Kundalini meditation is a kind of meditative technique which is designed to tap into your capacity for 'love' and your libido. While meditation techniques – and even the end goal of meditation – can vary widely, they all are essentially aimed at directing and controlling our own thoughts so that we can learn about ourselves, increase concentration, and often relax; with kundalini meditation the focus is simply on that sexual and loving energy also described as 'pure desire'. By focussing simply on this you can then increase your own pleasure and passion. At the same time though there is of course a deeper philosophy, with this 'pleasure' sensation supposedly being the genuine 'spirit' of mankind. This is thought of as the natural self, and to release it is supposed to lead to self-realisation and nirvana.
This energy is supposed to be released by a 'guru', and the body should be prepared by physical exercise, breathing exercises (pranayama), visualisation and hatha and forms of yoga – of course it can also be awakened by meditation. Sometimes it is said to awaken naturally with no obvious reason.
Interestingly the term 'kundalini' actually means 'coiled' in Sanskrit, which has a lot to do with the visualisation techniques employed in kundalini mediation. That is to say that the kundalini is visualised as a coil, often a snake, at the base of the spine. Sometimes it can also be visualised as a Goddess or a pink 'bubble'. By getting yourself into a meditative state through a comfortable seating and breathing exercises to clear the mind, you can then begin to focus completely on that visualisation and the feelings of love that you can imagine 'radiating out of it'.
The visualisation however is not important. What is important is the ability to focus on this point and to try and use it to 'feel' the impulses of love and desire and sexual energy. Imagine it radiating out of the base of your spine and filling your body – washing you in love. Some people will then move on to think of a person that they really love and/or desire in their life – and to really focus on the feelings that person creates and then intensify them. This can strengthen your relationship in the long run, and bring about intense feelings of desire and love in the short term that will be highly pleasurable and enjoyable. It is our thoughts that control how we feel and that dictate and define our experience, so by bringing about such strong thoughts and feelings of love and passion we can experience this kind of bliss on demand.
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Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Simple Breathing Meditation Techniques to Practice Anywhere
Meditation is often thought of as this mysterious state that we need advanced training to achieve, but actually something similar to mediation can be achieved very simply anywhere and at any time. This is especially the case as there are multiple different types of meditation and it is actually pretty loosely defined. In cognitive behavioural therapy for example, a form of meditation known as 'mindfulness' is used in which the practitioner is taught to not block out all thoughts, but to allow them to 'drift by in their mind like clouds' so that they can recognise the contents of their own mind. Meanwhile some religions use meditation as a way to achieve 'enlightenment' or 'oneness' or to pray, and others will meditate 'on' a subject meaning they simply devote thought to it. Others will use meditation as a way to relax and to silence their thoughts, and this has been shown to have many positive effects, helping people to focus, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol and generally improving calm and cognitive ability.
As such then, meditation should really be thought of as the ability to consciously control our thoughts rather than letting them control us all of the time. In particularly it is the ability to sometimes 'shut off' some or all of our thoughts so that we can concentrate or simply relax and allow our body and mind to recover. It is no wonder then that it results in a calmer existence and an increased ability to concentrate.
For many this is very hard to do and you often find that you end up with wondering thoughts that you can not silence. What may surprise you then, is that you probably have experienced states at least close to meditation on several occasions and can return to them at any point – even while going about your daily chores.
One quick way to reach a zen-like calm is to simply concentrate on your breathing, and many people already use this as a way of getting over fear or anger without even realising. It is the conscious control of thought using breathing techniques and in that sense it is meditation on a lower level. Simply when you find life is getting on top of you, take a moment out of the daily grind and concentrate on slowing down your breathing and on taking deep pleasant breaths. This does not necessarily mean using any particular breathing technique which might be specific to certain particular types of meditation, but can just be any simple and slower form of breathing that you find relaxing, and that will then have a positive knock on effect on your body, lowering your heart rate and countering the damaging effects of adrenaline.
There are many other techniques you can perform easily through the day as well which will help you achieve meditation like effects. For example, have you ever gone into a cinema to watch a film and come out feeling disoriented and confused? If so, then that is because you were so focussed on the film that you shut down other portions of your mind that weren't in use. In particular this includes the 'self aware' thought processes that we consider to be our 'inner voice' which is what monitors our environment and our higher brain functions. This is what monitors the passage of time and puts it in context with what we are meant to be doing, and as such shutting it down will mean we do not notice time passing in the same way – which is essentially a meditative calm. A far surer way to achieve this is to sit down and read a book, while other people have less mentally taxing hobbies that can achieve the same concentration – for example painting for many people can make time pass quickly and all problems go out of the window. If you struggle to meditate as such then, taking up a hobby that you are passionate about can have just the same positive effects.
Finally learn to sometimes enjoy the smaller moments in life we have when we can relax. Whatever's going on, we can almost always afford ourselves ten minutes out of our schedule to just relax. If not, even the time we spend in a lift or on a bus is time that we can relax. And yet most people spend these periods thinking about all the stress waiting for them when they arrive. Instead then, think of these points as a 'bubble of time' where you can relax completely and forget all worries and concerns. Put yourself into this bubble time whenever you get the chance and use your controlled breathing when you do, or read a book. Certainly learn that when you actually do have a day off, you can take the opportunity to really relax and make the most of having no commitments at all…
As such then, meditation should really be thought of as the ability to consciously control our thoughts rather than letting them control us all of the time. In particularly it is the ability to sometimes 'shut off' some or all of our thoughts so that we can concentrate or simply relax and allow our body and mind to recover. It is no wonder then that it results in a calmer existence and an increased ability to concentrate.
For many this is very hard to do and you often find that you end up with wondering thoughts that you can not silence. What may surprise you then, is that you probably have experienced states at least close to meditation on several occasions and can return to them at any point – even while going about your daily chores.
One quick way to reach a zen-like calm is to simply concentrate on your breathing, and many people already use this as a way of getting over fear or anger without even realising. It is the conscious control of thought using breathing techniques and in that sense it is meditation on a lower level. Simply when you find life is getting on top of you, take a moment out of the daily grind and concentrate on slowing down your breathing and on taking deep pleasant breaths. This does not necessarily mean using any particular breathing technique which might be specific to certain particular types of meditation, but can just be any simple and slower form of breathing that you find relaxing, and that will then have a positive knock on effect on your body, lowering your heart rate and countering the damaging effects of adrenaline.
There are many other techniques you can perform easily through the day as well which will help you achieve meditation like effects. For example, have you ever gone into a cinema to watch a film and come out feeling disoriented and confused? If so, then that is because you were so focussed on the film that you shut down other portions of your mind that weren't in use. In particular this includes the 'self aware' thought processes that we consider to be our 'inner voice' which is what monitors our environment and our higher brain functions. This is what monitors the passage of time and puts it in context with what we are meant to be doing, and as such shutting it down will mean we do not notice time passing in the same way – which is essentially a meditative calm. A far surer way to achieve this is to sit down and read a book, while other people have less mentally taxing hobbies that can achieve the same concentration – for example painting for many people can make time pass quickly and all problems go out of the window. If you struggle to meditate as such then, taking up a hobby that you are passionate about can have just the same positive effects.
Finally learn to sometimes enjoy the smaller moments in life we have when we can relax. Whatever's going on, we can almost always afford ourselves ten minutes out of our schedule to just relax. If not, even the time we spend in a lift or on a bus is time that we can relax. And yet most people spend these periods thinking about all the stress waiting for them when they arrive. Instead then, think of these points as a 'bubble of time' where you can relax completely and forget all worries and concerns. Put yourself into this bubble time whenever you get the chance and use your controlled breathing when you do, or read a book. Certainly learn that when you actually do have a day off, you can take the opportunity to really relax and make the most of having no commitments at all…
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Tips to Learn How to Meditate Right Now
Meditation is a practice that is surrounded in mystery for those not in the now. Many seem to be under the impression that it is a magical or religious exercise, or that those in the know believe it is going to bring them unusual abilities. While meditation is used in some religions however, it is also used by professionally trained therapists and other specialists and is a tool that anyone can use in their daily lives to find an inner sense of calm and to relax. There are many different forms of relaxation and the method you choose will be based on personal preference, and even the goals of meditation can vary and while some people will meditate to silence their 'inner voice', others will do it in order to focus more heavily on that voice.
For most people though the best type of meditation is that which takes them out of the daily grind and gives them a break from the 'constant chatter' which the majority of us experience in our minds 24/7. Normally we all have a voice in our head which 'narrates' what we are doing and how we feel. This voice is often the source of a lot of stress as it reminds us of what we are doing wrong, and of any problems in our life. When we try and relax, often the voice is still there and will be thinking about the washing that needs to be done, the phone calls that need to be made, and the day we are going to have tomorrow at work.
All these thoughts put stress on our body. They create stressors which our body treats as genuine threats to our safety, therefore speeding up our heart rate and flooding us with adrenaline. While this is a great response if we are facing a lion, over time if it is constant it can begin to take a serious toll on our body. At the same time all that 'background noise' can make it difficult to think clearly about the things we want to be focussed on. In meditation then we sit, we focus, and we forget the voice, and as a result we feel completely calm and relaxed – any problems we do have are forgotten, or we are at least taking a back seat and not 'engaging' with them. Regular massage has then been proven to have quantifiable benefits and to increase our health in a number of ways – lowering our cholesterol, improving things like coordination and even increasing recall and concentration. Meditation can be done by anyone anywhere, and can be achieved standing up, lying down or sitting in an arm chair.
Of course for someone who hasn't had any professional training this can be quite hard and the minute we know we are not allowed to think, it suddenly becomes impossible not to. You begin thinking things such as 'am I thinking anything at the moment?' and 'oh good I managed not to think anything!'. Similarly by knowing you are not allowed to move you often suddenly start itching and feeling uncomfortable. It is like trying not to think of a pink elephant – the minute you know about it you do.
Fortunately there are some simple tips you can learn that will help you to overcome these problems and to concentrate on 'nothing'. The first of these tips is not to place too much concern on straight away being able to achieve complete silence. This is something which many people train for years and not something you are going to be able to do immediately. Be happy to just sit and relax in the quiet of your room and to at least take a 'back seat' to your thoughts. Some distance is better than none and listening to your thoughts can have value too. In fact this is called 'mindfulness' where you observe where your thoughts go when you are not consciously trying to control them. Embrace this and see what is in your own mind – consider it an explorative journey. You can even 'meditate on' a subject, by sitting down somewhere quiet and devoting time to thinking about a problem you want to solve. Similarly you should not worry too much about keeping completely still, and you certainly do not need to be in the lotus position. Lie down somewhere comfortable on a couch, or sit up if you are worried about falling asleep (though this would not be the worst thing in the world) and if you need to scratch do. You will find you are suddenly a lot less itchy.
To help quieten that voice there are also some things you can do. The first and most important is to remove the stressful thoughts you have. While it can be okay to let your mind wander, you must not sit there worrying about how little time you have or you just will not be able to relax (which is the whole point here after all). To give yourself some mental 'space', take your concerns and agree to put them in a box where you can come back to them later after your meditation. They are not going to go anywhere, and if you are meditating now then they are not going to help you – so just forget about them until you can actually do something about it.
Then concentrate on a single space. You should have your eyes closed so this space will be a point you imagine in the black space. Normally people choose to focus on a point in the centre of their forehead between their eyes. This will help focus your thoughts and is a powerful tool to be able to focus your thoughts in daily life. At the same time try to listen to your breathing which will entertain your mind with something dull and meaningless. Breath however is comfortable to you, but just focus on this sound for a while. If you struggle with this then you can listen to 'meditation CD' of relaxing sounds and music which will help you to leave the world behind too. Listen to each individual instrument and its part and try just to 'hear' without analysing.
There are other visualisation techniques you can then use to become even more relaxed. For example, many people like to imagine a 'happy place' such as a calm island beach, or a quiet rain forest, or a log cabin in the snow. Again choose a scenario that works for you and wonder around and explore the cave. By visualising your happy place you can concentrate on creating images rather than your thoughts, and if you are meditating in order to relax then this is a great way to calm your heart rate and lessen your adrenaline.
Other visualisation techniques are more 'internal'. One popular favourite is to imagine a 'pleasant colour' such as a light blue. Start it in the centre of your forehead, and then slowly allow it to cover your face and your neck, your shoulders and your chest, your abs and spine, your biceps, your thighs and your buttocks, your calves and forearms, and finally your feet and hands. Let it completely wash over you and relax your muscles as you do.
Others like to blur the boundaries of their own body to completely 'forget' where and what they are in the universe. This might sound quite unsettling, but actually this is something which can occur anyway if you manage to shut down certain centres of your brain. To help achieve it, imagine a light in your abdomen that is 'you' and then slowly expand it outside of your physical restraints, into your room, out of your house and then out into the universe. This is a more advanced technique, but if you can focus on the experience without thought, then you can begin to feel 'body less' as well as 'thought less'.
Finally if none of these techniques work, then a great way to start is by listening to a meditation tape or CD in which a professional will talk you through the process. Be sure to shop around though (you can download many for free online) in order to find a speaker with a style that suites you.
For most people though the best type of meditation is that which takes them out of the daily grind and gives them a break from the 'constant chatter' which the majority of us experience in our minds 24/7. Normally we all have a voice in our head which 'narrates' what we are doing and how we feel. This voice is often the source of a lot of stress as it reminds us of what we are doing wrong, and of any problems in our life. When we try and relax, often the voice is still there and will be thinking about the washing that needs to be done, the phone calls that need to be made, and the day we are going to have tomorrow at work.
All these thoughts put stress on our body. They create stressors which our body treats as genuine threats to our safety, therefore speeding up our heart rate and flooding us with adrenaline. While this is a great response if we are facing a lion, over time if it is constant it can begin to take a serious toll on our body. At the same time all that 'background noise' can make it difficult to think clearly about the things we want to be focussed on. In meditation then we sit, we focus, and we forget the voice, and as a result we feel completely calm and relaxed – any problems we do have are forgotten, or we are at least taking a back seat and not 'engaging' with them. Regular massage has then been proven to have quantifiable benefits and to increase our health in a number of ways – lowering our cholesterol, improving things like coordination and even increasing recall and concentration. Meditation can be done by anyone anywhere, and can be achieved standing up, lying down or sitting in an arm chair.
Of course for someone who hasn't had any professional training this can be quite hard and the minute we know we are not allowed to think, it suddenly becomes impossible not to. You begin thinking things such as 'am I thinking anything at the moment?' and 'oh good I managed not to think anything!'. Similarly by knowing you are not allowed to move you often suddenly start itching and feeling uncomfortable. It is like trying not to think of a pink elephant – the minute you know about it you do.
Fortunately there are some simple tips you can learn that will help you to overcome these problems and to concentrate on 'nothing'. The first of these tips is not to place too much concern on straight away being able to achieve complete silence. This is something which many people train for years and not something you are going to be able to do immediately. Be happy to just sit and relax in the quiet of your room and to at least take a 'back seat' to your thoughts. Some distance is better than none and listening to your thoughts can have value too. In fact this is called 'mindfulness' where you observe where your thoughts go when you are not consciously trying to control them. Embrace this and see what is in your own mind – consider it an explorative journey. You can even 'meditate on' a subject, by sitting down somewhere quiet and devoting time to thinking about a problem you want to solve. Similarly you should not worry too much about keeping completely still, and you certainly do not need to be in the lotus position. Lie down somewhere comfortable on a couch, or sit up if you are worried about falling asleep (though this would not be the worst thing in the world) and if you need to scratch do. You will find you are suddenly a lot less itchy.
To help quieten that voice there are also some things you can do. The first and most important is to remove the stressful thoughts you have. While it can be okay to let your mind wander, you must not sit there worrying about how little time you have or you just will not be able to relax (which is the whole point here after all). To give yourself some mental 'space', take your concerns and agree to put them in a box where you can come back to them later after your meditation. They are not going to go anywhere, and if you are meditating now then they are not going to help you – so just forget about them until you can actually do something about it.
Then concentrate on a single space. You should have your eyes closed so this space will be a point you imagine in the black space. Normally people choose to focus on a point in the centre of their forehead between their eyes. This will help focus your thoughts and is a powerful tool to be able to focus your thoughts in daily life. At the same time try to listen to your breathing which will entertain your mind with something dull and meaningless. Breath however is comfortable to you, but just focus on this sound for a while. If you struggle with this then you can listen to 'meditation CD' of relaxing sounds and music which will help you to leave the world behind too. Listen to each individual instrument and its part and try just to 'hear' without analysing.
There are other visualisation techniques you can then use to become even more relaxed. For example, many people like to imagine a 'happy place' such as a calm island beach, or a quiet rain forest, or a log cabin in the snow. Again choose a scenario that works for you and wonder around and explore the cave. By visualising your happy place you can concentrate on creating images rather than your thoughts, and if you are meditating in order to relax then this is a great way to calm your heart rate and lessen your adrenaline.
Other visualisation techniques are more 'internal'. One popular favourite is to imagine a 'pleasant colour' such as a light blue. Start it in the centre of your forehead, and then slowly allow it to cover your face and your neck, your shoulders and your chest, your abs and spine, your biceps, your thighs and your buttocks, your calves and forearms, and finally your feet and hands. Let it completely wash over you and relax your muscles as you do.
Others like to blur the boundaries of their own body to completely 'forget' where and what they are in the universe. This might sound quite unsettling, but actually this is something which can occur anyway if you manage to shut down certain centres of your brain. To help achieve it, imagine a light in your abdomen that is 'you' and then slowly expand it outside of your physical restraints, into your room, out of your house and then out into the universe. This is a more advanced technique, but if you can focus on the experience without thought, then you can begin to feel 'body less' as well as 'thought less'.
Finally if none of these techniques work, then a great way to start is by listening to a meditation tape or CD in which a professional will talk you through the process. Be sure to shop around though (you can download many for free online) in order to find a speaker with a style that suites you.
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