Playing with Beads Meditation

The Secret Meditator : Playing with Beads Meditation 

The next meditation in the Secret Meditator series of meditations is a "Playing with Beads Meditation". Any object we can hold can be used for this meditation as we are simply bringing our attention to focus on the feeling of the object we are touching. In the guided meditation I've uploaded to the website, I've used an example of a beaded bracelet as that is what I use from time to time.

I have always had a tendency to play or fidget with things with my hands such as car keys, TV remotes and indeed bracelets. Instead of resisting this natural inclination and trying to meditate staying still or observing things like the movement of leaves on a tree, we can work with this tendency and meditate. We can put our attention fully on the feeling of the bracelet in our hands. Feel each individual bead as we move the beads through our hands. We can do this as we sit or when we are walking. Next time you walk to the local shops just hold a bracelet in your hand and concentrate on the feeling. When ever you are distracted by anything, simply notice you have been distracted and remind yourself to focus on the beads again. 

Remember we can use many techniques to meditate. The technique we focus on allows meditation to be observed and noticed. 

This technique may not appeal to everyone but it will be beneficial to people who do find it a challenge to sit still to meditate. It also challenges the belief that we have to sit to meditate and hold a certain position. If we did have to sit still to meditate then this would hinder many people who find this difficult. Instead, we can embrace our natural way of being and move and hold beads in our hands to meditate as long as we bring our attention fully to this. I can sit to meditate most of the time but every now and then there's a pull to hold some beads and meditate in this way. 

See link below to access the Playing with Beads Meditation :-

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

Distractions     

One of the most common experiences we have when we start to meditate is distraction. Even if we have being wanting to try meditation for a long time and we finally feel we've found the right Teacher. We will still experience distraction.

The ways in which we distract ourselves is pretty endless. Before we even try to meditate we can be distracted by Social Media or something interesting on TV or just something else we feel like doing like reading a book. Then when we finally meditate, our thoughts can go into overdrive or our next doors car alarm keeps going off or maybe we just can't quite get comfortable. Basically anything you can possibly imagine, we can get distracted by.

The most important to realise is that this happens to everyone who meditates. It is totally impersonal. Everyone who has ever meditated has experienced distraction. Give yourself a huge break and know and accept this. No judging, no self pity, no berating ourselves. The next step is to be kind with ourselves (as most of us are our own fiercest critic), and go back to whatever technique we are following. No matter how many times we are distracted go back to the technique we are following. Whether it's following the breath, allowing everything to be as it is or watching the leaves of a tree, simply go back and follow the technique. 

Keep with the technique and be open and curious about what you are noticing during meditation. 

If you'd like to find out more about what we offer at Peacefulexperience.com see link below.

https://www.peacefulexperience.com/

Please feel free to comment if you have any questions about this blog. 

Thanks

Ian

Watching the Leaves Meditation

The Secret Meditator : Watching the Leaves Meditation 

The next Meditation in 'The Secret Meditator' series is a 'Watching the Leaves' Meditation. This involves a different technique to the technique used in the previous two meditations.

Remember the technique we use is not the meditation, the technique allows meditation to be observed when it naturally happens. Therefore many techniques can be used when we meditate.

All you need to do with this meditation is to find a tree and concentrate on the movement of the leaves as the wind blows. We can do this in a local park or perhaps we can see a tree from the window of our home. Just follow the movement  of the leaves. Whenever you are distracted by thoughts, emotions or sounds etc just notice you have been distracted and go back to following the leaves. No matter how many times you are distracted, go back to following the leaves.

I've recorded a guided meditation using this technique onto the website. This different approach to meditation may appeal to you. Give it go and I'd be interested in any comments.

Click Here to access website page for the guided meditation.

One of the keys to a good meditation practice

Managing or being aware of our expectations is one of the keys to getting the most from our meditation practice. 

Expectation works in many ways. We can have low and high expectations. We can have really high expectations to what meditation can offer especially if we have researched all the benefits of meditation on the internet or we have experienced feeling calm or peaceful during a meditation. Or we can have low expectations such as when we've tried to meditate and we don't think anything is really happening. Therefore, the next time we meditate we have a low expectation or even start to become disillusioned with the idea of meditation.

We can obviously have expectations which sit in between high and low as well.

Everyone has expectations. I'm no different from anyone else. No-one would be drawn to even try meditation if there wasn't an expectation that it would help in our lives in some way.

In knowing this we can simply accept that we will have expectations before we meditate. 

The important thing is how to we use and work with that expectation?

The most important thing to remember, once we have acknowledged that it is perfectly natural and normal to have expectations, is that once we actually begin to meditate we let go of any expectations. Whatever we have experienced previously in meditation has no relation to what we may experience this time or in the future. Allow yourself to be absorbed in what is happening moment to moment. See if you can treat each time you meditate as the first time. If it's like our first time, as with any first experience we have no idea what we may happen next.

Remain open and curious to whatever you are noticing and experiencing without making any judgements. There is no such thing as a good or bad meditation and whatever is experienced is exactly what you were might to experience. Stay with the technique of the meditation no matter how many times you are distracted by expectations or other things.

Simply stay with the technique and see what you notice about yourself. 

You can contact me via our website if you any questions or you can add a comment below.

Contact us here

Where have you tried to Meditate?

Can you meditate travelling on a bus or going for a walk?

In my first blog we explored the idea of meditating as we go about our day. Also, if we were a bit nervous or self-conscious about meditating; we looked at meditating without anyone knowing - "The Secret Meditator".

Before we go any further with the idea of meditating anytime, anyplace and anywhere it would be useful to have an understanding of what meditation is? 

What is Meditation?

There are many, many techniques we can follow to meditate for example observing the breath, reminding ourselves to Be Still or visualising light flowing through the body. The list goes on and on. What we discover, no matter which technique we follow, is that meditation naturally happens. As we focus on the technique we are not trying to control or manage the moment in anyway. We are in a non-resisting stance. We are simply putting our attention on the technique and discovering what happens when we do this. The more we do this, we find that there is a peace and calmness already here.

In fact, we have all experienced meditation before, such as when we've being reading our favourite book and we get totally engrossed in the words and then we suddenly look at the clock and an hour has flown by! We may have had the same experience when watching a really good movie.

All we are doing when we sit to meditate or when we follow a moving meditation is to really recognise what meditation is. More importantly, we can feel the benefits of meditation relatively quickly. This is good to know as most people would like to feel better about themselves in some way. 

The real sign that you are benefiting from meditation is not what we experience in a particular meditation, it is how you feel as you go about our lives. Are we feeling generally more peaceful and relaxed? Are we handling certain every day situations without feeling so stressed and anxious?   

Discover this for yourself

The important thing here is to discover this for yourself. Otherwise these are simply words on a blog. Really see if the above words about meditation resonate with you!

Have a go and see what happens. Go on a journey of discovery. If you are a bit nervous and self-conscious you don't have tell anyone. Be a Secret Meditator!

Drop or let go of any ideas and beliefs that we may have around meditation. See if we can be open and willing to see what happens when we try to meditate as we go for a walk or when we are travelling on a bus. I've added two free fifteen minute guided meditations to the website for anyone to listen to for these two situations. Just load the free meditation to your mobile device and listen. It'll look as if you are listening to music so no one needs to know.

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

The technique we use on these two meditations is to notice or follow the breath. Simple but very effective.

If you wish to try to sit to meditate there is a free sample "Follow the breathing" meditation as well.

If you found this blog interesting, see our peaceful experience website for what else we have to offer.

https://www.peacefulexperience.com/

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Introducing the Secret Meditator

You can meditate anytime, anywhere and any place!

The good thing to know is that anyone can meditate and the benefits can be experienced sooner than most people think. Also, if you are nervous or anxious about trying meditation that you can actual meditate without anyone knowing! You don't have worry about being judged by other people and just have a go. I remember when I first attempted to meditate on my own, I would tell my family that I was going to read a book in my bedroom and then I would try and meditate for ten minutes or so. I didn't want them to think I was going a bit weird!

Now, meditation is simply part of my life and it has helped in so many ways that I would recommend it to anyone to help with finding peace and calmness. 

Meditation is becoming more in the public eye these days and there is certainly a wealth of information on this subject if you search for this topic on the internet or on social media. There are still plenty of misconceptions out there which I believe hinders people to try meditation either on their own or going along to a class. There is so much information out there that it is difficult to know where to start and which meditation to try and follow.

Sitting to Meditate

One of the most popular images that most people have when we talk about meditation is the image of someone sitting cross legged and holding our fingers in a loop. If you are pulled to meditate that way that is fine but you don't have to.

You can meditate in any seated position which is comfortable, the main thing is to sit upright as we may fall asleep if we lie down to meditate. The most important thing is to be in a posture easy to maintain with as little as discomfort as possible.

Meditating anytime, anywhere and any place  

  

As well as not having to sit in a particular way to meditate we can also meditate whilst standing, moving and performing any ordinary daily tasks.That is why Yoga, Qi-gong and Tai Chi are popular as they are standing or moving meditations. These are ideal for certain people who find it a challenge to sit still to meditate. It is great to know you don't have to sit to meditate - for some people this is almost a form of torture!

This new blog is aimed at helping people getting over that initial nervousness or reservations about meditation and also to look at some of the beliefs we have around meditation itself. There will be free 15 minute guided meditations posted to the peaceful experience website under the heading of Secret Meditator. Use them on your mobile device to listen to.

You can be a secret meditator as you go about your day - no one needs to know you are meditating as you could be simply listening to music.

See link to website below:-

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

You don't have to put time aside to meditate, you can meditate whilst going for a walk, washing the dishes or doing the ironing. The benefits will be the same no matter which form of meditation you are drawn to.

Visit our website to find out more about Peaceful Experience :-

https://www.peacefulexperience.com/