I want you to sit in a relaxed position while you read this. Try and keep your mind calm, collected and at ease. Think about what place might be somewhere that you would consider your personal quiet place. The place, or setting, you prefer to be in when you need time alone to collect your thoughts from a long day, or to just re-balance yourself in general. Close your eyes for a moment and really visualize that place in your mind. Now that you have this vision in your mind, think about what sounds you might hear when you are in your quiet place? Is it truly quiet or are there back ground sounds? For example, perhaps you may hear birds, crickets, the wind or...is it completely silent? Now think about the aromas you encounter there. Can you smell the earth? Is there water nearby that you can sense the smell of? Maybe there are flowers, different types of fir trees or a aromatic shrub that is close. Next, think of where your happy place is and think about what it may feel like. Are there blades of grass, sand or stone? Is it perhaps a blanket, mat or hard floor? In other words, think about what you would physically feel in your quiet place. All of these senses come together to help balance your entire system during meditation times. Each quiet place is as individual and unique as each person is. It is your quiet place, and yours alone. It belongs to you only, even if it is for a short period of time...it is still your quiet place.
So what exactly is 'meditation'? Meditation is defined as the act or process of spending time in quiet thought. You do not need any experience what so ever in order to meditate. All you need is a bit of time alone, in a quiet place, so that you have no distractions. In the realm of alternative beliefs (wiccan, pagan, etc.), meditation is almost a necessary aspect of their everyday lives, and for many reasons. Even if it is the simple act of taking a relaxing bath at the end of a long day....that is your quiet place. The place where you can meditate and re-balance yourself. Elder APs (Alternative Practitioners) know all too well the almost extreme need for daily re-balancing. They are around so many people during the day, and/or handle so many different aspects of their lives in less than 24 hours, that their entire system is on the verge of a proverbial melt down. Let's not forget, regardless of what belief system any single person has, everyone goes through their daily lives and as such, has to handle the very same types of problems. Some are sick and need to heal. Some are tired and need to just have 1 solid night's sleep. Some are living with chronic pain, and just need a little extra TLC at the end of the day. Some are single parents, raising all types of children. There things that take place in all of our lives, every single day, that put stress on our entire systems - and most of these things are taken for granted, or done out of pure habit, without a single thought about how those routine, mundane things effect the over all well being of our bodies, inside and out.
Let's take a look at the very basic things that we humans do on a daily basis, that we simply dont' give much thought to. Waking up. Getting out of bed. Using the bathroom. Getting dressed. Eating food. Going to and from work. Interacting with other people throughout the course of our day. Raising children. Brushing our teeth. Combing our hair. Having to listen to that endless loop of horrendous elevator music in almost every single building we enter. Well, you get the idea. Let's start with waking up. Think carefully about this, for it can be a very important key to learning more about the real state of being that you are currently in. Do you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go, or, do you hit the snooze button so many times that eventually the clock just gives up on the alarm all together? Do you feel pain, congestion, aches or muscle tension when you wake up? Is your mouth dry and pasty, or, did you wake up in a puddle of drool? Yes, I know it sounds silly, but it really is an important thing to think about. When you wake up in the morning, this is the beginning of a new day for you. Every single day starts out like this. Thus, part of understanding what you may tend to feel throughout the day (over all), is directly linked to how you wake up in the morning.
OK, so how is waking up feeling like you just got run over by a train have any type of 'direct link' to how you're going to likely feel throughout the day over all? One word: STRESS. Keep in mind here that there is good stress, and bad stress. An example of good stress is going on a dream vacation. You've wanted to do that your entire life, but let's face it, planning all that out can really be stressful. An example of bad stress is having a blow out argument with one of your co-workers, family members or friends. So when it comes to keeping yourself in check, and making sure that you are keeping not just your physical body in the best condition possible, but also your mind and spirit, having a quiet place starts to become more and more essential to the over all well being of the human body. Remember, the human body is far more complex than even advanced science is currently capable of understanding. As you learn to keep yourself more calm during time spent in your quiet spot, the more you will grow to understand how meditation is extremely beneficial to your well being and happiness with the life you live.
We see the 'standard' sitting position for what we understand to be 'meditation' in the image to the left. Cool, but not always necessary. Sometimes, due to physical restrictions, and/or physical stresses within the body itself, this 'ideal' meditation position is not possible. Thus, any comfortable position will do. The idea is to allow your mind to help your body relax completely. It is not unusual for people who are not used to the over all effects meditation can have on the body to suddenly fall asleep during their quiet time. It is also common for people to speak of their body cooling down, or feeling cold, during the initial stages of meditation. This is because as your body relaxes, your body will start going into the same stages that it goes through at night just before you're ready to go to sleep. If you pay closer attention at night, just about 30 - 45 minutes prior to going to sleep, you will notice a slightly cooler feeling in your body. It will feel as if someone gradually lowered the temperature in the room. This is simply your body's way of preparing itself for sleep. It is during your sleep that the physical body does most of its healing and cell regeneration. Why? Because you are not as physically active while you sleep, as you are during the day (and this is true for almost everyone - unless they have a very notable sleeping disorder).
When you first start meditating, try allowing yourself to just empty your mind completely. As you become more comfortable with this, you will notice that the amount/length of time you spend in meditation will increase, and the results will also increase. You will start to feel more relaxed and mentally aware. You may find that you sleep better at night, with a better quality of sleep (regardless of how long you sleep). You may start to notice that your morning aches and pains are gradually decreasing. You may also notice that you feel more positive about the day ahead, or that your mornings seem just a little 'brighter' than they had in the past. This is all thanks to those few moments you will spend in your quiet place, allowing your entire being to relax and regenerate. So go ahead....grab a soft pillow or blanket, get in your most comfortable position and have yourself a very nice, soft and calming quiet time. Your mind, body and spirit will thank you for it over, and over, and over again.
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