For the sake of balance and deeper communication we are advised to enter the silence daily for at least 20 minutes. If only to escape the constant barrage of civilized life you must take some private alone time for you. In this space you will learn to listen, to focus, to inspire, to intend, to visualize, to reaccess intuitive skills, to connect, to rest, to seed creation, to imagine, to play, to do nothing…

Yes, this is meditation. Some say you listen to Source, commune with the etheric world, problem solve, stop the monkey mind, seed the future, receive messages, unplug, reprogram the subconscious mind, and receive specific guidance. All of this and more happens. The forms of meditation are many and varied. The traditional seated lotus posture with index finger and thimb connected in a circle is certainly one way. But here, from the book, Inner Journeys:Meditations and Visualizations, by Gloria Chadwick, are a host of other ways to do it. I have simply lifted her words as she presents it so well

Active
Taking long, peaceful walks through the woods or along the beach, or in another natural setting where you feel comfortable and at ease, to tune into nature and to be at one with the world around you and in touch with the world within you, with the naturalness of yourself. Being in nature— in a beautiful, natural place— replenishes and rejuvenates you, and has a wonderful calming effect on both your body and your mind. This is because nature is in harmony with itself and inspires that same feeling within you.

Breathing
Briefly stretching your body and breathing deeply as you take a moment or two for yourself. It provides a change of mind and focus of awareness. You probably do this several times during the day and you also do it automatically and naturally every time you wake up (unless you jump out of bed, roused by the intrusive sound of an alarm clock). You also do this every night, very often unconsciously, as you go into the early stages of sleep.

Chanting
Slowly repeating a specific syllable or word, usually the word “Om” (pronounced ohm) or “Hu” (pronounced hue) to clear and calm your conscious mind. The vibration of the word focuses your mind and centers your attention within yourself. It also helps to put you in touch with a higher power, with the essence of your spiritual self. In addition, people will often burn incense at the same time to create a spiritual mood.

Guided Imagery
The imagery of words draws pictures and creates scenes in your mind as the meditation guides you into a gentle feeling of peaceful relaxation for quiet contemplation and reflection, and/ or the pleasure and enjoyment of going within your subconscious to open up and explore whatever the words inspire as they lead you into wherever your mind takes you. Guided imagery also serves specific purposes; it can help you to relieve stress, achieve goals, facilitate healing, and open up the magical, mystical power of your mind. (See Visualization. These topics are also covered in more detail in the next chapter.)

Mindfulness
Being completely aware of what you’re doing and where you’re at. This keeps you centered and connected with your current emotions and experiences. By focusing on your breathing and placing your full attention into yourself and your surroundings, you become present in the very real moment of here and now. It allows you to be happy at all times, to see the beauty and experience the wonder in all things, and to enjoy life with the simplicity of a child.

Musings
To muse about something is to pay full attention to it, and to ponder it deeply. It is a synonym for meditation. Many creative people, such as writers, artists, and musicians often listen to the muse in their mind to receive inspiration for their creative endeavors.

Prayer
Directing your attention toward a divine essence, being, or higher power that you perceive to be outside of yourself, such as the Universe, God, Buddha, or an angel or spiritual guide. It is most often used as a channel for requests or to receive answers, insights, and assistance from higher sources. Prayer focuses your desires, thoughts, and feelings. It also helps to put you in touch with your divine, inner spiritual essence, and serves the purpose of guiding you within to your own higher power.

 Relaxation
 sitting in a comfortable chair or stretching out on a couch to quietly think your thoughts, or to just breathe and be is a wonderful form of meditation. As your body relaxes, and your conscious mind becomes calm and quiet, you free yourself from all the cares and worries of the day as you naturally tune into your inner peaceful essence.

Reveries
Thinking, imagining, creating, and seeing various situations and scenarios happening in your mind. Similar to unguided visualizations and daydreams, where your mind wanders into other realms of reality, reveries allow your mind to meander through the many myriad paths that your feelings take you on as your imagination shows you the different possible and probable ways your experiences could play out. They offer you the opportunity to quietly think about and to ponder your thoughts, to open up your insights, ideas, and intuition, to reflect on past experiences, to look into and explore present events, or to contemplate future plans, dreams, and goals. Reveries are sometimes used to help counteract boredom by empty-mindedly gazing out the window, or zoning out during a dull lecture or business meeting, or imagining yourself in another place doing something enjoyable. While getting “lost” in a mindless place or changing your perceptual awareness by going somewhere else more appealing in your thoughts serves a purpose by allowing you to escape reality for a few moments, reveries do much more than that. They offer you insightful and intuitive mind trips. By analyzing and interpreting their content, they very often— sometimes literally and sometimes symbolically— give you answers to something you’ve been considering or wondering about and puzzling over. At times, they simply offer your conscious mind a much-needed respite from stress or anxiety.

Shamanic Journeying
Traveling into and through non-ordinary realities, used primarily by indigenous people to travel into the higher and lower worlds for physical and spiritual healing, as well as to enter astral and ethereal realms for insight and spiritual knowledge. It is also used to journey through time and space to visit other realities for many other purposes, such as soul retrieval and to speak with another person’s heart, or to connect with past or future selves or events to see and recreate the past in a new way, or to design and alter the future. Shamans often connect with the spirits of nature and call upon their power animals and other allies and spiritual entities to request their protection and assistance, or to guide them in achieving whatever they are doing. This is usually accompanied by drumming and chanting, dancing and ritual. Many people use quiet meditation or imagery to achieve the same thing; to enter an altered state of consciousness to access their natural, inborn healing abilities, and to be more in tune with their spiritual essence. Many times we go on shamanic journeys in our dreams and astral projections.

Transcendental Elevating your mind above the mundane, physical world to detach yourself and your emotions, and to remove your consciousness from it. This cleanses and focuses your mind, raising it to a higher plane by emptying it and clearing out negativity as you let go of conscious, trivial thoughts and feelings. The mind is perfectly calm, centered, and tranquil, bringing a deep, relaxing feeling of peace.

Visualization
 Seeing with your mind’s eye, using imagery to clearly visualize yourself doing or achieving something first in your mind to help you manifest it in your life. An example is athletes who use visualization to see themselves excelling in their sports by focusing their awareness and picturing the way a certain scene or event will happen to help them achieve their desired result. Another example is visualizing a tangible, touchable goal to help you attain it, such as buying a house or a new car. It can also be used to help you achieve an intangible goal or purpose, such as an emotional shift where you change your perspectives and perceptions, and thereby alter your feelings. Visualization also has tremendous value and benefit in healing, and can bring about seemingly “miraculous” cures. It is similar to mind projection, where you project your awareness into a past, present, or future scene to help you clearly understand it, or to create it in the way you desire. When used for manifesting, it is always a good idea to keep the thought in mind that whatever you desire will happen for the highest good of all involved. You unconsciously use visualization, and your feelings and thought energy, every day in every moment and experience to create your own reality. Conscious visualization allows you to be more focused and aware of what you’re doing.

Yoga and T’ai Chi
These oriental forms of meditation consist of slow, gentle stretches and body postures, combined with rhythmic breathing and conscious awareness of your body, mind, and spirit working together as a unified whole. The exercises and movements harmonize body and mind, and balance both the physical and spiritual flow of energy within your body. They focus your awareness, allowing you to achieve centered calmness and clarity of mind. These and other forms of Eastern exercise and philosophy are also referred to as meditation in motion.

Zen
Meditating on nothing or emptiness by completely clearing and stilling your conscious mind. You focus your attention on your breathing to bring you inner peace and stillness of mind. This can be very calming, relaxing, and peaceful, as well as spiritually nourishing and rejuvenating in stressful times. This is also referred to as sitting. If a conscious thought enters your awareness and attempts to interrupt you, you acknowledge it as merely a thought and gently let it go, without attaching any feelings to it or giving it any importance, or thinking about or dwelling on it. You simply allow your mind to be quiet.

Chadwick, Gloria. Inner Journeys: Meditations and Visualizations (Kindle Locations 261-282). Mystical Mindscapes. Kindle Edition.

Get familiar with all of these, even putting some into practice. The bottom line is that you create the time and space devoted to you and expanding your capacity to listen. This is an essential skill that paves the way for receiving guidance from the many Universal resources we each have available, as we shall see. Each week I shall include some meditation. It may be relevant to the session topic or it may simply be using another technique. Hopefully after 48 weeks you will have developed the capacity for daily meditation. This skill is the launch pad for all extended “as if” activities.

Breathing Meditation

1. Spine Upright Sit with your spine in its naturally upright position. Feel the support of the floor, chair, or cushion beneath you. Enjoy a couple of deep, slow breaths. With each exhalation, release any tension in your face, neck, jaw, throat, and shoulders. Feel the fluid strength along the vertical centerline of your body, as if there were a column of liquid light flowing just in front of your spine from the tip of your tailbone all the way up to the roof of your mouth. Smile gently. Set your timer for one minute, and press start. Place the timer next to you.

2. Breathe and Count The technique for this practice is very simple. You’re going to tune into the movement of your breath, and then count the inhalations and exhalations, from one to ten, and then start over again at one. Begin by becoming curious about the movement of your breath— feel the inhalations and exhalations flowing into and out of your body, like ocean waves, rising and falling. Feel how your abdomen gently expands and then releases with each round of breathing. Notice that the breath feels cool at your nostrils as it flows in and feels warm at your nostrils as it flows out. And now begin to count the breaths: As you inhale, count “one” (say the number silently to yourself in a gentle, friendly, and matter-of-fact manner). As you exhale, count “two.” With the next inhale, count “three.” And with the next exhale, count “four.” Continue like this until you’ve reached ten, and then begin at one again. As you count, allow the breath to have its natural rhythm. Make no effort to alter its length or quality. Simply notice its presence, feel it moving in and out of your body, become gently aware of its various qualities, and apply the counting technique.

3. Distraction, Return, Begin Again If at some point you become distracted— that is, if your mind wanders— notice this has happened (remember, it’s the “magic moment”) and then begin again with an inhalation counted as “one.”

4. Notice How You Feel When one minute has elapsed, bring the breath-counting practice to a close. Relax. Take note of any feelings or sensations that may have arisen.

Reninger, Elizabeth. Meditation Now: A Beginner's Guide: 10-Minute Meditations to Restore Calm and Joy Anytime, Anywhere (pp. 15-16). Althea Press. Kindle Edition.

Walking with Mindfullness

Walking meditation can be practiced on its own, at a pace that is leisurely, more rapid, or in super-slow motion. It’s also nice to alternate periods of walking and sitting meditation: e.g., sit for 10 minutes, then enjoy 10 minutes of walking meditation, and then sit for another 10 minutes. Once you become familiar with this practice, you’ll have a hugely versatile tool in your contemplative toolbox. The possibilities are nearly limitless: walking through a park, through the airport, from your desk to the water cooler, along the beach, to the bathroom first thing in the morning, on the Appalachian Trail. Now set your timer for five minutes, ten minutes, or longer, and press start. Place the timer in your pocket. The settling-in process begins with step 1.

1. Be upright, breathe deeply, release tension. Stand with your spine upright and your shoulders relaxed, letting your arms hang naturally by your sides. Take a couple of long, slow, deep breaths. As you exhale, let go of any unnecessary tension, smile gently, and let your attention flow deeply into your belly, hips, legs, and feet. Relax your pelvis, as if you have just mounted a horse. Feel your connection to the earth.

2. Coordinate your breath with your steps. Now begin to coordinate your breathing with taking small steps. As you inhale, step forward with your left foot; as you exhale, step forward with your right foot. Continue inhaling and exhaling in this manner as you move forward, while focusing your gaze gently on the ground in front of you.

3. Kissing the earth. As you become comfortable coordinating your breath with your steps, try adding this beautiful visualization: Each time you place one of your feet down, imagine that you are kissing the earth through the sole of your foot. Each time you pick up one of your feet, imagine that a beautiful pink and white lotus instantly blossoms in the place your foot just was. In this way, your walking becomes a way of expressing your love for the earth and of creating beauty with each step.

4. Enjoying each step. Walk this way— slowly, enjoying each step, with no thought of “getting somewhere” other than right where you are, here and now— until your timer indicates that time is up. Notice how you feel.

Variation In step 2, experiment with taking several steps with each inhalation and several with each exhalation. But keep the pace quite slow (slower than your habitual pace) and delightfully relaxed.

Tips and Suggestions

When the weather is nice, practicing outside is a beautiful way to receive the blessings (the energetic and aesthetic nourishment) of trees and sky.

It’s good to either go barefoot or wear shoes that give your feet and toes plenty of room to spread out. When you stretch out your feet and toes completely, the nerves, arteries, and meridians connected to the entire body are stimulated, which is very beneficial for your health.

Let your mind be gently focused and relaxed. If it wanders into thoughts of past or future, no problem (it’s the “magic moment”). Simply come back to the practice.

Reninger, Elizabeth. Meditation Now: A Beginner's Guide: 10-Minute Meditations to Restore Calm and Joy Anytime, Anywhere (p. 79). Althea Press. Kindle Edition.