Gilly Pickup - The Little Book of Meditations

THE LITTLE BOOK OF MEDITATIONS

copyright 2019 by Summersdale Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of reprints in the context of reviews.

Andrews McMeel Publishing

a division of Andrews McMeel Universal

Walnut Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106

www.andrewsmcmeel.com

First published in 2019 by Summersdale Publishers Ltd.

West Street,

Chichester, West Sussex

PO 19 1 RP, UK.

ISBN: 978-1-5248-5619-5

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019936826

Text: Gilly Pickup

Editor: Kevin Kotur

Production Manager: Tamara Haus

Production Editor: Julie Railsback

Digital Production: Kristen Minter

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Contents

What is meditation?

In simple terms, meditation is a process of awareness leading to a state of consciousness that brings serenity and clarity of mind. Meditation enables the practitioner (i.e., you) to reach a different state of consciousness from the normal waking state. This means that when you master the art of meditation, whatever you do, you do it more effectively.

Maybe you know someone who says, Ive tried meditating, but its no useI just cant seem to get the hang of it. If you ask them why, they may say, My mind wont stop buzzing. I have so many things to think about. I cant clear my head and get rid of random thoughts, so meditation isnt going to work for me. Of course, it is true that sometimes when beginners struggle to control or reduce their flow of thoughts, they become disillusioned and think meditation won't work for them. But its perfectly OK to still have thoughts, because through practice you learn to observe them without judgment. Meditation is a skill that you can develop, just like playing the violin, baking a cake, learning to speak French, or anything else.

Meditation does not mean you have to turn off thoughts in your mind; it is about establishing a healthier relationship with your mind. After all, your mind does not come with an off switchit will never stop producing thoughts.

Meditation is about balance, wakefulness, and awareness; it is not about forcing something to be done in a certain way. The restless, unconscious, repetitive mind is simply a habit, and we all know that habits can be changed or broken. Sooner or later your ability to meditate will become natural to you, and it will be one of the most enjoyable and refreshing parts of your day.

We have all experienced the endless chatter that goes on in our minds: the continual What ifs , Whys , Will I? , Should I? , I can't forget it is a never-ending list. The trouble is, this constant silent noise in our head prevents us from embracing peace and mental quiet. Meditation is an excellent way to calm the relentless noise and enable us to bring mental clarity into our lives, thereby succumbing to some peace and quiet, which is so important to our physical and mental health.

Anyone can practice meditation. You can do it at home: it is simple, inexpensive, and no special equipment is requiredplus its scientifically and medically credible. Find somewhere quiet where you wont be disturbed, and off you go!

The goal of meditation is to achieve inner peace; during meditation your body will also become rested and relaxed. When you cultivate a peaceful mind, you feel good and positive within. Meditation brings mental, emotional, and spiritual balance, which is the key to enlightenment.

Meditation is essentially relaxation time, so it should be practiced when you know you wont be disturbed. The hours of sunrise and sunset, when nature transitions between day and night, are ideal times to meditate.

Ways to meditate

There is no single way to meditatethere are lots. Among the most popular is focused-attention, or mindful meditation, where you concentrate on something specific. This could be your breathing or a certain sensation in your body, for example. The point of this type of meditation is to focus on one thing; when your attention wanders, keep bringing it back to that focal point.

Take your time

Many people may find meditation challenging at first, but as is the case with anything we start to learn, it takes time. Sometimes this has to do with the feeling of expectation. When we try to meditate and feel that nothing is happening, it is easy to lose enthusiasm. We forget that it is not about making something happen but simply about being present for the exercise. Some people get caught up in thinking too much about the experience or overanalyzing it. They may have an idea in their mind of what meditation is supposed to be, how it is supposed to feel, and that if their experience doesnt match the ideal, they are doing something wrong.

It is a fallacy that your mind is supposed to be empty of all thoughts while meditating. This is not the case. It is normal to experience a gaggle of thoughts when you first startand of course, the more you try to make your thoughts vanish, the more the opposite will happen.

Generally speaking, many people find the easiest way to begin meditating is to focus on their breathing.