Why Meditate?
Posted on Thursday, 9 February 2012 and filed under Genevieve Tan Shu Thung , Personal Development , Spirituality and Mental Science , . You can follow any responses to this entry through theRSS 2.0 . You can leave a response or trackback to this entry from your site
Meditation is a practice of stilling the mind. The practice of meditation is not reserved solely for those who have decided to leave their family and friends, and run off to the forest in a saffron robe. Meditation is a practice for all and the benefits of practicing meditation are endless.
People used to associate the practice of meditation with finding their higher Self. Nowadays, meditation is recommended for many different reasons including relaxation, health, goal-achieving and more. Whatever your reason may be, when you practice meditation, you are sure to reap its benefits.
One of the most prominent benefits of meditation is its role in releasing stress from our bodies. Practiced regularly, meditation has been observed to keep an individual happy and relaxed. Whenever a regular meditator faces a problem, he or she is likely to deal with the issue with a clear mind instead of an agitated one. Many meditators have also reported of increased self-confidence and energy levels and healing of various diseases such as asthma, gastritis and more.
Many different methods of meditation are present today; however, all methods aim to still the mind. Methods are many, aim is one. Possibilities are infinite when one taps into the field of consciousness with a still mind.
Almost all motivational coaches today include meditation in their coaching regimen because they know how powerful stilling the mind is. When the mind is still, one is able to direct his or her conscious mind in impregnating the subconscious mind with an ‘ideal’, which will materialise in one’s objective reality over time. In touch with one’s inner Self when practicing meditation, one is more composed and will hence be clearer of his or her life's objectives. They will therefore invest their time and energy going in the direction that they feel drawn to within.
Meditation is easy and can be practiced anywhere at any given moment. All you have to do is to simply still your mind for a few minutes (preferably 20-30 minutes) every day. Just close your eyes and be one with your breath. Do not attempt to control your breathing. Your role is just to observe your breath. That is your inherent nature – an observer. The mind often loves to associate itself with forms. When something intrudes its stillness, draw it back to your breath. As time passes, you will begin to notice that your breath is becoming shorter and lighter.
Some meditators who have practiced meditation regularly for years also experience the ‘no thought’ and ‘no breath’ state. This is when the meditator becomes One with the entire Universal force, a state also known in Hindu scriptures as Samadhi. The state of Samadhi bestows one abundant flow of Cosmic Energy. Some meditators have also been able to leave their physical bodies, granting them the awareness that they are not confined to the flesh but are in fact, infinite beings. This is known as out of body experiences or astral projections. The continuous activation of the Third Eye chakra has also given some the ability to recall past life memories and much, much more.
You have nothing to lose, but all to gain in practicing meditation.
Copyright © 2012 Sandhya Maarga Holistic Living Resources
Holistic Living Annex (Volume 1, Issue 1 - FEB 2012 Edn)12 Responses for “ Why Meditate?”
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Meditation is the key to unlock the unlimited potential in you. There is no one type of meditation that is the best. We just use whatever method that appeals most to us. Thank you for the post!
I have a question. I meditate for around 20-30 minutes a day, but I'm not so sure if I was really meditating or I was just imagining that I was. How do I know if I have reached a meditative state?
Hello Jackie,
As you enter the 'meditative state', you will begin to feel that your body becomes heavier and your breath becomes shorter and lighter. As your body relaxes, you breathe less too. The aim of meditation, as I have said in the above, is to silence the mind. The silencing of the mind produces all these effects.
Whenever your mind begins to wander off to attach itself to images or thoughts, just release them and focus on your breath again.
After each meditation session, the meditator usually feels an 'inner release'. There are many other experiences, each different from others. Some may even feel energy surging through their bodies during meditation. This is due to the drawing in of Cosmic Energy of the subtle body.
When your mind has become still, that goes to show that your meditation session is at its peak. Hope that helped.
Can I ask when is the ideal time to start visualising our ideal then? And what is the best way to do it? Thanks.
Gemma,
The ideal time to start visualising your ideal is when you have tuned yourself into the meditative state. My reply to Jackie in the above lists few of the many indicators to show whether or not one has achieved the 'meditative state'.
You can gauge the level of chatter in your mind by observing your breath and feeling. When you have completely relaxed your physical body and do not feel like moving an inch, you are now linked to your inner Self more than before. Start visualising your ideal then.
Put yourself in your 'vision'. Experience the ideal as though it is happening now. The 'you' in your room meditating no longer exists except the 'you' in your vision. "See" it, "feel" it, "smell" it, "touch" it, "taste" it! Close the doors of your external five senses, but open the inner senses instead. Even though your current objective 'reality' denies that, nature abhors vacuum. It will come into being so long you surrender all current reality to that ideal.
All the best!
Hi Genevieve. I'm Kathy. I attended one of your spiritual circles in 2010 in Glasgow. I remember you telling me that the aim of meditation is not to attain any siddhas (psychic abilities), but to focus on the goal itself that is to "simple be". But if I do want to acquire some psychic abilities, with such an intention in my mind, will meditation still benefit me?
By the way, will you be coming down to the UK to organise another spiritual circle any time soon? I would love to join in.
Hello Kathy,
Yes, the Ultimate aim of meditation is to "simply be", for this will connect you to your true Self within. It is not encouraged that a practitioner places a high importance on acquiring any other things instead of just being.
Nevertheless, as I have said many times before, meditation will, without a doubt, help one develop their psychic abilities over time. These are due to the fact that you are getting more connected to your all-pervasive Self, which is infinite in nature. Hence, possibilities of what you may encounter are limitless. These are only signs to show that you are on track, but should not be seen as the final goal. Why settle for sapphire when you can catch hold of a diamond?
At the end of the day, just follow your inner calling. Whatever your goal is, no one is here to judge. Everyone is on a spiritual journey, whether one is conscious of it or not. Paths are many, but all are moving towards that same destination.
Love and light from India.
Is it safe for us to meditate more than once a day?
Hello Geraldine.
The answer to your question is 'yes'. It is safe for anyone to meditate more than once a day. Some spiritual aspirants meditate even 3 times a day (morning, mid-day and night). Some may meditate once a day, but their meditation session may be for few hours. Anyhow, do what you feel comfortable with. All the best.
Hi miss Genevieve,
Meditation is known to be a mind training that require no energy to perform it but instead ones body receives beneficial cosmic energy. Its also said as one of the eight limbs of yoga that known as dhyana. I have two questions to ask you, miss.
1. I have visited few websites about Yoga and meditation; i cant distinguish both of them. What distinguishing them, miss?
2.As far as i understood, Yoga involves both exercises and focusing (or meditation)and comes in many types. Recently i watched some youtube channel about Kundalini Yoga. I saw an abnormal reaction expressed by the performer of this type of Yoga.So,does meditation can be unsafe to one if it is practiced?
Thank You :)
@Anonymous: As the Master has said, meditation is simply the process to attain the state of 'being'. At a meditative state, the body is attuned to cosmic energy. We have referred your questions to her, and these are the answers:
1. "I have visited few websites about Yoga and meditation; i cant distinguish both of them. What distinguishing them, miss?"
According to the Master, do not be mistaken with the term "Yoga". Many people refer to Yoga solely as the spiritual exercises, which have designed to promote the flow of cosmic energy within the body that accentuates the union between mind and body. In spirituality however, Yoga is in fact used to refer to "the Path". There are four paths of Yoga namely Dhyana Yoga (Meditation), Karma Yoga (Action), Bhakti Yoga (Devotion) and Jnana Yoga (Wisdom). However, if you see Yoga solely as an exercise that many people are into these days, there are 8 limbs to it, and one of them is Dhyanam (meditation). Meditation is simply to be One with the Self, and any Yoga employed is for that purpose only.
2. "As far as i understood, Yoga involves both exercises and focusing (or meditation)and comes in many types. Recently i watched some youtube channel about Kundalini Yoga. I saw an abnormal reaction expressed by the performer of this type of Yoga.So,does meditation can be unsafe to one if it is practiced?"
Meditation is never unsafe if it is done correctly. All types of Yoga, be it in a meditative pose or not, aims to awaken the Kundalini, which is an essential part in bringing about the awakening of Man. Even if one were to sit down quietly to do Japam (chanting), if done long enough with devotion, the Kundalini too will be awakened. At the end of the day, it is about doing it the right way and of course, the intent must be pure.