MEDITATION GUIDELINES

Stuart SchlossmanAlternative therapies and devices for Multiple Sclerosis (MS)


                                                                  

  





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MEDITATION GUIDELINES by Paulette Silber
LOCATION & TIME
Find a place in your home to set aside for meditation.  You may also select an outdoor location.  Choose a time of day for your session.
SETTING
Find a special object or more to place at your meditation
area.  Example:  dried flowers, a candle, spiritual figurine,
incense, etc.  You may eventually wish to
create a meditation altar on a table or shelf with inspirational objects.
POSTURE
Select a meditation posture that supports your spine
comfortably.  Examples:  lotus position on the floor, or seated in a
chair with feet flat on the floor, spine straight and hands resting on the lap
with palms face up.  Beneficial mudra
(yogic hand position):  Palms face up,
touch the thumb and index fingers together, creating a circle.
BREATH
Breathe deeply through the nose into the abdomen.  Feel the abdomen fill like a balloon while
inhaling; feel the abdomen gently go inward while exhaling.  Breathe evenly, counting the same length for
your inhalation and exhalation.  If you
like you can place one palm over the other on your stomach, to feel the rising
and falling of the abdomen as you inhale and exhale.  You can also try this exercise lying down in
bed before going to sleep.
Additional suggestion – place the tip of your tongue behind
your front teeth, the roof of your mouth or wherever comfortable on your upper
palate while breathing deeply.
EYES
You may meditate with eyes closed or open.  When meditating with eyes open, keep the
eyelids relaxed and gaze downward a few feet in front of you.  When your eyes are open, you may  practice the technique of gazing – focusing
eyes gently on a single object, such as the flame of a candle, flower or other
relaxing or inspirational object.  Keep a
slow, steady breath while gazing.
VISUALIZATION
Note:  With all
techniques, if thoughts arise, observe the thoughts rather than trying to push
them away.  Remember the saying, “What
you resist, persists.”  Allow thoughts to
be and keep focusing on your practice. 
As you develop your practice, your meditative mind will become stronger
and stronger.
1.  See yourself as a
clear blue sky, beyond form.  See any
thoughts or distractions as a few white clouds moving across the sky, knowing
that you are the blue sky beyond the clouds, beyond that which comes and goes.
2.  See yourself as a
clear, flowing stream.  You are the
clarity of the water itself, beyond form. 
See a few leaves floating on the surface of the water downstream.  The leaves represent thoughts, distractions
and that which comes and goes.  You
remain the clarity of the water itself.
3.  Take yourself to
the bottom of a body of water.  Feel the
stillness there.  While aware of waves
and ripples at the surface, your main identification stays at the bottom.  Feel the stillness within you, at the depth
of your being.  Now allow the image to
fade gently with each passing breath, until you are left with stillness itself,
beyond form.
4.  Close your eyes,
become still and invite a “place of peace” to reveal itself to you, your own
personal sanctuary.  Experience the
feeling of being in your place of peace, perhaps a forest, beach, room,
etc.  Allow yourself to rejuvenate and
receive any messages that come to you. 
As with all visualizations, once you are ready to return, allow the
image to gently fade, becoming softer with each passing breath until you are in
the void beyond form.  Spend some time in
the void, then bring your awareness to the current place and time, feeling the
chair or floor you sit upon, be aware of your physical body, move toes and rub
fingers together, gently open eyes when ready. 
Keep the eyes relaxed once they are open, gently integrating your
meditative experience into the everyday state.
GUIDED BODY
RELAXATION
Starting at the feet, feel a warm wave of relaxation fill
your body section by section.  Inhale and
feel the relaxation fill you.  Exhale and
feel any tension or negativity dissolve. 
Become a clear, empty vessel, receiving positive, nurturing energy.  Your breathing will become deeper as you relax
more and more.  Allow your body to relax
all the way from your feet to the top of your head.  For each part of your body, feel the warm
wave of relaxation enter as you breathe in, filling it with warmth, peace and
relaxation.
MANTRA
A mantra is a single word or phrase silently repeated to
oneself, to help the mind stay one pointed and focused during meditation.  The mantra assists in deepening one’s
consciousness.  The word chosen should
invoke a peaceful, tranquil state. 
Examples:  peace, joy, love, serenity,
om.  Silently repeat the mantra with each
inhalation, letting the essence of the word fill your being, becoming fuller
with each breath.  After a while, allow
the essence of the mantra to gradually become softer and the word fades out
until you are left with stillness beyond form. 
Spend some time in the state of emptiness beyond mantra before returning
to the everyday state.
AFFIRMATION AND
INTENTION
Meditating with an affirmation will support a desired state
of being , such as “I am calm,” “I stay peaceful in the midst of
challenge”.  You may repeat the
affirmation silently, out loud, or write it on paper and keep the paper where
you will see it throughout the day (you can also do this with the one word mantra
described in the previous paragraph). 
You may use intentions to affirm a state of being for an extended period
of time or before a situation or event, such as “Today I will remain calm and
focused at work, and become refreshed at home after a healthy snack and outdoor
walk.”  You may practice
affirmations/intentions in the morning before you start your day, before bed,
or whenever you feel it will be absorbed by your subconscious mind.  Before going to sleep is an especially
effective time to program the subconscious mind.
You may project an intention upon an object, such as a glass
of water, special stone, candle, pen. 
You may project a quality such as “peace” or an affirmation such as
“healthy relationships” and the object becomes “blessed” with intention.  Each time the object is used, notice how the
qualities are felt within you.
COLOR
You may experience the appearance of color(s) while
meditating.  You may invoke a color by
inviting its presence as you breathe meditatively, allowing the color to
present itself.  With each inhalation,
feel you are breathing the color into your being, allowing it to permeate more
deeply with each passing breath.  After a
while, allow the color to become softer with each passing breath, gently fading
until you are in the void beyond form, returning to the everyday state in the
same manner as for other techniques.
PUTTING IT ALL
TOGETHER
Remember that you can practice mini-versions of the
meditation techniques throughout the day, at home, work, during leisure
time.  With visualizations such as blue
sky and small white clouds, you may see the image in your mind with eyes open
while interacting.  You may practice any
technique or combinations of techniques while exercising, eating, enjoying
nature, doing chores, etc.
Being in nature or visualizing nature greatly enhances the
meditative state.  Nature holds great
truth to how everything is connected, and takes us beyond the analytical to the
expansive mind.  Feel free to be creative
with the techniques and create a personalized practice for relaxation that will
transform your life.  Turn everyday
moments into meditation opportunities, such as when you park your car, take a
moment before exiting, enjoy the silence inside the car, take a few deep
breaths, say a mantra or affirmation, peacefully observe the outside scene
before exiting.
TIME LENGTH
Length of time is up to you. 
If you are a beginner, practice for as long as feels comfortable, if
only a minute or two.  You may build up
to longer lengths of time.
Quality and dedication to your meditation practice will
create peacefulness and benefits to your well being.  15 minutes or more is a good meditation
length to work up to.  The quality of the
experience will deepen as you stay focused on your practice.
ENDING THE MEDITATION
SESSION
Before opening your eyes:
·      
Remind yourself of your physical location.
·      
Remind yourself of being in your physical body.
·      
Gently move your fingers and toes, re-orienting
to physical movement.
After opening you eyes:
·      
Slowly look around through the meditative state
of perception.
·      
Allow time to merge meditative awareness into
everyday activity.
ENJOY YOUR MEDITATION
PRACTICE  
NAMASTE 
(Ancient Sanskrit
greeting meaning “I bow to you.”  In
modern circles, extended meanings include “the divine light in me honors the
divine light in you.”).






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