subject: Choosing A Daily Meditation Practice [print this page] Choosing A Daily Meditation Practice Choosing A Daily Meditation Practice
In the United States and other Western countries most of the information available about meditation comes to us through books, CD's, classes, seminars and workshops, all of which can be helpful for some people. When our understanding of any spiritual knowledge is based on this type of learning, rather than from personal experience with master teachers, misconceptions are almost certain to arise. The ultimate truth of meditation and its potential value lies within you.
The same common questions come up again and again when we talk to beginners about beginning a daily meditation practice. What does it mean to meditate? Why do we meditate? How much time is considered sufficient for daily meditation? These are all very understandable questions.
Why meditate? The health benefits alone are well worth the time you will invest. In the west we are inundated with stress. Along with our fast paced lives we are subject to a multitude of stress related health conditions ranging from obesity and cancer to heart disease. One of the best antidotes for this state of affairs is a daily meditation practice. But there are other benefits to taking the time to slow down and making some space for inner reflection.
A stressed out state of mind is not a creative state. When we are stressed our field of vision narrows, hearing becomes selective, and our vocabulary shrinks. We are much more likely to make bad choices on all levels: with diet and exercise, with relationships, with drugs and alcohol). On the other hand, when we are emotionally balanced and stable, we activate the creative side of our brains and are not only able to approach life with a much wider range of options, we are also more likely to choose options that are healthy and wise.
What does it mean to meditate? True meditation actually comes in many forms. It may fit our stereotypical image of a lone monk sitting under a tree, but long distance runners also reach meditative states, as does anyone with a hobby that leads them to spend quiet hours alone. The key to whether or not a practice can be thought of as a meditation is whether it takes the practitioner inward to a place of empty stillness, or does it simply allow them to escape from facing themselves?
True peace and happiness are found in a solitary place: in ourselves. We reach and reach but never fully grasp. We have pain; we have pasts; we have grief and resentment. At times we are even self-righteous in our pain, and that's ok. It's all part of the human condition. Meditation is used as a tool to shift your perception on YOUR world. You are the director and you have a choice on what the camera views. So why not try to use a tool that has been practiced for thousands of years and is essential in other cultures?
You will know what type of meditation to exercise, how long to meditate and how to process and stay focused in your practice. Another misconception is that it is solely a religious tool. While yoga was created by individual religious groups to become better connected with their spiritual leader. But whether it is used in a monastic setting or outwardly like the Hindu or Buddhist it is based on the same united principle, to improve your relationship with YOUR spirit.
At SpiritQuest we are blessed to have practitioners who have studied and practiced meditation for decades. We believe it is crucial to any practice of holistic health and individual growth, and are honored to serve as guides to help others develop a deeper relationship with the higher spiritual self.
Establishing a daily meditation practice takes discipline, but when submerging yourself in one of our spiritual retreats in Sedona can make it easier and improve your chances of success. Taking that time of stillness will give you clarity and improve your life in a multitude of ways.
