Magic of Meditation

I believe many of you have heard of the term Meditation or have read about it. Maybe you are already doing meditations. Meditation is a great tool to understand ourselves and our world better, as well as a great tool for healing.

Meditation can in short be defined as a method to clear our mind and to relax our body in order to reach a level where all is calm and therefore clear. This provides a ideal environment to heal physically and emotionally. Also, at that level we are able to connect with the universal intelligence and we are able to hear our inner voice better.

There are many techniques and hundreds of books on mediations. At this point, I would like to give general information about some short meditation examples that you may start to use immediately.

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You might think that meditation is something complex or difficult or even weird to do. Yet, meditation is basically is a relaxation process. Let’s go through how we can do a meditation together by using our breath.

Breathing Meditation:
- First of all, find a quiet spot.
- You may put an instrumental music on.
- Sit down and close your eyes.
- Breath systemically and deeply, but without effort.
- Be aware of your breath.
- Just breathe for a few minutes and be aware of your breath.
- You many want to count “one” as you inhale, and “two” as you exhale, “three” as you inhale, “four” as you exhale.
- Continue up to the count of “ten”. When you reach “ten”, start from “one” again.
- Thoughts may come to your mind. For example, you may find yourself thinking about your shopping list of the day. As soon as you realise the thought, let it go. Watch these thoughts about daily life, but be an observer and try to let these thoughts go by. Do this effortlessly. You’ll get used to it with time. Your mind will wonder. Return to counting as soon as you realize you stopped.
- You may want to do this breathing and counting for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Then you may slowly move your hands and feet and move our shoulders up and down slowly and then open your eyes.
- Please drink at least a glass of water after the meditation.

Even a short meditation like this will allow your body and mind to relax. Best times to do meditations are in the morning when you wake up, or at night before you go to bed to sleep better. However, you may even meditate at the office during the day for a few minutes to rejuvenate.

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I would like to give examples of a few other simple meditations that you may want to practice. “Doing” is the best way of learning; therefore, I would like to share the methods rather that giving detailed descriptions about what meditation is. Meditation is a broad subject, yet the basic principles and methods are more that enough at the beginning. For example, we may do meditations on issues and emotions. Let’s look at one on forgiveness.

Forgiveness Meditation:
- First of all, find a quiet spot.
- You may put an instrumental music on. (Having some kind of music on is recommended to keep us connected and slightly grounded.)
- If you are doing the meditation alone, please read the text below first before you start this meditation. (If you are doing the meditation as a group, one person may read the following text after a general relaxation is achieved by the group):

“Forgiveness is the healing tool I carry with me everywhere. I am willing to forgive. I love the feeling of freedom when I take off my heavy coat of criticism, fear, guilt, resentment, and shame. I can then forgive myself and others. This sets us all free. I am willing to give up my stuff around old issues. I refuse to live in the past any longer. I forgive myself for having carried those old burdens for so long. I forgive myself for not knowing how to love myself and others. Each person is responsible for their own behaviours, and what they give out, life will give back to them. So I have no need to punish anyone. We are all under the laws of our own consciousness, myself included. I go about my own business of clearing out the unforgiving parts of my mind, and I allow the love to come in. Then, I am healed.”

- Sit down and close your eyes. (Although you may have the desire to mediate resting on the floor or in a bed, if you are meditating on you own, doing your meditation sitting down is recommended. In group meditations where one person leads the group by his or her voice telling what to do at each step, meditations may be done lying down on our back.)
- Breath systematically and deeply, but without effort.
- Be aware of your breath.
- Just breathe for a few minutes and be aware of your breath.
- Relax your head, relax your eyebrows, relax your eyes, your cheeks, your mouth and lips, relax your chin, relax your neck and shoulders, relax your spine, relax your arm, hands and fingers, relax your hips, relax your legs and feet and toes. Feel your body relax from head to toe.
- Thoughts may come to your mind. As soon as you realize that you are thinking the though, let it go. Watch these thoughts about daily life; be an observer and try to let these thoughts go.
- Continue to breathe deeply and effortlessly.
- As your mind clears, try to remember the text that you have read above and try to feel forgiveness. Forgive yourself for what all that you have done. First start by forgiving Yourself in your meditations.
(After a few times working on yourself, if there is anyone that you are not able to forgive for some reason, try to forgive them in the meditation. Send love to yourself and the person that you want to forgive. If you are doing the meditation as a group, this is the time to read the text above and everyone may repeat the words quietly from inside.)
- Repeat the phrase “All is well” for a few times or a few minute according to how you feel..
- Breath rhythmically and deeply without effort.
- When you feel like you are done, from inside count from 1 to 5.
- And at five open your eyes, continue to sit down for a few minutes with your eyes open.
- Move your shoulders, hands, legs and feet.
- Please drink at least a glass of water after you complete your meditation.

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In stead of Forgiveness, you may work on various issues, such as Acceptance, Clarity, Family, Unconditional Love, or on Releasing Habits. You may choose your subject or emotion as you feel fit.

Try to do your meditation for at least 5 minutes everyday. Louise Hay mentions that 20 minutes are the ideal time periods. Yet she points out: “Do not be discouraged if it takes you quite some time to work up to this amount of meditation. Just do what you can. Five minutes Every Day is better than twenty minutes once a week.”

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Even if you just sit down, close your eyes, breathe deeply, and for a few minutes send love yourself and repeat the words “I love myself unconditionally. My life gets more fabulous every day. ”, you will be filled with energy and strength. It is as simple as that. All is in your intention. Wish for the best and,

As Jedi Master Yodi said to Luke Skywalker in the movie Star Wars: “Do. Not try. There is no try.”

With love and light,
Z.
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Affirmation of the Week:
“I am grateful for my healthy body. I love life. ”
By Louise L.Hay, The Author of You Can Heal Your Life.
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Quote of the Week:
“When the mind is peaceful, inner energies wake up and work miracles for us- without any conscious effort on our part.”
Dr. Deepak Chopra
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Suggested Reading:
“Meditations to Heal Your Life.” By Louise L. Hay.
Although this specific book is not available in Turkish yet, she has many other books available. Please check at your bookstore. Most of her work are excellent.