Discovering the best meditation method for you is one of the highs you can experience in modern chosen mantra over and over, either out loud or in your head.day life.Too often, we are too stressed even to contemplate meditation, even though taking a few quiet minutes to meditate could be one of the best things we could do in our lives.
Sometimes knowing how others have benefited can help you either to decide when to meditate or to decide what times of day to experiment with meditating. When working one-on-one with individuals, they often ask my advice about the best time to meditate. When I know something about their lifestyle and I tune in to them energetically, I can give specific recommendations. However, when writing an article that a variety of people will read, I need to approach it in a different way. So, here are some considerations.
Candle meditation. Light a candle somewhere safe, sit down and focus on the candle flame. Let all other thoughts drift out of your mind. Keep focussed on the flickering flame. Guided meditation. Put on your headphones and listen to a pre-recorded guided meditation talk you through the process of relaxing your body and clearing your mind. Mirror gazing. No, you're not doing an impression of Narcissus! Simply gaze into your reflected image. Focus on the wall just behind your head. Let all other thoughts fall out of your mind.
It's important to me not to have a rigid schedule. My body and my intuition tell me when it is time to meditate. If I feel I am "forcing" myself to meditate, I stop. Instead, I go for a walk or just do something different from what I have been doing to release any resistance or clear my head. Because I'm already a regular meditator, it makes sense to say that I only meditate when I want to. When I was beginning, though, I did find it was important to make the decision to meditate at certain times and sit myself down to do it whether I really wanted to or not.
In the afternoon around 5:00 is another time of the day that I often meditate. In most of our culture, that is the end of the "work day." However, as an entrepreneur, I rarely stop work at that time, but I do like to take a break. When the break is meditation, I go from my office to the living room in my house and sit in one of the two chairs that I bought specifically for meditation.
The best time to meditate is early in the morning. Early in the morning the earth is restful and more peaceful. Also there are less demands on your time. Therefore the morning consciousness is more conducive to meditation.Sri Chinmoy says,"If you meditate in the morning, you will find that your meditation will be most fruitful. Before the sun rises, the earth -consciousness is not yet agitated."
In addition, I lead my clients through a guided meditation process on the phone, often many times a day. This puts me in the same consciousness as meditating for myself, so I consider that this is part of my meditative practice. I also hold my regular clients in consciousness three times a day, which is another aspect of my meditative practice.In working with others on establishing their meditative practice, I have become extremely open-minded about the various practices and approaches to meditation, including time of day. I encourage people to experiment to find their own ways. Beginners need to start at the easiest time, which might be in a car parked in the driveway or shopping center because that is the only time alone. Right after cool down after exercise is a time the body is very receptive to deep rest or meditation for some. Before or in place of a meal to allow the body to be nurtured before or instead of food can benefit many.
Not all meditation requires sitting in a chair. So, jogging is meditation for some; swimming for others; gardening for others. Find an activity that helps you to tune into the Divine aspect of you, and whenever the time is right for that activity, is the right time to meditate for you.3:00 in the afternoon is often a time in the day when people need a break; in the workplace, it is often a giddy time when people need to shake or laugh or yell. Right after that can be an optimal time for some to sit quietly for a few minutes.
Passionflower. The herb is good at providing individuals with a restful sleep. The flower, vine, and leaves of this herb contains substances that have proven, gentle sedating qualities. Recommended by herbalists as a top treatment for insomnia, it's especially helpful when sleep is disturbed by anxiety. Use 1 teaspoon of dried herb per cup of boiling water.Lemon Balm. Lemon balm helps to relieve anxiety and restlessness. This citrus-fresh herb is effective in reducing tension, nervousness, and a mild case of the blues. Drink a cup before bedtime to help you feel sleepy. Select fresh or dried leaves that have a strong lemony mint scent. Use 1 tablespoon of leaves per cup of boiling water, and drink as needed.
Sometimes knowing how others have benefited can help you either to decide when to meditate or to decide what times of day to experiment with meditating. When working one-on-one with individuals, they often ask my advice about the best time to meditate. When I know something about their lifestyle and I tune in to them energetically, I can give specific recommendations. However, when writing an article that a variety of people will read, I need to approach it in a different way. So, here are some considerations.
Candle meditation. Light a candle somewhere safe, sit down and focus on the candle flame. Let all other thoughts drift out of your mind. Keep focussed on the flickering flame. Guided meditation. Put on your headphones and listen to a pre-recorded guided meditation talk you through the process of relaxing your body and clearing your mind. Mirror gazing. No, you're not doing an impression of Narcissus! Simply gaze into your reflected image. Focus on the wall just behind your head. Let all other thoughts fall out of your mind.
It's important to me not to have a rigid schedule. My body and my intuition tell me when it is time to meditate. If I feel I am "forcing" myself to meditate, I stop. Instead, I go for a walk or just do something different from what I have been doing to release any resistance or clear my head. Because I'm already a regular meditator, it makes sense to say that I only meditate when I want to. When I was beginning, though, I did find it was important to make the decision to meditate at certain times and sit myself down to do it whether I really wanted to or not.
In the afternoon around 5:00 is another time of the day that I often meditate. In most of our culture, that is the end of the "work day." However, as an entrepreneur, I rarely stop work at that time, but I do like to take a break. When the break is meditation, I go from my office to the living room in my house and sit in one of the two chairs that I bought specifically for meditation.
The best time to meditate is early in the morning. Early in the morning the earth is restful and more peaceful. Also there are less demands on your time. Therefore the morning consciousness is more conducive to meditation.Sri Chinmoy says,"If you meditate in the morning, you will find that your meditation will be most fruitful. Before the sun rises, the earth -consciousness is not yet agitated."
In addition, I lead my clients through a guided meditation process on the phone, often many times a day. This puts me in the same consciousness as meditating for myself, so I consider that this is part of my meditative practice. I also hold my regular clients in consciousness three times a day, which is another aspect of my meditative practice.In working with others on establishing their meditative practice, I have become extremely open-minded about the various practices and approaches to meditation, including time of day. I encourage people to experiment to find their own ways. Beginners need to start at the easiest time, which might be in a car parked in the driveway or shopping center because that is the only time alone. Right after cool down after exercise is a time the body is very receptive to deep rest or meditation for some. Before or in place of a meal to allow the body to be nurtured before or instead of food can benefit many.
Not all meditation requires sitting in a chair. So, jogging is meditation for some; swimming for others; gardening for others. Find an activity that helps you to tune into the Divine aspect of you, and whenever the time is right for that activity, is the right time to meditate for you.3:00 in the afternoon is often a time in the day when people need a break; in the workplace, it is often a giddy time when people need to shake or laugh or yell. Right after that can be an optimal time for some to sit quietly for a few minutes.
Passionflower. The herb is good at providing individuals with a restful sleep. The flower, vine, and leaves of this herb contains substances that have proven, gentle sedating qualities. Recommended by herbalists as a top treatment for insomnia, it's especially helpful when sleep is disturbed by anxiety. Use 1 teaspoon of dried herb per cup of boiling water.Lemon Balm. Lemon balm helps to relieve anxiety and restlessness. This citrus-fresh herb is effective in reducing tension, nervousness, and a mild case of the blues. Drink a cup before bedtime to help you feel sleepy. Select fresh or dried leaves that have a strong lemony mint scent. Use 1 tablespoon of leaves per cup of boiling water, and drink as needed.
