Part 3: Taking action
In my last article, I outlined a couple steps to help you get started on your meditation journey. Now, I am not here to be the meditation police. What I am here to do is to support you in creating a new routine that can benefit every part of your life.
It may seem to you that you have more important things to do than to begin a meditation practice. Your immediate thought might be, “I don’t have time for this.” But if your life feels out of balance and you’re stressed and showing signs of that stress (high blood pressure, headaches, irritability, difficulty sleeping), it may be time for you to shift your priorities to allow you to take better care of you.
We spend a lot of time focusing on eating right and exercising, but our spiritual well-being is as important, if not more so, than taking care of our physical bodies. Our bodies, minds, and spirits need to be aligned for us to be all that we can be. Meditation is the way we receive spiritual nutrition – a downpouring of Divine energy that can enliven and strengthen us in ways not possible through other means. Meditation is the time to become aware of the many facets of our being and gain clarity when we feel lost or uncertain of where we are going.
Do you feel overwhelmed with responsibility – unable to see a way out of all you have piled on top of yourself? Taking on too much responsibility can become a way to deflect feeling and / or to avoid dealing with the things you know you need to change and then acting on that need for change. Only you know what you need to put effort into.
But…
…what if you had more support to help you tackle problems with more ease and with less resistance and resulting in a better outcome? Do you know that the way you think or how you approach a problem can be a big part of why you resist dealing with it? Do you see problems as negative because you feel inadequate or unsure of how to move through them? Or, do you believe there is no viable solution?
Instead of focusing on the negative, start looking at your problems from a different perspective. Why not try looking past the problem to the end result you desire? Realize that if you want this enough, you’ll have to move through your resistance and fear, or what you envision for your future won’t ever happen. Yes, you will experience some discomfort, but it won’t last forever, and you’ll be that much closer to your goals and that much stronger and more confident to work through your next set of challenges.
So, if anything I have mentioned in the last few paragraphs rings true for you, keep reading…Now, remember that steps 1 and 2 of this process were in my previous article in this series, so let’s continue with Step 3:
Step 3: Take the glass half-full approach and start seeing challenges as positive, as opportunities to grow in your abilities instead of something to fear. Do your best to practice catching yourself when you have a negative response and remind yourself to review what’s positive about the situation. By making a point of doing this, over time, your perspective will eventually shift. Chunk it out; you don’t have to do this all at once…it’s a process.
Use these suggestions as a jumping-off point to start your meditation practice, and you will soon discover that its benefits extend to other parts of your life.
Step 4: What does “connecting within” look or feel like?
Find a quiet place when you have 10 to15 minutes of undisturbed time. Settle in and start to become aware of how your energy feels, the way your breath moves in and out of your nose, where you feel tension or pain in your body. First, bring your awareness to your head and then gradually move it down your body, arriving eventually at your feet. Notice the thoughts that come up when you are sitting still. Can you sit still without being anxious? Do you feel as though you are wasting time?
Understand that meditation is the vehicle by which we connect within. It is like getting into your car to get from point A to point B. It may seem a bit woo-woo, but think of it as taking a pause for your brain, a time to integrate all that is going on around you. Meditation is as simple as finding somewhere quiet to sit, breathe, and listen. Don’t make it complicated!
It is in your inner world where you will begin to feel the infinite connection we all have to Divine Source. Through this connection, you receive inspiration and guidance (what is typically called “intuition”). Making this “quieting of the mind” a daily practice honors the Divinity that surrounds us, waiting for us to ask for support. What’s more, this practice helps us ready ourselves to receive that support. And the more we connect, the more support we receive. Do this practice every day to cultivate your relationship with the Divine, and the support will always be there.
Step 5: Set an intention before your meditation that you would like to connect with your Angels, Spirit Guides, and soul-self. Simply make a request…they already know what you are thinking. When you do this practice regularly, you will become familiar with the energy of these beings. Then settle in and surrender to what you are feeling and sensing. After a bit more time and practice, you will become attuned to and connected with how you receive guidance, and your innate ability to do this will gradually become seamless.
Meditation is the time and place when you can ask for direction that can lead you to your best Divine life path.
To refresh your memory about what this series of articles is all about, review Part 1.
