Dr. Wayne Dyer

Yesterday Wayne Dyer flowed into a new existence.  His books assisted in beginning my path to meditation. His encouragement to think differently and realize that you are what you think, opened my mind to greater things. Take a moment to just read some of the thoughts he presented and you may also find greater awareness. Namaste Dr. Dyer and to you as well.

Utilizing the Positivity section of the Calm app.

Finding The Good In Others

Seeking out the positive instead of the negative can often be very difficult.  What I find disturbing for me personally is how often I am willing to do it for those I do not know well but less likely to do it for those closer to me.  Being judgmental seems so easy when you love someone and I don't really understand why.  Today let's focus on remembering the good that surrounds us, leaving the negative behind.  

Namaste

Utilizing the Non Judgment section of the Calm app.

Will Power

Having the will to change is something that I struggle with.  Often my mind says yes we have to do this and for awhile the rest of me goes along.  However, more often than not it appears that I am not ready to change because I fall back into my old ways. Meditation has been luckily one of those things where my mind has won so far.  Now through meditation I am encouraging my will to improve and help me to change in other ways.  It only takes one step that is repeated until it becomes your normal. Close your eyes, breath deeply and make it so. 

Namaste

Namaste

Often at the bottom of my post on the blog you will see the word Namaste.  It is used often in the world of meditation and yoga.  As you see it is a word of honor and respect.  When you meditate you loose anger and pain and are more open to a greater appreciation of those around you.  You begin to understand that we are all the same no matter our physical appearance.  We are the energy of the universe and ultimately must help each other as we pass through this life.  So today open your heart and mind to the universe that is us.

Namaste

Dealing With Pain, part 2

This statement is why I am now meditating.  I needed to do something different to help with my chronic pain.  Meditation takes you away from your body and can often help you heal.  It allows you to focus and take deep breaths that can provide more oxygen to your cells.  I often have mornings of pain but starting with meditation aids in improving my state of mind.  Remember if chronic pain is part of your world that others understand and that allowing the flow of meditation can help.

Namaste

reused 7/11/17

Breathing

Following your breath is a useful method in helping to center your mind in meditation.  Beginning with deep breaths can assist in clearing your mind and then you can go back to normal breathing.  Doing this provides great benefits and can improve your meditation practice.  Take a deep breath.  Inhale joy and exhale pain and worry.

Actions Speak Louder

Thinking about my weekend, I realized that I had done something in front of my daughter that all of us probably do but should not.  I ridiculed something someone else had done and involved her in it.  It was not intentionally mean but it was definitely not showing her a good example on how to treat people. I would not want others to talk about things I had done in that way.  We all find fault with others on occasion but that doesn't make it right. Today while I meditate, I will be opening my mind and heart to improving in this area and will be apologizing to my daughter for not practicing what I preach.  

Namaste

Allowing Flow

I read a question today asked of Deepak Chopra about how to focus in meditation and he had a great answer - don't focus. What we should be doing is allowing the flow without judgement.  When I tell you to focus what I really mean is to set an intent.  Start with what you wish to improve and then meditate.  From there you allow the flow and when you notice that you are thinking about other things like what is happening during the day or what happened yesterday, then gently let those thoughts go.  So today let's allow the flow with an intent of letting our body and mind rest.  

Namaste

Acceptance part 2

I have really been focusing on acceptance today.  Not on my self but on accepting others.  I have been questioning why I let things that others do bother me. When I allow this, it creates stress for me which does not need to exist.  I believe that in the situations where this happens that I have a passion for the issue.  This leads me to get annoyed when people do not follow through.  Today more than ever I am going to focus my meditation on accepting the people around me and understanding that it only hurts me when I don't.

Trying New Things

Trying new things or stepping out of your comfort zone can be terrifying. Especially for those of us who like structure.  For me the simple ones are easy like eating a new food.  It is the bigger ones, like a new job or house that keep me in one place.  But until we open ourselves to those possibilities do we truly live or just survive.  Focusing on expanding your horizons in meditation can assist you in taking that first at step on trying new things.  Ever eaten guava?

Appreciation

Life moves fast and it can become a blur.  Meditation is about slowing down so you can be appreciative of the people in your life.  Appreciation requires so little of us.  It can be as simple as heart felt words of thanks.  It can be a hug when someone needs one. Often I thank the people who take my order in a drive thru and they often seemed surprised. That is sad for me. We should thank everyone who provides a service or helps us in any way.  Appreciation can become automatic if practiced. When you show thankfulness to those around you especially to those who are the most important to you, you receive a gift in return.  Focus today on bringing appreciation to you life.

Acceptance

Acceptance requires strength.  That seems counterintuitive, however, learning to accept yourself and others requires you to overcome the need to fix. All of us want to make things better but sometimes accepting what is happening now allows for a greater change.  If you understand the limits then you can better plan a needed change for you.  Today let's focus on accepting who we are so improvement can come.

Inner Strength, part 2

Direct your focus back today to your own internal concerns.  Each of us has at least one thing that causes us worry, conflict or pain.  This one thing has caused us to be stronger than we expected.  Find peace in the knowledge that you have that strength and be encouraged to hold on to it.  You have persevered through adversity and can do it again if you have to.  Let go of the complaining and focus on what you are able to do.  Take your inner strength and make it stronger.

Inner Strength

Some of the quietest people fight the toughest battles.  All of us deal with something as no being is perfect. When we focus completely on our own troubles we lose an opening of our heart to others.  Meditation allows us to listen to our heart and find ways to not only heal ourselves but also those around us.  Today make your thoughts clear and supportive of someone else you know who needs them.  Helping others also helps you. 

Breathing

Meditation is the art of letting go.  Deep breathing and focusing on that breathing clears your thoughts to allow you to listen to your heart.  In meditation you will have times where you can not slow down your thoughts.  That is fine.  The more you practice the better you will be at slowing down.  Don't expect perfection.  Just do your best and forgive yourself when it does not work as you think it should.  To help just follow your breathing and focus only on that.  If you drift just come back to your breathing and try again.  You can do it.  

Benefits

The benefits of meditation are great.  Choosing just one and focusing on improving it can be your meditation for the day.  Take 10 minutes in a quiet, relaxed place and only focus on that benefit.  Breathe deeply and wash away the negative.  

One Reason Why

Responding gracefully can be difficult.  Meditation allows you to focus away from  problems as well as focus toward happiness.  Taking a few moments to seek your inner peace opens up your heart to others as well as to the beauty around you.  Take deep breaths and seek the beauty, it will manifest in simple ways.  

Hope

Hope is what pushes us forward.  Without hope meditation is not useful.  It is a hope in improving oneself that opens you up to meditation.  I am sure that there are many things in this life that you hope for.  In those find the one true thing not the new car or house but the thing that can bring you joy.  Focus on that part of yourself today and bring alive the hope into being.  

Healing Through A Quiet Mind

I have some issues already today with being able to quiet the mind.  Deep pain especially headaches make it hard to relax your body and mind.  After using all the typical remedies I am now seeking assistance through the meditation of the day.  Focusing past the pain can be difficult.  It takes an understanding that your body is separate from your mind and finding a way to reach only your spirit. Wishing you a quiet mind today.

Suggested Resources

Starting a meditation practice can seem challenging.  However, as the picture says it is simply a practice of listening.  I began meditation with a free 21 day experience with Deepak Chopra.  It was a good place to learn and improve my practice.  The Chopra Center does these events about 3 to 4 times a year.  You can find them at www.chopra.com.  I also have used several different phone apps including the one I use most now, an app called Calm.  Calm has some simple 7 and 21 day meditations along with other guided and timed practices.  You can change your background sounds also.  Both of these I recommend to aid in improving your meditations.

Dealing with Pain

Handling chronic pain is a struggle for many.  I myself have a condition that I deal with daily as well.  Often you feel alone in your pain and wish for swift relief.   It is because of this pain that I found meditation.  Meditation has provided me a way to focus away from the pain.  Often when it is particularly difficult I will focus on repairing the areas that are the source of the pain.  I have heard others say that they will imagine an army going into those areas and fighting what is causing the pain and then repairing the problems.  Mind over matter can sometimes help in these situations.  Many times after such a meditation I will feel some relief.  If nothing else it can help you feel some control over the problem.  If you deal with chronic pain, I wish you the best and encourage you to focus on relieving and repairing the problems in your body.  

Reused 7/10/17

Simplicity

Simplicity in life is difficult.  Creating an environment that is simple instead of complex takes much more effort.  To focus on the simple requires greater thought.  However, when you focus on creating simplicity you create more time, more opportunity and greater awareness.   Seeking ways to make your life simpler either by better organization or through eliminating the unnecessary, opens up your world to greater joy.  Let's focus on simplicity and removing the clutter in our minds and lives.

Happiness, part 2

Finding happiness is sometimes a struggle.  As we discussed yesterday, it is more of an attitude than a state of being. Seeing the good in everything around you takes a pause and a change in what your mind is thinking.  Too often our thoughts go immediately to the negative or judgmental side.  "Wow, why are they wearing that?"  Instead of, "That is a different choice than I would have made."  True happiness comes from finding the positive as often as you can.  In this meditation focus on seeking the positive. Clear your mind, breathe deeply and think happy.

Used again 6/13/17

Happiness

The picture above says all we need to know.  Things can not make us happy.  Other people can not make us happy.  Happiness is choice you make within yourself.  It is an attitude not a right by law.  Seeking happiness outside of yourself will only lead to greater unhappiness.  Today let's focus on finding our own source of happiness within.  Find what brings you joy and make that your center.

Used again 6/11/07

Peace

With all the things we can know so quickly today, it often feels like people are deeply disconnected and losing their way.  It is difficult to keep a center of peace during such turmoil.  This meditation is a focus on maintaining that center but also pushing it out to the world around you.  

In the past studies have been done about groups of people meditating together while focusing on peace and love.  These studies showed that violence has gone down noticeably while they were meditating.

If each of us focus on peace we can make a difference.  Use "peace" as your mantra during your meditation practice today.  

Patience

I

Today's meditation is about patience.  We learn early that to ask for patience means often to ask for a struggle in which you will need patience.  Meditation is about being patient with yourself.  Often it will take time to find that center of who you are and some days it will be elusive.  However, having a patient attitude will help you focus on being a better you.

Reused 6/26/17