is recommended that you embrace the emotion in your meditation, however strong they may be. This has been shown to help you deal better with the emotion as it can be released once it is recognized.

It is important that you make sure that the meditation procedure is carried out in an environment that is safe and free of distractions or noise. If you desire to carry out your meditation in a noisy place that hinders your meditation, then soothing music can be played for you to realize the desired concentration.

Following the above guidelines will assist your meditation practice, so that you can enjoy the many benefits that it provides.

Nigel Coates is moderator of the Explore Meditation blog, which offers free Meditation Downloads to assist you walk your spiritual path with confidence. The simple Chakra Meditation is a great place for beginners to start.

Original article

Simple Ways to Practice Meditation

Many people are turning to meditation in order to cope with their hectic lifestyles. This just makes sense as obtaining peace at least in some part of our days is helpful in order to deal with the everyday anxieties. There are many ways to start but always focusing on the basics first will typically result in the best outcome. Just learning some of the basic meditation techniques can really help you to start your journey into being physically relaxed and more spiritually aware.

The first simple meditation technique is to sit comfortably in a chair. Ideally it would be helpful if this chair did not have arms or a headrest. If you can figure how much time you wish to spend meditating beforehand that would be great. But I would recommend not actually timing yourself. Your body will do this for you, and you will be surprised how accurate it can be. Just think consciously about how much time you want to spend before you begin and you will see that you will only take that much time meditating without any alarm.

When you have a mantra to repeat it is helpful if this comes from deep within you. Think about the thought and not the word associated with the thought. It must come from deep within your being in order to have the best effect. Let the mantra rise slowly as you breathe deeply in and out. If your body feels like sagging then let it do so. Do not fight yourself. Be relaxed. Let the thoughts come and go while you observe them. Do not beat yourself up if you do not do this perfectly each time. That will simply make you tense and be contrary to your main goal.

The second meditation technique is actually mediating while standing up. This technique is actually Chinese in origin and is based upon Chi Gong. There are numerous health benefits to this meditation technique and you will definitely feel much better and stronger after practicing it for several weeks.

To start stand up with your knees slightly bent. Do not put too much pressure on the knees but rather just be relaxed. Next make you're back flat as it were flat against a wall. Raise your arms as if you were holding a 12 inch ball with the elbows slightly bent. This is how you start this meditation technique.

The next step is to breathe slowly into your mouth and let the energy of your breath slowly sink down into your body. It is not uncommon that after a while you will feel heat in your hands and arms. This is the result of the pure Chi energy flowing through you. The trick with this technique is to imagine yourself as either a tree firmly planted or that you are underneath a waterfall and the energy of the water is flowing over you. You may feel the energy washing away every bit of stress. You can use whatever mental picture that would be the most helpful for you to get the most benefit.

With these two basic techniques you can start to really relax and obtain a better sense of self and awareness of your surroundings and thoughts. The point however is to practice at least some of these techniques on a daily basis so that you can become really proficient at them.

If you want to learn about mindfulness exercises and how to practice meditation find out more at http://www.meditationgeneration.com/ and read more of the meditation articles found there. If you have experience feel free to leave your thoughts for others to learn from.

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Meditation Cushions and Practice Postures

To calm the activity of our thoughts it is important that we understand the benefits to the mind and body that an aligned posture brings. The body's role during our practice is to support our mind, freeing and positioning our body parts so we can maintain a single focal point. We begin with a posture that is stable, comfortable and pain-free. A quiet body permits a quiet mind.

There are two basic categories of postures, sitting and kneeling. It is imperative that you evaluate your posture prior to choosing both the positions and zafus best designed for your practice. Meditation cushions will be placed differently depending on your choice of position within the two basic categories. The preferred fill will also depend on your choice of posture. For information about posture, refer to my article entitled, Meditation Cushions and Posture.

Regardless of whether you decide to use seated or kneeling positions there are several ideal postural alignments. Your pelvis should be in a neutral position, not slumping forward or backward. Positioning yourself properly on your meditation cushions is important. Your spine should be erect with all its natural curves, neck and head should be in the center of your pelvic basin, and body weight needs to be distributed evenly between your sitting bones.

The seven point posture is a useful method to evaluate your alignment. Begin in front of a mirror. Your head should be tilted slightly forward by bending your neck; your gaze directed naturally toward the floor. Proper positioning of the head eliminates two types of distractions, agitation and sleepiness. If the head is positioned too high, it promotes excessive thinking; if too low it causes sleepiness. The tip of your tongue should touch the palate just behind your upper teeth reducing the amount of saliva. Your jaw should be relaxed and teeth slightly apart. Eyes may be either closed or slightly open gazing downward. An object such as a candle may be helpful for focusing. Keep your spine erect with all natural curves and let your arms hang loosely not pressed against your body. Forearms should rest on your thighs. Your right hand may sit atop the left with your palms positioned upward and fingers aligned.

The positioning of your legs will depend upon the type of posture you chose. There are numerous seated positions for which your legs and feet will be positioned differently. The most comfortable and balanced position will depend upon your muscle tone and posture. Crescent meditation cushions provide support to your thighs especially for those of us with tight hamstrings. Round meditation cushions or crescent meditation cushions will suit someone who has loose muscle tone. The fill of meditation cushions may be more significant so know whether a firm or flexible fill will provide the comfort you need. Meditation cushions filled with buckwheat hull easily mold to the body. Zafus filled with kapok are firm and maintain structure. The best shape and fill of meditation cushions for you depends upon your choice of practice position, which is the topic of my next article. Various hand and leg positions will be topics for future articles.

Susan Forte has more than 16 years of professional experience in the field of Human Services, which heightened an awareness for the need of strong stress management skills and the need managing ones daily mental health. Susan explored meditation through local ashrams and then Buddhist centers. The mission of Meditation Cushions For All is to provide information, so you may choose meditation cushions that will enhance your practice.

Visit or order at http://www.meditationcushionsforall.com/ or (877) 511-8916 or (973) 798-2293.

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Shaktipat Meditation: The 4 Essential Elements of a Successful Daily Meditation Practice

Shaktipat meditation will enliven your practice. Advancing through higher and higher levels quickly makes meditation come alive, keeps you interested and wanting to meditate more and more. Shaktipat meditation becomes joyful instead of being burdensome drudgery.

A strong Spiritual practice and a strong energy practice are best combined into one daily practice that grows until it consumes every waking and sleeping moment of your life. When you're able to remain in a state of Oneness with the energy fields and all living beings, every thought you have, every action you take, is exactly the right one. Shaktipat meditation can bring Oneness very quickly.

Listed below are the four major components of a successful practice.

Karma is what you bring with you to the practice. It's the sum of all the positive and negative energies you've accumulated.Empowerments come from your teachers (Shaktipat) and open your mind to successive levels of knowing.Spiritual connections to the Deities of your choice give you sources of power and inspiration.Daily practice keeps you growing.

Teachers can help with cleansing negative karma and energies. They can give you Shaktipat empowerments. You must choose your Spiritual path and the Deities you want to connect with. Above all you MUST do your daily practice.

There are five types of practice that work very well.

1. Meditation

In meditation you simply sit quietly observing. The Buddha used this method to reach Enlightenment.

2. Chanting

Chanting focuses your mind on a Deity or energy associated with the chant. You can chant a mantra, a prayer, a name or a sound. As you chant, you may find your mind slipping very easily into a meditative state. Practitioners from all traditions use chanting successfully.

3. Energy work

You use your mind to observe and control subtle energy. Taoists, Yogis and Tibetan Buddhists use this method. It's very fast, but it can be dangerous.

4. Prayer

You enter into communion with the Deity of your choice, talking and listening. Many Muslim, Christian and Jewish practitioners have achieved Sainthood using prayer.

5. Contemplation

You sit quietly focused in the glory of God, a Saint or an icon. This is a favorite of Christian monks and nuns.

Your practice can be a combination of any of these methods. Which is unimportant. Doing it daily is extremely important.

Many New Age practitioners discard religion altogether as being dead or not working. They're left with an energy practice but no guiding light or structure. They're often confused and go from one teacher or practice to another without making much real progress. They easily fall prey to aliens or spirits channeling information that may not be completely beneficial.

The major Spiritual paths have all stood the test of time and have proven beneficial to generations of practitioners. You can be a Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist or a combination of these. It's not important which path you choose. The Universal Truths are the same in all, with only minor differences in beliefs and techniques.

What is important is recognizing that the core of every religion is Spiritual energy work. All of today's religions originated out of the teachings of powerful energy practitioners. Most religious followers either lose or never find a living energy connection to the Divine. They become ensnared in ritual, dogma and empty practices.

A strong daily energy practice focused on the Deity of your choice will keep you centered on your Spiritual path and growing daily.

Remedia's core practice is built around Buddhism, but she's strongly connected to a guru. She loves to walk into any church, temple or mosque she comes across to renew her connection to the Divine.

Richard practices an eclectic mix of Taoism, Tibetan Buddhism and Raja Yoga. He prefers to avoid religious buildings altogether. He connects best to the Divine in Nature.

Both Remedia and Richard incorporate practices from all religions into their work.

Whatever Spiritual path you choose, practice every day without fail. In the beginning we recommend at least thirty minutes morning and evening for this. You may be surprised to find yourself becoming no longer interested in activities like watching TV, surfing the internet, playing electronic games, talking needlessly, etc. With dedicated daily work, your practice will grow until it consumes every moment of your life, waking and sleeping.

When you reach this stage, miracles happen daily in your life and in the lives of all you touch.

Richard Crown has spent more than thirty years in Asia. Living in diverse cultures has allowed him absorb their Spiritual practices in a first-hand, useful way. Shaktipat meditation is the fastest and best of all the many meditation techniques he has experienced. You can experience Shaktipat meditation with Richard & Remedia Crown at http://www.shaktipat-meditation.org/. They are both realized meditation teachers who share their abilities with loving compassion.
You will also be able to download a free PDF of Richard's book Ascension In Love: Our Spiritual Journey, a true account of their own Shaktipat awakening presented in the form of easy to read conversations.

Original article

Meditation - How Many Types of Meditation Should We Practice?

There are many different types of meditation practices. Most familiar, perhaps, are mantra meditation, mindfulness of breathing, metta bhavana (development of loving kindness), and the candle meditation. Recently I was asked by a student if I thought she should add a third meditation practice to the two forms of meditation she already practices. As a "good teacher", I responded to her question with a list of questions to consider before she made her decision. I hope these questions will be helpful to you as well, if you are considering adding other practices to your meditation repertoire.

There are different ideas regarding the benefit of adding another form of meditation to your meditation practice. In my own meditation process (from 1993 - 2000), it was recommended that I practice the metta bhavana and the mindfulness of breathing (which some believe can take us all the way to Enlightenment). I found the two forms created a lovely balance of developing loving kindness (the heart) and focused awareness (the mind). When I was ordained, in September 2000, I was introduced to two more forms of meditation - the six element practice and an Amitabha Buddha visualization practice. Those practices were taught during a seven week retreat and I had an opportunity to practice both forms in a context where I received instruction and support.

It's probably a good idea to consider the intention underlying one's desire to take on another meditation practice. Here are some questions to consider:

1. Am I bored/tired with my practice as it is? If so, why?

2. Which meditation practice do I practice most? If I just practice the mindfulness of breathing as a way to become more focused and mindful, should I practice the metta bhavana for a while so that I am developing loving kindness for myself and others? Is there a reason I practice one practice more than another? Am I having difficulty concentrating or feeling positive emotion for myself and or others? If there is resistance to one practice, understanding the resistance can be valuable.

3. What do I want to accomplish by taking on another meditation practice?

4. Do I know enough about the practice to do it without the support of a teacher and practice group?

After reading this list of questions, another student responded:

"Thank you for the list of questions to consider when thinking about trying another meditation practice. Your first question struck home with me in that sometimes after I have been doing a particular meditation for a while I have more difficulty staying focused. It just struck me that maybe instead of switching to another method, I need to just sit with the restlessness of my mind and see what happens. Not being able to stay still emerges once again."

It's a good idea to take stock of your meditation practice and consider whether to stay with what you are doing or try something different which does not necessarily mean adding something new.

Nancy is an ordained Buddhist Minister and a twenty-year veteran of teaching, consulting and coaching. Assisting people to live with skillfulness, compassion and mindfulness is the focus of her mindfulness coaching. For information on meditation and mindfulness, and her coaching, click here http://mindfulworkshops.com/

Original article

How to Overcome Common Obstacles During Your Meditation Practice

Is your meditation practice turning into an obstacle course? Are you wondering whether you should even be having any thoughts at all? Are you feeling more stress now that you've started meditating? It's very likely that your original reason for seeking a meditation practice was to reduce stress, not to increase it!

As a meditation instructor I've had students comment on the many obstacles they've encountered, the stressful feeling of not knowing if they're doing it right or even wondering if they'll gain any of the benefits at all. Well, that sounds pretty stressful to me. In order to experience the benefits of a meditation practice you must be willing to work through some obstacles and having an idea of what those obstacles are, can make a big difference in your approach to find solutions.

Following are some common obstacles you may encounter and some solutions that could work for you (obstacle: solution).

Obstacle: I don't have enough time!

Solution: Make meditation a daily practice. Placing your meditation practice on your daily to-do list must be a priority. Don't meditate just when you feel like it or when time allows. Meditation is a discipline that takes practice and when the benefits start showing up, they'll reinforce your practice.

Obstacle: My mantra is too long/too short!

Solution: Remember that your mantra is just a vehicle for transport, don't analyze it or wonder if it's working. It's like a taxi that takes you to the airport, then leaves. Your mantra is a faint idea that will disappear once it serves its purpose.

Obstacle: I'm having too many thoughts!

Solution: Accept that your thoughts are part of the meditation process. The nature of your mind is to think, so that means that you'll have many, many thoughts. Your thoughts will come and go, don't analyze them, just observe them and let them go.

Obstacle: I want results now!

Solution: Let go of any expectations you may have regarding your meditation results. If you're expecting to change overnight because you've been meditating for a week, it's not going to happen. Meditation is a process like baking; you gather, you mix, and then you bake. Your goodies will turn up, so just keep at it.

Obstacle: I'm too tense!

Solution: Relax and practice effortlessly. Be gentle with yourself because meditation is a time for non-doing. If you stress over your meditation practice, you defeat the whole purpose of meditation. Meditation should never be forced. If you force yourself, you will struggle.

You may think these solutions are easier said than done, however, the results you get will be determined by your willingness to reap the benefits of meditation such as stress-reduction, finding peace with yourself (and others), and most of all, living a healthier life.

It's your meditation time, so don't allow it to turn into a stress-related obstacle course. Wonder no more whether you should be having thoughts or not; just look forward to enjoying the benefits of stress-reduction and your original reason for wanting to learn a meditation practice. Remember that your commitment is to yourself and no one else.

Krystalina Soash is a published author, meditation instructor, and translator. She has two published works, "Your Positive Potential: Action Steps for Self-Empowerment" and "Writing Tips for Student Projects and New Freelance Writers."

You may visit Krystalina at http://www.writingforyounow.com/

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