Tips to help DURING meditation
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There is a lot of information out there about meditating, especially about it's importance in your spiritual growth. I have written about its benefits and importance on some other posts. Most of the information out there discusses how important it is, but what about when you are actually in the moment of doing it and encountering challenges? I have not seen much about that, so here are some things I do that may help you as well.
The main goal each of these exercises accomplishes is to change your brain state from an active, mindful state to a more passive receiving state. This is the state you want your mind and brain to be in when meditating as this is how you begin to open your awareness to beyond the here and now and into the realm of energy and Spirit.
1. How do I get my mind to STOP??
This is always an obstacle, especially in the beginning. Resisting your mind will not work (as in “Stop thinking right now. OK wait. Ok stop thinking right now.... OK wait.) This will drive you crazy. What will work instead is a shift in your focus.
Try this:
To break the cycle of thinking and help you get out of your headspace and thoughts try using this visual:
Imagine either getting into an elevator or walking up a huge staircase that leads you up to another level, above the Earth. Imagine it as clouds, a room, a nature scene, whatever. Just walk up there. When you arrive, allow yourself to receive what it looks like and accept what comes into your mind. Allow your experience to continue to unfold.
What this exercise does:
It gets you out of thinking mode and into receiving mode. By giving yourself a visual of rising to another level, you are actually signaling your brain to shift into a higher state. Then once you arrive at the new level, you have flipped the switch from imagining to receiving.
2. How do I stop evaluating myself mid-meditation??
This is the ego and the brain that are used to non-stop, constant entertainment and judgment. In order to be in the moment, you want to get out of judging/evaluating what's happening and back into experiencing it:
Try this:
Ask your Guides and Angels to show or take you to the information or place that best serves you now, in this moment. Allow yourself to notice what changes you experience visually, through your feelings, through your physical sensations, through your internal soundscape. Then, simply allow it to continue as long as it does.
What this exercise does:
This puts you back into a place of receiving and out of thinking/analyzing. The more you can be in a receiving state during meditation, the more you are putting your attention/awareness on connecting with Spirit.
3. I don't feel like anything's happening!!
This is again evaluation happening, so you want to get out of that and back into receiving mode.
Try this:
Call in your Angels and Guides. Feel where they are around you and allow your body to turn to face one and then see what happens.
What this does:
First, it puts you into receiving mode. As you ask for them to come in, you automatically shift into a receptive state as you put your awareness into noticing the shift in energy as they come into your space.
Second, Allowing yourself to shift your facing to turn to a Guide or Angel puts the whole experience into your body as opposed to just in your mind. As you do this, trust whatever your body chooses. Often we are picking up on way more than we "think" we are. Your body is smart and it’s picking up on stuff before you recognize it, so learning to trust your body reactions is key. Doing this exercise fine tunes your physical awareness and shows you just how sensitive you really are! It also teaches you to trust yourself.
Meditation can be a lot of fun and very informative. The key is to not fight the mind, give it another focus instead! Remember to go easy as you begin and start with short times -10-15min is all you need.
One final bonus tip:
Finding time is always a challenge, so do it first thing in the morning or last thing at night so it becomes a part of your already engrained morning or evening routines!
With love,
Ashley