Meditation Ideas For People On The Go

Meditation is an ancient ritual that is perfect for individuals seeking a bit of peace, quiet, and inner reflection in their daily lives. However, many individuals believe they do not have the appropriate time to devote to meditation. This practice does not require a special room and hours upon hours of inner reflection to be done properly to receive the most  effective results. In fact, meditation can be done in any quiet corner, including your living room, office, hotel room, or even the plane. In order to achieve the proper meditation in some of these places, you may need to practice certain techniques or bring along special devices that will block noise and ensure quiet for your designated meditation time.

Consider joining a meditation group so that you can effectively learn the methods of meditation before you attempt to meditate in unusual surroundings. The techniques and methods you learn through a learned meditation instructor will help you accomplish your own personal goals of meditation and inner exploration.

Meditation does not have to be incredibly time consuming. Make it a point to dedicate a few minutes each day to your meditation goals and spend some time reflecting inward. Mornings are excellent times to begin meditation, since you at the most at ease during this time and your home is probably the quietest. Consider waking up before the rest of your family to grab a few much needed minutes alone in order to successfully complete your meditation process. This is critical for both men and women with children who find it hard to meditate amidst the noises and demands of children.

When you are on the go, don't leave your meditation practices at home! Consider snapping up a pair of noise canceling headphones to block out noise on trains, planes, or cars. This will allow you the greatest sense of peace and quiet so that you can continue with your meditation techniques. Bring along a special meditation soundtrack of familiar tunes, or specialist meditation music, to which you can also block out unnecessary background noise in order to meditate.

Meditation can be an excellent way to unwind after a long day of traveling, so consider taking time to practice your techniques once you reach your destination. For individuals who are constantly calling hotel rooms home, it can be quite easy to miss your personal meditation space. For this reason, carry a small token or a few items with you on your travels to remind you of home. Consider bringing a favorite blanket, pillow, or mat to aid you in your meditation practices. Also, bring along a photograph of your family or friends to help with the homesickness.

Use scents to transport you to a more serene world. Aromatherapy has been used in conjunction with meditation for thousands of years. Consider beginning your meditation to comforting or exotic smells of incense or candles. For individuals on the go, consider bringing along travel candles or a vial of essential oil that you can leave open to pervade the atmosphere.

Three Inspirations for Happiness

The following three inspirations were adapted from A Daily Dose of Happiness, and they represent three key ways to increase our happiness.

1. FORGIVING FOR HAPPINESS

We like to think we are better than our friends below us in the food chain, such as the octopus and the snail.  After all, we have love.  We feel happiness.  We have empathy.  We have a conscience.  We can reason.

We can also hold onto grudges.
Grudges are, in fact, prickly little creatures that worm their way into our hearts.  Holding onto them is a self-defeating exercise.
Fortunately, forgiveness is also uniquely human.  Forgiveness cleanses the spirit.  Forgiveness let's us get on with enjoying our lives instead of being preoccupied with someone else's.  Forgiveness opens the door to happiness.

2. SUPPORTING FOR HAPPINESS

When things seem to be very bleak, it does not take much to lift someone's spirits. Sometimes all it takes is to let somebody know they are not alone. 

That is why it is so important to smile at people, especially if they look down.  And if you know what is weighing the person down, let them know they are not alone. Don't go burdening them with all your miseries, but let them know you have been there.
Guess what?  You will feel happiness for having helped them, too.

3. ACCEPTING FOR HAPPINESS

There is no such thing as happiness if you are not at peace with yourself.  Too many people just don't know how to make peace with themselves. 
Peace begins with acceptance. Whether we agree with everything we do (like the environmentalist who sometimes throws out a recyclable container), it is important to accept what we do. 
Do we always make the best choices?  No.  But they are the choices we make.
Do we always treat people with the most respect?  No.  But it is how we treat people.
Can we improve? Yes, and we should.  But that is a project for the future.  First we must accept who we are now, rather than condemning ourselves.  Then we can move to improve the person we will be tomorrow.  Both acceptance today and improvements tomorrow will increase our happiness.
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Meditation Techniques: The Art Of Silence

In today's fast-paced world, many people are seeking a way to get away from it all and relax. Meditation, which is essentially a method to obtain a level of deep thought, calm and relaxation, is one way to find inner peace and tranquility. Many people think of monks or other spiritual types sitting in crossed-leg position and reaching states of bliss when they think of mediation, but there are many ways to meditate. (See my last post) While there are many ways to reach a meditative state, there really are no right or wrong ways to mediate (this would defeat the purpose), only practice and finding ways that feel right for you.

Meditation is associated with many religions, but one does not need to be associated with any particular religion in order to meditate. You might want to investigate different methods, however, to find a form of mediation that feels most comfortable. One common method includes repeating a sound or word, called a mantra. Other forms of meditation involve focusing on a visual image, such as the flame of a candle or a symbol. Other meditative techniques involve breathing and physical movements, such as yoga or other breathing practices.

No matter what the method, the tools used in meditation are there to help users reach a state of mental relaxation. Many mediation techniques help you clear your mind of the constant thoughts that normally run through the mind. In reducing or eliminating these thoughts, one can reach a state of deep thought that is associated with meditation.

There are two primary approaches to meditation, which are concentrative meditation and mindfulness meditation. In concentrative meditation, the practitioner focuses on breath, an object, or a sound (mantra). In mindfulness meditation, the practitioner sits quietly and "observes" everything in the environment, including thoughts, sounds, smells, and more. In this form of meditation, the practitioner practices not reacting to the environment (both internal and external), which can lead to a greater ability to act in a non-reactive way in daily life. Both forms of meditation are useful, and one is no better than the other is. Personal preference will determine which method you choose, and you can always try both.

Both physical and mental benefits can result from meditation. This can include increased heart health through relaxation, lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, and a more youthful feeling. Mental benefits can be an increased sense of well-being, decreased anxiety and depression, and emotional stability. Meditation should not be used as a cure for physical or mental ailments, however, but it can be a powerful supplement. Those with physical or mental health conditions should consult with a health care professional before beginning a mediation practice.

Meditation can be quite physical, such as with some types of yoga, or seemingly passive, such as in mindfulness types of mediation. In addition to the types of meditation, there are different stages as well. Generally speaking, in early stages of meditation, the practitioner is more aware of the practice. He or she may have difficulty concentrating on breath or not reacting to thought. With practice, this moves into a stage where one is much less aware. This is followed by a stage of bliss, which is followed by very deep sense of self and all things followed by an ability to reach a stage of deep stillness.

There are many resources available on meditation. Those new to the practice may opt to take part in a class or guide when beginning. Others may prefer to read up on the various options and practice on his or her own. Visit the local library for books and resources or visit a yoga or spiritual center. Meditation can be an enjoyable experience and provide balance to an otherwise hectic life.

Six Types Of Meditation

There are so many different types of meditation. How many? Who knows, but enough so that you can find the one that's right for you. To get your search started, here are six types of meditation you can try.

1. Breath Watching. Can meditating be as simple as paying attention to your breath for a few minutes? You bet! Relax in whatever position works best for you, close your eyes and start to pay attention to your breathing. Breathing through your nose gets your diaphragm involved and gets oxygen all the way to the bottom of your lungs. As your mind wanders, just re-focus your attention on the air going in and out of your nose. Just do this for several minutes, or longer as you get used to it.

2. An Empty Mind Meditation. Meditating can create a kind of "awareness without object," an emptying of all thoughts from your mind. The techniques for doing this involve sitting still, often in a "full lotus" or cross-legged position, and letting the mind go silent on its own. It can be difficult, particularly since any effort seems to just cause more business in the mind.

3. Walking Meditations. This one gets the body involved. It can be outside or simply as a back and forth pacing in a room. Pay attention to the movement of your legs and breathing and body as you walk, and to the feeling of your feet contacting the ground. When your mind wanders, just keep bringing it back to the process of walking and breathing. Meditating outside in this way can be difficult because of the distractions. If you do it outside, find a quiet place with level ground.

4. Mindfulness Meditation. A practice Buddhists call vipassana or insight meditation, mindfulness is the art of becoming deeply aware of what is here right now. You focus on what's happening in and around you at this very moment, and become aware of all the thoughts and feelings that are taking your energy from moment to moment. You can start by watching your breath, and then move your attention to the thoughts going through your mind, the feelings in your body, and even the sounds and sights around you. The key is to watch without judging or analyzing.

5. Simple Mantra Meditation. Many people find it easier to keep their mind from wandering if they concentrate on something specific. A mantra can help. This is a word or phrase you repeat as you sit in meditation, and is chosen for you by an experienced master in some traditions. If you are working on this alone, you can use any word or phrase that works for you, and can choose to either repeat it aloud or in your head as you meditate.

6. Meditating On a Concept. Some meditative practices involve contemplation of an idea or scenario. An example is the "meditation on impermanence," in which you focus on the impermanent nature of all things, starting with your thoughts and feelings as they come and go. In the Buddhist "meditation on the corpse," you think about a body in the ground, as it slowly rots away and is fed on by worms. The technique is used to guide you to an understanding that your rationalizing mind might not bring you to.

There are many other meditations you can try, such as the "meditation on loving-kindness" or "object" meditation, and even meditating using brain wave entrainment products. Each type has its own advantages and effects. For this reason, you may find that at different times and for different purposes you want to use several different types of meditation.  Happy Meditating!

Timelessness of Spirit: A Message to Humanity

Isn't it strange the way the universe works sometimes? There I was, reading a book on ancient human history minding my own business when a voice started dictating me a message, and showed me 'images' of what the communication was all about.

So here's that message, that I was told was very important.The message was sent to me in many ways, and I will do my best to convert it into words only. It was deeply moving to me, as I received it on many levels. I hope my words open the channels to allow you the same understanding.

We are all one, we are all connected through that oneness. We can never escape that fact, it's a universal truth both from a physical and spiritual viewpoint.

'Our dearest friends, I would like to send an important message to you all. Your world is currently a place of much unrest, violence and much hatred. This negativity has and still is creating terrible consequences for many souls.

We would like to relate to you a truth, that once understood fully, will help raise all people, all souls to a higher level of understanding, love and cooperation.

We'd like to talk of just one negative, lost soul. This soul, in human form,was drawn into negativity by others, swept away in a tide of hate, lust, greed and the desire for power. They were responsible for the deaths of millions of people. They escaped any form of Earthly punishment. They did not escape the law of consequences.

This soul will, at some point, live ALL those lives he ended. They will feel the fear, the pain, the hopelessness of all those souls whose journeys they cut short. They will have to endure those millions of  lifetimes. They will also have to live the lifetimes of all those that were affected by their actions, not just those whose lives they ended. They will have to feel the sorrow, the loss, the emptiness and all that those left behind will have felt.

How will they lives these millions of lives? My dear friends, we are all one. Being one we must lives all lives, as there is no other soul that can. Time and space are human concepts, physical concepts that don't exist beyond your dimension. All those lives are lived simultaneously with only space and time creating the illusion of separation.  In truth, everything is timeless, infinite and beyond form and physical comprehension.

Where you are now, the 'body' you inhabit is where your 'concentration' is focused. Similar to when you drive, you rarely notice much around you..and can drive miles without realizing the distance you have driven as you were 'somewhere else.'

Our message is one sent out of our desire to lift humanity. Those amongst you who have lost your humanity, who inflict pain and suffering. we ask you to pause and reflect on these words. We can all help raise ourselves higher by doing to others what we wish for ourselves, because what we do to others IS what we will be doing to ourselves in other lifetimes.

Well, that's the message. I've put it the best way I can. I understand it but it came to me in more than words. It's the timelessness of it all that blows the human mind. We can't physically comprehend eternity and millions of lifetimes all at one moment. But the truth is the truth and that reality can never be changed.

Thanks for reading, I hope you have a great week ahead, and would kindly ask you to spread this message in the hope we can all do our best to make the world a better place for the children of today and for many generations to come.