Meditation | Licensed Mental Health Counselor

THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION

Meditation is not the process of concentration or contemplation, it is seeing, which comes from observation. Meditation is a form of observation, to train your mind or work on being present, which is why meditation is a practice. To see what is there, to bring your attention back to the breath or a mantra, without any desire for a result. Meditation is listening and seeing in a new way, otherwise your thoughts and feelings are getting in the way of emptying the mind, finding the true self within. At that point, there is no practice, no discipline, no thoughts or feelings or desires to get it right. Our mind is always busy, preoccupied, with internal negative self-talk and turmoil. An internal battle/struggle in the mind, a resistance, a judgment.

Our minds go in many directions. Meditation centers your mind with mindfulness, making knowledge and wisdom your center, instead of your many distractions. Wisdom is spontaneous and discovered, not gained by thoughts and ideas. We need to empty our mind to gain wisdom and truth. To Be with what is there, bringing your attention back to the breath or a mantra, over and over again, developing strength of mind. Remembering that we are all one mind, body and spirit and not separate from one another. When you remember this, you will listen and hear in a new way to what is naturally rising, being mindful of your true self, experiencing what is really there, pure joy. Quieting the mind, being still, not putting your attention on anything.

To be aware is the practice of meditation, which is different from thoughts and feelings. Awareness is knowing, having knowledge beyond thought, a state of consciousness, an experience. It does not involve trying to change your thinking by thinking some more. It is observing or watching the mind without doing anything with the thoughts or judging the thoughts, but simply observing the movements of the mind, the direction expression of our true nature.

Meditation allows us to rest in our heart, our center. In the Bible, the heart is considered the seat of life or strength. Hence, it means mind, soul, spirit, or one’s entire emotional nature and understanding, the core of our being, our spiritual center. Proverbs 4:23, “Keep they heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” In meditation we withdraw the senses and the mind from the objects of desire and distraction, and when our mind is resting in our heart we feel the peace and joy that is always there in the stillness of our own self. When you realize joy is from peace, and that peace comes from resting in his own heart, you won’t be so quick to give your heart away to the ideas of your mind or the objects of senses. You won’t be so quick to abandon the peaceful home within yourself and go running around in the chaotic dangerous world. When we rest in the self, we see our cravings, desires, fears, and attachments (wanting, getting, and having). Peace and joy come from resting in the heart, from within. This is our true nature.

There are different types of meditation practiced in the world today:

Scriptural Meditation – What God says to us prompts what we say to him. To meditate, then, is to think deeply about what God has said to us in the Bible and to prepare our minds and hearts for prayer. Scripture is the foundation of our praying; meditation readies us for it by helping us focus, understand, remember, worship, and apply. Psalm 1 and Psalm 119 call people to meditate on Scripture.
Mindfulness Meditation – originates from Buddhist teachings; you pay attention to your thoughts as they pass through your mind, observing them and taking note of any patterns.
Spiritual Meditation – used in Hinduism, Daoism, and Christianity; you reflect on the silence around you and seek a deeper connection with your God or the universe
Focused Meditation – involves concentration using any of the five senses; you can focus on something internal, like your breath, or you can bring in external influences to help focus your attention (i.e. counting mala beads, listening to a gong, or staring at a candle flame)
Movement Meditation – an active form of meditation that involves gentle forms of motion (i.e. yoga, walking, gardening, etc.)
Mantra Meditation – prominent in Hindu and Buddhist traditions; uses repetitive sound to clear the mind (i.e. a word, phrase, or sound, such as the popular “Om”)
Transcendental Meditation – developed by Indian spiritual figure Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, this practice involves the use of private mantra (a series of words specific to the practitioner) and is practiced for 20 minutes, twice per day, while sitting comfortably with one’s eyes closed
Progressive Relaxation (AKA Body Scan Meditation) – aimed at reducing tension in the body and promoting relaxation; often involves slowly tightening and relaxing one muscle group at a time throughout the body. (handout below)
Loving-Kindness Meditation – used to strengthen feelings of compassion, kindness, and acceptance toward oneself and others; typically involves sending a series of well wishes to others (loved ones, friends, acquaintances, etc.)
Visualization Meditation – a technique focused on enhancing feelings of relaxation, peace and calmness by visualizing positive scenes or images, or by imagining yourself succeeding at specific goals

As you can see, the different meditation types vary in technique, and require different skills and mindsets. Not all meditation styles are the right fit for everyone, and you should certainly feel encouraged to practice those that you are most comfortable with.

From a medical and scientific viewpoint, there is much evidence supporting the fact that meditation can help lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, decrease pain, ease symptoms of depression and improve sleep.

Breath-awareness/ Diaphragmatic Breathing:

Breathe-control techniques are one of the oldest and simplest methods for alleviating physical and emotional pain. Focusing on the breath gives clients something soothing yet visceral to focus on. The act of breathing also involves a cycle of stress and release (as the person breaths •in and out) which can act as a natural pain-relief circuit.

Assume a comfortable position.
Begin by attending to whatever physical sensations you notice in your body.
Try and “just notice” whatever is happening in your body in a detached way without thinking about it or analyzing it too much.
JUST NOTICE whatever you’re feeling.
And notice your breathing, the gradual rise and fall of your chest with each breath that you take. Notice how your chest expands with each in-breath and deflates with each out-breath. You may notice that there is a slight feeling of tension with each in-breath, and a feeling of relief with each out-breath. Follow the inhalation, follow the exhalation.
As you focus on your breathing, you might like to think about how NATURAL breathing is, how CONNECTED breathing makes you feel with your body and the rhythm of life. You might also enjoy the realization that breathing happens AUTOMATICALLY, without your having to make any special effort.
And now imagine that with each in-breath, you’re breathing in life and relaxation and with each out breath, you’re breathing out stress and pain, NATURALLY.
And as you continue to focus on your breathing, you may also notice the rate of your breathing slowing down, as your mind becomes more detached from your everyday consciousness. Follow the movement of the breath.
If any other thoughts or feelings intrude into your awareness of yourself, just notice them and let them go by.
Notice fi anything changes about how you are feeling, including your awareness of what you are feeling. If nothing seems different, that’s fine too.
Just keep breathing and keep noticing. Whatever you feel or notice, just observe it and let it go.
Continue doing this for 15 to 20minutes.
At the end of that time, give yourself a few moments ot gradually reorient yourself.

If you have been able to maintain your attention on your breathe reasonably consistently, you should notice mild feelings of detachment and lightness, some people notice other sensations, such as tingling or numbness. Whether you do or not, regular practice of this technique will help you learn how to experience your pain differently, in ways you might never have imagined

Thank you for allowing me to serve you. Remember to Live from your Heart! I look forward to serving you again. (put this on every Blog and say at the end of every YouTube video).

References:

Meditating on God’s Word

https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/biblical-meditation/

Thich Nhat Hanh Morning Chant (Influential Buddhist Monk)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxbbVhszlyk

Different Meditation positions

https://zmm.org/teachings-and-training/meditation-instructions/

The best meditation cushions

https://psychcentral.com/reviews/best-meditation-pillows#what-it-is

Resources:

Body of Light Meditation

https://thubtenchodron.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Body_of_Light_Meditation.pdf