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meditation is the process of finding balance between the left and right sides of your brain, allowing a clear connection to the universe through your own consciousness. the concept is pretty simple, but what you can achieve through its practice is extraordinary.

from a book called be the change by ed and deb shapiro...

with a practice of self-reflection we have an opportunity to see [emotional or psychological concerns] in a clearer light.  in mindfulness meditation, awareness shows how our thoughts are reflected in the world around us, that we are not separate from each other, that what affects one person affects us all.  releasing attachment to ourselves by seeing the illusion of solidity means that we are then able to heal negative thinking and transform it into care and kindness, both towards ourselves and others.
 
i try to meditate every day.  i have a little altar with a lovely, happy buddha, bell, applicable crystals and occasionally a flower.  but i don't use it.  ;-)  because i've learned that, for me, the altar is just a tool.  and i don't need the altar to get where i want to go.  usually i end up meditating in ordinary places.  in my car in a parking lot.  on my living room couch.  between chapters of a book.  or, like today, in the waiting room at the chiroprator's office.

meditation does not have to be a drawn-out exercise.  and don't beat yourself up if you only clear your mind for five minutes - or less!  it's called a practice for a reason.  for some people capturing that feeling of balance is very easy and for others it takes time and effort.  but it's effort worth making as the rewards are life changing.

if you'd like to start and just don't know how to do it, try this.  find a quiet moment in your day.  any moment.  (have your kids do it with you if you can't shake them off.  kids LOVE to meditate!)  empty your head of thoughts.  block out your ever-present to-do list and the fight you had with your spouse this morning.  just sit there and BE.  if stray thoughts pop into your head, acknowledge the thoughts then literally blow them away.  visualize this.  some people focus on the flame of a candle to help clear away unnecessary thoughts.  some people look at the night sky or sit by the ocean.  i like to shut my eyes and look at my third eye (the back of my forehead between my eyebrows).  to go deeper, focus on your breath, your relaxed body.  find a little peace.   

when you open your eyes you will feel clarity.  you will have fresh ideas.  you will find solutions to problems.  you will be more patient.  you will feel more love, as you have just received a direct dose of it from the universe.  you will!  really!  over time your core will become stronger and more loving, allowing you to live fearlessly, become more open, and encounter more fortuitous coincidences.

do you meditate?  how do you get there?  has meditation changed your life?

peace,
v