How can I meditate better?
Here I’m talking about the meditation practice that causes us to be in the present moment. We have all experienced being present consciously or unconsciously. If you race a motorbike, rock climb, surf, do anything that requires your full attention or feel the sun on your body on a sunny day it brings you into the present moment.
Breathing is amazing as you can do it consciously or unconsciously. It is the link between the conscious and unconscious. I’m surprised there is not more research into breathing. We seem to research food and what to eat for better health. I don’t see the same studies done on the air we breathe and how it affects us.
We operate in one of two states doing or being. Both are equally important. In these modern times, we operate more in the doing state focusing on the outside world. In a meditation session, we are in the being state focusing on our inner world. We need both.
When we meditate we are told to focus on our breathing or practice deep breathing to get into a relaxed or meditative state. That is great but I found that while doing that I still drifted off.
In every book, I read it said the same thing but there was still something missing. The missing part is when you focus on breathing you are not connected. That is why you drift off. There is nothing wrong with that as there is no right or wrong. I just wanted more from the experience.
After a while, I discovered to get a deeper meditative experience you need to feel the flow of life through your body. That is what creates that connection. It is like a tree connected to the earth through its roots.
We can connect to a higher consciousness doing this as you are not your thoughts or your mind. There is something else that is conscious of what you are doing. As you read this there is something else that is conscious of your thoughts as you process what you are reading. It keeps you alive when you are asleep. You can move your body through this yet if we open you up we will not find it but it still exists in the physical world as the physical movements you make, your thoughts and staying alive while you sleep are a result of it.
We are told that through meditation we will get to know ourselves (higher consciousness.) Knowing yourself is the key. What the hell is knowing yourself? Are you telling me that I have lived with myself all my life and I don’t know myself?
Not exactly. Most people live in a daze. Life just happens to them. It is like they are on autopilot. They wake up, have breakfast then go to work or do whatever they do. They repeat their patterns without any thought. It is like they are unconscious or dreaming while being awake. When you start being conscious you will see exactly what you are doing then you can change the outcome of your experiences if you are not happy with the outcome.
Meditation helps you to become more conscious and aware. You will drift in and out of consciousness as you start doing this. The more you do it the more conscious you become.
There are many forms of meditation. You can do guided meditation or relaxation. You can do visualisation meditation, affirmation meditation … etc Even Yoga, Tai chi and Qi gong are forms of meditation.
The meditation that makes you more conscious is Presence Awareness Meditation. It connects you with your natural self. The aim is to gain consciousness of your whole body, become aware of any tension or patterns in your body. Go to them, let them relax then go back to full body awareness and feel the flow of life through your body.
You can even start asking yourself questions about an issue or a challenge for which you would like an answer or clarity. Get clear on what you want to know then let it go knowing that your subconscious mind knows your intention. Listen to what comes up for you. This can clarify beliefs you might have about the issue or it can provide an answer. Don’t judge what comes up for you. Just acknowledge it. If you don’t have any immediate answers or insights remain open as the answer can come from the outside world. It is a good idea to document how you feel and any insights you have experienced. You can then reflect on them after the meditation never during.
Don’t judge the experience or have expectations as the process of meditation does not unfold in a predictable manner. You can see your patterns and beliefs unfold during your meditation sessions. This is the doorway to knowing yourself. The more you know yourself the more you will know how you operate. You become more aware of your limiting beliefs or why you react in a certain way. This gives you an opportunity to change those beliefs to ones that support you.
Also in your daily life become more conscious of your patterns so you can stop them if they don’t serve you and change the outcome or result if you are not happy with it.
Beliefs are like seeds. If you plant a fruit tree you will get fruit, if you plant a prickly bush that is what you will get. What you put in your mind will become your reality either consciously or unconsciously. Your mind is like a magnet it will attract what you hold in it.
Take the time to meditate, make it a daily practice even if you do 5 minutes of meditation so you can create a balance between your inner and outer worlds. In addition, there are many emotional, spiritual and health benefits. You will find that you will have more energy, vitality, efficiency, better sleep, better mental focus, improved mental health, a calm mind and confidence in everyday life.
Share your experience below and let me know what has worked for you.