Mindhacks

I’m writing this in response to a few questions about the misconceptions about meditation in the hope that I can clarify what meditation can do for people who are looking some straight forward ways to better relaxation, mental focus, and reduced stress!

So - You want to start meditating?

It’s a religious / spiritual experience

Meditation allows your MIND to enter a state of awareness or mindfulness. Meditation, if anything helps you become more aware of what our over-cluttered minds are thinking. Think about it like organizing a messy drawer of socks, or organizing your refrigerator. Meditation helps us take inventory of what floats about in our minds, and sometimes what to do with those thoughts too!

Some say, that this relaxed state, is the same state that’s used by hypnotherapists, like Roberta Temes, to help people solve a whole host of issues like Weight Loss and increasing Productivity.

However, if you’d like a religious of spiritual experience. There are plenty of schools of thought that can help you accomplish this — BUT ONLY IF YOU CHOOSE IT!

I need to wear tights / robes / and shave my head

Meditation, like any other exercise, requires effort. Like in running a marathon, there’s effort involved in your muscles, breathing, and even clothes you wear.

However, unlike any other exercise, meditation only requires 1 piece of equipment: your mind. Meditation requires you to be in a comfortable posture that can help you go into a deepened mental state, thats all. No spandex required.

Take a look at Burt Goldman, he may not be dressed like some guru or yogi, but he’s mastered how to focus his mind like one!

I’ve got no time to meditate. And I don’t want to sit on a mountain asking for the “secret to life”

Meditation takes as long as YOU WANT. It can be as short as a 5-minute session, or it can be as long as a few days. Take as long as you require to accomplish the results that you want. But don’t feel forced to become a hermit in a jungle meditating for days on end if you don’t WANT to.

For example, Jose Silva, the Mexican-American, who introduced dynamic meditation to the Western World. His methodology only requires short amounts of time to accomplish HUGE results.

Sitting cross-legged and headstands give me muscle pains and gas

Then DON’T.

Meditation and Hatha Yoga, although sharing a few common philosophies, are two different techniques. Hatha Yoga, with their handstands, ploughs, and other advanced positions requires physical control. Meditation, on the other hand, only requires the your mind.

However, with that said, if you are interested in increasing your physical well-being, Hatha Yoga is a great way to accompany meditation.

There are SO many ways you can meditate easily and simply too!

I have to be a hippie to meditate

Many major corporations encourage the use of meditation to reduce stress in working environments. In fact, many insurance companies are offering reduced premiums if their policy holders start meditating.

You don’t need to be vegetarian or become an eco-terrorist to meditate.

Anyone can meditate.

And all YOU need - is your mind!

If you have any additional misconceptions you’d like to clarify, leave us a comment. Tell us what you think!

Meditation Resources

The Silva Ultramind System

The American Monk

www.MeditationLiving.com

Editor’s note: Everyone has the potential to get into contact with their higher self. Once we have done this we are opened up to a world of endless utopia that cannot be comprehended by our conscious minds. I found a truly incredible article which gives an amazing guide on how we can do this.

7 Wonders:

1. Belief & Expectation: Transform Your World View!

2. Solitude & Meditation

3. Journal

4. Inner Dialogue

5. Life Lessons

6. Dreams

7. Mindfulness

The 7 Secrets to Knowing Your Higher Self

By Asoka Selvarajah, Ph.D

Author of 7 Golden Secrets of Knowing Your Higher Self

1. Belief & Expectation: Transform Your World View!

Left: The world is in your hands

The first step is to BELIEVE that you have a Higher Self to establish communication with! Then EXPECT every day that this communication will improve as you focus diligently on inner growth.

 Without these two essential pre-requisites, it is hard to achieve anything at all in life, even on the physical level. For inner growth, these two qualities are essential. So set a GOAL to achieve contact with the Higher Self, review that goal daily, and maintain your purpose with determination until success is yours.

We are brought up with a primarily materialistic world view that neglects the role of Spirit. To establish close contact with spiritual realms, we need to have our entire being - conscious and subconscious - congruent with our goal.

 In any major activity/goal, you have to establish the rules of the game and the way it is played. Contacting your Higher Self is the same. Therefore, seek out writings and teachers that expand your understanding of the universe as fundamentally being a realm of Consciousness and Mind.

2. Solitude & Meditation

Make regular time for yourself where you can be totally alone. A quiet place is preferable. Just sit quietly with no expectations. Do NOTHING. This may feel very uncomfortable and strange in the beginning. Persist.

You give time and space for the inner voice to make itself heard. It will do so either during that quiet time, or else during the events of the day.

 A synchronistic event will occur; someone will tell you exactly what you need to hear; you will get a sudden flash of insight. All the great geniuses of history have found times of regular solitude and silence for themselves. You should too.

In meditation, you work to discipline your mind and silence the internal chatter that constantly fill it. You create a pure vessel for the Higher Self to fill. Following your breath is an excellent meditation discipline, as is concentrating upon a candle flame. Or visualize a golden ball of light in your Solar Plexus that fills your whole body with energy and healing. There are many practices that you can study and use.

3. Journal

Record your feelings, emotions, dreams and insights every day in a journal. This will help you to come into closer contact with your inner intuitive depths. You can ask the Higher Self questions here, and then later on record whatever insights/answers you receive. If you do this regularly with belief and expectation, you WILL receive the answers you need.

4. Inner Dialogue

Conduct a regular inner dialogue with your Higher Self. For the next 40 days, decide to keep in contact throughout the day. Say to your Higher Self, “I know you are there and I want to get to know you and pay attention to you. Please begin to speak to me and guide my life” Don’t worry if this dialogue is entirely one-way to begin with.

 Remember that you have been out of touch for decades. It takes a while to clear the cobwebs! Persist with this inner dialogue as if talking to a friend - chatting, asking questions, sharing your hopes - and begin to listen for answers. They will come.

5. Life Lessons

Look upon life as a Mystery School. Believe that the whole of your life - events, situations and people - has been structured PRECISELY in order to teach you exactly what you need to know right now. Approach life as if the whole of creation is conspiring to do you good! Whenever something happens in your life, for good or ill, ask yourself what the lesson is for you.

Even unpleasant people/situations have been deliberately placed there as a challenge to help you grow. As you begin to view life as a drama in which you are play the starring role, the role of the Higher Self will become increasingly evident in your life. Record your findings in your journal.

6. Dreams

 Expect your Higher Self to speak to you in dreams. Before going to sleep, do some stretching and bending to relax your body completely. Ask your Higher Self a question and expect an answer.

When you wake up, recall whatever you can of your dream and write it down in your journal. If you are not used to remembering dreams, this will take time and persistence. However, with patience, you will begin to recall your dreams AND receive answers from your Higher Self.

7. Mindfulness

Focus upon living more and more in the present, on the NOW. When you are eating, be aware that you are eating. When you walk, know that you are walking. The only real moment is now - the past is gone forever and the future has yet to be. Therefore, work to clear your mind of concerns, illusions and extrapolations. Clear the mental clutter from the mind and create space for the Higher Self to fill.

Patience Is The Catalyst To Progress!

Remember, you may have spent your entire life out of touch with Source. Therefore, it takes time to learn how to re-establish contact. Anything worth doing takes time and practice. Be vigilant and practise these seven steps every day, and you will receive the answers you need.

Remember: The Higher Self WANTS to be in contact. In fact, to even speak of it as someone apart from you is contradictory. The Higher Self IS you! The real you. So get in touch with YOU!

Dr. Asoka Selvarajah is an active author/researcher on personal development and esoteric spirituality. Asoka’s work helps people achieve their full potential, deepen their understanding of mystical truth, and find joy in their true soul’s purpose.

check out the full article>>

How did you reconnect with your higher self? Share your story here

Our Article on Bret Carr got picked up around the web and Bret asked us to share a little more about his amazing story. Read the new article here:

http://www.mindhacks.org/2007/03/14/bret-carr-revoloution/