Living Out Loud

As within, so without

A Thought for the Week

"Our outer world is a reflection of our inner world. Take care of your inner world and plant the seeds of goodness & love. All other things will fall into place." ~ Unknown

"As we understand that the outer world is merely a reflection of our inner world we realize that people and events do not happen to us, they happen for us. We drew them to us for our higher good, for our understanding, for the evolution of our consciousness." ~ Lucille Anne Meltz

"It does not matter one iota what we change on the outside, if we haven't done the work to change on the inside. Our reality will continue to evolve so that it is a reflection of our inner beliefs and world." ~ Tony Davies

Be still

(a Thought for the Week)

photo by Irargerich

"If water derives clarity from stillness, how much more so does the mind."  ~  Chuang Tzu   "In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you."  ~  Deepak Chopra   "In the place of stillness, rises potential. From the place of potential, emerges possibility. Where there is possibility, there is choice. And where there is choice, there is freedom!"  ~  Gabrielle Goddard

All coincidence is meaningful!

A Thought for the Week

photo by celebdu

"In mathematics, two angles that are said to coincide fit together perfectly. The word coincidence does not describe luck or mistakes. It describes that which fits together perfectly." ~ Wayne Dyer   "Life is not merely a series of meaningless accidents or coincidences, but rather, it's a tapestry of events that culminate in an exquisite sublime plan." ~ Unknown   "I do not believe in meaningless coincidences.  I believe every coincidence is a message, a clue about a particular facet of our lives that requires our attention." ~ Deepak Chopra

Allowing others the freedom to grow

We're all pretty protective of our right to lead our own lives, make our own mistakes, learn our own lessons.  But how good are you at allowing others the freedom to do the same?

In my life right now, I'm struggling with that.  A central character in my life is proposing to sell her house and move to Egypt with her three year old daughter. 

And my ego (along with those of all her family) is strongly resisting it.  And while I admit that some of that comes from my selfish desire for her to remain in Ireland where I can see her regularly, it's mostly worry and fear for her wellbeing, and the wellbeing of her young child.

Oh, my ego could provide you with a very long list of all the reasons why this plan is misguided and doomed to failure.  And your ego would be nodding along in agreement - of that I have absolutely no doubt!

Whenever I allow myself to dwell on the matter for more than a couple of minutes, and especially when I begin explaining to others all the reasons why she should not do this, I get very upset.  Thank God for meditation though, because it is helping me to loosen the grip of fear and glimpse a possible higher purpose in all of this. 

When I allow my Higher Self to get a word in, I acknowledge that I cannot see the big picture of this person's life, and what I think I know to be the certain outcome of this "drastic" move may not in fact turn out to be the case.  I also remember that this three year old girl is more than a child under the control of her mother's decision.  She is also a wise soul who chose this other soul to be her mother in this lifetime.  And both of these souls also chose to learn particular lessons - and just maybe this move to Egypt is a necessary part of both their journeys.

I do know that.  But my ego doesn't like it, not one little bit.  But slowly, my ego and Higher Self are reaching a compromise.  I'm hoping that this plan is not destined to manifest, that it is not for the highest good of all, and will in the end come to nothing.  (In a nutshell, I'm hoping she will see "sense")

But at the same time, I'm trying to accept that maybe it is for the highest good (no matter what I, or anyone else thinks about it).  And if it does come about I hope I will look back on it and be glad that it happened despite my current feelings on the subject.  I'm remembering most growth comes from the difficult situations rather than the easy ones.  And if we're not growing then there's not much point in our being here.

I'm working with this affirmation by Florence Scovell Shinn:

"I do not resist this situation.  I put it in the hands of Infinite Love and Wisdom and let the Divine idea come to pass."

It's from The Game of Life and How to Play it (a gem of a book), and it's helping me to loosen the fearful grip of my ego, and allow my Higher Self to deliver some peace of mind. 

What about you?  How do you cope when you find yourself in similar situations?

Meditation: the benefits to the subtle body

As discussed in the first post in this series, the Subtle Body is composed of the mind, the intellect and the ego and all three aspects are tightly interwoven.

The mind is the domain of our thoughts, desires and emotions.  The intellect is the aspect of ourselves that analyses all information that passes through the mind.  And how this information is interpreted is influenced by the outlook of the ego - the image we hold of ourselves and what we project into the world.

Negative thoughts and feelings - or mental and emotional dis-ease - comes about when our ego is rooted in fear.  However, it is quite normal for the ego to be fear-centred because it is our self-image, and not our true self (that is our spirit, to be discussed more in the next post in the series). 

The ego has forgotten who we truly are, and is living under an illusion that each of us is separate from all else in existence (while the truth is that everything is connected).  This illusion of separation gives rise to fear.  The ego worries about how others perceive us, and works hard to present an image to the world that it believes will be loved and accepted.

The ego also tends to have fixed ideas about what it needs in order to be happy, and becomes attached to the idea that life has to work in a particular way in order for it to be good.  This attachment generates more fear - either that things won't work out as desired, or that it will lose what it has already achieved and wants to hold onto.

In order to let go of the energy of fear, to feel at peace, release anxiety, and love and accept ourselves and others exactly as we are, we need to integrate the energy of love into our daily lives.  And this is where meditation can help us release mental and emotional distress.

During meditation, as the mind becomes ever quieter, we move in and out of a place called The Gap.  This is the space between our thoughts.  It can be a teeny tiny space - especially when our minds are frantically busy - but it does exist.  The thoughts in our mind are like the frames on a film strip - while we perceive a seamlessly fluid movie, it is actually the composition of a series of stills.

The Gap is a field of pure stillness, and we are never aware of being in it (though you may - or may not - have an inkling immediately afterwards that you were there).  We weave in and out of the gap throughout the meditation process, and in doing so we bring some of the qualities of that stillness back with us into our everday life. 

The effect is become less reactive to situtations that previously would have worried or upset us.  When practiced regularly, we come to realise that we have a calmer, more peaceful way of being in the world.  We find this new way of being helps us to better deal with any crisis that crops up - cos they still will.  Meditation doesn't eliminate difficult situations from your life, but it does enable you to experience them differently. 

You'll find you don't struggle with situations as much.  You may resist them initially (oh yeah, I still don't like to see trouble or strife coming my way), but with a regular meditation practice acceptance of the situation comes more quickly.  And with acceptance comes peace and a greater ability to cope with whatever obstacle needs to be overcome.

You may read alot about the possibility of being happy in the moment no matter what crap may be going on in your life.  You may even accept that possibility in theory.  But if you have yet to experience it for yourself, then I recommend giving meditation a go. 

Don't expect to instantly be cured of all fears, anxieties and frustrations - you wouldn't expect a flat tummy from your first session of sit-ups, would you?  Meditation is like exercise - you need to do it regularly to see and maintain the results.  But once you find the right technique for you, making it a daily practice will be a joy in itself - and the physical, mental and emotional benefits will be an added bonus :-)

Not to mention the spiritual gains - to be discussed soon....

Previous posts in this series:

Could meditation be the solution to everything?

Meditation: the benefits to the physical body

Next post:

Mediation: the spiritual benefits

Meditation: the benefits to the physical body

The true purpose of meditation is to connect with spirit.  But a wonderful side-effect is that it alleviates stress and the effects of stress on our bodies.

When the body experiences stress it releases hormones that cause a number of physiological changes:

• heartbeat increases
• blood pressure rises
• breathing speeds up
• sweating increases
• blood platelets become sticky

All of these changes were essential to primitive man.  This is what is known as the fight/flight response and the changes that occur prepare the body to literally fight or run for its life. 

However, in modern life we rarely have this urgent survival need.  Yet we still experience "stress" when we perceive a threat to our happiness or the manifestation of our desires.  These days most of our stresses are mental or emotional - they are caused by how we react to circumstances.  And it doesn't matter if the perceived threat is real or imaginary - the body will still have the same changes in "reactive response" as it does in "fight/flight response".

Nowadays, instead of fighting or fleeing in times of stress, we tend to stew in it a little bit (or even alot!).  Consquently, the stress hormones that are coursing through our veins are not being properly discharged, and over time they accumulate and erode our immunity.  Ongoing stress causes anxiety, depletes seretonin (leading to depression), aggravates the symptoms of pre-existing medical conditions, and can be the seed that leads to the development of a wide range of physical illnesses.

 

What can meditation do about all of this?

In meditation we enter a state called restful awareness.  And in this state the body also undergoes a number of physiological changes:

• heartbeat decreases
• blood pressure normalises
• breathing quietens
• sweating is reduced
• immunity is increased

Notice anything?

The physiological changes experienced during meditation are the reverse of those experienced during stress!  In a nutshell: meditation is the antidote to stress.

During meditation the body receives a very deep level of rest, allowing healing to take place.  When practiced regularly it can heal the accumulated effects of stress already present in the body.  Plus (for reasons to be discussed in the post on spiritual benefits), when you meditate you integrate qualities of peace and stillness in your everyday life.  This has the side effect of making you less reactive to situations that would have previously irritated, frustrated, worried or upset you.  So, by meditating, not only do you get to alleviate the effects of stress that already exist in your body, but you also become less likely to become stressed in the present.

It's all good really ;-)

 

What about serious chronic and terminal illnesses?

All illnesses have a spiritual origin and a spiritual solution.  Spiritual practices can and do lead to miraculous healings all the time.  But having a spiritual practice is not a cast-iron guarantee to anything - there will be other factors involved in the healing or non-healing of any disease.

Having said that, regular meditation strengthens your immunity and raises your energetic vibration - thereby working in your favour when it comes to looking for recovery from physical illness.  Everything that exists in the physical world, though it appears to be solid matter, is energy vibrating at different frequencies and this includes the state of your health.  The vibration of health is a high one, while sickness is a low vibration.  To recover from illness you need to raise your energy vibration and meditation helps with that.

The presence of stress in the body or mind aggravates existing medical conditions.  As meditation alleviates stress and improves immunity, it helps with the overall wellness of both the body and mind.  It has been shown that many conditions such as PMS, anxiety/depression, diabetes (types 1 and 2), high cholestorel, and irritable bowel syndrome can all be alleviated with meditation.

It is possible that (twice) daily meditation could lead to complete recovery.  But when it comes to cases where a cure is not the outcome of a meditation practice, there are still benefits to be experienced.  We all die of something at some point, and healing doesn't necessarily involve a cure.  But it does involve the alleviation of suffering, and that will be discussed more in the next couple of posts. 

Whether the problems in your life relate to physical illness, relationship difficulties, financial hardship or any other crisis, meditation absolutely can help to provide a solution. 

I hope you'll stay tuned to find out more ;-)

 

First post in this series: Could meditation be the solution to everything?

Next post: Meditation: the benefits to the subtle body

 

Could meditation be the solution to everything?

Seeing as I have recently begun to teach meditation, I thought it was high time that I wrote in more detail about the benefits I frequently allude to in other posts.

 

Originally, I was going to post the title Meditation: the solution to everything!  But then I figured that’s a really strong statement, and it might alienate some readers.  So I rephrased it as a question.  However, I happen to believe that meditation is the solution to everything that can be perceived as a problem.

 

I hope to outline enough reasons to at least persuade you of this potential, if not convince you of this truth!  However, if I were to attempt to do this in the detail I want in one go, it would turn into a mammoth post.  So, I've decided to do it as a series of shorter posts. 

 

This first one though is not so short.  I'll discuss what meditation is and give a general overview of the benefits to be gained from a regular practice.  In follow up posts I will look at the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits in more detail.

 

In the last post I will outline how to get started with a meditation practice and give recommendations on how to integrate it into your daily life.

 

So, lets get started . . .

 

What is meditation?

 

Meditation is a process whereby we quieten the mind, which is normally very busily engaged with thoughts about the future or memories (more thoughts) of the past. 

Through quieting the mind, we enable ourselves to rest more easily in the present moment, which is the only place that actually exists in physical reality.  When we are busy thinking of the past or future, we are not fully grounded in the “real” * world.  We have at least one foot in a world that either exists no longer, or doesn’t exist yet - and may never come to exist at all.

 

(* all of reality is perception and is uniquely different for each one of us – but that’s for another post)

 

Meditation is meant to be easy and comfortable to practice - not a test of mental or physical endurance. 

Although we quieten the mind during meditation, the mind is not always quiet during the process!  It is perfectly normal to experience many thoughts during meditation.  If you don't achieve a completely still mind, don't dismiss your meditation as not being effective.  Eventhough it might feel like your mind is continually active, you do still quieten it down throughout the process.

During meditation, using whatever your point of focus is (that differs according to whatever meditation technique you practice), you continually interrupt your busy stream of thoughts and in doing so take your mind to quieter and quieter levels.  Over time, though you may still experience thoughts, the thoughts become quieter themselves, more abstract, less compelling to the thinking mind.

Many people, when they begin meditating, think they need to banish all thoughts from their mind.  This puts the mind under a great deal of pressure, and can also lead to tortuous mental boredom throughout the process.  When you let go of that pressure, and accept that whatever crops up in your thoughts is just fine – as long as you remember to just let them go rather than engage with them – then meditation turns into a relaxing and peaceful time that you will enjoy.

 

Physically, meditation is also meant to be comfortable.  The traditional image of a meditation posture is something like this:

 

 

In fact, this is not at all required.  It is absolutely fine to sit in a lotus position – if you can do so comfortably.  If it would be uncomfortable for you (as it is for me), then sit upright in a comfortable chair.  If the body is uncomfortable the mind will be engaged with this thought, making it difficult to settle and quieten down. 

 

Comfort is key – then you can forget about your physical body and relax your mind.

 

Why bother meditating?

 

Meditation originated in eastern cultures as a spiritual practice.  It enables you to connect with your soul, and to integrate the qualities of your soul into your daily life.

 

In the west, however, it has grown in popularity due to the recognition of its immense power to manage stress and reverse the ill-effects of stress on both the mind and body.

 

The benefits of meditating regularly cannot be overstated.  The practice will positively affect you on every level: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.  Not only that, but we postively affect those around us too.

 

Layers of Life

 

 

 

 

Above is a diagram of the model of the human form that was developed by Adi Shankara, one of the great Vedic sages and philosophers of India.  He identified three dimensions to the human body: physical, subtle and causal.

 

The physical body is not limited to the personal body we recognise and identify with, but also includes the unseen energy body - the prana or chi that provides us with vital life force - and also the extended body, otherwise known as our environment.

 

When we meditate we raise the vibration of our energy, which improves the health and well-being of the physical body and impacts the energy field around us, thereby affecting the energy of others we come in contact with. 

 

The subtle body also has three aspects: the mind (thoughts, desires and emotions), the intellect (the part which is always analysing and interpreting information), and the ego (self-image).  By quieting the mind during meditation we reduce mental and emotional turbulence and increase our sense of inner peace.

 

The causal body refers to our consiousness, and again there are three levels involved: the personal soul, the collective soul and universal soul.  As well as being connected to universal consiousness, each of our souls is connected to a group of other personal souls, and the story of the collective influences each of our pesonal life stories. 

 

Through regular meditation we become more attuned to our soul intentions, and make choices in life that are aligned with the highest good and not just driven by ego desires.  When our desires come from the level of the soul, the whole universe conspires to manifest them.  How wonderful is that! :-) 

 

Overall, when we meditate regularly we find purpose in our lives and experience greater peace, happiness and overall well-being. 

 

 

So, how does that translate into the solution to all problems?

 

Ok, I started with a question, and answered with an audacious claim.  To get the full picture on this you will need to read the follow up posts that go into more detail about how meditation can benefit every aspect of our lives. 

 

Although the posts on the physical and subtle benefits will address more practical issues, the post that addresses the spiritual benefits will deal with the big picture, and hopefully will tie it all together.  That is the post where I hope you will be persuaded that mediation can be the solution to everything ;-)

 

 

Follow-up posts:

 

Meditation: the benefits to the physical body

 

Meditation: the benefits to the subtle body

 

Meditation: the spirtual benefits

 

Meditation: getting started with your practice

Lighten up!

(a Thought for the Week)

"I can think of no better way of redeeming this tragic world today than love and laughter. Too many of the young have forgotten how to laugh, and too many of the elders have forgotten how to love. Would not our lives be lightened if only we could all learn to laugh more easily at ourselves and to love one another."  ~  Theodore Hesburgh

 

"You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, even poverty, you can survive it." - Bill Cosby

"Enlightenment means to lighten up.  Don't take yourself too seriously."  ~  Deepak Chopra

 

Photo by Tela Chhe

I forgot about Awareness

Last week, I was on the final leg of my meditation teacher training.  And the subject of Awareness came up quite a bit, because when you meditate regularly you will naturally develop a higher sense of self-awareness.

And on the first day, as I heard the word coming up, it dawned on me: OMG, when I wrote A is for  . . . to kickstart my A-Z of Happiness series, I totally forgot to include Awareness!!!  And Awareness is the starting point!!!!!!!

How utterly remiss of me. 

When I first began writing on the subject of personal development, Awareness was my hot topic.  And here I was, leaving out the most fundamental building block of the whole process of taking responsibility for becoming a happier person.  So I thought to myself, I better put that right as soon as I get back home.

And then when I did get home, Neale Donald Walshe sent this timely reminder:

On this day of your life, Hilda, I believe God wants you to know....that awareness is not a gift that some have and others cannot attain.  Awareness is your birthright and your inheritance. You have it now.
 
It is not a question of whether you have it, but of whether you are using it.  All human beings have the gift of Awareness.  Yet not all are aware that they are Aware.  When you are aware that you are Aware, your experience of Awareness shifts to a new level.  That is why this is being sent to you today. You called this forth , out of your own inner Awareness. This is You, waking you up. 
 
Today, walk in Awareness. Do so by simply choosing to do so. Allow yourself to be aware of every person's feelings, of what fits perfectly and is 'right' in every  moment, of what is wanted and needed from you as a healer and a messenger Right Here, Right Now. Walk in this Awareness, and watch your life change today.

So, without further ado, let me rewind.  When it comes to the A-Z of Happiness, A is for . . .

Awareness; Accepting the Present as it is; Affirmations; Attention & The Law of Attraction; Attitude

Awareness is the foundation of the points that followed, and everything else that comes under every other letter.  Because without awareness, you cannot change your attitude, thoughts, beliefs or behaviours.  In order to be proactive about your own happiness, you need to consciously choose your perspective and your approach to life.  You need to be aware of your beliefs and your thought patterns before you can make the conscious decision to change them.  And often, we are completely unaware of the subconsciously held beliefs that are sabotaging our ability to create the lives we wish for.

So, if you're going to apply any of the tips that I have outlined already, or will outline as we continue from E to Z, you're definitely going to need to tap into your self-awareness. 

If you're already there, that's great!  You're off to a flying start.  But if you would like some tips on how to develop greater self-awareness try the following:

• At the end of each day, journal about how you felt during different experiences, and what thoughts did you have immediately prior to, during and after each experience.  Identify which activities you enjoyed, and what it was that you appreciated about them.  Likewise, what would you prefer to leave out of your schedule and why?

• Pay attention to your body, and its response to the food you eat, the activity you participate in and the company you keep.  Your body will always have a response of either comfort or discomfort.  Start to really notice when it's experiencing discomfort (often this can be subtle and we can miss it).  Then ask yourself how you can move towards greater comfort - this will move you towards your higher good, whether it's physcially, mentally, spiritually or emotionally.

• Identify your beliefs, values and needs.  Do your beliefs serve you well?  (Refer to B is for . . . for more on why this is important and what to do about it if your beliefs are limiting you).  Are you honoring your own personal values (click here to download an exercise to help you identify your top 5 values)?  Are you crystal clear on what your mental, physical, spiritual and emotional needs are?  To be happy you need to have all your needs met, and the first step in that process is knowing exactly what they are.  Make a list today...

• Meditate!  Meditation quietens the mind and the body, and this quietening down will help with the other exercises.  In fact, before doing the exercises to get clarity around your beliefs, values and needs, it would be a great help to meditate for a few minutes right before hand.  But quite apart from that, people who meditate regularly begin to notice after a while that they're naturally more self-aware, along with a great many other side benefits (stay tuned to future posts to learn more).

I hope those tips help.  And again, I apologise for leaving out the foundation to this whole series.  I'll try to do better in future ;-)

The series so far:

A is for . . .

B is for . . .

C is for . . .

D is for . . .

Let go and let God

(a Thought for the Week)

"As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit." ~ Emmanuel Teney

 

Photo by Kevin Dooley

"We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us." ~ E. M. Forester

 

"The road of life can only reveal itself as it is travelled; each turn in the road reveals a surprise. Man's future is hidden." ~ Unknown