Why Do You Need to Meditate?

The most important reason why people have been practicing meditation since time immemorial is that it swiftly brings you into alignment with your core being.  This is where you will find balance and true peace.

In our modern-day culture, however, meditation is most commonly practiced to alleviate stress.

Both reasons are as good as any to start practicing this amazing art that is meditation.  If you do already meditate — good on you.  If you are thinking about it — now is the time!

What Exactly is Meditation?

Let’s cut past any preconceived notions about meditation.  It does not require that you:

• Sit in any position that you find uncomfortable
• Need to chant or repeat a mantra
• Need training or classes
• Need to belong to a specific religion or faith

These things are optional and entirely up to the individual.  The most important thing about meditation is…The art of being still and quieting your mind

It is the ability to bridge the gap between the thinker and the thought-less.  You are offering your self a chance to still the mind-chatter (you know, that continuous loop of ‘what ifs‘ and ‘don’t mind if I do’s’).  I like to refer to this is mind-static — just like the white noise you see on a TV screen when there is a disturbance with the reception.  Our minds can be on a continuous buzz, enough to drive us to the brink of insanity.

This is where meditation will help you to de-clutter your thought processes and align you to your higher purpose through contact with your higher self.

Okay, Sounds Good but How do I go About This?

Simple.  All you need to do is:

• Concentrate on your breath — this easy step allows you to be more present and centered in your body. It also diverts your attention from thinking to breathing.  If you like, use a mantra — this is a common tool used to stop any unwanted thoughts from creeping in.
• Close your eyes and relax your body — Feel and imagine the stress draining away as you begin to let your vitality blossom.
• Feel the tingle — acknowledge the prana or life force that is embodied in every single cell. This is sometimes felt as a tingling sensation in the body. Starting from your feet upwards, expand on that tingling sensation. This amplifies the life-force in your body. Notice how you feel when you do this. Are you feeling alive and vibrant? Are you relaxed and peaceful?
• Opening your crown chakra — breathe in and imagine a white light streaming in through the top of your head (crown chakra) and permeating your entire body.
• Relax — the above are only steps to get you into the present moment. When you feel relaxed and peaceful, just be with that feeling for as long as you can. You are now meditating!

You can start with just 5 minutes of still, quiet breathing a day and then gradually work your way up to 10-20 minutes at a time.

You do not have to stick to any method to get you to your place of inner peace, just do what works for you. The main point of meditation is to relax and take a break from the constant mind-chatter.

Try to practice this at least 1-2 times a day.

What are the Benefits?

• Meditation gives you the space to relax your body and to recoup your mind
• It is proven to reduce stress
• It is a gateway to discovering your authentic self

And remember:

“Thoughts create everything ~ have clarity of thought and you can achieve anything…”

This was a guest article written by Cherie Roe Dirksen for Lightworkers World 

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