Sacred Space: Set up a seat with a picture that calms you, one where you can retreat as life permits. Use incense, flowers or light if it helps. Some use calming music in the background. Devices should be in another room, preferably OFF!

Relax your body and mind
but keep your spine straight and mind sharp!

Time: Try to do this first thing each morning before life gets busy maybe while others still sleep. Set a fixed time each day and don’t deviate even if you’re away! Do ten to fifteen minutes max each time you sit … if it’s good you can extend or repeat; if it’s not good it will pass soon. But each time return to the ten minutes until it is an ingrained habit for at least a year … this is a lifestyle not a fad!
                         Enjoy any longer sessions but don’t increase your time cap yet.

Expectations: If genuinely trying to tame your chaotic mind, rubbish will come up. We seldom allow ourselves space to reflect on where and why we do or say things, shit happens! Stay with it but don’t give it energy and it will pass. If sleep or strong emotions arise let them, don’t fight it.
             Those close and your own mind will rebel when we try something so different.
                      Persistent effort will pay off but don’t expect calm to come quickly …

Meditation: Find your best way to start … a muscle relaxant, go through you body tensing then relaxing … watch your breath letting thoughts drift through like clouds … it’s a mental warm up just like we prepare our body before exercising.

Then try one of these … concentrating on these gives space from your monkey mind

  • Count each outgoing breath to ten, once distracted return to zero … it’s not easy 
  • Slowly scan your physical sensations top to toe, then again … awareness is key 
  • Recall each time you have felt emphatically satisfied, most content … then enjoy 
  • Think about where you will be and what you’ll be doing in three years time …
  • Think of your parents, all teachers, those who taught you to write, walk and drive … reflect on their kindness, immerse yourself in that, relax and rejoice
  • Imagine a long solitary beach walk – paint the colours, sounds, smells – once immersed in full detail imagine a lazy chat with a very close friend [dead or alive]
  • Contemplate your successes/achievements, mentally list and examine them … were they external or internal, happy or hard work, did they bring inner peace?

 

a neighbour had a scary experience when she started with ‘chakra’ meditation … I pointed out that this is quite an advanced method and better to start with these basics!