101 Ways to Meditate:Discover Your True Self
Published by Full Court Press at Smashwords
c2011 Linda A. Lavid
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Chapter 4 Processing Meditations…
Chapter 5 Imagery Meditations…
Chapter 6 Release Meditations…
Chapter 7 Inspirational Meditations…
Chapter 10 Meditation Journal…
On the day I began writing this book, I awoke with a flash of inspiration. It came a knockin’ on a dull April morning in the grainy dawn light when I was half asleep trying to recall if, on the previous evening, I had brushed my teeth and locked the front door. So what was this revelation?
You can’t toss a grenade into water and call it fishing.
At last, the answer! I then reached for a close-by journal and started a list – a list of meditations.
Backstory…
I’m a therapist with a Master’s degree in Social Work. Over the years, I’ve counseled families, adults and children in agencies, hospitals, and schools. It’s been a rewarding career. But five years ago my practice took a turn when I decided to explore alternative therapies. Once trained and certified, I embarked on an amazing, unexpected journey.
Before going forward, allow me to admit, I’m of a skeptical nature. I like proof of things, preferably studies and statistics with results that indicate a success rate beyond randomness. Luckily, however, I’m also of a curious nature. And so began my search.
My initial introduction to alternative therapies occurred after I went for a hypnosis session to lose weight. The session was unremarkable. I sat, closed my eyes, and listened to the hypnotherapist’s voice. The script he read was pleasant but hardly earth shattering. I went home. The result: I stopped eating desserts for one full year and lost 32 pounds. It was easy, fun and very, very odd. How could 20 minutes change 55 years of sweet eating?
Turns out, hypnosis has been around for centuries, but the mechanics of how it works remains uncertain. Yes, engaging the subconscious is involved, but after that, it’s a conundrum. To find the answer, I decided to be trained.
The certification course focused on hypnotherapy (hypnosis) as well as transpersonal and regression therapies. Briefly, these therapies rely on unblocking or reframing points of reference beyond the individual, that is to say spiritual, for positive change.
Again, this seemed odd and counterintuitive to my mathematical brain. Still, once certified, I used the skills. The result: No longer mired in circular thinking and rehashes of emotional issues, clients were able to expand their focus for true holistic change. I was shocked. What made these therapies so successful? relaxation? quieting the mind? the spiritual self? I had no idea and trekked forward.
My specialty became healing imagery. In this modality, clients define an image that represents a problem, condition, or concern, they’d like to change. It could be physical, emotional, or social. Once identified, the image is then processed. This is done by guiding the client into a relaxed state, visualizing an image, then processing it through observation and communication. Yes. The client talks to pictures inside his/her head, and I get to listen. It’s fun, mysterious, and it works. The story should end here (but then there’d be no need for this book) except another challenge cropped up. Since my role was more of a facilitator than of a therapist, and the process was essentially client-driven, how could I teach myself and others to do it individually?
Seminars and research followed. I made CDs, devised hand-outs, and talked endlessly to myself and clients on how to practice solo. Unfortunately, it was ineffective. Clients’ eyes glazed over and even I had trouble following my own directions.
Then that April morning the answer came:
You can’t toss a grenade into water and call it fishing.
Eureka! Clarity amidst the morass. My complicated attempts to explain self-healing practice were overkill. Instead of using a grenade to fish, all I needed to do was simplify the process and place it in the proper vehicle. A vehicle I’d been using all along: Meditation.
More Backstory…
My excursions into meditation were also roundabout. Having been raised and educated in an environment heavily saturated with dogma and a certain way of doing things, meditation was of another world, foreign and vaguely blasphemous. It was the early seventies and Eastern religions, thanks to the Beatles, were hot. I started yoga and meditation.
The yoga was easy since Lilias was on PBS, but the meditation practice was hazy. No one seemed to know exactly how it was done or what to expect. From readings, it seemed like it was about nothing. So that’s what I did – thought about nothing.
For three months, I spent 45 minutes a day doing yoga and meditation. Two positive things happened: muscles loosened and insights floated unexpectedly into my mind. But there was a problem – 45 minutes became overwhelming. I had to work, pay bills, and couldn’t swing it. Result: Muscles stiffened. Thoughts clouded. And soon I was back to my old self.
Over the years, I returned to yoga and meditative practice, but never for long periods of time. What can I say? It always came down to time, its restrictions, and, I’m ashamed to admit, it was…well…rather boring. Years passed.
My next exposure to meditation came from a visit I made to Lily Dale, a spiritualist community in upstate New York. My purpose there was to be in calm surroundings to write. It’s a safe and kindly place for a retreat. During the summer season, part of the daily programming includes a meditation service held in the small chapel at 8 AM. I thought it would be a nice way to start my writing day.
From the first moment, it felt like I had come home. Outside leaves rustled, birds chirped. Inside, jewel-toned stained glass glowed in flickering candlelight. I closed my eyes, breathed deeply, and for 25 minutes I was transported. Part of me was present and aware. Another part felt sacred. I returned each day. By week’s end, I finally realized how to make meditation enjoyable. Rather than the Spartan approach of stretching and thinking of nothing, I needed some razzle dazzle.
I continued practicing healing imagery on clients and meditating on my own. There were points (setting the stage with sound, light, scent) of commonality, but the practices differed. One was personal and spiritual. The other was professional and dealt with imagery. The melding of the two occurred that April morning when I clearly understood that the tenets of meditation were the same as healing imagery. It wasn’t just the relaxation of mind and body, but of the focus. Specifically, whether you are experiencing nothing or experiencing something, you are meditating. And 101 Ways to Meditate was born.
So what exactly is meditation? In the simplest of terms, it’s about relaxing the body, quieting the mind, and having a focus. It’s also a way to access knowledge intuitively, to experience a world beyond the senses, to communicate with the personal or collective unconscious and, most importantly, to understand who you are.
Before going further, I’d like to say, other than relaxing the body, mind and having a focus, there is no right or wrong way to meditate. Whatever works for you is the right way. Meditation is personal and accommodates itself to your frame of reference and choice of focus.
Why meditate? We all have so many questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Why do I behave the way I do? And, to answer these questions, we search by observing, reasoning, experimenting. Still no matter how many answers come our way, more questions remain. I suspect if life were clear and easily divined, the mystery and intrigue of living would quickly bore us and we’d shrivel up. We are meant to question, to search. It’s in our DNA. But there are other reasons to meditate.
Meditation heals at every level. Physically, a meditative state: releases toxins, relieves stress, enhances relaxation, improves heart/lung efficiency, increases energy, reduces fatigue, and increases oxygen throughout the body. For emotional wounds, psychological trauma, meditation is a soothing balm and an accommodating resource to release unneeded baggage. Finally, to make sense of the chaos – at times ego-produced, at times out of our hands – meditation helps us step back and take a grander perspective beyond the personal.
Meditation is versatile. Gone are my days of facing 45 minutes of practice that often seemed too removed from everyday life. Meditation is a way to explore and understand the great mysteries, but it’s also a way to understand yourself. Answers to questions big and small can occur with any meditation. In fact, you may meditate for one reason, but a breakthrough may come in another area. Example: Perhaps you’re meditating to release anger when a week later you unceremoniously toss out that last pack of cigarettes.
Finally, meditation is fun, exciting, and always new. Razzle and dazzle of the highest order. For this, you’ll just have to try.
About this book…
I’ve divided the meditations into four groups: Processing, Imagery, Release, and Inspirational. Each group has a different focus although, at times, the boundaries blur. You may find an affinity toward one block of meditations or you may want to mix it up. My wish is to briefly describe a wide selection of meditations so you can try different ways of meditating to see what works best. Alas, we learn differently, have varied preferences, and one size does not fit all. Once you become comfortable with meditative practice, you’ll be able to put together meditations of your own. In fact, 101 Ways to Meditate will only be a starting point.
Processing Meditations are traditional ways of meditating. They are used to gain knowledge and understanding of God, divine purpose, or higher awareness. Processing Meditations focus on relaxing the body and quieting the mind.
Imagery Meditations focus on images that can be seen, heard, smelled, felt, and/or sensed. Imagery Meditations help with gaining a greater understanding of the subconscious state by using the intermediary language of imagery, memory, emotion and/or metaphor.
Release Meditations focus on negative emotions and their release. Images, often in the form of metaphors, denote underlying emotions that are then processed. Release Meditations clear the body and mind of toxicity.
Inspirational Meditations explore spiritual or transpersonal issues using imagery as their focus. Inspirational Meditations add color and texture to the otherwise somber Processing Meditations.
Beyond the listing of meditations, is a 31-day journal to keep track of your progress and document the wonder that awaits. For easy reference, a full listing of all the meditations can be found in the index.
I hope I have intrigued you into trying or expanding meditative practice. If so, gather your unfettered curiosity, highest intention, rip-roaring enthusiasm, and let’s begin.
Synchronizing your body and mind for meditative practice involves setting the proper environment for yourself and your surroundings.
Preparing yourself:
• Perform in a safe environment.
• Wear relaxed clothing.
• Attend to bathroom needs prior to practice.
• Maintain a comfortable temperature.
• Do not be too hungry or full.
• Position yourself comfortably.
• Reduce distractions.
• Have tissues handy.
Think about a time when you walked into a place of worship and lit a votive candle; or when you turned down the lights and listened to music; or took a long walk on a beach. However you were able to buffer the outer world and ease into a familiar calm is how meditation should be approached. Ideas for preparing your environment are listed below. Try them on for size. It’s not necessary to do them all. Pick, choose, or go out on your own.
Preparing your environment:
• Set up an altar. An altar is a reminder of the ritual, which in turn, prepares your body and mind for practice. Place objects in your sacred place that have meaning for you.
• Have a mantra. Historically mantras are assigned to an individual by a spiritual teacher. A mantra is a sound that creates spiritual transformation. A commonly used mantra is Ohm or Aum. Developing a comfortable mantra of your own is fine as well. Play around with single-syllable sounds that feel pleasing to you. Mantras can be spoken aloud or silently. They should be connected to the breath on the inhale and exhale.
• Add an affirmation or prayer. When adding an affirmation (positive thought) or prayer, think of the mood you want to set. An affirmation and/or prayer can be lifted from religious texts or made up by you. Options are many and varied. Use those that have significant meaning for you and set a receptive tone.
• Use Beads. For counting repetitions, consider using prayer beads, a rosary, or any number of items you can string together: seashells, legumes, beads from broken jewelry, etc. The advantage of making your own strand is that you can customize the number of beads. Example: I use counts of 40 for my breathing meditation induction.
• Light a candle. Candles fill an area with calming soft light. One-hundred percent (no blends) beeswax or soy candles with lead-free wicks are the friendliest to the environment and to your lungs. LED candles are safe alternatives.
• Scent. Incense, scented candles, plug-ins, flowers, can be used for focus, to soothe, or to encourage breathing. Care should be taken when using essential oils since they are concentrated and, depending on the oil, potentially toxic.
• Sound. Nature sounds, music, Tibetan bowls, chimes, even playing a wind instrument (long exhales calm the body) help a meditative session. An advantage of using taped sounds is that you can arrange the sounds to fill the length of your meditation session. This way you don’t have to keep glancing at the clock.
There are many ways, only limited by your imagination, to prepare for a session. Busy schedules, family/work lives, space issues, may have to be taken into account. Still, a way can be found to set aside a place and time, even if it’s in bed, when you awaken or go to sleep.
Cornerstones of the meditative process are simple but important. The following tenets will assure success. As you read what follows, understand that each step, even journaling, plays off the other like an orchestrated ensemble of blended notes. In other words, the practice of meditation is not linear but dynamic. For instance, relaxing the body can be a focus that can then quiet the mind, which then allows for more focus.
Allow 20 minutes. Meditation is not ego-driven, that is to say, the thinking brain does not drive the meditative experience. Meditation is a communication with our intuitive, transpersonal, subconscious selves. To do this, the body and mind must be relaxed and remain in an impersonal, receptive state. It takes most people 7 to 10 minutes to quiet their bodies and minds. The remainder of the time is for focusing. Once meditation is practiced regularly, you may be able to relax your body and mind more quickly. Still, it’s advisable to meditate for the full 20 minutes. Consistent shortening of the meditation time, can lead to a daydream state rather than a meditative state, which in turn may sabotage all the benefits meditation has to offer.
Set the tone. Consider the following words: compassionate, playful, acknowledging, open, curious, hopeful, receptive, allowing, accepting, surrendering. These words express the tone by which a meditative session becomes fertile. Setting a receptive tone can be done with an affirmation, prayer, image, or how the environment is staged (see page 14.) Example: Before I meditate, I light a candle, put on a CD, and visualize a budding red rose. Receptivity can also be expressed during meditation.