Welcome.
Hello.
My name is Christy.
So happy you are here.
Welcome back to the first day of the series on how to meditate for life's success.
Today,
We are going to discuss the first limiting belief about meditating,
Or what I conclude after asking others.
And that is,
I don't know how.
So for quite some time,
I have had a heartfelt desire to know how to reply to this response,
I don't know how.
I want to provide a simple explanation that resonates and empowers a fellow human who has limited to no experience or knowledge.
But without forcing my beliefs in the equation instead of stating truth.
And finally,
It came to me,
A very simple conclusion.
I believe the lesson to learn is more how to being consistent in the act of meditating on a daily basis than knowing or doing anything specific.
So let's talk about creating a habit.
Speaking from my perspective,
I have found that sometimes when I try new things,
I get preoccupied with doing it perfectly.
I end up overthinking it,
Which in turn causes me to be fearful and hesitant instead of jumping in and taking action.
And this uncertainty leads to resisting the action altogether or at best not being consistent in my approach.
In the case of starting meditation practice,
I'm not suggesting a forceful approach.
To me,
Meditation is an act of loving kindness that you allow to take place,
That you welcome with the flow of life.
So once you have decided to try meditation,
I truly believe that there is no need to get caught up in the how to meditate.
Rather,
Take a carefree approach.
You might find that coming from this mindset,
You are able to eliminate any expectations.
And instead,
You're able to be free in the moment,
Which truly is the goal.
By trusting the process and allowing yourself to develop a loving attitude towards yourself and your thoughts and your growth process,
The pressure of knowing how to do the active meditation then just proves to be silly.
You find that instead of the result is part of a self-discovery journey and not an act.
You become a blooming flower.
And so now you can focus your attention and effort on building a habit rather than a study.
There are no rules or rank.
Just sit and be and do nothing.
With repetition of practice,
The knowing evolves.
I would also like to mention a misconception for some,
And that is in order to be able to meditate or benefit from it,
You have to become a Buddhist or a Hindu.
Meditation is not about religion or that you have to sit in a certain way or position your hands just so.
It might be the idea that you have to have some special music or light candles.
And the truth is,
None of that is so.
In everything that I have just discussed,
My intent is to suggest that you can start today.
And little by little,
With consistent practice,
You will make meditation or sitting with your thoughts and practicing silence and mindfulness,
A part of who you are,
Your life.
Okay,
So now what?
I'm ready to make a commitment to myself.
But where or how do I get started?
There are several types of meditation,
So I suggest playing around a bit to find what suits you.
Guided meditations are a great way to start,
In my opinion.
There are various time links and subjects and references to find them on.
Or if you'd like,
You can send me a message and I'll be happy to offer you some of my favorites.
The free app Insight Timer is my favorite app and I am grateful for its existence.
I would suggest,
As a beginner,
Start sitting for five minutes a day for one week and then progress each week as you feel comfortable.
Of course,
Everyone needs to be in touch with who they are and what resonates with them.
That is just a suggestion.
I found it helpful in starting my practice to do it at the same time each day,
If you're able,
And possibly in the same location.
It's like me making it to the gym each day after work.
I'm setting a particular time aside to find a quiet place and meditate.
Okay,
So let's try this together.
You can pause this recording to find a quiet place where you know you won't be disturbed for the next five to seven minutes.
Now,
Sit or lay down,
However you feel most comfortable.
I want you to take a long inhale,
Feeling your belly rise.
Pause and hold it.
Now exhale.
Let's do it again.
Long,
Slow inhale.
Pause.
Now slowly exhale.
When you're ready,
Gently close down your eyes.
Allow a gentle dissolving in your mind's eye as I take you through a body scan.
Softening and releasing as you breathe.
See if you can channel your breathing into and out of the areas.
If you notice opinions arising about these areas,
Let them go.
Then return to noticing the sensations occurring in your body.
Slowly bring your attention down to your feet.
Imagine your breath reaching each toe and the up and down of the soles of your feet.
Now move your attention to your ankles,
Your calves,
Your knees,
And thighs.
Observe the sensation you're experiencing throughout your entire legs.
If you notice any tension or discomfort,
Try not to judge this.
Simply notice it.
Observe how all sensations rise and fall and shift and change from one moment to the next.
Notice how no sensation is permanent,
Just as in life itself.
Now softly bring your attention to the sensations in your lower back,
In your pelvis.
Now your mid and upper back,
Softening and releasing as you breathe in and out.
I want you to very gently shift your focus to your stomach and all of your beautiful organs here.
As you continue to breathe with a non-attached mind,
Bring your awareness to your heart region,
The life provider.
Now your chest as a whole,
Breathing and letting it dissolve into the exhale.
Now shift your focus to your upper arms and then all the way down to each of your ten fingers.
Gently bring your focus to the neck,
Shoulders,
And throat.
Tension generally builds in this area.
Be with it and then let go of any stories or thoughts you tell yourself about this area.
With each breath allowing the tension to fall off of you like drunks of sweat.
Now take a moment to bring your awareness to your scalp,
Your head,
And face.
Become curious about all the sensations occurring there.
Notice the movements of the air as you breathe into or out of the nostrils or mouth.
As you exhale,
You may notice the softening of any tension that you are holding.
Simply observe,
No judgments.
And now let your attention to expand out to include the entire body as a whole.
Take a long inhale.
Hold the breath to a count of five.
And slowly exhale to peace.
Very nice.
How did that feel?
Well,
There is no right or wrong answer because this is your journey.
This is a gift you're giving to yourself by making a commitment to yourself.
And what better way to honor ourselves than by becoming conscious of ourselves.
Remember,
In order to create a habit,
We must take repetitive action.
Every day we have to make a plan with ourselves and follow through.
Have a beautiful day.
