FIRING ON ALL CILYNDERS
So you think you are ready to go? Let's take a minute to review and touch on a few other things we haven't mentioned. In exact order I suggest you do the following:
Study or read a bit on Meditation. "Mindfulness In Plain English" is a good starting point. You can read the Dalai Lama but it is a bit dry and convoluted. Taking a class on meditation is never a bad thing. Just remember the sooner you do this the less bad habits you create that need fixed. I starting to golf years ago. Bought a set of clubs, some balls and away I went (sound familiar). After a few years of hitting my balls everywhere but where I was supposed to I decided to take lessons. Needless to say most of my lessons were spend unlearning my bad habits so we could replace them with good. Beginning meditation is something like that. Take some time to learn about what you are about to do and how to properly do it.
Pick your practice. Again, read about the different styles, talk to folks and see what they do. Watch videos. Anything that helps. Try it. If you don't like it, change to another. Remember, this is not a race. Perfect takes practice.
Understand that what you are about to do is a beautiful, marvelous experience and something that you look forward to doing. If it is complicated, stressful or unwelcoming you need to revisit something. Meditation is our friend and an event we should be excited about doing. Sometimes my sessions are so glorious that I hate to bring my mind back to the so called real world. But I've learned that the state of mind during meditation is what helps me get through this thing called life and that the mind on meditation is the real world. If that makes no sense, keep meditating, you will understand someday.
Everyday, everyday, everyday. Practice, practice, practice. Patience, patience, patience. You are about to walk the same path that Buddha walked. An indolent individual cannot accomplish this task. It takes serious dedication and years of practice but it can and should be done.
Stay open to the whole concept of meditation and continue to learn. Even an enlightened one continues to meditate and learn. Don't put any expectations on your practice. If you are meditating to get an answer for something you will probably be disappointed. Meditation is about the Middle Path, no right, no wrong, no judgement no expectation, simply being in the moment. So relax, breathe and enjoy the journey.
NAMASTE
Monday, February 4, 2019
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION PART XII
LET'S GET IT ON
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages. Awareness and meditation proudly present to you...MEDITATION.
As a meditation instructor people periodically ask, "Can you teach me to meditate"? Total transparency, I can show you what I have learned and experienced and meditation can be studied in books or classrooms but like anything else we learn, the concept and process is explained then away you go. I may be the bow but you are the arrow. Once I provide you with all that is needed and release the bow string you, the arrow, must then hit the target. In all reality every letter, word, sentence and paragraph presented in these posts are simply that, words, letters, sentences and paragraphs. Meditation must be experienced. Meditation must be practiced. Daily and diligently. Half measures will avail you nothing. I can't get into your head and act as concentration or awareness. You teach yourself how to meditate.
If you read and understand all the posts, you have enough information to begin meditating. Will you become distracted? Yes. Will you experience periods where you just don't want to do it? Yes. When I was a child my father suggested I open a bank account and put money in every week. The amount didn't matter as much as the discipline to just do it. Some weeks it was loose change others dollar bills. In the beginning I thought "What's to gain by putting $ .25 in the bank"? But I continued to do it. Then one day I received my bank statement and was shocked as to how much I had actually accumulated. That moment was the tipping point to make me want to save more. Meditation is something like that. A moment will arrive, through daily practice, that you will have a breakthrough. That breakthrough will allow you to seek another and another. As the saying goes, "Don't leave before the miracle happens".
Meditation is a lifelong journey. Even if we are fortunate enough to achieve NIRVANA (total enlightenment) we continue to meditate, study and learn. I am currently reading 4 books that pertain to meditation and I've got a pretty certificate on the wall that labels me as a "CERTIFIED MEDITATION INSTRUCTOR". Granted much time and effort went into achieving this honor but we are never done learning.
The beauty of meditation is that however many times we do it we have never done it before. HUH?Remember meditation is about living in the/this exact moment. If we truly apply the principle of everything has a beginning, middle and end then we must acknowledge that moments do too. So this moment right now is gone, as is this one and this one. With each end a new beginning comes, even with moments. So whatever you are doing right now, although you may have experienced it before, in this exact moment it is new.
Each meditation session will be different and new. While the premise of time, place, relax, breathe and focus will never change our style or form or posture or place may. I move from spot to spot daily when I go to meditate. Sometimes it is in the back yard, others on the deck, or the bedroom or the basement. Sometimes I sit, kneel, stand or walk. Sometimes Metta others Zen Buddhist. But I never stop concentrating on my breathe and moving distractions along. That is why I meditate, to experience the exact moment where there is no love or hate or pain or pleasure, just the middle path...THE MOMENT.
Next post - FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages. Awareness and meditation proudly present to you...MEDITATION.
As a meditation instructor people periodically ask, "Can you teach me to meditate"? Total transparency, I can show you what I have learned and experienced and meditation can be studied in books or classrooms but like anything else we learn, the concept and process is explained then away you go. I may be the bow but you are the arrow. Once I provide you with all that is needed and release the bow string you, the arrow, must then hit the target. In all reality every letter, word, sentence and paragraph presented in these posts are simply that, words, letters, sentences and paragraphs. Meditation must be experienced. Meditation must be practiced. Daily and diligently. Half measures will avail you nothing. I can't get into your head and act as concentration or awareness. You teach yourself how to meditate.
If you read and understand all the posts, you have enough information to begin meditating. Will you become distracted? Yes. Will you experience periods where you just don't want to do it? Yes. When I was a child my father suggested I open a bank account and put money in every week. The amount didn't matter as much as the discipline to just do it. Some weeks it was loose change others dollar bills. In the beginning I thought "What's to gain by putting $ .25 in the bank"? But I continued to do it. Then one day I received my bank statement and was shocked as to how much I had actually accumulated. That moment was the tipping point to make me want to save more. Meditation is something like that. A moment will arrive, through daily practice, that you will have a breakthrough. That breakthrough will allow you to seek another and another. As the saying goes, "Don't leave before the miracle happens".
Meditation is a lifelong journey. Even if we are fortunate enough to achieve NIRVANA (total enlightenment) we continue to meditate, study and learn. I am currently reading 4 books that pertain to meditation and I've got a pretty certificate on the wall that labels me as a "CERTIFIED MEDITATION INSTRUCTOR". Granted much time and effort went into achieving this honor but we are never done learning.
The beauty of meditation is that however many times we do it we have never done it before. HUH?Remember meditation is about living in the/this exact moment. If we truly apply the principle of everything has a beginning, middle and end then we must acknowledge that moments do too. So this moment right now is gone, as is this one and this one. With each end a new beginning comes, even with moments. So whatever you are doing right now, although you may have experienced it before, in this exact moment it is new.
Each meditation session will be different and new. While the premise of time, place, relax, breathe and focus will never change our style or form or posture or place may. I move from spot to spot daily when I go to meditate. Sometimes it is in the back yard, others on the deck, or the bedroom or the basement. Sometimes I sit, kneel, stand or walk. Sometimes Metta others Zen Buddhist. But I never stop concentrating on my breathe and moving distractions along. That is why I meditate, to experience the exact moment where there is no love or hate or pain or pleasure, just the middle path...THE MOMENT.
Next post - FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
Monday, January 7, 2019
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION - PART XI
BUT I CAN'T BLOCK THE DISTRACTIONS
So we have spent the last few posts talking about concentration and awareness and the roles they play in meditation. We showed how to use each to play off of the other to get our mind's where they need to be. But what if, no matter how hard we try, we cannot stop the thought distraction. No problemo.
Periodically I allow thoughts into my session. Sort of a self-help meditation. I look at them to see if there is a life lesson in there somewhere. Maybe I'm getting a message that I need to be more loving or compassionate. That I need to let go of something. Sometimes I get the message fast, other times it comes to me long after the session. While meditation is about staying in the here and now, the moment, using the conscious mind, we can periodically get insight from the subconscious. After all, that's where all our memories are stored and every now and then those memories trigger a thought that can lead to positive change. I know, I know, make up your mind. Don't allow distractions in, allow them in. Don't run off of the subconscious, look at the subconscious. All I'm saying is that once in a little while we can use meditation to look at ourselves in real time while we meditate. I would much rather use this technique then to get up from a session because I'm struggling to calm the mind.
Remember there are many different styles and forms of meditation and just as Metta is used to force good thoughts and vibes into and out of our mind you can use this "self-exploration" periodically without negative effects. Keep in mind that this is not a suggested everyday practice but a fail safe if we struggle. As time goes by we become better at meditation, it becomes easier to calm and discipline the mind and thoughts seem less and less. Meditation is about seeing what we see and experiencing what we experience without judgement so don't be afraid to take a peek every now and then.
Next post - LET'S GET IT ON
So we have spent the last few posts talking about concentration and awareness and the roles they play in meditation. We showed how to use each to play off of the other to get our mind's where they need to be. But what if, no matter how hard we try, we cannot stop the thought distraction. No problemo.
Periodically I allow thoughts into my session. Sort of a self-help meditation. I look at them to see if there is a life lesson in there somewhere. Maybe I'm getting a message that I need to be more loving or compassionate. That I need to let go of something. Sometimes I get the message fast, other times it comes to me long after the session. While meditation is about staying in the here and now, the moment, using the conscious mind, we can periodically get insight from the subconscious. After all, that's where all our memories are stored and every now and then those memories trigger a thought that can lead to positive change. I know, I know, make up your mind. Don't allow distractions in, allow them in. Don't run off of the subconscious, look at the subconscious. All I'm saying is that once in a little while we can use meditation to look at ourselves in real time while we meditate. I would much rather use this technique then to get up from a session because I'm struggling to calm the mind.
Remember there are many different styles and forms of meditation and just as Metta is used to force good thoughts and vibes into and out of our mind you can use this "self-exploration" periodically without negative effects. Keep in mind that this is not a suggested everyday practice but a fail safe if we struggle. As time goes by we become better at meditation, it becomes easier to calm and discipline the mind and thoughts seem less and less. Meditation is about seeing what we see and experiencing what we experience without judgement so don't be afraid to take a peek every now and then.
Next post - LET'S GET IT ON
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION PART X
A DISTRACTION CALLED FEELING
So we've covered sound and thought but what about a feeling? An itch, a fly landing on us or some sort of uncomfortability or outright pain. Let's work backwards on this one.
If you are experiencing pain, real pain, STOP MEDITATION. Awareness and concentration are good but not that good. You will not overcome extreme pain. Having a tightness in your chest and tingling down your left arm will not go away through meditation. You may be experiencing a heart attack and you must stop and possibly seek medical attention.
Next up, uncomfortability. Let's say that the position you choose is not comfortable. Two choices. Change position or meditate through the feeling. Sometimes we can simply get through the feeling the same way we get through sound and thought, identify it as a feeling and move it along. But let's say it is a cramp or something that is not just going to move along fast. Concentrate on the pain. Redirect your concentration from your breathe onto the pain and use it as your focal point, Continue to breathe but lock onto the pain. Remember we said that a focal point can be your breath, a candle, a spot on the wall, so why not a tight muscle. Relax, breathe and focus on the pain. Again, if it is extreme pain that overwhelms you, stop. But before you do that, try concentrating on it. Try to meditate through it. If you are successful, which I believe you will be, the pain will move on and you can shift the concentration back to the breath. Plus you've learned a valuable meditation lesson, dealing with the distraction feeling associated with pain. To a lesser degree we can use the same technique for a fly or an itch. If simply identifying it as a feeling and moving along doesn't work go to the distraction and focus.
A quick story. Some years ago I underwent a routine dental procedure, the placement of a new crown. In and out, no biggie. I then proceeded to travel to Erie. By the time I got there, there was a tennis ball size lump on my face and I was hurting. Unfortunately I had no pain medication sufficient to relieve the pain I was experiencing and had no way to secure any. I put ice on it but not sufficient relief. So I tried meditation. I concentrated on the throbbing in my jaw and locked on. Even a throb has a beginning a middle and an end. Much to my surprise, I was able to focus on it, stay with it and the pain got less and less. It was still pain but during my meditation is was manageable pain.
You will be amazed as to how fast we can move these things along WITH PRACTICE. As we continue to apply what we learn and experience we become better at what we do. Meditation is no different than learning the piano or cooking. In the beginning we will probably burn more meals than are edible but over time the finished product will become delicious.
So we've covered sound and thought but what about a feeling? An itch, a fly landing on us or some sort of uncomfortability or outright pain. Let's work backwards on this one.
If you are experiencing pain, real pain, STOP MEDITATION. Awareness and concentration are good but not that good. You will not overcome extreme pain. Having a tightness in your chest and tingling down your left arm will not go away through meditation. You may be experiencing a heart attack and you must stop and possibly seek medical attention.
Next up, uncomfortability. Let's say that the position you choose is not comfortable. Two choices. Change position or meditate through the feeling. Sometimes we can simply get through the feeling the same way we get through sound and thought, identify it as a feeling and move it along. But let's say it is a cramp or something that is not just going to move along fast. Concentrate on the pain. Redirect your concentration from your breathe onto the pain and use it as your focal point, Continue to breathe but lock onto the pain. Remember we said that a focal point can be your breath, a candle, a spot on the wall, so why not a tight muscle. Relax, breathe and focus on the pain. Again, if it is extreme pain that overwhelms you, stop. But before you do that, try concentrating on it. Try to meditate through it. If you are successful, which I believe you will be, the pain will move on and you can shift the concentration back to the breath. Plus you've learned a valuable meditation lesson, dealing with the distraction feeling associated with pain. To a lesser degree we can use the same technique for a fly or an itch. If simply identifying it as a feeling and moving along doesn't work go to the distraction and focus.
A quick story. Some years ago I underwent a routine dental procedure, the placement of a new crown. In and out, no biggie. I then proceeded to travel to Erie. By the time I got there, there was a tennis ball size lump on my face and I was hurting. Unfortunately I had no pain medication sufficient to relieve the pain I was experiencing and had no way to secure any. I put ice on it but not sufficient relief. So I tried meditation. I concentrated on the throbbing in my jaw and locked on. Even a throb has a beginning a middle and an end. Much to my surprise, I was able to focus on it, stay with it and the pain got less and less. It was still pain but during my meditation is was manageable pain.
You will be amazed as to how fast we can move these things along WITH PRACTICE. As we continue to apply what we learn and experience we become better at what we do. Meditation is no different than learning the piano or cooking. In the beginning we will probably burn more meals than are edible but over time the finished product will become delicious.
Awareness and concentration,ah, what a beautiful thing.
Next post - BUT I CAN'T BLOCK THE DISTRACTIONS
Next post - BUT I CAN'T BLOCK THE DISTRACTIONS
Sunday, December 9, 2018
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION PART IX
A CLOSER LOOK
Since awareness works so hard to help us stay concentrated let's give it it's just rewards. Sounds turn into thoughts. Got it. Barking dog, sound, back to concentration. It can't be that simple. Well it is but not necessarily easy, especially for the novice meditator.
A life lesson. Everything has a beginning a middle and an end. From a single breathe to a life, this is the process. You inhale (beginning), your lungs fill (middle), you exhale (end). You are born (beginning), you age (middle), you die (end). EVERYTHING in existence must follow this process. Even a distraction. We talk of a barking dog as a distraction that is disturbing, takes us out of the zone and ruins our session. BAD SOUND. But what if we hear the laughter of a young child. "How sweet". "Sounds so nice to hear a baby laugh". "One of my most favorite sounds in the whole wide world". GOOD SOUND. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! A sound is a distraction whether it's a bad sound or a good sound. They are all just sounds. We cannot push the bad sound out and welcome the good sound in. They all must go. So get to work, awareness.
A distraction occurs long before it becomes a distraction. We may be talking milliseconds here but time none the less. When the dog barks or the baby laughs awareness is hard at work identifying it and moving it along. Remember, everything has a beginning, a middle and an end. Look at it as a passing cloud. The sky is clear, along come some clouds, then they pass. Same with distractions. Awareness helps move the distraction along. In the beginning phase of meditation the distractions may be moving along at a snails pace. They meander along slowly, methodically. The job of awareness through practice is to move the distraction along as fast as possible. Remember, I said through practice. The more we meditate the better we become. Trust me and millions of others who will attest that the more you practice the better it gets, the longer you stay concentrated and in bliss. Eventually the passing clouds are moving like Nascar, you barely see them. The distraction is labeled and it disappears. The same with a thought. Out of nowhere you realize you need gas and it stops your concentration. Not for long. It is labeled as a thought and it disappears.
Three phrases to remember that must become a part of your practice. Identify, label, move along. Beginning, middle, end. Bark, sound, concentration. Gas, thought, concentration. Faster and faster and faster until it happens so quickly you don't even know it happened and your concentration remains intact. We can't out think the mind but we can trick it into thinking it's in charge when it really isn't. But what about a feeling?
Next Post - A DISTRACTION CALLED FEELING
Since awareness works so hard to help us stay concentrated let's give it it's just rewards. Sounds turn into thoughts. Got it. Barking dog, sound, back to concentration. It can't be that simple. Well it is but not necessarily easy, especially for the novice meditator.
A life lesson. Everything has a beginning a middle and an end. From a single breathe to a life, this is the process. You inhale (beginning), your lungs fill (middle), you exhale (end). You are born (beginning), you age (middle), you die (end). EVERYTHING in existence must follow this process. Even a distraction. We talk of a barking dog as a distraction that is disturbing, takes us out of the zone and ruins our session. BAD SOUND. But what if we hear the laughter of a young child. "How sweet". "Sounds so nice to hear a baby laugh". "One of my most favorite sounds in the whole wide world". GOOD SOUND. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! A sound is a distraction whether it's a bad sound or a good sound. They are all just sounds. We cannot push the bad sound out and welcome the good sound in. They all must go. So get to work, awareness.
A distraction occurs long before it becomes a distraction. We may be talking milliseconds here but time none the less. When the dog barks or the baby laughs awareness is hard at work identifying it and moving it along. Remember, everything has a beginning, a middle and an end. Look at it as a passing cloud. The sky is clear, along come some clouds, then they pass. Same with distractions. Awareness helps move the distraction along. In the beginning phase of meditation the distractions may be moving along at a snails pace. They meander along slowly, methodically. The job of awareness through practice is to move the distraction along as fast as possible. Remember, I said through practice. The more we meditate the better we become. Trust me and millions of others who will attest that the more you practice the better it gets, the longer you stay concentrated and in bliss. Eventually the passing clouds are moving like Nascar, you barely see them. The distraction is labeled and it disappears. The same with a thought. Out of nowhere you realize you need gas and it stops your concentration. Not for long. It is labeled as a thought and it disappears.
Three phrases to remember that must become a part of your practice. Identify, label, move along. Beginning, middle, end. Bark, sound, concentration. Gas, thought, concentration. Faster and faster and faster until it happens so quickly you don't even know it happened and your concentration remains intact. We can't out think the mind but we can trick it into thinking it's in charge when it really isn't. But what about a feeling?
Next Post - A DISTRACTION CALLED FEELING
Saturday, December 1, 2018
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION PART VIII
DEALING WITH DISTRACTIONS - PT 2, AWARENESS
So as we meditate and concentrate on our object a sound, feeling or thought pulls us away. The object of meditation, as said many times before is to stay in the moment, so the longer we dwell on the distraction the longer we are out of the moment. But meditation has an ally called awareness (mindfulness), the watchdog of concentration. As we sit locked in concentration stuff is happening all around. Stuff that will break our concentration, take us out of the moment and frustrate the crap out of us. This is where awareness comes into play.
Let's examine a distraction, the barking dog. A dog barks. Our hearing picks it up and transports the sound to our mind where it analyzes, categorizes and stores it. Unfortunately the mind does not work silently in the background. In the split second the mind is analyzing, categorizing and storing it is also screaming, "It's a dog". "Sounds like a big dog". Sounds like a big dog that is close". Sounds like a big dog that is close and hurt". "Why doesn't someone do something about that injured, big, close dog that is barking"? This process could take 10 seconds or more depending on how much we engage it, which is 10 seconds or more away from the bliss of meditation. So where does awareness come into play?
Remember the job of concentration is to find a target, lock on and hold on for dear life. But in the concentration vs mind war, the mind wins. It is virtually impossible to out think the mind. Left alone to battle the mind, concentration comes up with the short end of the stick. Luckily concentration brings backup in the form of awareness. So as concentration is locked onto the target awareness is patrolling the area looking for potential distractions. Again, the dog. Awareness will hear the dog bark but can't physically block the sound from the mind which passes it along to disturb our concentration. We cannot stop this from happening. So what's the use?
Remember distractions come in the form of feelings or sounds. Once more, the dog. When a dog barks it is not a dog barking but a sound. An airplane flying overhead is a sound. Music is sound. So the fastest and easiest way to turn a distraction back to concentration is to label it as fast as possible. SOUND, FEELING OR THOUGHT. It's that simple. No need to complicate it or over analyze it. Awareness can label it and move it along. The more we practice meditation, concentration and awareness, the easier it becomes and the faster we move through the process. Awareness takes it's job seriously so let it do it's work.
Next post - A CLOSER LOOK
So as we meditate and concentrate on our object a sound, feeling or thought pulls us away. The object of meditation, as said many times before is to stay in the moment, so the longer we dwell on the distraction the longer we are out of the moment. But meditation has an ally called awareness (mindfulness), the watchdog of concentration. As we sit locked in concentration stuff is happening all around. Stuff that will break our concentration, take us out of the moment and frustrate the crap out of us. This is where awareness comes into play.
Let's examine a distraction, the barking dog. A dog barks. Our hearing picks it up and transports the sound to our mind where it analyzes, categorizes and stores it. Unfortunately the mind does not work silently in the background. In the split second the mind is analyzing, categorizing and storing it is also screaming, "It's a dog". "Sounds like a big dog". Sounds like a big dog that is close". Sounds like a big dog that is close and hurt". "Why doesn't someone do something about that injured, big, close dog that is barking"? This process could take 10 seconds or more depending on how much we engage it, which is 10 seconds or more away from the bliss of meditation. So where does awareness come into play?
Remember the job of concentration is to find a target, lock on and hold on for dear life. But in the concentration vs mind war, the mind wins. It is virtually impossible to out think the mind. Left alone to battle the mind, concentration comes up with the short end of the stick. Luckily concentration brings backup in the form of awareness. So as concentration is locked onto the target awareness is patrolling the area looking for potential distractions. Again, the dog. Awareness will hear the dog bark but can't physically block the sound from the mind which passes it along to disturb our concentration. We cannot stop this from happening. So what's the use?
Remember distractions come in the form of feelings or sounds. Once more, the dog. When a dog barks it is not a dog barking but a sound. An airplane flying overhead is a sound. Music is sound. So the fastest and easiest way to turn a distraction back to concentration is to label it as fast as possible. SOUND, FEELING OR THOUGHT. It's that simple. No need to complicate it or over analyze it. Awareness can label it and move it along. The more we practice meditation, concentration and awareness, the easier it becomes and the faster we move through the process. Awareness takes it's job seriously so let it do it's work.
Next post - A CLOSER LOOK
Saturday, November 17, 2018
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION PART VII
DEALING WITH DISTRACTIONS - PT 1, CONCENTRATION
Nice deep breathe in, down and out. Nice deep breathe in, down and out. Concentrate on the nostrils and feel the air moving through your body. Experience each part of the breathe, beginning, middle and end. Then another. Then another. With eyes closed force the eyes to look at the tip of your nose. Concentrate on that small spot on the tip of your nose as you just breathe, naturally, in and out. I think I need to get gas for the car today. "WTF was that"? "Where did that come from"? "Why am I thinking about gas when I'm meditating"? That folks is your designated distraction. A thought pops into your head from nowhere and pulls you away. We stop, shake the thought out of our mind and try again.
Nice deep breathe in, down and out. Nice deep breathe in, down and out. Concentrate on the nostrils and feel the air moving through your body. Experience each part of the breathe, beginning, middle and end. Then another. Then another. With eyes closed force the eyes to look at the tip of your nose. Concentrate on that small spot on the tip of your nose as you just breathe, naturally, in and out. "Was that an airplane that I just heard"? "That sounded kind of close". "Wonder where it is going"?" I wish I was on a plane to Aruba". "I need a vacation". "WTF, here we go again". "First it was gas, now it's an airplane". "I must be crazy". "I'll never get this meditation right". " I can't stay focused for more than a few seconds". Relax. You are not crazy. You have Monkey Brain. We all do. When you take away the minds ability to do what it does, process information, it reaches into the subconscious and does it itself.
Remember earlier when we spoke of subconscious/conscious? Since the goal of meditation is to live in the exact moment we need to train the mind to go along for the ride, to process conscious information. But with a still mind, free of stimuli the mind doesn't know what to do and revolts. If it is not given information to process it will go get its own or jump on the first available, the barking dog or the airplane. So again, you are not crazy, just human. Everyone's mind operates this way we just never knew it until we start meditating.
When we meditate two thing are happening simultaneously, concentration and awareness. Let's review concentration. We force ourselves to focus (concentrate) on an object. We pick this object and direct our concentration to it. We don't move from it, we don't flinch, we stay focused. All our energy is directed to this object. We lock on and hold on. But in reality we cannot out think the mind so we become distracted. Something occurs to let the mind pull us away. We lose concentration and we need to get it back. We need help. This is where awareness comes into play.
Next post - DEALING WITH DISTRACTIONS - PT 2, AWARENESS
Nice deep breathe in, down and out. Nice deep breathe in, down and out. Concentrate on the nostrils and feel the air moving through your body. Experience each part of the breathe, beginning, middle and end. Then another. Then another. With eyes closed force the eyes to look at the tip of your nose. Concentrate on that small spot on the tip of your nose as you just breathe, naturally, in and out. I think I need to get gas for the car today. "WTF was that"? "Where did that come from"? "Why am I thinking about gas when I'm meditating"? That folks is your designated distraction. A thought pops into your head from nowhere and pulls you away. We stop, shake the thought out of our mind and try again.
Nice deep breathe in, down and out. Nice deep breathe in, down and out. Concentrate on the nostrils and feel the air moving through your body. Experience each part of the breathe, beginning, middle and end. Then another. Then another. With eyes closed force the eyes to look at the tip of your nose. Concentrate on that small spot on the tip of your nose as you just breathe, naturally, in and out. "Was that an airplane that I just heard"? "That sounded kind of close". "Wonder where it is going"?" I wish I was on a plane to Aruba". "I need a vacation". "WTF, here we go again". "First it was gas, now it's an airplane". "I must be crazy". "I'll never get this meditation right". " I can't stay focused for more than a few seconds". Relax. You are not crazy. You have Monkey Brain. We all do. When you take away the minds ability to do what it does, process information, it reaches into the subconscious and does it itself.
Remember earlier when we spoke of subconscious/conscious? Since the goal of meditation is to live in the exact moment we need to train the mind to go along for the ride, to process conscious information. But with a still mind, free of stimuli the mind doesn't know what to do and revolts. If it is not given information to process it will go get its own or jump on the first available, the barking dog or the airplane. So again, you are not crazy, just human. Everyone's mind operates this way we just never knew it until we start meditating.
When we meditate two thing are happening simultaneously, concentration and awareness. Let's review concentration. We force ourselves to focus (concentrate) on an object. We pick this object and direct our concentration to it. We don't move from it, we don't flinch, we stay focused. All our energy is directed to this object. We lock on and hold on. But in reality we cannot out think the mind so we become distracted. Something occurs to let the mind pull us away. We lose concentration and we need to get it back. We need help. This is where awareness comes into play.
Next post - DEALING WITH DISTRACTIONS - PT 2, AWARENESS
Monday, November 12, 2018
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION PART VI
DISTRACTIONS...
Webster's Dictionary defines a distraction as, "An object that directs one's attention away from something". In real time let's look at it this way. Say you are studying for an exam and you hear a dog barking or a fly lands on your head. The concentration you had on the subject matter is gone and has been replaced by the sound of the dog or the feeling of the fly. So you regroup and get back to studying. This may happen a number of times during your studies unless you are locked away in an isolation chamber free from outside distractions. So let's assume you can lock yourself away. No dogs barking no pesky insects. Life and concentration are good again. EXCEPT...
We possess a little thing called the mind and the mind likes to work and think. Did you ever lay down at night, tired, ready for sleep and all of a sudden you have thoughts of things that have no business interfering with your want to just shut down and sleep? Gotta get the car inspected, have to pick Grandma up at the airport, should have painted the bathroom blue instead of green and on and on. Subconscious thought. The mind operates on roughly 90% subconscious and 10% conscious thought so there's a whole lot of stuff in there. Everything we do, everything we experience is stashed in a file in our brain waiting for whenever it may be useful. All day the mind is processing information and locking it away. Lights, sounds, feelings, all of what life throws at us. The mind observes, processes and stores. So when we lay down at night we expect it to just shut off. And if we are lucky enough to accomplish this in a reasonable amount of time the mind never really stops. Without external stimulation the mind creates its own by going into the storage units and pulling stuff out. This is why we dream or have nightmares while we sleep. The mind likes to work. So what does all this have to do with meditation?
Well, we were talking about distractions during meditation and they can come in the form of sound, feeling or thought. Let's go back and breathe. Just relax and concentrate on the air moving in and out of the nose. How long can you sustain this concentration before you hear something, feel something, or think something? My guess is not to long. If the outside (sound or feeling) doesn't get you the inside (thought will). And eventually the outside manifests itself inside. A barking dog then allows the mind to analyze where the sound is coming from, how many dogs are there, how far away they are, is it a friendly or mean bark, and why is this stupid dog barking while I'm trying to meditate. All in the matter of seconds but valuable time taken away from the concentration needed for meditation. So how do we get around the inevitable distraction?
Next post...DEALING WITH DISTRACTIONS - PT 1
Webster's Dictionary defines a distraction as, "An object that directs one's attention away from something". In real time let's look at it this way. Say you are studying for an exam and you hear a dog barking or a fly lands on your head. The concentration you had on the subject matter is gone and has been replaced by the sound of the dog or the feeling of the fly. So you regroup and get back to studying. This may happen a number of times during your studies unless you are locked away in an isolation chamber free from outside distractions. So let's assume you can lock yourself away. No dogs barking no pesky insects. Life and concentration are good again. EXCEPT...
We possess a little thing called the mind and the mind likes to work and think. Did you ever lay down at night, tired, ready for sleep and all of a sudden you have thoughts of things that have no business interfering with your want to just shut down and sleep? Gotta get the car inspected, have to pick Grandma up at the airport, should have painted the bathroom blue instead of green and on and on. Subconscious thought. The mind operates on roughly 90% subconscious and 10% conscious thought so there's a whole lot of stuff in there. Everything we do, everything we experience is stashed in a file in our brain waiting for whenever it may be useful. All day the mind is processing information and locking it away. Lights, sounds, feelings, all of what life throws at us. The mind observes, processes and stores. So when we lay down at night we expect it to just shut off. And if we are lucky enough to accomplish this in a reasonable amount of time the mind never really stops. Without external stimulation the mind creates its own by going into the storage units and pulling stuff out. This is why we dream or have nightmares while we sleep. The mind likes to work. So what does all this have to do with meditation?
Well, we were talking about distractions during meditation and they can come in the form of sound, feeling or thought. Let's go back and breathe. Just relax and concentrate on the air moving in and out of the nose. How long can you sustain this concentration before you hear something, feel something, or think something? My guess is not to long. If the outside (sound or feeling) doesn't get you the inside (thought will). And eventually the outside manifests itself inside. A barking dog then allows the mind to analyze where the sound is coming from, how many dogs are there, how far away they are, is it a friendly or mean bark, and why is this stupid dog barking while I'm trying to meditate. All in the matter of seconds but valuable time taken away from the concentration needed for meditation. So how do we get around the inevitable distraction?
Next post...DEALING WITH DISTRACTIONS - PT 1
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION PART V
SO HOW DO I MEDITATE...
So you've found your style and form of meditation and are ready to go. Now what. Without the proper preparation and guidance you could wallow endlessly for weeks only to become frustrated and quit. It happens, it happened to me.
My story...
I decided many years ago that I wanted to meditate. So I downloaded an app onto my phone. The next morning when the alarm went off I sat up in bed, put on my headphones, turned on the app and away I went. Away I went back to sleep. Within minutes I was back in la la land. No meditating. Maybe snoring but no meditating. Thinking I was just over tired I tried my experiment the next morning with similar results. So I tweaked my process and tried that evening. I didn't fall asleep but I was nowhere close to meditating. Over the course of the next few days I tried different times and places but could not connect. I could hear the instructor tell me to breathe and relax but I could not "get in the zone". Frustrated, I quit.
I put my desire on hold and started studying Buddhism and Hinduism. Not for religious values but because I learned that this is where meditation began so what better place to start. I read the Buddhas 4 Noble Truths and 8 Fold Path. I absorbed as much information as I could. I studied everything I could get my hands on to learn about meditation. I took local classes and eventually took an in depth course to become a Meditation Instructor. Please know that I had no intention on instructing anyone but did it for personal information and betterment. And I continue to study and learn today.
As mentioned in an earlier post (I suggest, if you haven't already, go back to the first post and start there) that we need a dedicated time and place to meditate. Get comfortable, close your eyes, relax and breathe. Go ahead, try it. Breathe, again, again and again. Easy, huh? Let's break it down.
All forms of meditation require concentration. Without concentration the mind takes over and all you achieve are minutes of thinking of the past or planning for the future. Remember, meditation is about living in the exact moment. So let's look at concentration. Again, in a previous post I suggest we use the breathe as our focal point. Close your eyes and take a deep breathe in through your nose, down to the lungs and back out. Do it again but this time focus on your nostril and feel the experience as the air enters and exits the nose. This is our exact point of concentration. Each beginning, middle and end of the breathe is our exact moment. Each breathe and each part of each breathe is a new experience happening at the exact moment we experience it. This is how we experience living in the moment. Practice the breathing technique as you sit quietly but beware, DISTRACTIONS AHEAD.
Next post...DISTRACTIONS
So you've found your style and form of meditation and are ready to go. Now what. Without the proper preparation and guidance you could wallow endlessly for weeks only to become frustrated and quit. It happens, it happened to me.
My story...
I decided many years ago that I wanted to meditate. So I downloaded an app onto my phone. The next morning when the alarm went off I sat up in bed, put on my headphones, turned on the app and away I went. Away I went back to sleep. Within minutes I was back in la la land. No meditating. Maybe snoring but no meditating. Thinking I was just over tired I tried my experiment the next morning with similar results. So I tweaked my process and tried that evening. I didn't fall asleep but I was nowhere close to meditating. Over the course of the next few days I tried different times and places but could not connect. I could hear the instructor tell me to breathe and relax but I could not "get in the zone". Frustrated, I quit.
I put my desire on hold and started studying Buddhism and Hinduism. Not for religious values but because I learned that this is where meditation began so what better place to start. I read the Buddhas 4 Noble Truths and 8 Fold Path. I absorbed as much information as I could. I studied everything I could get my hands on to learn about meditation. I took local classes and eventually took an in depth course to become a Meditation Instructor. Please know that I had no intention on instructing anyone but did it for personal information and betterment. And I continue to study and learn today.
As mentioned in an earlier post (I suggest, if you haven't already, go back to the first post and start there) that we need a dedicated time and place to meditate. Get comfortable, close your eyes, relax and breathe. Go ahead, try it. Breathe, again, again and again. Easy, huh? Let's break it down.
All forms of meditation require concentration. Without concentration the mind takes over and all you achieve are minutes of thinking of the past or planning for the future. Remember, meditation is about living in the exact moment. So let's look at concentration. Again, in a previous post I suggest we use the breathe as our focal point. Close your eyes and take a deep breathe in through your nose, down to the lungs and back out. Do it again but this time focus on your nostril and feel the experience as the air enters and exits the nose. This is our exact point of concentration. Each beginning, middle and end of the breathe is our exact moment. Each breathe and each part of each breathe is a new experience happening at the exact moment we experience it. This is how we experience living in the moment. Practice the breathing technique as you sit quietly but beware, DISTRACTIONS AHEAD.
Next post...DISTRACTIONS
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION PART IV
SO NOW WHAT...
There are two options available for those that wish to learn how to meditate. The first is to travel to Bhutan, join a Buddhist temple, dress in a red robe, and spend hours per day in meditation. The other is the self taught version. If you are looking to achieve total enlightenment, Nirvana, I strongly suggest the first. If you are looking for a calmer, more peaceful and compassionate lifestyle the second should suffice, providing you do it right.
Before you download a meditation app and try to walk though it alone may I suggest a few simple pointers. Please keep in mind that the following is not a quick fix to understanding today's struggles and suffering but a starting point. If you are putting a timeframe on it, "I'll meditate everyday for a month then if I don't see significant results I'm done", you are already done. Meditation is learned though consistent, long term practice and lot's and lot's of patience. If it took Buddha many days of total isolation and constant meditation to understand it you probably aren't going to get it in a month of 20 minute daily sessions. While the destination (if ever achieved) is glorious, meditation is more about the personal journey, so relax and enjoy the ride.
If no one ever told you, the first thing you need to do is find enough uninterrupted time that you can devote to your session. In the beginning, 15 - 20 minutes will do. Don't try and "squeeze it in" but plan for it. Schedule it the same as you would a meal or bedtime. Mark it on your calendar and stick to it.
Then you need to find a quiet place where you can concentrate undisturbed. No cell phone, no tv, no kids running back and forth but a safe, quiet area. It could be a closet for all it matters. The location is not as important as the environment which must be quiet. Sit in the car in the garage if that's the place but find that place.
You need to get comfortable. If the body is not relaxed, the mind will not calm. You can sit in any of the suggested seated poses, full lotus, half lotus or Burmese (Google them) or sit in a chair. Yes, you can sit in a chair provided your spine is not supported, it is erect/straight and your feet are touching the ground. You can also kneel, stand and even walk, although the latter is for more advanced meditators. Whichever position you choose, comfort is the rule.
Close your eyes, relax and just breathe. A point of concentration is needed to try and stay focused. You can use a candle, a tree, a spot on a wall but you may find it easiest to just focus on your breath. It is consistent and reliable as it will happen naturally over and over. It is always there no matter where you choose to meditate and is easier than carrying candles and a lighter around. Start by following your breath into your nostrils, down onto the lungs and back out again. Breathe naturally and connect with the pattern of in and out, over and over. Devote all your mental concentration to the simple pattern of your breath. Take each individual breath as it comes, letting it go when it ends and picking up as the next one begins. YOU WILL GET DISTRACTED AND LOSE YOUR CONCENTRATION. Patience. Just let go of the distraction and concentrate on the breath.
Unfortunately, you will probably spend more time in the beginning days, weeks or months more distracted than focused but that's ok. It happens to us all. Over time you will see more time spent in the moment than looking backward or ahead. Meditation is about learning, remember that word, learning, how to stay in the moment. Over time those moments become strung together and we start to achieve peace within ourselves which manifests itself into peacefulness in our outside self. It will happen. Just relax, breathe, concentrate and practice patience.
Next post...SO HOW DO I MEDITATE
There are two options available for those that wish to learn how to meditate. The first is to travel to Bhutan, join a Buddhist temple, dress in a red robe, and spend hours per day in meditation. The other is the self taught version. If you are looking to achieve total enlightenment, Nirvana, I strongly suggest the first. If you are looking for a calmer, more peaceful and compassionate lifestyle the second should suffice, providing you do it right.
Before you download a meditation app and try to walk though it alone may I suggest a few simple pointers. Please keep in mind that the following is not a quick fix to understanding today's struggles and suffering but a starting point. If you are putting a timeframe on it, "I'll meditate everyday for a month then if I don't see significant results I'm done", you are already done. Meditation is learned though consistent, long term practice and lot's and lot's of patience. If it took Buddha many days of total isolation and constant meditation to understand it you probably aren't going to get it in a month of 20 minute daily sessions. While the destination (if ever achieved) is glorious, meditation is more about the personal journey, so relax and enjoy the ride.
If no one ever told you, the first thing you need to do is find enough uninterrupted time that you can devote to your session. In the beginning, 15 - 20 minutes will do. Don't try and "squeeze it in" but plan for it. Schedule it the same as you would a meal or bedtime. Mark it on your calendar and stick to it.
Then you need to find a quiet place where you can concentrate undisturbed. No cell phone, no tv, no kids running back and forth but a safe, quiet area. It could be a closet for all it matters. The location is not as important as the environment which must be quiet. Sit in the car in the garage if that's the place but find that place.
You need to get comfortable. If the body is not relaxed, the mind will not calm. You can sit in any of the suggested seated poses, full lotus, half lotus or Burmese (Google them) or sit in a chair. Yes, you can sit in a chair provided your spine is not supported, it is erect/straight and your feet are touching the ground. You can also kneel, stand and even walk, although the latter is for more advanced meditators. Whichever position you choose, comfort is the rule.
Close your eyes, relax and just breathe. A point of concentration is needed to try and stay focused. You can use a candle, a tree, a spot on a wall but you may find it easiest to just focus on your breath. It is consistent and reliable as it will happen naturally over and over. It is always there no matter where you choose to meditate and is easier than carrying candles and a lighter around. Start by following your breath into your nostrils, down onto the lungs and back out again. Breathe naturally and connect with the pattern of in and out, over and over. Devote all your mental concentration to the simple pattern of your breath. Take each individual breath as it comes, letting it go when it ends and picking up as the next one begins. YOU WILL GET DISTRACTED AND LOSE YOUR CONCENTRATION. Patience. Just let go of the distraction and concentrate on the breath.
Unfortunately, you will probably spend more time in the beginning days, weeks or months more distracted than focused but that's ok. It happens to us all. Over time you will see more time spent in the moment than looking backward or ahead. Meditation is about learning, remember that word, learning, how to stay in the moment. Over time those moments become strung together and we start to achieve peace within ourselves which manifests itself into peacefulness in our outside self. It will happen. Just relax, breathe, concentrate and practice patience.
Next post...SO HOW DO I MEDITATE
Friday, October 19, 2018
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION PART III
SO HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT PRACTICE...
Do you know there are literally hundreds of different styles of meditation? And within those styles there are different forms? No joke, meditation is a pretty big deal. So how does one go about picking the right style and form?
Let's examine a few...
Different styles of meditation include Transcendental Meditation (TM), Zazen, Mindfulness, Vipassana, Loving Kindness (Metta), Qigong, Christian (yep, if you ever prayed the rosary you've meditated), Sufi, Tai Chi, Yoga and on and on and on. Each has its own subscribed set of guidelines. Loving Kindness (Metta) suggests that one sits, eye closed and generates mind and heart feelings of love and kindness. It is basically a wishing of well being towards all. Transcendental Meditation is a seated, chanting (Mantra) form that is practiced for 15 - 20 minutes, twice daily. The goal is to transcend space and energy to total enlightenment. I could continue down the list but that would take too long so I suggest you Google types of meditation for the comprehensive list.
Different forms of meditation include silent, guided, chanting (Mantra) and moving. Silent meditations are just that, a form of meditation where the meditator sits quietly as in Vipassana. Guided meditation can be applied to many styles and consists of an instructor, either live or through audio to guide the meditator through the session. Chanting is also called Mantra, as in TM and calls for the focus to be on a specific word, i.e. Om, Yam, etc. This can be done verbally or silently. And yes, there is moving meditation in the form of Tai Chi and Yoga. Please keep in mind that due to the extensive styles and forms of meditation, many may mirror or cross over into others. An example of this is Mindfulness which is a stripped down version of Vipassana which is a version of Zen Buddhist.
Seems kind of mind boggling and leaves one to wonder, "So where do I go from here"? Relax, take a deep breathe, it's easier than it reads. Know that whichever style or form of meditation you select, they are all just avenues that ultimately take you to the same destination, you. Meditation is all about peeling away the layers of the onion to get to the core so one can see what's there and choose what, if anything, you want to do about it. And simply because you start with one doesn't mean you can't switch at some point or co-mingle. On any given day I may practice Vipassana, or Metta or Mindfulness. Again, each is just an exercise to get to the real me.
Do the research, study the different styles and forms and pick one. Experiment. Meditation should be a daily, life long venture. We are never finished so there is no rush. They all work, it just comes down to an individual comfort level. In a short while you will find whatever works for you and you will be on your way.
Next post...SO NOW WHAT
Do you know there are literally hundreds of different styles of meditation? And within those styles there are different forms? No joke, meditation is a pretty big deal. So how does one go about picking the right style and form?
Let's examine a few...
Different styles of meditation include Transcendental Meditation (TM), Zazen, Mindfulness, Vipassana, Loving Kindness (Metta), Qigong, Christian (yep, if you ever prayed the rosary you've meditated), Sufi, Tai Chi, Yoga and on and on and on. Each has its own subscribed set of guidelines. Loving Kindness (Metta) suggests that one sits, eye closed and generates mind and heart feelings of love and kindness. It is basically a wishing of well being towards all. Transcendental Meditation is a seated, chanting (Mantra) form that is practiced for 15 - 20 minutes, twice daily. The goal is to transcend space and energy to total enlightenment. I could continue down the list but that would take too long so I suggest you Google types of meditation for the comprehensive list.
Different forms of meditation include silent, guided, chanting (Mantra) and moving. Silent meditations are just that, a form of meditation where the meditator sits quietly as in Vipassana. Guided meditation can be applied to many styles and consists of an instructor, either live or through audio to guide the meditator through the session. Chanting is also called Mantra, as in TM and calls for the focus to be on a specific word, i.e. Om, Yam, etc. This can be done verbally or silently. And yes, there is moving meditation in the form of Tai Chi and Yoga. Please keep in mind that due to the extensive styles and forms of meditation, many may mirror or cross over into others. An example of this is Mindfulness which is a stripped down version of Vipassana which is a version of Zen Buddhist.
Seems kind of mind boggling and leaves one to wonder, "So where do I go from here"? Relax, take a deep breathe, it's easier than it reads. Know that whichever style or form of meditation you select, they are all just avenues that ultimately take you to the same destination, you. Meditation is all about peeling away the layers of the onion to get to the core so one can see what's there and choose what, if anything, you want to do about it. And simply because you start with one doesn't mean you can't switch at some point or co-mingle. On any given day I may practice Vipassana, or Metta or Mindfulness. Again, each is just an exercise to get to the real me.
Do the research, study the different styles and forms and pick one. Experiment. Meditation should be a daily, life long venture. We are never finished so there is no rush. They all work, it just comes down to an individual comfort level. In a short while you will find whatever works for you and you will be on your way.
Next post...SO NOW WHAT
Friday, October 12, 2018
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION PART II
SO WHY SHOULD YOU MEDITATE...
Most of us think that life is pretty good. We value our existence on how much money we have, or our relationships, or our home, or our job, or our families. We always look at the outside. If the outside looks good then life must be good.
My story...
I spent most of my adult life working, owning homes, buying new cars every few years, married, raising children, taking vacations. I was successful and happy, right? I exercised, kept myself relatively healthy, wore nice clothes. I was successful and happy, right? I had all the toys, golf clubs and memberships, fitness center in my basement, tanning salon visits, cameras and telescopes. I was successful and happy, right?
Factoid. In today's hectic world 43% of adults suffer some form of adverse affect from stress. 75% of all doctor visits are stress related, headache, blood pressure, heart conditions, anxiety, even cancer. It costs U.S. businesses $ 300,000,000.00 annually dealing with employee related stress issues. So chances are you suffer some form of stress. The problem is that once stress settles in we are automatically behind the eight ball trying to catch up which ironically causes more stress. As hard as we try to look good and successful on the outside we may be killing ourselves on the inside as I was. If you exercise, eat right, sleep well good for you. But, when was the last time you did something productive for your mind?
When the mind is calm the body will relax and in this state the body will follow the mind. This interconnection between mind and body is how we heal. When we learn to manage our stress we become more relaxed, the body responds accordingly and we feel better. If we continue to put ourselves in the path of stress, which most times cannot be avoided, we better have a plan to deal with it. This is why we should meditate. Meditation is not magic or supernatural. It does not come in a pill or liquid form. It is a practice that allows the mind to stay single pointed and focused. It is medication for the mind. It is the pressure relief valve that just may save your life.
So I leave you with this. We have all seen, maybe experienced someone who's body is sound but the mind no longer functions. The term "Brain Dead". Life for all intent and purpose is over. We have all seen, maybe experienced someone who's mind is sound but the body no longer functions. The term "Paraplegic". Pretty extreme examples, I know, but needed to make a point. That point being that you can exist with a mind and no body easier than a body with no mind so remember to pay equal attention to both. Don't leave the mind out on an island and expect great results. Nurture it, respect it and give it it's medication. Meditate.
Next post...HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT PRACTICE
Most of us think that life is pretty good. We value our existence on how much money we have, or our relationships, or our home, or our job, or our families. We always look at the outside. If the outside looks good then life must be good.
My story...
I spent most of my adult life working, owning homes, buying new cars every few years, married, raising children, taking vacations. I was successful and happy, right? I exercised, kept myself relatively healthy, wore nice clothes. I was successful and happy, right? I had all the toys, golf clubs and memberships, fitness center in my basement, tanning salon visits, cameras and telescopes. I was successful and happy, right?
Factoid. In today's hectic world 43% of adults suffer some form of adverse affect from stress. 75% of all doctor visits are stress related, headache, blood pressure, heart conditions, anxiety, even cancer. It costs U.S. businesses $ 300,000,000.00 annually dealing with employee related stress issues. So chances are you suffer some form of stress. The problem is that once stress settles in we are automatically behind the eight ball trying to catch up which ironically causes more stress. As hard as we try to look good and successful on the outside we may be killing ourselves on the inside as I was. If you exercise, eat right, sleep well good for you. But, when was the last time you did something productive for your mind?
When the mind is calm the body will relax and in this state the body will follow the mind. This interconnection between mind and body is how we heal. When we learn to manage our stress we become more relaxed, the body responds accordingly and we feel better. If we continue to put ourselves in the path of stress, which most times cannot be avoided, we better have a plan to deal with it. This is why we should meditate. Meditation is not magic or supernatural. It does not come in a pill or liquid form. It is a practice that allows the mind to stay single pointed and focused. It is medication for the mind. It is the pressure relief valve that just may save your life.
So I leave you with this. We have all seen, maybe experienced someone who's body is sound but the mind no longer functions. The term "Brain Dead". Life for all intent and purpose is over. We have all seen, maybe experienced someone who's mind is sound but the body no longer functions. The term "Paraplegic". Pretty extreme examples, I know, but needed to make a point. That point being that you can exist with a mind and no body easier than a body with no mind so remember to pay equal attention to both. Don't leave the mind out on an island and expect great results. Nurture it, respect it and give it it's medication. Meditate.
Next post...HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT PRACTICE
Friday, October 5, 2018
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION PART I
THE HISTORY OF MEDITATION...
Meditation has a rich and long history in the world dating back 2500 years. Yep, 2500 years to the time before Christ. The story goes something like this...
An Indian Prince, Siddhartha Gautama was born sometime around the year 550 BC to nobility in Nepal. His father was the King of the Shakyas tribe, his mother dying within days of giving birth. Siddhartha spent the better part of his first 30 years in total seclusion behind the safe, lavish wall of his Father's palace. He eventually ventured outside the palace walls where he experienced a completely different life, old age, disease and death. He quickly returned to the safe haven of the palace where he started to question his existence to date. The next day he left the palace and his family on a quest to understand the suffering he experienced the day before.
For the next 6 years he lived the life of a pauper and studied the practices taught by local religious leaders. When the answers he was seeking did not appear he doubled down on his efforts going for long periods without sleep and nourishment, thinking this may clear his mind as he prayed. He soon realized, upon pending death from lack of food, water and sleep that his answer did not exist in extremism but in a "Middle Path", the point between denial (no food, water or sleep) and over indulgence (royalty).
The next day he ventured alone into the woods with a supply of rice and water. He found a position under a Bodhi tree (Tree of Life) and vowed not to return until he realized the truths he sought. After several days of deep thought he found the answer he was searching for to help end suffering. At this point he achieved enlightenment, the state of perfect wisdom and infinite compassion.
He returned to his village and as word spread of his adventure he was then and forever known as Buddha (He who is Awoke). He spend the remaining 50 years of his life, yep, he lived into his 80's, teaching his followers the path to enlightenment. His teachings have been recognized as the most profound and influential of all time. It is the practice known today as meditation.
Next post...WHY SHOULD YOU MEDITATE
Meditation has a rich and long history in the world dating back 2500 years. Yep, 2500 years to the time before Christ. The story goes something like this...
An Indian Prince, Siddhartha Gautama was born sometime around the year 550 BC to nobility in Nepal. His father was the King of the Shakyas tribe, his mother dying within days of giving birth. Siddhartha spent the better part of his first 30 years in total seclusion behind the safe, lavish wall of his Father's palace. He eventually ventured outside the palace walls where he experienced a completely different life, old age, disease and death. He quickly returned to the safe haven of the palace where he started to question his existence to date. The next day he left the palace and his family on a quest to understand the suffering he experienced the day before.
For the next 6 years he lived the life of a pauper and studied the practices taught by local religious leaders. When the answers he was seeking did not appear he doubled down on his efforts going for long periods without sleep and nourishment, thinking this may clear his mind as he prayed. He soon realized, upon pending death from lack of food, water and sleep that his answer did not exist in extremism but in a "Middle Path", the point between denial (no food, water or sleep) and over indulgence (royalty).
The next day he ventured alone into the woods with a supply of rice and water. He found a position under a Bodhi tree (Tree of Life) and vowed not to return until he realized the truths he sought. After several days of deep thought he found the answer he was searching for to help end suffering. At this point he achieved enlightenment, the state of perfect wisdom and infinite compassion.
He returned to his village and as word spread of his adventure he was then and forever known as Buddha (He who is Awoke). He spend the remaining 50 years of his life, yep, he lived into his 80's, teaching his followers the path to enlightenment. His teachings have been recognized as the most profound and influential of all time. It is the practice known today as meditation.
Next post...WHY SHOULD YOU MEDITATE
Saturday, September 1, 2018
The Wonders of Water
When Fred & I researched relaxation and natural healing therapies for Revitalize - A Sewickley Wellness Centre, we knew that “water” had to be included in our mind and body approach to wellness.
Here are some facts: According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%. When we are born we are 78% water and as we age adult males are 65% water (that’s why they lose weight quickly, ladies) and adult females are 55% water (sorry we have more fat!). Nutritionally, water is essential to the everyday function of our bodies. But why is it so calming? I found the following article that says it all and I could not think of a way to improve the message. So, I am sharing it with you.
“Water has always been emphasized for its nutritional value, but its other healing benefits shouldn’t be overlooked. Even observing the ocean or a flowing stream of water can soothe the troubled mind. Perhaps one of the reasons we feel so comfortable in the water and listening to the sounds of rushing water is because it mimics the fetal state. From conception, we develop while floating in the embryonic fluids of our mother’s womb. Floating on the surface of a warm bath or pool can draw us into a state of total comfort and relaxation as we subconsciously return to feeling completely nurtured and protected, just like we did before birth. When we surrender our need to be physically grounded and allow the water to hold us, we also lose our need for rigid self-control and total self-reliance. One of the best ways to mentally unwind and relieve stress is to go for a swim, then float on your back and do some simple deep breathing.
Listening to water during meditation and visualizing water are two excellent ways to help reduce stress after a long, difficult day. The body, when held in a constant state of tension for long periods of time, has been proven to suffer – scientists have found a link between consistently high stress levels and an increased chance of getting heart disease, cancer, anxiety disorders and other serious conditions. The following exercise will help you take advantage of the healing power of water to reduce your stress levels and stay well.
Step 1: Begin by taking some deep breaths. Continue to breathe until you quiet your thoughts and feel relaxed.
Step 2: Start to envision any kind of water: an ocean, a stream, a brook, even the rain. Construct this visual in your mind, then try to picture what the water sounds like. Focus solely on the images and sounds running through your mind. How does the sight and sound of the water make you feel?
Step 3: Now, picture immersing yourself in the water. Whether it’s allowing the rain to glide over your skin, or diving head-first into a beautiful, warm pool, visualize your anxiety, fear, anger and stress melting away as soon as the water touches your body.
Step 4: Close the exercise with a few deep breaths, and exit the meditation feeling cleansed and revitalized.”
Experience the wonders of water and floating yourself. Our Flotation Suite is glorious and not the least bit intimidating. https://www.revitalizesewickley.com/floatsuite.html
©Universal Copyright 2017 is authorized here. Please distribute freely as long as both the author Alexa Pellegrini and www.QuantumStones.com are included as the resource and this information is distributed on a non-commercial no charge basis.
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Nitric Oxide
1992 "Molecule of the Year!"
What is it? It was given the title of "Molecule of Life". Nitric Oxide is a fundamental element in energy and stamina. Three scientists (Ignerro, L., Furchgott, R., & Murad, F.) received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1998 for their discovery in the role of Nitric Oxide in regulating blood pressure and its cardio-protective properties to the heart! If that is not enough- Nitric Oxide (NO) increases circulation and oxygenation improving natural energy and stamina. NO aides in post-exercise recovery and is the "brass ring" all athletes are trying to grab! But you do not need to be an athlete to feel the fantastic benefits of NO and increased ATP.
How do I get it? You can get Nitric Oxide through diet and lifestyle! Nutritious foods high in dietary nitrates (beets) and exercise. Don't like beets, no worries LightStim LED Light Therapy Bed is an FDA cleared device that stimulates explicitly (here comes the science) the mitochondrial cell to produce ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) and Nitric Oxide! A session in the LightStim LED Bed is how to get it. All you have to do is lie down and relax. Revitalize-A Sewickley Wellness Centre is the only location to find the LightStim LED Light Therapy Bed in the tristate area. No kidding!
Why do I need it? If you want more energy, more physical stamina and the cardio-protective qualities of Nitric Oxide - you want this therapy. As we age (sorry) Men by age 40, your NO levels have dropped by 50%!! Staggering. Women after age 40 your NO levels drop by 35%!! No wonder you are grabbing for that afternoon coffee. Whatever your "stressor", over-training for an athletic event or the chronic stress of life, Nitric Oxide is your "Molecule of Life".
Please call us at 412-356-5986 or visit us @ www.revitalizesewickley.com
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
WHAT IS THE CONCEPT BEHIND OUR WELLNESS CENTRE?
If you are a chef, you want to open a restaurant. Not just any restaurant but the best restaurant on the face of the earth. Your baby, your creation. From plates to menu, window dressings to salad dressing, your fingerprint. You search out location, design the floor plan, review details with contractors, hire support staff, create menus. Every detail right down to the "thank you" as your clientele walk out the door. All in the hopes that individuals can and will experience what you have to offer.
Our journey is not too far off. We wanted to open a Wellness Centre. Not just any Centre but the best Wellness Centre this side of the Mississippi (we will conquer the west next). Our baby, our creation, our fingerprint. We are not chefs of the wellness industry but two individuals who, although both believing in the same end result, come from two distinctly different backgrounds. One who spent a lifetime in health care, dealing with the body, educated, degreed, certified, with a belief that stress can be managed and to some degree resolved through healthy life choices. The other an individual that has learned through spiritual growth and meditation that the mind is as important as the body when it comes to wellness. So together we created our MINDANDBODY approach to wellness.
We sought out a location that was easy to get to, off the beaten path but a short walk away. Large enough to accommodate our vision but inviting enough to provide sanctuary. Somewhere that would allow each of our modalities to offer a physical enhancement to a certain part of the body while relaxing the mind. Not one big rolling gym with endless treadmills but calm, relaxing rooms.
Our Himalayan Salt Room is great for any respiratory ailment from stuffy nose to COPD to all points in between. It is also great for dermatological issues, eczema, psoriasis, seborrhea. A natural moisturizer. The Flotation Suite can ease sore joints and muscles, provide relief to headaches, migraines, concussions and jet lag and help with sleep issues. And our LED Light Stimulation Therapy Bed, our MOAB (mother of all beds) is scientifically proven to help with chronic pain, deep muscle fatigue, helps the body detox and is available in an anti-aging face panel and portable "take home" units.
"But wait, there's more". We also realized that the mind is in need of healing too so we designed each modality to be as easy as possible. When the mind is calm the body becomes relaxed, and in this state the body follows the mind. And it doesn't get any more relaxed than lying down.
Our Himalayan Salt room is as easy as sitting in an anti-gravity chair, lie back, relax and breathe. 45 minutes of rest, napping or meditating. The Flotation Suite is basically a big tub where you lie back and float in the warm Epsom salts water. Not many can avoid letting the mind go nowhere and nowhere is a glorious place. Our LED Bed is a warm panel of LED lighting that heals the body and invites calm. And the overall Centre was designed with a calm, relaxing, airy feel to allow all of our clients the oasis of tranquility missing in today's world.
Our physical, mental and spiritual MINDANDBODY approach to wellness.
Our journey is not too far off. We wanted to open a Wellness Centre. Not just any Centre but the best Wellness Centre this side of the Mississippi (we will conquer the west next). Our baby, our creation, our fingerprint. We are not chefs of the wellness industry but two individuals who, although both believing in the same end result, come from two distinctly different backgrounds. One who spent a lifetime in health care, dealing with the body, educated, degreed, certified, with a belief that stress can be managed and to some degree resolved through healthy life choices. The other an individual that has learned through spiritual growth and meditation that the mind is as important as the body when it comes to wellness. So together we created our MINDANDBODY approach to wellness.
We sought out a location that was easy to get to, off the beaten path but a short walk away. Large enough to accommodate our vision but inviting enough to provide sanctuary. Somewhere that would allow each of our modalities to offer a physical enhancement to a certain part of the body while relaxing the mind. Not one big rolling gym with endless treadmills but calm, relaxing rooms.
Our Himalayan Salt Room is great for any respiratory ailment from stuffy nose to COPD to all points in between. It is also great for dermatological issues, eczema, psoriasis, seborrhea. A natural moisturizer. The Flotation Suite can ease sore joints and muscles, provide relief to headaches, migraines, concussions and jet lag and help with sleep issues. And our LED Light Stimulation Therapy Bed, our MOAB (mother of all beds) is scientifically proven to help with chronic pain, deep muscle fatigue, helps the body detox and is available in an anti-aging face panel and portable "take home" units.
"But wait, there's more". We also realized that the mind is in need of healing too so we designed each modality to be as easy as possible. When the mind is calm the body becomes relaxed, and in this state the body follows the mind. And it doesn't get any more relaxed than lying down.
Our Himalayan Salt room is as easy as sitting in an anti-gravity chair, lie back, relax and breathe. 45 minutes of rest, napping or meditating. The Flotation Suite is basically a big tub where you lie back and float in the warm Epsom salts water. Not many can avoid letting the mind go nowhere and nowhere is a glorious place. Our LED Bed is a warm panel of LED lighting that heals the body and invites calm. And the overall Centre was designed with a calm, relaxing, airy feel to allow all of our clients the oasis of tranquility missing in today's world.
Our physical, mental and spiritual MINDANDBODY approach to wellness.
Friday, March 9, 2018
SO WHY A WELLNESS CENTRE?
Welcome to the first of what we hope to be many interesting and engaging posts about who we are and what we do. The best place to start is why we choose to open a Wellness Centre. Our story is as follows...
As the saying goes, "when life gives you lemons you make lemonade". So when life presents wellness you open a Wellness Centre. WHAT?
Life puts us where we go because, well, we belong there, it is our path. Sometimes in life we are thrust into a situation with no apparent reason as to why we are facing such a situation. Other times we can see it coming but still can't change it. It usually isn't until long after that we see the reason why. Sometimes we may not like the reason but we see it none the less. More times than I can mention here did I find myself asking, "what is going on, why is this happening to me"? It happens because that's life. Kind of a simple, stupid answer but that's the answer. No matter how hard we try or how well we prepare something, somewhere is going to pop up and cause anything from discomfort to full blown stress. Relationship problems, financial challenges, illness or death. Everyone everywhere is tasked from time to time with a life challenge. Depressing huh? But hang in there, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Since we can't change life or what may or may not happen we are best to learn how to deal with it. It's all about how we react. Many were never taught how to deal with life's problems and by the time we got caught up in them we were way past the parental learning parts of life. I remember Geography, History, Math, even Physical Education in school but never Stress 101. Granted my schooling occurred many years ago but I don't think there are many courses being offered that teach us how to deal with life. "Mama never said there would be days like this". So we react. Sometimes cool as the proverbial cucumber, others not so much. It's the not so much times that cause the angst. But in our defense we do the best we can without knowledge of what to do.
The outcome of our reaction usually manifests itself in some sort of stress. Sometimes temporary, sometimes long term or permanent. It can cause changes in eating and sleep habits, anger issues, addictions or the taking of life, ourselves or others. Generally there is not a good outcome to unmanaged stress. Thinking about stress can be stressful. And as mentioned earlier, no one is immune from it. In today's world it's all around. So we either avoid it (wouldn't that be nice) or learn how to deal with it.
It took me 60+ years of countless experiments to try and find a remedy for stress. Reading and researching and experimenting and failing to finally come out the other side with some clarity. A relief from stress.One that requires patience and vigilance and practice and will teach me how to deal instead of reacting. Or at the very least provide an avenue to beat back the stress for an hour, a day, a week. We all choose our path to wellness, that we can control. So when life presented wellness to Lisa and I we opened a wellness centre. We can attest that it works in our personal lives. Our MINDANDBODY approach to wellness that encompasses physical, mental and spiritual well being... Revitalize - A Sewickley Wellness Centre.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)