Meditating – A New Summer Activity

“Meditation gives people an opportunity — and even sometimes an excuse — to just be in the moment”. Anonymous

Meditation calms the mind and body. Today, with all stresses and strains of everyday living, meditation can deliver many benefits. A daily meditation habit is powerful and can lead to genuine change both physically and mentally.

It bridges the connection between your mind and your body, making it a useful tool for bettering your overall health and wellness.

There are many kinds of meditation: Spiritual, Guided, Transcendental, Mantra, Movement and Mindfulness to name a few. You can take classes, use phone apps or just create your own way.

Some of the benefits of meditation include: reduction of stress particularly when it comes to chronic pain, depression, and anxiety, increases your focus and memory, better sleep patterns, decreases blood pressure, increases self control and self-worth, reduces inflammation, curbs addictions and food cravings.

Creating A Regular Practice

What you do is not as important as finding a schedule and sticking to it. Everyday life makes keeping a schedule difficult. Don’t give up, because changing a pattern takes time and effort to create a practice you’ll love and want to do every day.

Start finding time in the day even if it is only for five minutes. How about with your coffee or just before you go to bed? Make a goal and a routine that you can follow. Get comfortable, light a candle or incense and maybe some music. Breathe and be as present to the moment as you can. Let the thoughts come and then release them. Concentrate on your breathing when the thoughts keep coming. Always go back to your breathing. As you improve, increase the time until you can do 20 minutes.

There are unorthodox ways of meditating: walking (considered a movement meditation), music (listening as well as playing) feels like a spiritual experience because it is, dancing (music and body movements make us feel the present), knitting or crocheting, doing crafts and art projects, (move us into the flow), gardening (getting your hands dirty and grounding with the earth). All these can help you meditate.

The object of meditation is to become fully present in the current moment. How ever you decide to meditate this summer, enjoy and become more peaceful and healthier.

Tarot – 4 SWORDS

The Four of Swords shows a knight lying horizontally on a tomb. He remains in his full armour, and his hands are in the position of prayer as a sign of rest.

The Four of Swords tells you to rest before you take on the next challenge. You have reached an important first milestone and must recharge your energy before the next phase begins so you are refreshed and ready to go. Brief periods of rest enable you to refresh your energy.

The Four of Swords comes as a sign to take a step back and regain perspective. Now is not the time to make decisions. Stay silent and inactive. Meditate and spend time in a place that creates peace, calm and tranquility for you. Go on retreat or start a meditation course. You need to replenish your strength and spend time connecting with your Higher Self. Ground and re-charge yourself. Look inward for a real change and meditate daily.

Any questions? Email me at: [email protected]