Meditation - Stilling the Mind

Are you ruminating over the past or frantically planning for the future? With both of those activities of the mind we are unconsciously looking for ways in which to successfully avoid truly living in the moment.

Stilling The Mind
Meditation practice helps to train and concentrate our restless mind, so that, like a trained horse, the power and focused attention and awareness can be used however we choose, rather than it running us. Since everything depends on our mind, even more than our body, cultivating a well-tamed, stable and concentrated mind can bring us the serenity and spiritual realization we seek, as well as providing extraordinary feelings of bliss, infinite peace, harmony, and awareness.

Different Practices:
There are various ways to practice meditation and you will eventually find one that suits your style. Some people prefer to follow a guided meditation with music or spoken suggestions, others prefer to sit in stillness and count their breath or focus on a candle. The way you meditate is less important than the fact that you do it regularly and that you give yourself the focused time and space to do so. It is best to follow an informal ritual and making your meditation practice part of your daily rhythm:

• Choose a specific time: first thing in the morning is a suitable time as the mind is still fairly still and the practice is supported by the quietness of the surroundings
• Choose a suitable place: begin your meditation practice in a place that is quiet and free of distraction.
• Decide on the length of meditation: start with 15 to 20 minutes, preferably every morning at the same time
• Position: Remember to sit comfortably with your back erect. Stay alert and yet relaxed and at ease. This begins the training in mindfulness, or in cultivating heightened consciousness and awareness. Lying down is not suggested.

Meditation as a Metaphor:
Imagine your mind as a puppy. Your intention is to keep the puppy on a white sheet of paper. The nature of the puppy is to explore and walk around and you simply carry it back to the sheet of paper. You won't be upset at the puppy for walking of because you know and understand the very nature of the puppy.

The same applies to the mind. The nature of the mind is to wander - simply bring it back to the meditation practice you have chosen.

Want to know more? Have a look at my blog.

Nathalie Himmelrich is the founder of 'Reach for the Sky Therapy' on Sydney's Northern Beaches and specialises in 'relationship related issues'. She is working with individuals and couples using techniques ranging from Counselling, Neuro Linguistic Programming to Journey Therapy. She supports clients in their personal growth in a supportive and professional environment.