Meditation can be a powerful tool for changing your outlook on life, as well as for improving your overall health, creating more energy, and simply feeling great. The techniques are not at all hard to follow, but they can be life altering if used in a positive way. By giving myself as little as 30 minutes a day to meditate, I have experienced benefits that go along with my goal of reducing my stress and taking a few moments just for myself.
The Contemplative meditation practices by Elliott Dacher have benefited me in many ways. I have continued to use at least two of them every day (seven days a week). My favorites are the Subtle Mind and Meeting Aesclepius. Implementing them into my daily life has become a habit, a nightly ritual of allowing time for my body to calm down and reflect on the day. By allowing, rather than clinging to my thoughts, I found myself wandering to activities from the day, but eventually my mind would calm down and relax into the space of just witnessing without any attachment. Leaving me with a strong feeling of peace, joy, and love. I was able to enter then into a deep state of sleep, which provided healing.The steps I have developed to implement these practices into my daily life have been 1) to leave my MP3 player on the nightstand by my bed (a reminder) 2) I have all my meditations in a file that will play continuously until I turn it off, which allows me to listen to either one, two, three, or so on until I naturally come back to a state of awareness in the room. Ready for sleep. 3) I have the meditations all on my desktop of my computer. Allowing me to listen while I work (only to the mediation music practice), which provides me with soothing music providing a less stressful atmosphere. 4) Pay attention. I find myself more aware, more alive, more relaxed, and I get it. I am aware that the practices have provided many benefits. The biggest carrot of all….
Hi Cynthia,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your practice routine. That sounds absolutely wonderful! I never thought of meditating at night, but what a great idea. Anything that helps relax the mind and body in order to get a good night's sleep has got to be beneficial.
I sounds like you have a very workable and sustainable routine.
All the best,
Sherry
Hello Cynthia
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you had such success with these practices and thanks for sharing your practice routine and i really enjoyed reading it. I wish you very best with your future goals.
Afrin
Thanks for sharing Cynthia. I have to admit, I spent many years taking sleep medication because I could not simply shut my brain down. I would lay down at night and the hamster wheel was still running. Being the only female in my household, it is usually very hard to find any quiet time. This took some creative thinking on my part. The only place that I could get peace and quiet has been in the bathtub! So... I take my iPod with me and listen as the tub fills. I plan on taking on your routine for a few nights and see if I can calm my mind before bed without the use of medication. I'm so tired of being tired!
ReplyDeleteYes, the chatter of the mind. It never stops going 24/7. If only it would produce greater results!
ReplyDeleteI have had sleeping problems since a child due to the spinning mind. Thinking.....
Making meaning out of nothing. We are meaning making machines that work 27/7. What to do with it?
Learning to stop, breath, meditate, practice mindfulness whenever you can. Each moment if necessary. Take now, then now, then now. Each time you are aware of this very moment, now, then you are not thinking, but being in the moment. It takes practice and a good sense of humor. I sometimes practice mindful washing the dishes (my children thought I was a little crazy at the time). It took me an hour just to wash the dishes. Feeling the water running, watching the bubble (that was fun) and watching how my hands naturally washed the dishes without me even paying attention, it was sort of weird. In the end it taught me about how many other things we do without paying attention. Folding laundry while worrying about how I was going to finish my projects on time, when I could have been smelling the fresh fragrance of clean cloths and the soft feeling of clean towels (Look what I missed). I now find myself often, stopping (typing) and looking out my window. I have two beautiful trees that I get to watch change through the seasons. The birds building nest, the branches getting heavy with new leaves.
If we let our mind direct our thoughts we will spend our time in worry, fear, thinking about the future what ifs, and never enjoy this very moment. So, stop, listen, smell, feel, and enjoy this moment, then this one, then the next...enjoy!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI find your words very inspirational by the discipline that you are practicing. I hope that other people wiould follow in your foot steps as a way to find peace of mind and centeralize the same way that you are doing. This is practice that I have followed on my own many years ago and now its just wonderful to hear there are others like you who are enjoy the purpose of life, which is loving and remembereing oneself and others in a spiritual way.
Hi Cynthia,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post. Let just say it is a great model for me to follow. I know I would have to make some modification, but I love the method you implement, the structure and the discipline involved.
great job!
Hi Cynthia
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about doing the Subtle Mind practice every day. knowing these practices earlier in life would have made a big difference in managing stress and giving me more confidence in the choices I make. I can see myself implementing these practices into my daily life except I will do the excise in the morning. Beautiful post.