(Abby Cahoone) Have you ever taken the time to slow down, and sit with yourself and simply be in your own energy? When you do this an amazing sense of calm, peace, control, understanding, and ease wash over you. Which I am sure anyone with a hectic life would love to experience! In taking time daily to connect to yourself you can find a sense of control, a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you, and more joy in life in general.
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by Abby Cahoone, August 6th, 2018
Meditation in a Nutshell.
Odds are you are not new to the idea of meditation. Even if you haven’t meditated yourself, you have likely heard the word thrown around in different ways throughout your life. There are so many different forms of meditation; mindfulness meditation, Zazen (Buddhist) meditation, visualization, Kundalini meditation, chakra meditation, transcendental meditation, the list goes on. Don’t be fooled, meditation is not just sitting in the lotus position with zero thoughts in your mind. It is so much more than sitting in silence, it is about connecting to yourself, your own divinity and spirit, and the Universe, God, Source, or whatever you resonate with calling a higher power.
Your meditation practice can be whatever you choose it to be. It can change; you can try different forms; it will evolve as you do. You may find that some days one form of meditation works better than another. Remember there is no wrong way to meditate. You want to use the form of meditation that works best for you at any given time for the outcome you are looking for.
Life is a mystery – mystery of beauty, bliss and divinity. Meditation is the art of unfolding that mystery
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Where did Meditation come From?
While the exact origin, when, and why meditation began is not exactly known. When looking into how far the practice of meditation goes back, you will notice it being referred to as early as the 5th and 6th century as found in Hindu Scriptures. You will notice the religions of the world also typically practice meditation in their own way as well, whether it be reciting a prayer or chanting a God’s name.
The word meditate comes from the Latin word “meditatum” meaning to ponder. As you dive into practicing meditation you will notice in the different forms that a lot of the focus will be on a certain word, an object, an idea, or even in following the breath. It is in sitting with our thoughts and focusing on them that we can find healthy and effective solutions to anything we may be facing. With this and many other benefits, it’s no wonder meditation has been practiced for as long as it has!
Why Else Should You Meditate?
As stated above, there are many different benefits to daily meditation. Health benefits include:
- Decreases Depression Levels
- Reduces Stress and Anxiety
- Reduces Pain
- Reduces Blood Pressure
- Help reduce symptoms of panic disorder
- Can help regulate mood
That’s just a few of the physical health benefits of the meditation. Some mental benefits include:
- Improvement of information processing
- Your threshold for pain tolerance increases
- Can help manage ADHD
- Can help focus on daily activities
- Improves memory recall
- Improves mood
Aside from improving the connection to yourself and Source energy in general you can probably see why meditation is such a beneficial habit to begin practicing.
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Finding a Form of Meditation that Works for You.
Now that we have a bit of why meditation is so important and beneficial, it’s time to dive into the wonderful world of your inner mind. Because there are so many different forms of meditation, it’s worth exploring different kinds to see which ones resonate the strongest with you to get the most out of your mindfulness practice.
This week you will:
- Explore different types of meditation.
- Decide on one or two that are most beneficial to you to begin your own dedicated practice.
Step 1: Decide what You Plan to Get out of Your Practice.
This is an important first step because without it you may find dedicating yourself to your practice much more difficult. By deciding what you wish to relieve, bring about, the connection you are seeking, and so on, you will gain much more out of your practice and in turn want to continue to meditate. In your journal write down your intention for your practice.
You may decide you want to create a stronger sense of self. Or maybe you wish to cultivate a more living mindset. Your practice might be as simple as calming down and having a way to do so. Or you may use your practice to help you come to healthy solutions and conclusions about whatever you are facing in life. You might notice that your intention for your meditation practice aligns with the intention of your sacred space if you are having issues finding out what you wish to get out of meditation revisit your intention of the sacred space.
“Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It’s a way of entering into the quiet that’s already there – buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks every day.”
-Deepak Chopra
Step 2: Look into Different Forms of Meditation.
As mentioned, there are many different forms of meditation. Spend some time looking into the different forms of meditation and how to do each one. After having decided what you will be meditating for you may find mindfulness meditation is perfect for you, or conversely, it falls short of the purpose you’ve set for meditating. There are so many different forms but a few popular kinds of meditation to look into (with helpful links provided) are:
- Mindfulness Meditation
- Zazen (Zen Buddhist Meditation)
- Visualization Meditation (a loving-kindness meditation)
- Mantra Meditation
Because there are so much more than just those few forms of mindfulness so be sure to do your research to find the best fit for you. After having found the kinds that work best for you, record in your journal what you will be trying out for your current meditation practice.
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Step 3: Exploring the Different forms of Meditation you Like.
This week you will spend at least 15 minutes every day in your now established sacred space trying different forms of meditation. Now that you know what the different kinds are and what you believe will work best, it is time to try it out for yourself and see which practice or practices you enjoy the most. Do not be discouraged if you try one and don’t like it, that is what this step is all about. When the time comes to establish your meditation practice you will be glad you did this.
Be sure to take notes after every session about what you enjoyed about each meditation, what you didn’t, and what you got out of the practice that day.
Step 4: Analysis.
Now that you have spent time exploring it’s time to decide which forms of introspection and connection to the Divine work best for you!
In your journal answer the following questions:
- “What forms of meditation did I try this week and why?”
- “Which form of meditation do I like the best based on my intention for my current practice?”
- “What important things did I learn about myself during this exploration?”
You may have learned that sitting focusing on your breath was a great way to calm down, or maybe it didn’t work for you at all. Maybe a visualization meditation was the best way to increase your mood for the day and made it easy for you to get through even the most difficult situations. Now that you have spent the week exploring meditation, in general, you should have a firm foundation on exactly how you will begin your meditation practice.
In meditation, you give yourself the freedom, space, support, love, and serenity to realize and become all of what you are and what you can be.
“Own your Power, Own your Frequency”
-Abby Cahoone
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About The Author
Abby Cahoone, a spiritual philosopher and avid live streamer, harnesses her intuitive talents to help empower people. Abby is dedicated to utilizing her skills, experience, and understanding of life force energy (through sessions focused on Reiki healing, meditation, and personal empowerment) to breathe life into people’s spiritual practices across the United States. It is her goal to help people tap into their own abilities to create amazing lives for themselves and help wake them up to the amazing connection to the Universe that we all have.
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