Meditation: A Silent Journey
“It is no longer about ‘what if’, ‘what is’, ‘what has’, ‘I have’, or ‘I will’ or ‘should’ and so on - you simply become connected to the Formless, Shapeless, ‘Totalness’, ‘Allness’..moment”
Jeremy Alford.
In these modern days, more and more people realize that meditation is a powerful medicine for our mental health and overall wellness and happiness. Making meditation part of your daily routine, even for as little as 10 minutes a day, can provide great psychological and physical benefits. Meditation helps calm your mind, resolve burnouts, decrease anxiety, depression, stress, promotes clarity, focus and will also help lower your blood pressure, improve digestive issues and even chronic pain.
“Meditation is the journey from sound to silence, from movement to stillness, from a limited identity to unlimited space”. - Sri Ravi Shankar
A very simple yet effective form of meditation is called mindfulness meditation, where you turn your attention for example to your breath. It keeps you in the present moment and helps you enjoy it more. It is recommended to start with shorter sessions of 10 or even just 5 minutes a day and to increase the duration slowly as you feel more comfortable.
Here are some steps that you can consider taking to start your journey:
☐ Set your intention
It is important to have clear intention e.g. “I will meditate now for X amount of it”, “I will walk mindfully and be with every footstep”, “I will just be now”.
☐ Get comfortable
Find the best time, best place and environment, and also best posture, for you to be able to focus and relax. You don’t need to feel like following the things that others do in order to meditate, because it may or may not be suitable for you. The key is for you to feel comfortable and to eliminate distractions.
☐ Breathe and feel
Once you are ready, take a deep breath. Direct your attention to your breath by feeling and observing it. Follow the air that comes in through your nose and goes into your lungs. And follow it when it leaves again.
☐ Observe your mind wandering - refocus
During your meditation, you will notice that your mind will start to wander, you are starting to lose focus. Don’t worry about this, it’s very normal and a part of the process. Simply acknowledge it and return your focus to the breath.
☐ Rest and be grateful
When you are done, rest your mind and body as you bring back your attention to your surroundings while you end your meditation. Take your time and be grateful for this process.
Begin your journey of meditation with clear intention and small steps.
The key to meditation is to be consistent with the process and make it a habit so that you can experience the benefits. It is also recommended to try different types of meditation to find which method suits you best. Please note that it is normal to have a difficult time quieting your mind and thoughts while meditating. The nature of our mind is to bounce from one idea to another. Becoming a mindful observer of the mind as it is, the thoughts as they are, the sensations and sounds just as they are becomes ego freeing. It is no longer about ‘what if’, ‘what is’, ‘what has’, ‘I have’, or ‘I will’ or ‘should’ and so on - you simply become connected to the Formless, Shapeless, ‘Totalness’, ‘Allness’..moment.
If you feel like you are struggling, just message me and I’ll assist admin@alfordjeremy.com