By Matt P. Clarkson

Secret * 1:
The True Purpose of Meditation

Many people feel a sense of fascination when confronted with the possibility of mystic visions, psychic intuition and heightened mental functioning. While meditators often report these sorts of improvements, these experiences should not be the primary reason for practice. The purpose of meditation is to bring us back to ourselves.

As we become healthier, happier and realize greater self-awareness, the other benefits of meditation begin to follow naturally — improved mental functioning, greater intuition as well as greater access to unconscious resources and abilities.

Secret * 2:
Distraction Does Not Equal Failure

Meditation is not work in the sense that you have to “force” yourself to concentrate completely for long periods of time. If we consciously try to prevent thinking, it’s going to have a negative impact on the meditation.

Instead, whenever we become lost in thought or confusion, we simply acknowledge those thoughts and then gently return the attention to the object of the meditation. We do this as many times as distraction or thought occurs. Eventually, the mind becomes calmer and discursive thought begins to slow.

Secret * 3:
Insight Alone Is Not Enough

Insight alone will not transform our lives. Meditation is likely to help us by giving us larger perspectives and increasing clarity of thought. But although our sense of inner guidance might become stronger, unless we ACT on that guidance, we will never manifest the changes we truly want in our lives.

This doesn’t just mean we need to take action in our outer world, for example, having an honest conversation with a friend or paying a bill.

It also means we must actively request the assistance of the unconscious in a clear and persistent way. When you do that, as I teach in “Secrets of Meditation, Energy and Manifestation,” you find yourself magnetically drawn toward your dreams with an irresistible impulse.

Secret * 4:
Learn To Let Go

Once you have made your request, it’s important that you let go. Don’t be concerned with HOW you’re going to get what you truly want in your life. Needing to know how can hamper the process of making it manifest in the outer world. Learn to trust your unconscious.

Some changes — perhaps all of them — will happen automatically. I have personally found that many of my destructive habits simply dropped away with minimal conscious effort.

For me, this was achieved not by self-discipline and will power, but rather a “letting go” and a realization that spiritual growth is a natural process powered by parts of ourselves that know more than we can understand consciously.

As we let go consciously and receive more input from these parts, we learn to trust this feeling, this feeling that we are in safe hands and that something amazing is about to happen.

Matt Clarkson has created a no cost e-course teaching
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Tags clarity of thought | letting go | inner guidance | confusion | self-awareness

By Arlene Harder

Our understanding of exactly what happens in the body when you use a technique like imagery or meditation is on a par with what Columbus knew about the new world when he discovered it.

Yet clinical evidence shows that physical changes clearly happen when people practice imagery and meditation regularly, e.g., researchers have counted a difference in the number of killer T cells of the immune system. It has also been observed that headaches can often be relieved and blood pressure can be lowered. Further, many people report they simply “feel” better and they frequently change their behavior because of insights they got while doing these techniques.

So we know that “something” is happening. We just don’t know the exact mechanism by which these changes occur. There are, however, several theories, which we discuss below.

Images, Like Any Other Type of Thought, Are Electrochemical The visual cortex is stimulated by “seeing” a picture in your mind’s eye. Similarly, the auditory cortex becomes stimulated when you imagine you hear bells. If your images involve a sense of physical movement, your nerves and muscles produce slight but perceptible movements that can be detected with an instrument called an electromyography (EMG). Sad images create chemicals of depression. Aggressive images make adrenaline. And if the image is relaxing, your body produces a natural tranquilizer that has a chemical structure similar to Valium.

If you have a phobia of elevators, when you think about going into an elevator, notice what happens. Your heart rate increases, acids squirt into your digestive system, your chest constricts and your throat tightens. But then observe what happens if, after thinking about the elevator, you are reminded of a special gift given you by a loving friend. This new image will begin to reverse the physical symptoms you just experienced, i.e., your thoughts associated with that image, will influence your biological processes.

Focusing the Mind Encourages Healing of the Body You can think of only one thing at a time, but in “normal mode” the mind tends to jump from thought to thought. If it is focused, as it is during an imagery or meditation session, your mind shifts to an altered state of awareness, much as a young child’s entire being becomes concentrated on watching an ant crawling along the sidewalk. In this state of mind, you may want to focus all your energies on one thing, such as the concept of patience. You may, on the other hand, want to step back from all thoughts and just “be”, evening achieving a sense of “nothingness”. This gives your mind rest from its usual frantic activity as muscles and nerves “connected” to mind chatter become “disconnected,” even if only temporarily. Then your body has a chance to heal.

Imagery Bypasses the Left Brain Images are processed by the right brain. Self-critical thoughts are more often controlled by the left brain. Therefore, images that evoke positive ideas and life-changing affirmations appear to be effective when the left brain is not involved. Similarly, when the mind is focused on new, positive thoughts, not only does the body benefit from the shift in awareness, neurons aren’t attached to old thought patterns and you are thus open to acceptance of seeing yourself in a new way. You don’t need to worry that you are being hypnotized into accepting something you don’t want to believe. Your psyche has many defenses against taking in something it knows is wrong for you to accept.

Your Teacher Wants Your Attention There is another way to understand how your mind can present you with new insights when you are doing these techniques. This explanation likens your mind to a classroom. When you are distracted by constant, and often conflicting, inner dialogue (what some call monkey-chatter), your mind is like a noisy classroom. You need to quiet the chatter so the gentle voice of wisdom can be heard.

Tags cortex | electrochemical | Healing | Valium | natural tranquilizer

By Janice H.

WHAT IS MEDITATION?

Meditation focuses on maintaining quietness of our busy mind. The effect is to direct our concentration to one healing element – one sound, one word, one image, or one’s breath. When our mind is “filled” with the feeling of calm and peace, it cannot take off on its own and worry, stress out or get depressed.

Meditation can be defined as any activity that keeps the attention pleasantly anchored in the present moment. When our mind is calm and focused in the present, it is neither reacting to memories from the past nor being preoccupied with plans for the future.

HOW DOES MEDITATION WORK?

Studies have shown that meditation can bring about a healthy state of relaxation by causing a generalized reduction in multiple physiological and biochemical markers, such as deceased heart rate, decreased respiration rate, decreased plasma cortisol, decreased pulse rate and increased EEG alpha, a brain wave associated with relaxation. Our body gains a state of profound rest.

During meditation, our blood pressure stays at “low level” but falls significantly for persons on medication with abnormally high levels of blood pressure.

Meditation reduces activity in the nervous system. Through meditation we can learn to access the relaxation response and to be aware of the mind and the way our attitudes produce stress. In calming the mind, meditation can also put one in touch with the inner physician, allowing our body’s own inner wisdom to be heard.

Meditation is part of my yoga practice. When I meditate, I feel my life change for the better. It brings me peace of mind and I handle things better in life. I have the insights I want to solve problems and I have a clearer viewpoint even when I feel stressful. Through all these years of practicing meditation, I have been able to reap the positive influence on my life.

HOW TO MEDITATE?

Ideally you should meditate in a quiet place, or a room with no distraction. Wear simple and comfortable clothes and remove your shoes when meditate. Try meditating in the same place every time because that will build up a calm meditative energy, making it easier each time to go within.

Guide to Meditation:-

1. Sit upright on your meditation mat with legs folded. You may find this rather uncomfortable at the start, but after a few attempts you will get use to it.

2. Straighten up your spine and close your eyes.

3. Using both your thumb and forefinger touching each other, place your hands on your knees, one on top of the other.

4. Take three full breaths through your nose, filling up your lower diaphragm and slowly letting it out, again through the nose.

5. Repeat your breath, always through the nose, feeling your breath go in and go out.

6. Feel your breath enter your body and where it goes inside, then feel it go out of your body again.

7. If your are distracted by a thought, gently bring back your mind to your breathing and start once more to feel the breathing, then the exhaling.

I personally feel that the best time for meditation is the quiet early morning hours – between 6 A.M. to 6.30 A.M. However some people may prefer to meditate in the evening before they go to bed. The choice is yours, as long as you find it comfortable and effective.

It takes an experienced person to explain the wonderful, positive effects of meditation. For me, I want to share with you that meditation has improved my life tremendously over the years. If you think of meditating, ten or fifteen minutes a day for a start can have a powerful effect on you. You will realize how smoothly your day flows and how it will transform you over a period of time.

To improve your meditation atmosphere, you may light incense or a candle. Incense creates a sensory memory that helps draw us inside. You may also sit on a small woolen mat that is only used for meditation and this helps to hold energy.

If you like to light incense for your meditation, here are some facts; some scents encourage calm, while others promote vitality and energy. Sandalwood and frankincense soothe us and pull us inward. Tibetan monks use them for mediating, and also for religious ceremonies. Rosewood, geranium, and lavender calm our fears and ease our anxieties.

Citrus scents like orange, lemon and lime can provide stimulation after meditating. For a quick effect, place a few drops of orange blossom oil on a cotton ball and inhale. Peppermint and spearmint can be stimulating too.

Tags meditative energy | preoccupied | relaxation | concentration | peace of mind