I often speak about how important daily meditation is to me.
It is through meditation that we can free ourselves of our thoughts, feelings and desires and be with our true essence, which is our spirit. Our spirit exists as stillness and has a very unique vibration. It is constantly emitting invisible light, love and energy to keep ourselves healthy and happy. It is the source of wisdom, unconditional love and energy which exists within all of us.
The more we practice meditation, the more we can strengthen the connection to our true self and practice our original nature, which is kind, loving, generous and compassionate.
When we are connected to our essence, naturally we feel peaceful and calm. This connection also supports our energy and at the same time it gives us the wisdom to make the right decisions and the responsibility to do more for others and the world.
Why practice meditation
Many people practice meditation to empty the mind of thoughts and find a moment of peace. In this ever-demanding world, we find ourselves constantly running around, unable to slow down and take care of ourselves. An overactive mind, as well as the resulting emotions, can deplete us of our human energy – Qi – and leave us feeling stressed, fatigued and lacking in motivation.
Trying to free ourselves from our thoughts, feelings and desires is definitely a good reason to practice meditation, for we all need to find stillness from our busy lives and not be ruled by our changing thoughts. When we find this stillness, our body and mind can recharge.
Although achieving peace of mind is a good reason to start your meditation practice, keep in my mind that this is only the beginning. In spirituality, the true purpose of meditation is to begin to connect to our essence in order to practice our innate beautiful nature and be able to make a contribution to the world.
When we connect to our essence we can learn to overcome strong emotions that come from our ego and sabotage our relationships.
During meditation is the best time to look at our emotions, especially if we are struggling with something. When we finally reach the point of stillness and connect to ourselves, then we can use this moment of clarity to revisit the situation and ask for these emotions to be cleared. If you practice this, you might just be surprised at the far reach of the results.
How to practice meditation
There are several ways in which we can meditate in order to come into contact with our true self to find peace and calmness, as well as starting to explore the higher vibration of the spirit which is coming from deep within.
Let us start with some basic introductory comments.
When meditating, find somewhere quiet where you feel comfortable and can relax without interruptions.
Pay attention to your posture. Try to make your back as straight as you can. Extend your chest out and hold that position, pushing your shoulders slightly back, until it feels right. This position supports the flow of energy around your body as it flows in a straight line from your crown chakra to the base of your spine. When you meditate or do any kind of energy training, if your back is not straight, it is hard to stay alert and can often make you sleepy. You want to be comfortable but not too comfortable that you fall asleep.
The next step is to pay attention to your breathing. Make sure you are breathing in deep and you are breathing from your abdomen, letting it expand and contract with each breath. When you start meditation it is natural for your mind to wander. One technique commonly used is to completely focus on one thing in order to slow and focus the mind, as well as stop all the other thoughts that arise. This is why people will often begin meditation by focusing on the breath. Deep breathing also supports the correct flow of Qi energy in the body.
Another type of meditation is to consciously clear your mind of thoughts, feelings and emotions and just try to sit with yourself. Try to feel the empty space and stillness inside you. When thoughts and emotions come, accept them. Believe that this stillness inside you is stronger and can embrace anything. If you feel pain or sadness, embrace it with love: emotions are like our children that need our care. If worries or thoughts arise, don’t engage with them; if it helps, tell them to come back later.
Regular meditation practice
I encourage you to try and develop a regular meditation practice.
Put all your effort into holding a conscious intention to sit down and meditate for a set period every day, and to practice diligently for the duration of the sit. It doesn’t matter how long you manage, being consistent will help your practice develop. Try and engage whole heartedly in your meditation, even for just a short while.
A great place to kick off your meditation practice is by joining Qi classes. They are run four times a day and are made up of chanting, movements and finally 20 minutes’ meditation. The vibration of the chants, as well as the movements, help you to open your energy system, receive energy and allow your Qi to flow correctly. This makes the mind very calm and peaceful and helps you to get more out of your meditation practice.
I often come across people who had found meditation impossible before joining Qi classes, and suddenly find they can meditate without any struggle. The energy you receive during the Qi classes clears the mind and makes you feel centred, peaceful and recharged.
I hope you benefit immensely from this post. In the next blog I will be explaining more about the importance of keeping your attention on the breath.
If you want to find out more about how to join Qi Classes at a Centre or online or call 0207 462 8811.
