Tandem Meditation 101: How Meditating With Your Partner Builds Intimacy

As a Life Coach, I’ve had many clients in relationships that meditate, but somehow it always surprises me when they tell me they only meditate on their own. When these clients are going through relationship troubles and I suggest meditating together, they look at me as if I don’t understand the concept of meditation.

We all know that the benefits of meditation have been well-documented as decreasing anxiety and increasing happiness for an individual among other things; but some of the time we have spent meditating alone to enhance our individual lives could also be spent meditating with another to enhance our relationships.

To play on an old saying, couples who meditate together stay together.

Meditation creates an entirely new peaceful world for you and your interest to share together. Perhaps even more exciting, people who just met or recently started dating can meditate together, developing a bond that months of getting to know each other could not replicate.

In any relationship, it takes time to get close to someone. In that time, you have no idea what obstacles may rise up in the way of your relationship developing. Time is important to develop a relationship, but if you want to build a close bond early, meditation with your interest is a great way to start. Meditating with someone new in your life creates a different kind of intimacy that forges a unique bond between the two of you. It may seem strange at first to meditate with someone else. Meditation is perceived to have been built for solitude and seclusion; however, when you consider the core principles of meditation, suddenly meditating with a partner makes so much sense. (MORE)

Source: care2.com

The Relaxing Breath

This is an excercise that I use daily, before I meditate, and if I just need to chill a bit during the day. This excercise was inspired by Dr. Andrew Weil. It is his 4-7-8 breathing technique.

First you exhale through your mouth.

Then you inhale through your nose, with your mouth closed and your tongue in a yogic position, (that is just lightly touching the little bit of skin just behind your front teeth) to a count of four.

Hold your breath for a count of seven.

Exhale through your mouth for a count of eight.

Repeat the process four times.

This always helps me to relax and I know it will help you as well..

Three Minutes To a Better You

Putting our focus on the breath is a meditation technique that can be used at any time, while sitting in your car in traffic, getting prepared for a big presentation, or sitting at your desk.

When we focus on the breath, we free ourselves from anxious thought patterns that keep us in states of stress.

Take 1 minute to breathe with a focus on the exhalation.

Take another minute to breathe with a focus on inhalation.

Then, take a final minute to breathe evenly, focusing on both inhalations and exhalations.

This three minute excercise is a little stepping stone to a stress free you.

Breathe Your Way Into Right Living: De-charge Emotions and Recharge Energy

This meditation can be learned by most people to reduce stress and literally take the wind out of strong emotional states. Please practice with caution and common sense. With some experience this practice can be applied in many situations. While I don't recommend meditation while driving, I've found that taking a few slow, deep breaths has reduced my stress in traffic as well as other situations where intense feelings have in the past gotten the best of me. The conscious breathing practice below is something that, if practiced at home, can have an effect on our ability to cope in everyday situations. If you have health issues, consult your doctor before trying any new practices. (MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

Meditation for Beginners

In meditation the first thing is the posture. You may sit in any posture and must be very comfortable and still. You can meditate on the floor or on a chair, you can meditate anywhere you want that you feel comfortable. it helps if it is a quiet place - no music, TV, phones, etc. to interrupt what you are trying to do.

Sit comfortably with your legs crossed and relax your fingers. Now close your eyes and relax. When we cross our legs and our hands are together it creates an energy circuit around us and gives us more stability. Eyes are doors of the mind, so the eyes should be closed. Any chattering inside or outside are the activity of the mind. Let the thoughts come in, but also do not concentrate on them, let them move out of your mind. The mind is nothing more than a bundle of thoughts. There are always thoughts coming to the surface of the mind. Whenever there are thoughts, we may get many questions known or unknown.

Observation is the nature of the cell, so one should just witness the breath. Do not inhale and exhale consciously. Let breathing happen on its own. Don’t go behind the thoughts, just observe normal breathing, and be with your breath. The density of your thought reduces. The breath becomes thinner and shorter. Finally the breath becomes the smallest and separate like a flash between the eyebrows. In this state one would have no breath and no thought. One would be totally thought-less; this is the state of meditation. The more you meditate the more cosmic energy you receive.

Meditating can bring you a sense of calm and relaxation which people find refreshing and energizing in their lives. Use these basic guidelines and give meditation a try. With time and practice, you will experience what I have written about here.

A Guided Meditation For a New Perspective

Continuing with the theme of getting a new perspective on whatever is bothering you, this week’s blog is a guided meditation putting yourself in the bubble. Last week the focus was putting your issues in the bubble and becoming aware of their separateness from you. One of the reasons I believe this works I learned in a hatha yoga class: whenever we are witnessing ourselves, we are automatically more relaxed. This allows us to release and access more energy, mind and body. The mental adjustment makes you access a different part of your brain. Viewing yourself objectively is an extremely useful ability. The beginning of learning who we are - aside from our thoughts and feelings. Today your entire self is up for a new perspective. Set an intention for how you’d like to see yourself. Pick something that’s within the realm of possibility and also is measureable. (More)

Source: AnnArbor.com

Meditation Basics

Meditation is the key to a healthy, peaceful lifestyle. It can be used for stress and anxiety relief, personal insight, relaxation, energy, a more restful sleep and a bridge to manifesting and channeling all that you desire in your life.

Sacred Space

Make a special space for your meditation. It can be a corner of a room with a pillow on the floor, or even an entire room geared for meditation. Some prefer a garden setting. Whatever works for you! Be sure it is a place that you can be alone and not be disturbed for the duration of your meditation. You may also burn oils or incense to create a more relaxing ambience in your sacred space. (More)

Source: The Examiner

What is Guided Meditation?

Even the avid meditator may have trouble quieting the mind and focusing their thoughts on a mantra. In meditation it is important to remember there is no ‘wrong way’ to meditate, but when your mind begins to chatter about your day, your fears, future plans, you will need to lead it back to that focus and keep your mind clear in order to find peace and energize yourself. Guided Meditation is one way to meditate easily, especially if your mind is always active. It is an especially helpful tool for beginners.

In Guided Meditation, the facilitator, either in the room or on a CD, will gently lead you on a journey with their voice, giving your mind guidance in your meditation. You may be taken down a path where you will be asked to use your senses in your mind’s eye to feel like you are really there, and you may even gain insight about yourself or a problem you are trying to solve. (More)

Source: The Examiner

Breath Meditation Technique for Beginners: Calm the Mind & Increase Wellbeing

One of the simplest ways to begin learning meditation is to watch your breath. This meditation technique is perfect for beginners because it is natural, easy, and can be done anywhere and anytime. Begin by paying attention to the breath as it leaves and enters your lungs.

Take notice of any bodily sensations, thoughts, or feelings. At first, start with five inhalations and five exhalations, counting slowly and take deep regular breaths. Make sure that you are paying full attention and giving all of your focus to the breath. If you find yourself getting distracted, do not worry or get agitated, this is a natural part of the practice. When this happens, gently bring your attention back to the breath and begin again. Once you are able to maintain a steady focus and count five breaths without becoming distracted, you can increase the number of inhalations and exhalations. (More)

Source: The Examiner

Stress Reduction Techniques - Deep Breathing

Meditation is a wonderful way to reduce stress. Deep breathing slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and boosts your immune system. A good exercise to try is to breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4,and exhale for a count of 4 When you breathe be sure to inhale deeply so that your belly rises, not just your chest.

Meditation helps your mind to banish repetitive thoughts and bring your mind and body to a state of peace and rest. There are many ways to meditate from guided sessions to walking meditations. Check out some of my earlier posts tagged Meditation 101.

Loving Kindness Meditation

May you be happy, peaceful, and free of suffering.
May no harm come to you.
May no difficulties come to you.
May no problems come to you.

May you also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination, to meet and overcome, the inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

I'm saying it for you first - slowly, peacefully....Now you can say it. First, for yourself. Then for me or anyone else. You can say it again and again, moving from the most personal (family members, friends) to those you do not know, to those toward whom you feel neutral, even for enemies or those with whom you are in conflict, and finally for all beings.

Source: TPM Cafe

Meditative Walking is a Powerful Technique to Connect With God

Meditative walking is a powerful technique to slow down, to be in the moment and feel the presence of the One Life, God. By slowing down, and being in the moment you recognize the One Life which flows through all life, including your life.

In earlier articles I discussed Meditation, Mindfulness and Visualization as methods to quiet your mind and facilitate a more intimate connection with Spirit. The fourth slow down to speed up tip is to explore meditative walking or hiking as a means to be in the moment and connect with Spirit. (More)

Source: The Examiner

Relaxation Meditation Music

Feeling Stressed? Just sit back, close your eyes and listen to the music. This should help.

An Introduction to Meditation

The yoga we practice today can focus too much on the physical side, and there is nothing wrong with that. After all, yoga gives you so many physical benefits.

In its authentic teaching, however, the yoga asana (physical poses) is only a step to prepare you for a deeper spiritual practice that requires stillness in the body as well as the mind: The meditation.

The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, a foundational text dating back to 500 BCE that has influenced the philosophy and practice of today's yoga, expounds this clearly in its 196 aphorisms.

In the second verse of the book's first of four chapters, Patanjali sums up yoga succinctly as the ability to still the mind, or direct its focus toward an object and sustain that direction without any distraction (yogasgcittavrittinirodhah).

We will someday discuss this inspiring text at greater length, but for now let us focus on the idea of meditating. (More)

Source: Jakarta Post

Native American Relaxation

Meditation 101

Walking Meditation

Meditation has many physical benefits that are worth exploring. Regular meditation can help release stress, have better concentration and develop a sense of calm and focused attention in all aspects of life. Release of stress and tension will also help to enhance general good health and well-being.

Many of us believe that to practise meditation we need to sit in silence trying to focus on emptying our mind of our 'mind speak'. This is not easy and takes regular, dedicated practice, and most frequently we give up with thoughts like, "I'm not doing this right", "This is too hard" or "I'm not cut out for this meditation business." (More)

Source; Jamaica Observer

Holiday Meditation

During this time of year, it's easy to get overloaded and miss out on the most important part of the season—connecting with others. To be loving toward your friends and family, you need to slow down. Try the meditation below, from spiritual teacher Sally Kempton, for a few minutes each day. By imagining a flame in your heart, you'll radiate loving energy from the inside out.

Sit in a comfortable upright posture. With your eyes closed, let your awareness drop into the center of your chest.

Breathe naturally and imagine your breath coming in and out through your heart. Let each inhalation caress and soften your inner heart space. (More)

Source: Yoga Journal

Body Gratitude Meditation

Most of us take our bodies for granted. During the holiday season this is even more true as we have less time for exercise, more activities that add stress, and a banquet of poor eating choices available at every turn. The following meditation will give your body the recognition it deserves and create a sense of calm and empowerment.

Turn your attention inward and breathe.

Notice your breath. Your lungs take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide over 15,000 times every day. Thank-you, lungs.

Your heart beats about 100,000 times every day of your life. Thank-you, heart for keeping me alive.

Life-giving oxygen is carried from the lungs and heart through hundreds of miles of blood vessels to nourish every cell. All without conscious thought. Thank-you. (More)

Source: Seattlepi.com

New Moon Meditation

This also includes (but is not limited to): New Year's resolutions, full moon deconstruction and annual birthday goals. While many businesses are busy with their end-of-the-month reports, I'm busy writing up my own summary of internal growth and development (checking to see if there's a gain or loss).

Oftentimes, when on a path - whatever that path may be (to earn more money, lose weight, eat healthier or develop a spiritual foundation) - we become daunted by how far we seem to have to travel to reach our goals.

In Yoga, we seek to be in the present moment, and within that moment, we become aware of that path, our "hits" and "misses", and create an honest assessment of where we are at present.
(More)

Source: Tampa Bay Yoga Examiner

How to Meditate

Mind racing? Unable to relax? Sit back, breathe deeply and focus on these calming words from the science writer and meditation expert Shanida Nataraja

Start at the Beginning Meditation is often seen as something mystical and disconnected from normality. But in fact it's an incredibly powerful tool for reducing stress and is something that can be incorporated into anyone's everyday life. The benefits come from focusing your attention entirely on the present moment and being fully 'mindful' of whatever it is you are doing, rather than letting your mind race back and forth. Once you have perfected this technique, it can be done anywhere and at any time. (More)

Source: telegraph.co.uk