Try Meditation

I've started to meditate again. Done it before and loved it. It brings peace throughout your whole body, soul, and mind. I've heard lots of people wonder what they have to do...and it's quite simple. You may have done it after a group workout at a gym or through a yoga or pilates class.

It's not always about the "ommm" or the "Ahhhh"...it's about first getting your mind focused on the real you that's working 24/7 inside. You know, the 'you' that you probably forgot about all these years? The 'you' you see everyday is the 'you' that is made up of your environment, trends, habits and experiences. The real you is centered deep inside, and meditation helps you get back in touch with the powerful 'you'. Here's some easy steps to get started:

• find a quiet place in your house


• sit with legs folded ('indian style") -hands rest comfortable over knees/region


• no music...just silence


• close eyes take a big relaxing deeeeep breath before you begin


• - then - just for 1 minute, breathe in with your nose, pause for a second, and exhale out of your mouth as calmly as you can


• you're done!

A minute seems short, but enough for your first time because you may find out that you can't focus because you find your mind wandering all over the place with different thoughts. Your brain is chokfull of stuff and you need time and patience to slowly fade out the 'yuck' and fade in the 'yum'.

• Within that minute try to imagine air flowing through your nose, making its way through to your lungs, your lungs expanding


• when you breathe out, envision that air leaving your lungs, up and through your throat and out of your mouth carrying the little bits of chaos or stress you've collected with it.

You are exhaling the dead energy and inhaling new and powerful energy. Once the minute is complete, sit calmly for a moment with your eyes open. Be aware of that moment and then get up and walk away.

The next day go for 2 minutes...then 3...up to 5 minutes and add what you can handle each day going forward.

I'm doing this now...it will work and it is invigorating.

People have asked about music with meditation...and that depends on your goal. My goal is to dive into the pool of my soul and reconnect with my spirit. My other goal is to master silence (my friends that know me are probably laughing because silence and me don't mix - haha!). It's the inner silence that is required for inner control, stability and truth of self.

If your goal is to simply 'chill out'...or relax from a rough day, play music that is calming. Music that gives sound, instead of words, so your mind doesn't concentrate on the meaning of the song or the words. It should be music that can lull your mind to a calm state. A great cd I recommend if you want to incorporate music is "2002" (if you have itunes, you can buy it there. I'm sure if you Google it you'll find it too.)

*I personally recommend 1st acheiving meditation without music. Once you can master silence... you can handle anything.

Someone had asked me if I need to be a certain faith or from a certain country to be able to meditate. My firm answer is 'No'. Meditation may have originated in a certain country, but it has nothing to do with religion...it has to do with self and connection with your self. The Hindu Gods (Shiva, Krishna, etc) meditated...Jesus meditated, and if you begin to research, you'll see plenty more all over the world have and still meditate.

Don't meditate it because it seems like a trend. If you try, do it for the purpose the trend re-started; it is harmless, it is good for you, and most of all it's one effort you can take to keep peace in your heart when the world seems to serve stress on a platter in our everyday lives.