Meditating regularly is the key to a healthier mind and body. Health benefits of regular meditation include: reduction in the levels of hypertension; lowering of stress hormones - which when elevated can lead to: aggression, anxiety, depression, mood swings and panic attacks. It gives you the space to develop your gifts and strengths that may otherwise have gone unnoticed and undeveloped. You gradually become aware of a calmness that lasts throughout the day, things that before may have annoyed you greatly, become much less annoying. A growing serenity envelops you as you achieve greater harmony, and with this comes a life that is more rewarding, fuller and more satisfying.
"There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophy.
Our own brain, our own heart is our temple: the philosophy is kindness."
The Dalai Lama
A guided meditation tape is a wonderful tool, especially if you have trouble shutting out everyday thoughts, you can just relax and listen to the voice guide you through a journey, feel all the stress just melting away.
There are many ways of meditating and you can start meditating yourself by:
Lighting a candle and putting on soft relaxing music. Sit with your back straight, (supported by cushions or a high back chair to start with) send up a thought for protection and peace and imagine you are sitting in a beautiful golden buttercup with its thick green stem securely anchored into the earth.
Imagine a gold or silver light surrounding you, clearing away all thoughts, cares and concerns. As everyday thoughts occur, let them just drift and float away, taking your thoughts back to the golden buttercup, see it, make it real, imagine how beautiful the petals are, how vibrant the colour is.
Sit for as long as is comfortable. To start with, this may only be 5 minutes or so. When you come out of your meditation, imagine silver rays of light going into the top of your head, and coming out of your eyes, ears, nose, mouth, down into your neck, into your arms and out of your fingertips. Let the light continue down your chest, waist, hips and on down into your legs, knees, calves and out through your toes. Feel yourself completely cleansed, and finally ground yourself by imagining roots growing out of your feet, deep into the earth.
As you become more comfortable and confident with your meditations, you can take yourself on journeys, taking time to experience everything you see, how bright the colours are, whether there is a breeze, is it warm or cool? Is the sun shining or are there stars out in the night sky? It is not important to actually see the journey, rather imagine how it would look and feel like. Use your imagination to make it real.