We meet you right where you are –
Starting Your Personal Practice
The thought of beginning one’s own personal meditation practice can be overwhelming – that’s why we created the Meditation Prescription. We understand that there are many ways to incorporate a meditation practice into your busy life and that there are many forms your practice could take. Our guided meditation programs meet you right where you are and provide you with both choice and guidance. When it comes to meditation, it’s up to you to set the terms and up to us to provide the tools.
The most exciting thing about meditation is that is easy to do and rapidly delivers results. In fact a recent study completed at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte indicated that profound health improvements were found “after just four days of meditation training”. So, don’t wait another day to start your practice!
Real Stories Video
ABC NEWs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3PikBDuwf8?rel=0
The History & Researcher
Postures & Positions
Finding a comfortable posture and position for your practice may require a bit of experimentation. If you find that sitting in a cross-legged posture on the floor does not work for you – Here are few things you can try:
- Sitting on the floor with your back against the wall.
- Sitting upright in a straight back chair with your feet flat on the floor.
- Sitting with a cushion just under your buttocks… not your thighs or legs… just under your buttocks! Somehow this works just like magic and allows the body to align itself in an upright, alert and comfortable position.
- We suggest setting the intention to move away from any external support structures (i.e. a chair or a wall) as this will strengthen your inner core and communicate to the body that you are strong and self-reliant.
- If you are dealing with a physical illness that prevents you from sitting upright, you certainly can lie down while meditating.
Once you find a comfortable position:
- Lay your hands on your legs with your palms up or down
- Try imagining there is a string tied to the top of your head that is pulling your head straight up, enabling your back to be straight
Other Tips
As you begin your meditation practice, try to:
(1) Be “mindful” throughout your day. Become aware of your thoughts and your reactions to your everyday actions. Mindfulness will enable you to draw connections between how your inner world creates emotional responses that affect your relationships with yourself, others around you, and the world in general. From here, profound change begins to occur.
(2) Leave your judgments at the door. Please understand that your mind will wander! And when you catch it being distracted by everyday things like shopping lists and feeding the fish, applaud yourself for catching it! Don’t judge yourself, but rather simply focus on bringing your awareness back to your meditation.
(3) Trust that all is perfect. When it comes to meditation – there is no right or wrong way. Your success lies in the intention, the practice and acceptance of how you decide to show up. Let go of the concept of being “results-oriented” and just let what is showing up for you in each and every moment be your gift. Being in the here and now is a practice unto itself. The more you meditate – the easier it will become. Remember it’s all good, and you are doing just fine.
To Begin:
(1) Ask yourself – “What you are hoping to achieve through meditation?” Is it rest and relaxation, stress reduction, more energy, increased confidence, improved mental or physical health, or is it a combination of all of these things? Establishing your intentions is key to achieving them.
(2) Decide how much time you can dedicate to your practice. Many scientific journals state that to attain results, you should meditate for a minimum of 20-30 minutes per day, with 45 minutes at least five days a week being optimal. That’s in a “perfect world”, and we know that you may not always have that much time.
When you’re starting out, it’s important to listen to your body. You may need to start with shorter segments and increase session lengths over time. We offer “Mindfulness Meditations” that start at just 3-minutes of quiet, all the way up to 45 minutes for an advanced practice. It’s also important to pinpoint what part of the day would work best for you to meditate. Would you prefer to begin or end your day with meditation or would it be more helpful to take a few minutes during your workday to step away and re-focus?
(3) Locate your place for meditation. You can meditate anywhere, but when you first begin to meditate, you may find it helpful to designate a special place for this personal time. A quiet location free from any type of distraction is also optimal at first. Over time, you might find that your body automatically begins to relax and prepare for meditation as you enter your meditation space, simply because it is habituated to doing so upon entering this area. And eventually, you will find that you can achieve a state of stillness anywhere at any time!
(4) Find a comfortable posture and position for your practice. Meditation is traditionally practiced in a simple cross-legged posture, but developing the flexibility to sit easily in this position may be a gradual process for some. When you’re starting out, the key is to find a posture that doesn’t lead to any discomfort so that you may simply relax and receive. Check out our Tips from Skip for a few ideas on postures and positions.
(5) Decide what type of guided meditations will work best for you. The Meditation Prescription offers a series of meditations that explore several styles of meditation. Our goal is to expose you to a range of styles so that you may determine what works best for you. It’s our view that giving you choice will lead to your success.
(6) A commitment now to meditation is the most self-empowering action you can possibly take. It tells your mind, body and spirit that you are ready to start taking responsibility for yourself and that you are done waiting for someone else to give you the answers that you already have. And when you take this control, you will begin walking through life able to trust your own inner voice, to find happiness in any given moment and to rest in the knowing that you are perfect just as you are!
(7) If you have not done do yet – Sign up below and let us help in supporting you to get started today. Why wait another day? You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.
