If your body is not calm and relaxed, meditation will draw your attention to it. If your mind is not still or focused, you cannot achieve peace and wisdom.
There are many ways to meditate– through breathing, through silence and non-thought, visualization or chanting. It requires practice and dedication, but it is not difficult.
Our thoughts are our "liberators" or our "oppressors." Our thoughts are very powerful. They can make or break us. They can make war or peace. Through our thoughts, anything is possible. We can make miracles or we can also destroy ourselves. The choice is ours.
Here are some thoughts and corresponding exercise reflections to help you along the way.
• A word is a seed
A word is a seed planted in the mind. It has its own energy and intent. As a small seed becomes a big and mighty tree, so the smallest word carries within itself a great power–the power to change your life and then, the world. Choose your words lovingly and nurture them as they grow into thoughts.
Exercise:
Imagine you hold in your hand a precious and rare seed. Examine it carefully, using your five senses hearing, seeing, taste, touch and smell. Understand what potential the seed holds. What can it become? Respect the seed and honor it with a special planting ceremony.
• Jewel or dagger?
Every word you think has the potential to hurt or to heal. Words that are positive, reflecting and encouraging are like precious jewels, worth collecting and treasuring. Words that are negative, denigrating or discouraging are like a dagger in the back–they inflict wounds.
Reflection:
Make a list of the healing and hurtful words that you use. Now close your eyes and focus first on the hurtful word and then on the healing word. Respect each word silently. Notice how the different words affect you–what emotions do you feel, what body sensations.
• Words and thoughts
A thought is a group of connected words. Your thoughts are as important as your speech. They influence your view of the world and affect every decision and action. Every thought, expressed or unexpressed, has an effect. Don’t think that by remaining silent you escape the power of your thoughts.
Reflection:
Write down 10 things about yourself: "I think I..." What do these statements reveal about your thinking? How might others see you if they believed these statements? Which of these 10 statements would you like to change? Compose a "counter thought" for each statement that you wish to change. Repeat the new thoughts often.
• Thoughts and speech
It is through speech that you communicate your thoughts, but speech doesn’t always reflect the thought behind it. When you say something you don’t mean, you are either unaware of your thoughts or you are hiding them consciously or unconsciously you confuse people. When feelings conflict with thoughts you also give a mixed message to others.
Reflection: Know Yourself.
To know yourself you must understand what lies beneath the surface of your street face, the face you put on for others. When do you say things you don’t mean? Why do you do this? Are you willing to be more honest? It is a risk to reveal yourself but you must take that risk if you want to be understood. Are you afraid that you won’t be accepted if you reveal who you are? Work first on accepting yourself.
• Thankful thoughts
These are reminder notes that ensure you take nothing for granted, that life doesn’t pass by without you noticing. To live life, your mind must participate and engage with it. Thankful thoughts are a silent communication with the giver.
Reflection:
Think of your family, friends, mentors, heroes and heroines. How have they each helped and supported you? Mentally send them thanks. Then give thanks to those unknown people in positions of power and authority who also affect the way you live.
Our mind is truly powerful. When we think we can, then we can. When we believe we can’t, then we can’t.
When we think bad thoughts, we pollute our minds and damage our bodies as well. Notice this when we are depressed or when we think ill of others. Either we have corresponding negative physical feelings or we feel displaced altogether. Parang mabigat ang katawan natin.
Let us not allow our thoughts to have power over us. Let us have power over them. We can choose to think positively.
In the past, I have been able to still my mind, my thoughts and just clear my mind of everything. Little did I know that it was part of what you do when you meditate.
Now I know there are a million ways and I intend to practise them.
I have only given you a few. I wouldn’t want to overwhelm you with too much in one go. Reflect on the ones I gave you and practise them the entire week. I will give you more in my coming articles.
Let us take this journey together. Let us take this step together. Tell me about how it will have an effect on you and I will do the same.
Happy meditation, dear readers!