Too Much on My Mind - Getting Started with Meditation

Resident Medium at Warner's Cricket St. Thomas Hotel in Somerset
Feature writer for Silent Voices Ezine, Vivid Life Ezine, Ezine, and Eternal Spirit Magazine
Facebook Deb-Dancing-Star-Hawken; Twitter DebDancingStar

The mind can be a very busy place, full of erroneous thoughts and ideas, nipping back into the past to pick over old wounds, worrying about those we love and care about, making mental shopping lists and to do lists and promptly forgetting everything, and then starting all over again.

The trouble is we're all Psychic to one degree or another and there is a theory that we pick up on each other for miles around because we're all linked by our energy output.

If you mention the word 'meditation' many people will tell you that they're unable to meditate because the moment they try to become quiet in mind and body everything listed above - and more - starts warring for space in their head.  Far from becoming calm and serene they land up in a pitched battle with their mind struggling to calm down.  Frequently they give up and reach for the chocolate and a good film instead.

Calming the mind down isn't easy for the beginner and the first thing you need to do is stop battling your mind.  Allow it to be, allow it to think, but instead of holding on to the thoughts just go 'ok' and let them float away.

Then make sure you are wearing comfy clothes, you won't be able to calm the mind if your waistband is cutting off your circulation.

Next sit comfortably.  It doesn't matter where or in what position as long as you're comfortable.  Few of us have the flexibility to sit with our legs crossed in the lotus position for more than a nanosecond before cramp sends us screaming for the heat rub, and it's not worth ruining peace of mind with agony of body.

Just relax your hands in your lap.  Some people say you should have your hands face up to receive energy and allow it to flow, but I have found that I can meditate perfectly well with my hands face down in my lap.

Dim the lights in the room, but you don't need to light candles or use incense unless you want to.  Use headphones if they're comfortable but don't worry if they're not.

Now put on some music that you absolutely love, preferably instrumental, and listen to it.  You're probably thinking "What? I always listen to music when it's on!"  Actually you probably don't.  Do you shut your eyes and really listen?  Do you allow the music to flow through you and over you?  Do you allow yourself to become so absorbed in that beautiful music that you forget everything else?  That's what I mean by listening.

As a beginner it doesn't matter if you listen for one minute, three minutes or an hour.  Just accept what you can do and don't worry about it. The more you worry the more you undo the good work.

You may find that meditation for five minutes is enough for you, if so that's absolutely fine.  Feeling better is the ultimate objective and if you feel better that objective is achieved.  There are no rules and unless you really want to be one of the top Sufi's in the world there's no need to be pedantic about timing and quality.

If at first you don't succeed keep trying, but if you definitely can't meditate then it might be that you're a person who requires physical exercise as a method of relaxing, so just go out there and walk or find an exercise or fitness class that suits you.

For me Pilates works because I have to think about it and that clears my mind of everything else, martial arts used to do the same thing.

To each his/her own isn't just a saying - it's true.  Just stick to the healthy path of meditation and fitness though - no comments about how well a bottle of wine works for you, I'm not taking responsibility for that LOL.

Wishing you happy days and peaceful nights

Deb