The answer should be daily. A daily meditation routine is a must for your sense of well-being and balance. There hasn't been a class or a reading that I can remember where I didn't suggest that everyone mediate daily for at least 15 minutes. The benefits of meditation are tremendous on every level; mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. Meditation will lower your blood pressure as well as allow you to feel the connection to God among many other benefits.
The point of a meditation is to go within and connect to your higher self. Questions such as "who am I?", "what do I love to do?", "who would I be if I could be anything I wanted?" and more get answered when you start meditating and going within. I'm sure you've heard the expression "if prayer is asking then meditation is listening for the answer". It is a must for everyone to be in silence for a while every day. It is a must to calm the chatter and the noise from the outside world therefore allowing you to connect to the divine being you are.
The biggest question I get is how to meditate? I would say that the key would be to find a time every day when you can commit to your practice as a start. This could be first thing in the morning or right before bed or at your lunch hour ... it really doesn't matter. I like meditating every day at the same time because then it becomes a routine.
You may start with a walking meditation which is how I started. I would go for a walk and listen to instrumental type of music. A few weeks later, I turned the music off and listened to the sounds of nature around me. A few weeks later, I took my practice inside where I was able to sit still and just be for a while. You can use any housework or monotonous activity as a meditation; washing the dishes or folding laundry can become fabulous meditations if you don't talk on the phone or combine another activity with them. Meditating in the shower is another idea. Sometimes, I imagine the water coming down as a waterfall going through all my chakras cleansing and balancing each of them to return them to their healthy state.
Some prefer doing guided meditations which can be bought on the internet or any metaphysical book store. Go with the one that resonates with you. Some prefer to meditate to chants. I love coloring mandalas as a meditation – that is actually one of my favorites. You may also light a candle and stare at the flame for a while. You may journal which allows you to put your thoughts on paper which will give you further insight to your feelings. There are endless ideas for meditating.
"Be still and know that I am God". I love that phrase! For you to know God you must be still. If you were to take that one step further you would say that God is within you and that you are God yourself. Silence, being in the moment and being still are all essentials in your life. Being present is the greatest gift you can gift to yourself. Don’t worry about the past or the future just “be” in this moment. If you are waiting somewhere use that as an opportunity to meditate rather than getting frustrated with how long you’ve been waiting.
A huge question I get from people is “how do I stop the thoughts from bombarding me?” I say thoughts are normal; it’s what we do. I suggest acknowledging the thought and the putting it in a bubble allowing it to float away. If you engage in a mental struggle with your thoughts then you’ve defeated the purpose of meditating. Acknowledge the thought and then send it on its way.
Meditating will take the anxiety out of your everyday and bring in the calm that is necessary for maintaining joy.
I'd love to hear your thoughts. You may leave a comment below, email me to mary@marysalfi.com or find me on Facebook.
With calm,
Mary
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