Meditation
Meditation enables us to experience a deep peace and balance. It gives us a necessary break from everyday problems and issues. Meditation allows us to simply be and detach ourselves from everyday wants and needs. It allows us to be at peace with ourselves and who we are.
Meditation Techniques
- Relax in a safe, comfortable environment.
- Choose a position that feels comfortable for you – this could be lying down on a bed or sofa or sitting down with your head supported and your arms and legs supported and relaxed.
- Don’t ‘try hard’ to relax! Instead let yourself drift with whatever happens providing you continue to feel safe. If your body doesn’t feel relaxed try the relaxation exercise first.
- Try one of the following methods to achieve a state of meditation:
- Breathing. If this means you focus too much on your breathing and start breathing too fast try this: Breath slowly in …… out …….. in …… out.
You may like to start by counting your breaths in ………2 ………. 3……. out …………2 ……………3 If you tend to breath fast use a count of 4 instead of 3.
When your breathing has slowed down stop thinking about the fact you are breathing and instead allow yourself to just feel yourself breathing.
- Repetitive sound such as listening to drumming or other rhythmic noises.
- Repetitive movement such as walking, or using prayer beads.
- Repetitive movement and sound – drumming or playing maracas yourself, banging a stick with bells on.
Meditation is a way of becoming more aware. You are trying to control your mind so you feel peaceful and focussed. You are stilling the mind rather than needing to switch it off so don’t worry if thoughts come into your head. Instead go with the flow of the thoughts. Or use a mantra or chant which is feels appropriate to you.
If you are troubled by ‘worldy worries’ then tell that thought to go away then think again of your focus/mantra. For example: “Bills to pay” “Go away” “Peace”
Meditation techniques can also be used for ‘beginner’s journeying’ for personal development use. If you are using journeying for personal development do seek further advice on staying within safe perimeters if not following a course. If you are taking a course the Shaman should show you, advise you or, more usually, lead you to a landscape you can safely explore within.
written by June Kent
photography: Rochelle Kent-Ellis