How does one relax in a world of constant activity? With never ending to-do-lists, continuous streams of information, and perpetual updates promoting the latest advances in healthcare remedies, relaxation has become foreign to many people. The truth is that relaxation is an inherent skill we are born with. It is an internal experience available whenever we choose and a natural part of being human. This may sound strange considering the high number of external remedies being promoted in our world, but it is true.

How do we access this natural state? By letting go. Let go of tension and stress. Cut back on the to-do list and prioritize relaxation by releasing conflict, the need to be right or perfect. Build trust in yourself to make good choices in the moment and your ability to balance self-care with daily life. Relaxation is vital in today’s busy world!

There are five essential qualities necessary for sustaining meditation. Faith and self-confidence are crucial as they give us the energy to concentrate and increase moments of mindfulness. With mindfulness, insight and understanding naturally deepen, giving way to greater faith and self-confidence. This dynamic interplay builds the foundation for discovering true potential. Free from doubt, confusion and fear, liberation is your ultimate gift!

Meditation deepens relationships. Although meditation seems like a solitary act where one goes inside to explore self, it actually leads to a profound sense of connection with the external world. Regular meditation gradually reveals our deep connection to all living things and the fact that there is no separation in the entire universe. When we come home to realizing our inherent wholeness, we blissfully arrive at a place of beauty and peace.

Meditation opens the door to deeper wisdom and faith. As a result, you will become more genuine and authentic, more able to flow with daily experiences in life. No longer trudging the path of stress and tension, harmony in relationship prevails, patience, respect, kindness and compassion are your beautiful new rhythms in life!

Horizontal Pulse Trace Heart Monitor with music note in line.

Sustained meditation literally rewires the nervous system. Through daily rituals of grounding and centering oneself in the moment, one’s capacity to remain calm, confident and resilient are naturally strengthened. Thus, old reactive habits no longer arise when difficulties appear.  Instead graceful living becomes the new way of life!

Meditation involves transformation. With mindful awareness moment by moment, you have the opportunity to let go of negative patterns and initiate a new way of responding to life. These moments of inner transformation hold rich potential, as they literally start the process of rewiring the brain and help to ultimately align your inner and outer worlds. Gradually, congruency in the two worlds returns and life becomes much easier, enabling you to simply flow with life!

Meditation is more than relaxation.  Meditation, at its deepest level, involves consciousness. With raised awareness of differences between your inner and outer worlds, you have a vital starting point for integrating the two worlds and stepping firmly onto your path for enhanced wellness.

Releasing the continuous chatter within, space is created for open observation, without judgement or expectations. This open awareness is a higher level of consciousness! Congratulate yourself each time you achieve this! And each time the chatter returns, bring yourself back to open awareness, like gently bringing back a curious young child who has innocently wandered away.

Mediation is a practice that takes many forms. Over the next few weeks, you will obtain a clear and concise understanding of what meditation is and what it isn’t, as well as ultimate gifts that become available once you commit to regular practice. Discipline and diligence are essential for everyday wellness in today’s complex, fast-paced world!

According to Joel & Michelle Levey, wise elders of the mindfulness movement, there are 5 general categories for meditation:

1. Concentration Meditation: cultivating a focused mind
2. Mindfulness Meditation: cultivating presence of mind
3. Reflective Meditation: cultivating an inquiring mind
4. Creative Meditation: cultivating a transformative mind
5. Heart-Centred Meditation: cultivating a mind of loving-kindness

Each meditation builds on the first two as concentration and mindfulness are the foundation for effective practice. Whether you choose to follow up with reflective, creative, or heart-centred mediations, explore different ones to see which resonates most deeply for you at this particular time in your life. Remember that life is ever-changing. Stay centred in the present moment through concentration and mindfulness, and the gifts will spontaneously present themselves in perfect time!

Ultimately, mindfulness is not about achieving certain goals or expectations, or even maintaining certain preferences in life. Mindfulness is simply a state of spaciousness acquired through observation and open awareness. A commitment to living from a place of peace and equanimity is vital. Then, like a free flowing river, thoughts become the sand and pebbles resting on the riverbed, or large rocks we effortlessly flow over and around. Unobstructed by the perpetual activities of thinking mind, mindfulness liberates us to come home to our own true nature, our authentic self. This is one of the most challenging feats in the human journey.

Mindfulness was easy and natural when we were young. Mindfulness awaits your re-discovery every moment of your life. Sink into mindfulness and all the beauty it offers!

Mindfulness is not an action or something that you do.  It is a way of being.  Mindfulness is fully inhabiting the moment just as it is, without expectations, thoughts, stories or emotional attachment.  When you embrace open awareness, you are instantly liberated. This is the ultimate gift of mindfulness: freedom!  There is really nothing that you need to do.  You simply need to be!