The value of meditation

I am a H-U-G-E cheerleader for meditation.  I have another business - THE LADDER METHOD - where I work with children.  Although we are best known for our work on routine, we also shift our focus onto mindset.  The only way we work on mindset is by weekly or biweekly reminders with our children.  

To that end, I too have a weekly meditation group that helps me shift my mindset.  I attend a meditation on Tuesdays at 9:00 am with a small group in Los Angeles.  It's something that I look forward to each week.  

MEDITATION AS A PRACTICE

Everyone has a different approach to meditation but I think it gets better with time.  When I started at this meeting, I couldn't sit comfortably for more than 5 min.  I would shut my eyes only to find myself looking around the room wondering when it would be over.  I can now sit for 15 min with the group.  Outside of the group I sit for 20 min twice a day.  

But, the point of meditation is to sit in the discomfort until it actually shifts.  I never knew that until I took a Transcendental Meditation class.  

TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

There are several forms of meditation.  But, I am a big practitioner of transcendental meditation because it teaches you how to meditate.  Many people feel strongly that you are supposed to keep the thoughts out.  But, this only makes you resistant to those thoughts.  Sometimes when we meditate good thoughts come up or bad thoughts come up.  Ultimately, its when the painful thoughts, images or memories come up that I often wanted to stop meditating.  Or in the morning, I would get antsy because I felt like I needed to race to work.  

What I have learned is that you can just observe those thoughts like you might observe your child throwing a tantrum.  In this way, you stop resisting those bad thoughts.  You stop focusing on resistance.  

DAILY MEDITATION

There are a million benefits to meditating daily so I would list all of them but with a daily practice you can start to build stamina.  

GROUP MEDITATION 

Do you have a weekly group that you can find in your town or city?  It helps to get started in a community where you can build support around your new endeavor.  I used to try to do everything alone but I have found there is strength in numbers.  

See if there is a local meditation meet up, group or class you can attend on a weekly basis.  Then mark it in your calendar!

Gratitude list: Tuesday, April 3

1.   My meditation group

2.  My large extended family

3.  My clientele who are so loyal and wonderful

xo