What comes to mind when you hear the word “meditation”?  How does your body react?  Some of you may be feeling instantly more peaceful, but I’m sure others may be feeling guilty, fearful, or turned off in some other way.

The benefits are countless, however, so finding a style that is right for you is definitely worth it:

• healthier body, mind, and spirit
• stress reduction
• increased happiness
• calmer mind
• mood stabilizing
• pain control
• improved learning
• creativity
• and more

The trick to meditation is finding the style for you.  There are many religious and non-denominational types of meditation out there to explore.  Here’s a great post describing  23 Types of Meditation.

 

It doesn’t have to be traditional or organized though. Some people turn washing the dishes into a meditation – I’m not there yet…  I do, however, love contemplative meditation in nature, walking meditation, and the meditative states that I achieve through painting and nature photography.

Like with yoga, this means trying a few styles out before finding the perfect fit. Then all you need to do is practice, practice, practice.

Keep reading for my bonus meditation.

There are also many ways to learn to meditate.

These vary from intensive training retreats, weekly classes, video & audio sessions, and open community gatherings. Look online to see what’s available in your area or ideal travel destination.

Here’s something you might like.  Deepak Chopra & Oprah Winfrey are about to start one of their popular 21-Day meditation experiences, this one focusing on gratitude. You get access to an online recording every day, starting July 13th.  Click here to sign-up.

 

I once did a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat – they’re free (donations welcome), they’re all over the world, and provided exactly what I needed during a transition time in my life.

It was amazing! Well, that’s not entirely true. Day 2 and 3 were sheer hell as I experienced the workings of my mind in a way that made it clear that it was all in my mind: fear, anxiety, judgment, taking everything personally, etc. After the full realization that my experience had nothing to do with my environment or the other meditators, I felt pure, blissful freedom. Well worth it!

I continued the practice, one hour in the morning and one hour at night, for more than a year until my angels told me it was no longer serving me.

One of my favourite kinds of sit-down meditations is a guided one that opens up my inner vision and helps me connect to my body, mind, and spirit. These can be for healing, relaxation, getting in touch with inner guidance, etc.

Would you like to try one?

I asked my Higher Council for one that would help you let go of whatever no longer serves you, manifest what does, and connect to your team of Divine helpers.

The recording is 26 minutes and you can download it. Click here to sign-up. 

I channel one of these as an opening meditation whenever I do an Soul Energy Portrait Experience. It’s co-created with my client’s team of Divine Helpers and can serve them for years to come.

Yes, creativity can be a meditation, if you let go of the “how-to”s and especially the “how-not-to”s.  When I made dots on “The Law of Vibration” for 16 hours, contemplating how we’re all energy sending energy into the world, I was definitely in a meditative space.

Painting is my teacher – in self-awareness, in letting go, in unconditional love, and now in deeper universal truths through guided visualizations.

My finished paintings and photography can then act as portals to the universal energy flow and meditative states for those willing to enter.

What kind of meditation works for you?

How has meditation helped you?

Please share in the comments below.