21 Day Meditation ChallengeĀ has kicked off this month, so Iām taking a closer look at the transformative power of meditation and how it changes peopleās lives for the better.
The thought of meditation makes some people cringe, as they thinkā¦
that theyāll never be able to do it, because they canāt concentrate
or they donāt have time
or they have what is known as a āmonkey mindā. Ā This is when our troubled thoughts that are often in our minds are concerned with the fears and pressures of life: What will happen if I lose my job? I wonder if my partner might be unhappy with our relationship? What if I donāt have enough money when I retire? Irrational fears perhaps, but made real by our own constant attention. How infuriating and exhausting it becomes.
Anyway, back to Meditation. Ā As long as you can breathe, you can meditate. Ā Thatās it. Ā And itās that simple. Ā Even though Iāve been teaching meditation for 20 years, it is now part of my daily routine.
Iāve been pretty good about being consistent. Sometimes I miss a day but thatās ok and every Monday evening I teach meditation to people who sayā¦
āI found it most useful to practising the various meditations in a class, the excellent exploration of the concept of mindfulness in very simple terms by using very simple images/metaphors. Heather is an excellent communicator.ā S.D.
āāThank you very much for making such a difference in my life!ā¦ā D.H.
āAfter being dogged with anxiety for years, I finally have the tools to prevent myself from slipping into the downward spirals that have taken over so much of my life. I am now calmer, happier and optimistic that the future will be very differentā¦ā J.G.
As many people couldnāt get to my class due to wrong day, wrong time or geography, it compelled me to write a 21 Day Meditation Challenge, for everyone to give it a go in the comfort of their own space.
Personally as a menopausal woman,Ā I feel like a mental fog lifts from my brain each time I meditate. I feel more relaxed. Iām calmer. Iām more in tune with my inner sense of knowing than ever before. I experience more coincidences. I also feel more intensely; Iām happy now rather when something will happenā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ or if Iām eating one of my favourite dishes, Iām more in the moment to enjoy and savour it.
Since I got serious about maintaining a daily meditation practice, itās as if I went from experiencing my life through a black-and-white TV to experiencing it through HDTV with satelliteāsharper, with colour, and more channels! Itās my favourite tool in my ever-growing health and happiness tool kit, and I hope that youāll try my 21 Day Meditation Challenge.
In the morning, Iāll wake up and meditate before I have my hot water with lemon, but some people find it easier to meditate at bedtime.
The biggest benefit Iāve experienced from meditation is that itās made me a more sane entrepreneur. One of the challenges I have is a never-ending to-do list, and thereāsĀ alwaysĀ something to worry about. The ability to compartmentalize and focus and tune out the distractions, crises, and worries when I need to is absolutely critical; otherwise, Iād never sleep! Meditation has absolutely helped me do this, and without my practice I think back to when my marriage broke up and know that Ā Iād probably have lost my mind. Thank goodness for Meditation!