The Simplicity Of Meditation : Replacing Stress And Frustration With Trust And Understanding

Meditation : Simple or a Struggle ?

When someone says meditation one often associates a relaxed, zen demeanour. Yet, if you are one of MANY who have tried to meditate consistently, and neither find that relaxed zen demeanour, nor establish a daily meditation practice, you might be associating meditation to something more along the lines of additional stress and frustration. Here's why :

The struggles we encounter during meditation are the thoughts supporting the very habits we seek to change using meditation. So if you’ve found yourself unable to maintain a consistent meditation practice, it is most likely because you are trying to sidestep the very purpose you chose to meditate. Thus, you don’t see the results and then, eventually, start to wonder if meditation “works”. But The “Thing” about meditation, is that it always works… and the degree to which you see its benefits is the degree to which you choose to observe and recognize them.?

Look at it this way,?being drawn to meditating and attempting to meditate already implies that you are open to receiving its benefits, and just as you don’t see the air you breathe, you do recognize, to a certain degree, that you are receiving benefits. Looking into how many benefits you are receiving is for you to decide.?Which depends on what is priority and important in your opinion.?Well. Like the breathe, the same holds true for the benefits of meditation.

Meditation is an observation and improvement of your own thought process. Much like if you were to go into your home and decide to clean it from top to bottom. Would you be able to do that in 10 minutes ? 10 hours ? 10 weeks ? Ever ??Be honest with yourself, I won’t hear your answer.?

But… what if you were to take on a designated space at a time ? You choose the space, its size and the amount of time.?Does that feel less overwhelming ? Probably not. And this is how I invite you to look at meditation.?

Here are some important facts to keep in mind when choosing your space, focal point and time to practice meditation (or any task for that matter) :

1. Where you practice meditation is not significant. There isn’t a “better” place or position than another. Obviously, a quiet, comfortable place, where you won’t be disturbed is ideal, but, again, you will benefit from meditating wherever you decide to meditate. The benefits are automatic, and more benefits follow with consistency of practice.
2. The amount of time you decide to meditate does not correlate to the amount of benefits you’ll receive. Again, the benefits are automatic because you are open to receiving them, and it’s important to note : are as great or small, and as few and as many as YOU choose… Remember, you don’t see the air you breathe, but you know you receive more benefits than you even realize. This is true for meditation… and more benefits follow with consistency of practice.
3. Choose one area of your life to meditate on… and stay focussed on that. The amazing aspect of choosing one focal point is that the benefits are directed to that focal point, and, almost in a seamless fashion, the other areas of your life benefit, as well. EVERY aspect of your life is linked.?
4. Trust your intuition. To support your intention to meditate and receive benefits, I invite you to write down your purpose to practice meditation. Keep a short summary of it on your phone, so you can refer to it as needed. Because if you remember what I wrote in my first newsletter, ‘Why Meditate ? ’, we start with what the Doctors Kelly and Connors (circa 1970) referred to as Stage 1 : Uninformed Optimism.

• Your intuition lead you to your intentions, in this case your purpose to practice meditation, which is Stage 1 : Uninformed Optimism. However, once you’ve started your meditation journey, you will naturally progress, and encounter the followings stages, at varying degrees. So, in order to minimize Stage 2 : Informed Pessimism and Stage 3 : Valley of Despair, you need to create that "bridge" to Stage 4 : Informed Optimism, and you do this using your written purpose as your focal point ; a physical, mental and emotional reminder as to your objectives. (Much like you do with a deadline.) The more importance - like the priority you give to deadlines - you attach to your purpose for your meditation, the easier your written purpose will carry you through the challenges brought on by the stages of Informed Pessimism and Valley of Despair. Remember, you are merely letting go of an old habit, how easy that will be is directly impacted by your ability to stay focussed on your objective. And attaching importance to your objective supports your ability to stay focussed.

5. Lastly, there are no penalties or “bad” side effects with meditation.?Only benefits… and they are great… even the ones you categorize as small and/or insignificant. Again,?you don’t see the air you breathe, but KNOW, beyond a doubt, you are receiving more benefits than you even realize.

Happy Meditation... and until next week... Peace. Love. and Razzamatzz !

Coco des Rosiers, M. Ed. and Chief Rebel @IlluminateAbundance

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