Overcome Addiction - Hows and Whys of Meditation |
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"You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness. What you'll
discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself." - Alan Alda
Meditation is widely promoted as a tool for relaxation, stress relief,
and improved health and wellness benefits, which I have outlined below;
1. Relaxes the body, mind and rejuvenates one's flow of energy in order to more effectively face the responsibilities of one's demanding and active life.
2. To heal illnesses (especially psychosomatic ones.)
3. Reduces mental and emotional levels of stress.
4. To develop a more relaxed and positive view towards life.
5. To develop a peaceful and more clearly functioning mind.
6. To increase one's ability to penetrate into the core of problems and find inspirational solutions.
7. To tune into a creative inspirations for artistic expression.
10. A method of self-observation and self-discovery.
11. Increases circulation and decrease blood pressure.
While all of the above-mentioned benefits are products of the practice of mediation it is not the primary purpose!
The purpose of meditation is to make contact with your higher consciousness or true self. Then and only then will
you tap into your true potential! To successfully achieve this connection we must learn to quiet the mind.
Initially the mind will attempt to resist shutting down. However, with some regular practice and persistence the
mind will eventually become quiet. When the mind becomes quiet the ego will begin to take a back seat, and you will
learn to listen to your inner guidance. When following the guidance of your higher consciousness you will make
decisions in your life that will foster your happiness, and you will also view the world from a completely
different perspective. All of a sudden you will understand the universal connection that exists between all of
God's children, and that what you say and do ultimately affects the masses. Plain and simple, the universe can
do a much better job of running our lives than we can. We tend to make a mess of things, don't we? So, if you
want to achieve balance, true happiness and receive the abundance that the universe has to offer, learn to meditate!!
The use of Music in meditation
There are many options available for Compact Disks, which are promoted as guided meditation systems. However, I want
you to understand what role music plays in the meditation process, and why the music in and of itself is merely a tool
and not the key element to connecting to your true self. If it is not a key element to the end process, why use music
at all? Well, there is something to be said for certain patterns of sound that are in fact conducive to a higher state
of consciousness. You see, it is not the music itself, but rather the vibrations in the music that match the energy
patterns of higher levels of consciousness! Therefore, it is not really about choosing soothing relaxation music,
although we must relax the mind and body to move towards a meditative state. You see, certain types of music contain
binaural beats. The binaural beat is perceived as a fluctuating rhythm at the frequency of the difference between the
two auditory inputs, and since higher states of consciousness consist of electromagnetic subtle energies that resonate
at lower frequencies, the binaural beats match these frequencies. There are five different patterns of brainwaves,
ranging from Gamma waves to Theta waves. Alpha and Theta brainwaves are commonly perceived as the patterns that are
most present during a meditative state. Therefore, it would be helpful to utilize music that resonates at these
frequencies. However, it is not just the binaural beats, but also the vibrational sound of the music that is conducive
to a higher state of consciousness. So, when listening to the meditation
music let the vibrations penetrate your mind and your body.
Unconditional Love, Fuel for the Meditation vehicle!
Meditation is the vehicle to awaken your true power, but without the appropriate fuel the vehicle will fall
far short of its destination. Think about it for a moment! How far will your vehicle run without fuel, not very far,
right? Well, the meditation vehicle is no exception to that rule, except that unconditional love is the fuel in this
case, rather than gasoline! Accomplishing unconditional love requires the removal of any resentment, and anger that
you are harboring towards others. Therefore, you must find forgiveness for others as well as your self,
if in fact you wish to fuel the meditation vehicle, and awaken your true power. To hold anger in your heart
will only block the energy from rising to the crown Chakra, thus preventing the contact with your true self.
You see, it all hinges upon unconditional love, and there is nothing more powerful!
How to Meditate
There are various ways to practice meditation, but the end result is what's important not the method. However, before
I outline my prefered method lets talk about the steps of preparation;
1. Choosing a quiet place to meditate.
Choose a place that is quiet and that you can make your own such as your bedroom or a study. Make sure it is a
place that will be free of any and all distractions that will allow you to devote at least 20 to 30 minutes,
once to two times daily. The best times are preferably, in the morning just after rising and in the evening
prior to sleep. To set the mood of your space you may utilize candles, aroma's or even meditation music.
You may also create an altar so to speak, with the things that are important to you and or the things which
you want to attract in your life.
2. Positioning of the body.
When choosing a body position for meditating the most essential element is keeping the back or spine straight.
Try to be comfortable and physically relaxed, and try to avoid moving too much. Generally speaking most eastern
philosophies teach meditation in a full lotus position. However, unless you practice yoga on a regular basis or
are extremely flexible, this can be a difficult position for most westerners to accomplish. Therefore, you may
practice mediation in a half lotus position (seated on the floor with the legs lightly crossed), seated on a
bench preferably without a back to rest, avoiding a bent back or lying down. Remember, the main objective is
to keep the back straight and to be comfortable and relaxed. If you choose the lying position, your feet should
be apart and your hands at your sides away from your body slightly. Your palms should be facing upward and your
index finger and thumb should be touching at their tips creating a conduit for the flow of universal life force
or energy. Your mouth should open slightly and your tongue should be gently up against the roof of your mouth
approximately one half inch behind your teeth. Your eyes should be relaxed and open just ever so slightly.
If this is somewhat distracting at first you may close them completely. Should you choose the full lotus, half
lotus position or a seated position you may place your hands palms up on your knees. Otherwise, all of the
previously outlined steps apply.
3. Breathing
Breathing should be slow, controlled and should involve the abdominal area. As we age we tend to shorten our breath
and we only utilize a small portion of our lung capacity. However, do not exaggerate your breathing, it should be
a relaxing process and not at all labored. Inhale through the nose drawing air into the abdomen, diaphragm and then
the chest. Exhale through the nostrils while lowering the abdomen, diaphragm, and finally the chest. One important
point; you should practice the deep breathing above for approximately 10 full breaths then slow the breathing in
an effort to reach "breathless silence." The breathing is meant to oxygenate the body, increase the flow of energy,
and aid in relaxation. However, it will not assist you in reaching a higher state of consciousness because you must
obtain breathless silence to do so!
How to Meditate
After you have positioned your body begin focusing on your breathing. Do not attempt to force your breathing and
above all try not to become frustrated if you lose your focus. Once you have taken 10 full breaths begin to slow
the breathing down while working toward a state of breathless silence. Do not have any expectations about the outcome
of this process. Expect nothing and just be!!!! Above all, do not become frustrated if you fail to shut off your mind
initially. You can not expect to shut down the mind in a matter of minutes when it has been working for a lifetime.
With practice and persistence the mind will quiet. When you begin to successfully accomplish quieting the mind you
will notice a feeling of lightness as well as tingling sensations in the body. You may even begin to see various
colors of the Chakras (7 energy centers of the body) in the location of the 6th chakra (minds eye), which is located
between the brows. This is a sign that you have peeled back the layers of ego and are beginning to reach your higher
consciousness. When you can hold the color violet of the Crown Chakra in your minds eye, this is proof that you have
indeed made contact with your inner self!! Note: If you find it difficult to locate the minds eye try briefly staring
at a lit candle for several moments prior to meditating. This will help you fixate the position of the minds eye when
closing your physical eyes. However, do not try to force the appearance of the third eye; instead let the minds eye
draw you to it!
Meditation Blocks
On occasion, some people experience difficulty with connecting to their true self. This occurs because of a block that
is preventing them from taking a stark look at who they really are. What fears and insecurities are preventing you
from wanting to know who you really are? You truly do "have nothing to fear but fear it self!" What you will find
inside will be more wonderful than you can imagine, but to get there you must be willing to set your fear aside and
take a leap of faith. If you are having trouble letting go try the following visualization in your meditation practice;
Imagine that you are standing on the bank of a crystal blue river with your back turned to the water. Know in your heart
and your mind that you will be taken care of. Let go of your worries, all of your thoughts, all of your problems,
surrender your will and fall backwards onto the river. Trust the river to take you wherever it chooses to, and know
that the outcome will be wonderful. Just float on the water and be!
Finally, to be successful at meditation you must refrain from having any expectation about the fruit of your labor!
The changes that will occur will be of a subtle nature, and will certainly not eclipse the parting of the Red Sea!
The paradox of the situation is that if you expect nothing you will reap the benefits by leaps and bounds. So just
let go and be!
If you have a question about meditation and addiction feel free to email me at vquest_coach@yahoo.com, or you can reach me at 724-203-4575 Mon-Thurs from 9am to 9pm Eastern.
Best wishes,
David Roppo
Addiction Coach
5stepstoaddictionfreedom.com
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