"When you pray you are speaking to God.  When you meditate you are listening"

Mention the word 'meditation' and most people automatically think 'flakey new age hokum' or austere religious eccentrics chanting 'OM' while sitting in uncomfortable positions for hours on end.  Yet, almost everyone indulges in meditation periodically.  We call it 'visualization.' 

Most people do not realize how often they meditate without even being aware ... Have you ever gazed out a window lost in thought?  Have you ever taken a short nap and awakened with the answer to a problem?  Do you fantasize sometimes?   Do you pray?  Have you ever driven your car somewhere and lost track of how you arrived somewhere?  Do you dream?  Have you ever been moved emotionally by music?

If you answered 'yes' to even one of these questions, you have meditated!  Feels good, doesn't it?  Perfectly normal and healthy, too!

Conscious thought, often referred to as rational analysis, produces Beta brain waves oscillating at 12-14 cycles per second.  At the low end of the scale are Delta brain waves oscillating at 3.5-5 cycles per second.  Delta occurs in deepest sleep or trance.  During this time your body repairs and regenerates itself both physically and psychologically

Alpha brain waves occur during dream state and when you are doing something involving your senses, emotions or creativity.  Actually oscillating through four short stages, these brain waves range from 7.8-12 cycles per second.  They de-code the Delta state

Alpha brain waves are in absolute harmony with the earth's own wave length.  It is rather like hacking into the universe's software!  This directly opens you to wisdom and inspiration far beyond analytical modes   

Hypnosis uses Alpha state to access information and reprogram your brain.  A combined Alpha-Beta state of 11-13 cycles per second provides an ideal balance between your creative right brain and analytical left brain

Do you want to be more creative?  Would you like your body to heal faster and more completely?  Are you looking for wisdom that extends beyond the limitations of book learning?  Do you want to discover what your soul truly desires?  Would you like to be able to manifest what you want in life?  Meditation is a vehicle for consciously accessing this.  It is a direct link to your limbic brain where up to 1200 thoughts per second are processed

Many people give up on meditation because they find it too hard to keep their mind from wandering or thinking about problems.  The key to meditating is to understand that you are not trying to shut off your mind.  You are trying to focus and direct your thoughts through your limbic brain

The easiest way to do this is to invoke your senses.  Your limbic brain's function is to receive sensory input from your environment.  Simply give your right brain a job to do and it will take over on its own!

Incense or aromatherapy, gentle music, a darkened room bathed in candlelight are all tools of meditation. Why?  They overwhelm your senses!  When this occurs your analytical left brain is kept busy interpreting the sensory input instead of thinking.  Focus results

Tension, stress and emotional or physical pain cause you to hold your breath or to inhale only into the uppermost part of your lungs.  As a result, you are deprived of brain-nourishing oxygen.  This decreases your vitality, elevates pH levels, and makes you irritable and susceptible to illness.  But, meditation encourages deep relaxed breathing

When you breathe consciously and deliberately you inhale slowly and deeply, using all of your lung capacity.  With sufficient oxygen, muscles and tissues begin to relax.  Pain dissipates.  Your body becomes more alkaline.  Your brain activates

Guided meditations are the best way to begin, as they involve engaging your auditory sense, in addition to your other senses.  Guided meditations often take only about 20 minutes.  The soothing voice of the director keeps your attention focused because you must follow specific directions.  Listening keeps your mind from wandering

You will be asked to visualize specific scenes or sensations.  Again, this invokes your limbic brain.  If you tend to fall asleep, try to sit rather than recline.  Be certain you are warm and comfortable, with both feet flat on the floor.  Place both hands on your lap, palms up.  Then simply follow the instructions given

Occasionally you may lose conscious awareness. As long as your awareness quickly returns when directed to come out the meditation, you have remained in Alpha state and derived its benefits.  If you awaken long after the guided meditation has ended, you have merely fallen asleep

Some people achieve deeper meditative states in the protective atmosphere of a group environment.  Groups foster safety and synergy, as well as deeper trust in yourself, provided you have compatability and rapport with a group and its leader 

There are many methods of achieving alpha state.  They may have intimidating names, but the premise is all the same

Primordial meditation uses chanting to focus attention and breathing.  Repeating the sounds of 'OM', 'HU' or 'A-E-I-O-U' invokes deep, powerful breaths resonating from deep within your diaphram.  The vibration of the sound is felt throughout your whole body.  Oxygen levels increase.  A state of expansion and euphoria results

Transcendental meditation uses a 'mantra' to create focus and condition your mind.  A mantra is a word or phrase that has significance, much like an affirmation

Yoga, Tai Chi and Qi Gong are sacred movements often referred to as 'moving meditations.'  Concentration is focused on breathing, deliberate movement and directing energy to and from your body

Whether your goal is relaxation and stress relief, higher states of consciousness, problem-solving, or heightened creativity, invoking Alpha state is one of the easiest and most beneficial practices you can adopt.  It spans the bridges of education, culture and gender, allowing you to access your most vital, happy and creative self.  Meditation gives you important, self-nurturing 'me-time.'  A twenty minute meditation can do as much for you as eight hours of sleep!  Regular meditation can dramatically improve your life and your health! ~