Meditation For Relaxation And More
Many people use meditation
for relaxation, and it is easy to understand why. Breath deep,
calm your thoughts, and stress melts away in minutes. What's
more, this isn't just a matter of feeling better while meditating.
It is now known that many illnesses are caused by or made worse
by too much stress, so even if it is never more than a relaxation
technique, meditation is a very healthy practice to say the least.
Of course, meditation has higher
purposes than relaxation. In fact, one of the most valuable things
you can get from it isn't stress relief, but a better understanding
of yourself and how your mind works. That self awareness can
lead you to a whole new approach to life that is healthier in
every way, so let's look at how this can come about.
We'll start with a simple experiment
that you can do today. It will show you how limited your awareness
can be at times - most times. Try a simple exercise today or
tomorrow when you are rushing round the house, or busy at work.
Just stop and go outside for a short and slow walk. Watch
the things and people and animals around you as you walk, but
say nothing. Furthermore, withdraw your attention from the thoughts
going through your head. At some point sit quietly on a bench
step, tree or on the grass.
You will probably notice sounds,
smells and activity everywhere that you were not aware of before
you slowed down and quieted your mind in this way. When you see
something, like a bird, for example, don't think "bird"
or engage in any internal dialogue about it - just observe. Hear
the wind rustling the leaves without any mental commentary, and
don't try to think about what any of this means or make it into
some new "theory." Remain silent and be aware of your
surroundings for a while before returning to your daily tasks.
This simple exercise is a kind
of meditation, and once you've done it and become aware of what
you normally don't notice, you should think about what is going
on inside you that makes you miss so much. Consider the possibilities
such an quietly observant state has. There is a lot of distracting
noise and activity in your mind, and when you sit in meditation
you start to see that you are constantly full of images, ideas,
arguments, memories, dreams, demands and more.
The Promise Of Meditation
Meditation for relaxation is
great, but using it to learn how much incessant argument and
explanation is going on just below the surface is more fruitful.
See how this internal dialog pushes you this way and that, and
how mechanical we are in our reactions - even as we tell ourselves
we're free and in control. Becoming aware of this as an observer
of your own thoughts, you'll feel less inclined to listen to
the bad-advice from your own mind - you'll open yourself up to
better ways, whether you call this a "higher self"
or just clearer thought.
Moving beyond this identification
you have (we all do) with your own thoughts, you'll start to
act intuitively and with less conflict and anxiety. Consider
how much concentration it took to learn to walk, and yet now
it is easy, and if you stopped to think about where to put each
step you would probably fall down. Many areas of life need less
thought to stumble over, and more direct action which proceeds
from what you see clearly. The intelligence that is beyond words
in no way denigrates the power and usefulness of human language
and thought, but it is needed for a healthy life.
Reach the point where our minds
quiet even just a little, and we begin to experience a self beyond
thoughts and ideas. When we think of our "self " we
bring up a collection of flattering and/or condemnatory images
and thoughts and memories, but we are not what we think we are.
"Self" is something beyond all that, and though we
can say such a thing intellectually, even then we are often experiencing
a thought-self that is very limited by its own creations.
The reality of existence outside
of our thoughts is something else entirely, and seeing it helps
us detach from the "created self" that encourages us
to suffer so much mentally. We're asleep and under the spell
of a mind that seeks to perpetuate itself without regard to our
needs. That metaphorical understanding helps explain how after
a lifetime of our own "lower self " misleading us,
we still listen to its advice daily. It helps us see why we do
bad things even though we "know better," because on
some level we do know better - but we aren't always thinking
or acting from that lower level of self.
We have the potential
to wake up and see reality more directly through meditative practices.
Ideally, "right action" then proceeds from what is
seen clearly, and thought becomes a tool subservient to our true
interests, rather than having a life of its own at our expense.
In other words, meditation for relaxation might be a nice start,
but you may want to also consider the higher purposes meditating
can serve.
Other Relevant Pages:
The Meditation Program -
A Review
Four Ways To Use Meditation
CDs
Two Reviews Of The
Holosync Program
The Best Mediation Audio?
Six Brainwave Entrainment
Tips
The Best Meditation CD Is...
I would strongly recommend the following even if I
didn't get a commission.
|
Relaxation Music
Steve's Recommendations:
1. Click
Here For Information On Basic Relaxation CDs
Relax to the sounds of nature and gentle music. You can also
find guided relaxation CDs here as well. These are high-quality
and affordable.
2. Click Here For Details On The Meditation Program
Spend just a little more and go a step further. This is a
set of CDs or MP3s that use the latest brainwave entrainment
technologies to put you into a meditative state. There is truly
no effort required beyond sitting down and listening. Each session
also contains a unique, inspiring soundscape created by composer
Michael Anasazi. Powerful stuff, and yes, it really works. (Both
my wife and I use these meditation CDs. - Steve) |
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