Beginners Meditation

Today's guest is Nadia Ballas-Ruta ,of Happy Lotus ,a long-term meditator and a trained mindfulness instructor.She helps us to understand and debunk a couple of meditational myths.Two of them are:

1.You are supposed to have no thoughts while meditating
You can never be without thinking.Just let the thoughts float and watch them. Observe your thoughts like observing waves of the ocean.Soon you will be a detached observer and become more tuned to your inner source.You inner source will guide to let your life bloom.

2.Mystical experiences will occur when you meditate
Yes,they do happen but it takes years and a lot of intense spiritual study.The mystical experiences are just a form of becoming more in tune with your Buddha Nature.

Meditation takes time to get accustomed to and be gentle with yourself as you begin your journey of inner peace.

Nadia recommends Journey of Awakening: A Meditator's Guidebook by Ram Dass in order to learn more about various types of meditation.

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Laura, from Heart Of Compassion Malas is today's "meditation expert" .
Laura is a "professional" mala maker who make malas for meditation and healing.
Laura guides us beautifully explaining about mala meditation.A mala, or set of Buddhist prayer beads, is an unbroken circle of beads. Each one stands for a prayer or mantra-prayers for the benefit of all beings, to alleviate suffering, to someday reach enlightenment, to understand that enlightenment already exists in every moment.By repeating the same prayers and mantras over and over , layer and layer of unneeded habits and attitudes peel off.This unlayering gives you hope and increasing compassion and respect for all beings.Laura encourages one to pray/meditate in your own way-using whatever form you wished-simply use the beads as a touchstone to calm and center yourself.

Laura's words-" The most valuable thing, the only accomplishment that counts to me, is showing up in my meditation chair or cushion and trying without trying too hard" makes you feel more confident in doing your meditation everyday without being judgemental.Everyone has to paint their own picture. The flowing interplay of thoughts and the awareness of thoughts, and of no thoughts sometimes, is rich and satisfying beyond belief.

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Today's guest is Diana Lang , a spiritual teacher and counselor from S. California. She has been teaching meditation and yoga since 1980 and conducts seminars in the United States and internationally on meditation, body awareness, stress reduction, and relationship development.
Diana assures us that there is no wrong way to do meditation.We just need to show up with a willing heart.She shares a powerful statement-"Self-Realization is simply realizing the Self".Meditation grows with practice guiding us to know ourselves.
Quoting Diana,
"Meditation is what we are at our center anyway. It is simply a returning to ourselves. Meditate every day, in whatever way you will, and watch what unfolds.
Your mind will open.
Your heart will open.
Your world will open.
And it's a whole new world."

Diana donated a copy of her fabulous book with accompanying CD, Opening to Meditation: A Gentle, Guided Approach , to be given away to one lucky commentator.

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Meditation helps us on many levels, from simple relaxation to freedom from suffering and full liberation of heart and mind. It allows us to:

* defuse stress and experience greater calm
* explore the mind-body relationship
* connect to our feelings
* expand our sense of who we are, beyond our fears and self-judgment
* find genuine happiness
* discover inner resources that can change our everyday lives
* awaken our capacity for insight and wisdom
* transform our worldview from one of isolation and confusion to one of connection, clarity and compassion
* broaden our perspective and deepen our courage, based on seeing things just as they are

(Thanks to Sharon Salzberg, IMS co-founder and guiding teacher)

Insight Meditation Kit: A Step-By-Step Course on How to Meditate [With Workbook and 12 Study Cards] [INSIGHT MEDITATION KIT] is an exceptional tool for beginning meditation.

Meditation makes us take notice of all our thoughts-the good and the uncomfortable ones.It is the journey to knowing our selves.Meditation is a mirror, reflecting back to us the way we move through the world.Meditation gives us clarity and power of choice .We choose what thoghts to listen to,what emotions to let go and which behavior to transform.

Today's special guest Chris Edgar is a productivity coach. He uses insights from mindfulness practice and psychology to help readers and clients find efficiency and enjoyment in their work.

When our minds are disturbed we cannot concentrate on productive work.At such times a meditative mindset will help you work smarter.In meditation we let our thoughts float away without attachment similarly when we are disturbed by uncomfortable thoughts and feelings at work we must learn to let go and not try to procrastinate with distractions.Our thoughts and emotions, as human beings, are fleeting, and they dissipate on their own if we let them.

As Carl Jung said, "what we resist persists"-by trying to push away our stray thoughts and feelings, we simply hold them in place.

'Meditation is practice for the rest of your life' and bringing the mindset of meditation into our working lives can help us find the focus and peace we want in what we do.
Chris's new book, Inner Productivity: A Mindful Path to Efficiency and Enjoyment in Your Work, uses insights from mindfulness practice and psychology to help readers develop focus and motivation in their work.
Chris' blog, Power Purpose Coaching , is chock-full of information and articles on meditation and life skills, meditation in the workplace, and more!

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Our mind is always filled with thoughts and when we sit down for meditation it temporarily suspends all kinds of thought.When you stop saying things to yourself, a different kind of consciousness has the chance to emerge.You will have a spiritual experience of oneness with the universe.One of the early obstacles of sitting meditation is when you clear your mind of conscious thoughts you drift to dreamland.This can be put to use for helping you overcome your pains.

Today's guest ,Paul M. Martin,Author of Original Faith guides us to understand how meditation can help you for Insomnia Due to Pain/Anxiety.A rare, progressive illness kept him awake at night by anxious thoughts as well as pain.Meditation helped him get over this.You drift into sleep When you meditate before retiring.and even your medications can be tapered.You can read about the method in this free ebook Original Faith: Hard Times Handbook by Paul.

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Today's inspiration is from the Dhammapada ,an ancient Buddhist text.
It says: "What you are now is the result of what you were. What you will be tomorrow will be the result of what you are now. The consequences of an evil mind will follow you like the cart follows the ox that pulls it. The consequences of a purified mind will follow you like your own shadow. No one can do more for you than your own purified mind-- no parent, no relative, no friend, no one. A well-disciplined mind brings happiness.
Meditation is intended to purify the mind. It cleanses the thought process of what can be called psychic irritants, things like greed, hatred and jealousy, things that keep you snarled up in emotional bondage. It brings the mind to a state of tranquility and awareness, a state of concentration and insight.

~ From Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana

Jan shares her story today.She talks of living on the fast track trying to be perfect in all her roles.This took the toll on her and it was mindfulness that helped save her life.She discovered Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hanh which guided her to peace.

Jan describes mindfulness as a form of meditation where we bring conscious, relaxed awareness to everything we are doing. Mindfulness is doing low-level meditation all throughout the day engaged in mundane tasks.

Jan describes that learning sitting mediation facilitates learning to release unhelpful thoughts as they come in a non-judgmental way.Sitting meditation enhances and deepens our ability to live mindfully. It brings awareness to the table in a way that we may not have experienced it before.It creates equanimity. Creates peace.

"Breathing in I calm myself, breathing out I smile." is a beautiful mantra to say while meditating!

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Jan offers us an interesting meditation today-Nature Meditation .

Nature's awe-inspiring mountains,beaches,meadows,seascapes -each seems to possess an innate stillness that invites us inward. Deeper. Into a place of quiet and calm within us.

Nature does not seem to strive. It does not work at its beauty, its magnificence. It just "is."We can feel its energy passing to us and a calmness prevail in us.

Jan guides us to Nature Meditation with this beautiful explanation-"Go outside and do this physically or even through the windows of your pure imagination. Immerse yourself in a scene and select an object of contemplation. Take on the identity of a mountain, a stately tree, a blooming rose, a bird. You may choose to be it, or simply sit beside it and enjoy its company.

Whichever way you choose, allow nature's stillness to captivate you. Embrace it. Breathe it in. Keep your senses attuned as best you can. Breathe deeply and evenly, relishing this present moment. Feel the soothing effects of Mother Nature in all her glory wash over you, releasing tension, bringing you, once more, to an inner landscape of peace."

"Enjoy the day. Be kind to yourself. Believe, breathe, and be well!

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