I often hear from friends and colleagues that meditation is “too hard” or “not for me” or even “too crystal-worship-y”. The funny thing is, is that meditation is none of those. It is for everyone and there are so many different practices out there that it doesn’t have to be religious or weird at all. However, it can also be all those things, if you want it to. It’s up to you.
Meditation is fundamentally just sitting or laying quietly and either clearing your mind or allowing someone to guide your thoughts through relaxation, healing or other guided inner journeys of empowerment.
For me meditation is a treat because I get to step away from this crazy world and my even crazier thoughts and just feel peaceful, relaxed and fulfilled. Who doesn’t want that?
Meditation is a big portion of how I make time to care for myself. I attended yoga classes in the early 2000’s that folded in a touch of meditation practice at the end of each class. These classes helped me heal from Crohn’s disease without medications or surgery. I strongly believe that meditation was specifically the biggest component of my ability to self-heal. I would sit or lay quietly with my eyes closed and envision viewing my large intestine in perfect health, inch by inch from beginning to end. I wouldn’t just think it, I would feel it. I would even do this practice at home on my own while laying in bed at night.
After healing from Crohn’s I still enjoyed the results of meditation so much that I took classes off and on from 2007 to 2015, but never settled into a regular practice. In January 2016, I learned Transcendental Meditation (TM) and began meditating twice daily. This practice made such a tremendous difference in my life by bringing me to a peaceful and calm state so quickly and easily. It really helped me deal with insufferable people and stressful situations that would have otherwise thrown me over the edge. (or tempted me to throw *them* over the edge)
Later that summer a friend told me about Dr. Joe Dispenza, a famous self-healer and meditation master. I read his book Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself and followed the recommended meditations via the companion CD. So much of what Dr. Joe has to say is in alignment with my personal values and experiences. I too have self-healed and explored the mind-body connection. While I’m no master, I do know that thoughts have an effect on our lives and health in ways we often underestimate and undervalue in western society. The experience of reading and working through his book and meditations was incredible. To this day I still return to his CD of meditations to work on specific challenges and goals. We could all use some personal growth and this book is fantastic. He has several other books worth looking into including more detailed guidance to self-healing so feel free to visit his website and explore his wisdom.
One of my favorite mental health experiences with meditating was seeking to find strength to “let go” and not be consumed by the rage and disgust I felt around a work situation. After a 1 hr 15 minute Dr. Joe guided meditation it was like someone had flipped a switch in my head. I honestly and legitimately felt completely neutral about that situation. It lasted for about three months and that was three months of not wasting my precious energy on other people’s insanity. I’ll admit that I got caught back up in anger again but I knew that I had a tool to fall back on to get past the rage again. I just couldn’t believe how long it lasted, especially given the ongoing nature and severity of the insanity. Meditation is truly amazing.
In addition to TM and Dr. Joe I also enjoy several guided meditation masters on YouTube.com. Each of these masters provide meditations focusing on a whole host of different topics. This allows you to focus your practice on specific needs and goals each day. Guided meditations can also help you manage time. There are apps too that help me meditate when I’m on the go or want an alternative to my morning practice. The apps also help me keep track of time. You can find links to the meditation masters and apps in the Meditation section of my website.
My meditation practice has evolved over the past few years so that I now try to meditate for at least 20 minutes each day, but usually shoot for 40 minutes. I had to change my sleep schedule to ensure that I would wake up with enough time to meditate before I start my day, so if I hear someone say that they don’t have time I know it’s just an excuse. Some days I go as long as 1 hour and 20 minutes and other days I don’t make time to meditate at all. For the most part, though, I make the time and I’m always glad I do it.
More recently, I’ve noticed significant immediate improvements in my health on several occasions when I was in crisis with psoriasis outbreaks on my face. After long, focused meditations on self-healing I have experienced rapid reductions in inflammation that would happen during the course of the meditation. These instances always reaffirm my belief in the mind-body connection and remind me that stress is the greatest foe of mankind. As much as we can torment and injure ourselves with our thoughts, we can also nurture and heal ourselves.
Keep in mind that there is no magic to meditation. Everyone has the ability to calm and heal themselves. The body’s default state is to be healthy. It’s our minds that get in the way.
Just figure out what style(s) works for you and go for it. Even if you only get a few minutes of peace that’s a few minutes more than you otherwise would have gotten. The more you do it the easier it becomes to harvest the power already within you.
~Namaste~
