Tuesday, October 2, 2018

The Sound of the Wind

Signs of progress with our Meditation practice


I have mentioned this topic briefly on one of the earlier blogs, but I thought it would be a good idea to re-visit the subject of progress. 

As we start our practice of meditation we obviously have at the back of our minds thoughts such as "I hope this helps and makes me feel better". This probably is, for most people the reason we decide to try meditation in the first place. We have come across meditation in some way perhaps the Internet, TV or other source and we have the idea that it will help with our lives in some way. 

Hopefully this blog has encouraged you to try meditation and see what happens. If not, then it is never to late to start! That really is the most important thing. We can read as much as we can about meditation, we can learn the techniques and principles behind it but the most important thing is to try it and give it a go and experience meditation for ourselves.

Anyway back to the subject of progress, say if we have started to meditate; how do we know we are "doing" it right and making progress? It is key to remember here that it is not what we experience actually in the meditation itself, it is how we feel as we go about our daily lives that is important. The meditations themselves may be filled with continuous thoughts, an urge to fidget or some other constant distraction but that does not mean it isn't starting to help you in some way. Most people when they start to meditate experience many distractions which will go on for some time but are we noticing changes in our "normal" lives?    

Are we feeling less stressed at work? Are we sleeping a little better? Are we communicating with our friends and family a little better? Sometimes these little changes are too subtle to spot as we believe what is happening in our meditation sessions is what we should be concentrating on. Be open and honest and see what is happening in the whole of your life not just what is happening during meditation.

It maybe the case that the meditations themselves are going well, with less thoughts and not so many distractions. This is great but if not, simply continue with the meditation practice. Be patient with yourself as people are different and will experience different things. Give yourself a little time and you will feel the benefits sooner than you think. Even meditating for 10-15 minutes a day can be beneficial.

If you have any questions on this section of the blog don't hesitate to contact me via our website.


Sound of the Wind Meditation  


The next meditation in the Secret Meditator series is a Sound of the Wind meditation. 
The technique with this meditation is to simply listen to the sound of the wind on a windy day. 
Sit or stand comfortable with your eyes open or closed and listen. Listen to the wind as the sound ebbs and flows. Just like with the other meditations, whenever you are distracted by thoughts, emotions or sensations in the body, simply remind yourself to listen to the wind again. No matter how many times it appears you are distracted - just go back to listening to the wind again.   
Obviously, you can't control the wind so just let go of trying to manage and control the sound you are hearing. Put your attention on the sound of the wind as it comes and goes. Keep bringing your attention back to the sound again and again.

This technique will appeal to some and not to others. Just like the Watching the Leaves or the Playing with the Bracelet meditation. Find a technique which resonates with you. Experiment and see what happens.

I've added a 15 minute meditation to the website which you can listen to and help with this meditation. See link below.

https://www.peacefulexperience.com/ians-guided-meditations.html     

Any comments on the blog would be appreciated!       

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