I found this clip on ABC news. They’re finally showing the effects of meditation on the brain and subsequently, behaviour.
The brain indeed is more plastic than has been thought. There is lot’s of interesting research showing pathways in the brain are changing all the time rather than being fixed in concrete. Which is good news for everyone:)!
The basic breathing meditation shown in the newsclip is great to use. Try it for yourself. Get comfortable cross legged or in a chair. Sit upright, use a lumbar support if needed, and get your head in a weightless position. I find it easier to do that if I tip my head slowly forward and backward and feel the point where it becomes weightless. That’s the place you want it to be. Then focus on your breath.
Breathing to a count of 8.
Inhale: A hundred and 1, a hundred and 2, a hundred and 3
Exhale: A hundred and 4, a hundred and 5, a hundred and 6 a hundred and 7, a hundred and 8.
Full body breathing, slightly faster on the inhale. Focus on enjoying the experience. Don’t try to make something happen. And when your mind wanders bring it back to your breath.
Do that for 5-15mins and ‘see’ what happens.
On top of that here are my two favourite meditation tools:
Abraham’s Guided Meditations: http://www.abraham-hickslawofattraction.com/lawofattractionstore/product/GM-1.html
See what Abraham says about it. Parts of this are poignantly hilarious. You’ll see it through the “Getting Into The Vortex: The Big One” link on this page: http://www.lawofattractioninteraction.com/meditation-cd-long.php#
And Project Meditation’s brain syncing soundtracks have been proven to sync the right and left hemispheres. It’s an amazing sensation to feel that happening and I just love the ‘connected feeling’ I get when I use it
First of all I want to say wonderful blog! I had a quick question in which I’d like to ask if you don’t mind. I was curious to find out how you center yourself and clear your mind before writing. I’ve had a difficult time clearing my thoughts in getting my ideas out. I do enjoy writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are usually wasted simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or hints? Kudos!
Thanks MaryLou/Deanna,
I don’t necessarily sit down to write. Thoughts and inspirations come in response to things like this video, when I’m in the shower, meditating, reading a book or working with people. A few of those make it into this blog:). When they do I just sit down and write and edit till it feels good to publicly post it.
Having said that here are some suggestions that may help.
#1: Shift your perception of those first 10-15 mins from being a waste of time to one of developing clarity through focus.
#2: Spend some time before you write, relaxing deeply into yourself, aiming to connect with the Source of all life & inspiration. Not trying to get your mind around an idea or figuring out how to put your thoughts together but allowing your connection to Spirit or God or Whatever you want to call it to come to your awareness, appreciating that connection in the deepest possible way. Then give up your thoughts to that presence. Continue appreciating the connection and allowing inspiration to flow through you if and when it does. Appreciating what comes or not and appreciating the connection more & more until you feel full up and overflowing. Then wait a touch longer before putting pen to paper/fingers to keypads.
#3: Mind mapping can be useful to provide a framework.
Let’s know how that goes if you play with any of it,
Darag