Tips for Meditating
by Ronnee Ruselle
Not all of these tips are necessary, but they may contribute to an even better meditation.
- Playing music that is relaxing will help to block out background noises that may jolt you out of your relaxed state. It's also helpful to lull you into relaxation. It can also help to count to five whilst coming into the meditation and count backwards from 5 to 1 whilst coming out because it tells the mind to prepare for coming out of the meditative state and to awaken properly.
- Using an oil burner or incense can help to keep the energy clear and relax you. Sandalwood, White sage and Lavender are good choices.
- Practice breathing whilst entering into the meditative state. If you inhale as far as you can and then upon exhaling say to yourself "relax" slowly in time with the breathing, and at the same time loosen the muscles in your body, you'll relax a lot faster.
- Choose a location where you will be comfortable and warm. As you relax, your body temperature will drop a little so you may wish to have a blanket over you if you're on a couch or just to ensure that the room temperature caters for it so you don't get cold.
- Try not to expect too much. It's important to have no expectations so that your mind can flow to wherever it needs to with the meditation.
- You may wish to have something to focus on to get you started. A candle, an image or even a dot on the wall is often used by people to assist them into entering the relaxed state of meditation.
- If you are a person with a busy mind who has trouble meditating, this is because your brain is busy doing what it does best - working through the information, categorising it, storing it, coming to a conclusion on it etc. In order to help stop this, keep a notebook where you can jot down all of your thoughts. Once you've done that, your brain knows that it can release the information because something has been done with it. It knows that you can come back to the information later so the burden of having to remember it is released and the brain is free to roam with subjects other than tomorrow's work or other issues that may be around you.
- You may choose to hold your favourite crystal to assist with the meditation.
- If you create a sanctuary in your mind - a haven or beautiful place of safety and security, you can begin your meditations there and it can also be a meeting place for you to see your guides etc. I've actually been told by the guides that such places are protected as they are located right near the other side so they enjoy the protection and safety of the other side as well as being easily accessed by guides and loved ones etc. I was amazed when I heard this because I'd never thought of it being in an actual location before that, but it explains the beautiful feeling of the sanctuary and it also explains why it is protected. It can look however you wish it to look.
