After my last introduction to meditation class, I had several people asking what I do in my meditation practice. Because of the current Corona virus pandemic, I probably won’t be instructing anytime soon. The following is a script I use in my practice, but I highly recommend you look into in Chopra’s primordial sound meditation course available on-line. It is the same course I teach. There is also a FREE 21 day meditation program which is an excellent introduction to developing a meditation practice which is so important in dealing with stresses of the current crisis.
 
The following is my procedure for my daily meditation practice. I practice a form of meditation designed by the Chopra Center called primordial sound meditation, this practice includes using a mantra or a vibration to cancel out any sensations, images, feelings, or thoughts that disrupts our journey from activity to silence.
 
Each morning my first order of business is to head up to what I call my meditation room. I like doing some warmup yoga, just light stretching to prepare for meditation.
 
I light an incense stick, turn off the lights and throw a blanket over my shoulders. I get comfortable, putting on my noise canceling headsets. (Primordial sound meditation is Best done in a quiet Setting.)
 
When I’m comfortable. I set my timer. I spend two or three minutes doing some breathing exercises. Breathing through my nose deeply for a count of 4 holding my breath for account of two then exhaling for a count of 6.
 
I then move my attention to my heart center, feeling my breath there. In the event that I have some ach or pain I will focus my breath there. Its important to be effortless and not force the breathing.
 
I then begin asking the four soul questions. Asking the questions is a ritual for me each day, I am not looking for any answer I just want to ask the question without effort and let the answers just come as they may.
The four soul questions sequence:
Who am I?
What do I want?
What is my purpose?
What am I grateful for?
 
The next step is the I AM sequence:
We say to ourselves:
“I AM (your first and last name)” repeat it several times
Then drop your last name.
“I AM your (first name)” repeat it a few times
Then drop your first name.
“I AM, I AM, I AM” repeat it several times
Then repeat the mantra “Ah Hum, Ah Hum” several times. “Ah                  Hum” is the vibration of I AM.
 
And now begin repeating mantra AH HUM for the duration of your meditation. As you repeat your mantra, you may notice that it changes; it may become faster or louder, it may even become distorted. As it changes, continue repeating it effortlessly, without resisting or anticipating changes. It’s more like listening to it rather than saying it.
 
From time to time, you may notice your attention has drifted away your mantra to other thoughts in your mind, on noise in the environment, or a sensation in your body. Whenever you notice that your attention has drifted away from your mantra, gently come back to it.
 
When my timer alerts me, I introduce four intentions and mentally release them in being. I repeat each of them several times. The four intentions are:

1. A joyful, energetic body.
2. A loving, compassionate heart
3. A reflective, alert mind
4. Lightness being.

 
Now rest for a couple of minutes. Just be. Then take a few deeper breaths and move and stretch gently. We continue to think the mantra effortlessly. If we notice we’ve drifted away from it, we gently come back to it and we let go of any expectations about the practice.
 
The total length of time for the meditation should be about 30 minutes. I like to use the timer on my watch which is set to vibrate. Of course, there are many timer devices available.
 
Developing meditation skills does not happen overnight; I have now been meditating for two years and I can honestly say my practice continually gets better and the results have been an incredible.
 
I will make myself available to answer questions you might have to help you perfect your meditation practice feel free to email me or call.
 
Namaste.
                    

We all know that stress can take a toll on your mental and physical well-being. When you feel stress, your body reacts with your primal “fight or flight” response. This ancient stress response releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin, designed to prepare you for reacting to a threat like running away from a dangerous animal or fighting off an enemy. Today the threats are not the same as our ancestors, however the stress response is still very real. In these uncertain times there are financial pressures from losing a job, social isolation, uncertainty of the future, and stress in the workplace for all those who are on the frontlines fighting this disease.
 
Stress can cause your blood sugar to rise, suppresses your immune system, accelerate your breathing, and reduce the supply of blood to digestive organs. Researchers have discovered stress leads to inflammation and a much higher risk of developing health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, migraines, depression and anxiety, diabetes, obesity, and memory loss.
 
As this pandemic continues to grow, so do the stress triggers all around us. The best way I’ve found to deal with stress is through meditation. Meditation is a wonderful tool that in conjunction with following the CDCs guidelines, can help you reduce stress during these uncertain times. Personally, I have decided to stay home and have established a routine that includes: a morning and evening meditation session, doing some yoga, working on some home projects, walking, and lots of reading. I limit watching news programs to no more than one half hour a day.
 
My main focus is my meditation practice. My first session starts shortly after I arise and before any disruptions: for example, I don’t even look at my cell phone until after meditation. In meditation your mind goes from activity to silence. In this state, your body experiences many healing effects that oppose the “fight or flight” response including: decreasing heart rate, normalizing blood pressure, deeper breathing, and a reduction of the stress hormones including cortisol and adrenaline. Your immunity is strengthened, your body uses oxygen more efficiently, and there is a decrease in inflammation.
 
In my next blog I will explain my method of meditation, but in the meantime I highly recommend that you get online with the Chopra Center; they are hosting 21 day free guided meditations. https://chopracentermeditation.com/experience.
 
If you would like to learn more about what I’m doing please visit my web site www.islandmeditations.com.If you’re looking for a good read click on my book list. I recommend two of Deepak’s books to start with “7 spiritual Laws” and “The healing self”. For your convenience, just click on a book title and it will take you to Amazon to order a copy.
 
Namaste
 

Physical and emotional pain is inevitable, it is part of life and something we all experience. Whether or not we suffer however, is a choice.
 
As we grow in our meditation practice, we start realizing that good and bad, happy and sad, sickness and health, pain and pleasure all exist in the experience of our Ego. The Ego is our social mask, our physical body, and our very own creation of our illusionary self. Through our meditation practice we start to identify the Silent Observer. The Silent Observer is our true self, our soul, our spirit (they’re all the same thing.) The silent observer can be found in the field of silence, in consciousness. When you get tangled up in a thought or emotion, close your eyes and ask who is the one thinking this thought right now. Just by asking the question you are shifting into a state of higher awareness, the silent observer. Remember that you are not your body, you are not your mind, you are not your thoughts, or your emotions. You are the thinker of your thoughts; you are an eternal Spirit. Our true self who has never been born, never dies. It is our eternal witness, way beyond the ego self, the senses and the mind.
 
In meditation we distract our thoughts that are disrupting our pure consciousness. We move from activity into silence, which is referred to as the gap. The gap is pure consciousness where there is unlimited potentiality and creativity. Meditation allows us to go beyond activity, words, thoughts, and into who we really are. The eternal witness.
 
“Like two golden birds perched on the selfsame tree, intimate friends, the ego and the self dwell in the same body. The former eats the sweet and sour fruits of the tree of life, while the latter looks on in detachment” -The Mundaka Upanishad
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There is a story of King Solomon who heard about a magic ring that could make the sad happy and the happy sad. He sent ministers far and wide to look for the magic ring. They searched everywhere and talked with every jewelry maker they could find. Finally, one jeweler said he could make such a ring and they set him to create it at once. When the ring was complete, it was delivered to King Solomon. It was a simple ring with the words “this too shall pass” inscribed upon it. The ‘magic’ worked, and the ring made the king happy.
 
I had spoken with a friend recently about tattoos and what I would get if I ever got one. My answer was the words “this too shall pass” on my forearm. It’s important to be aware that nothing ever stays the same. The only constant in our life is change: change for the better and change for the worse. All experiences live in an instant and then become a memory forever.
 
Think of sitting beside a calm pond, the water so clear you can see the bottom, not a ripple to be seen. You grab a pebble and throw it into the pond, creating ripples that project out, forming a circle and obscuring the view you had of the bottom of the pond. Now imagine watching that in reverse; you summon the pebble and watch the ripples come together as the pebble pops out of the water back into your hand as the pond resumes it’s calm and clear nature. Our meditation practice allows us to take back the pebble so we can discover who we really are. We are not our bodies, we are not our mind, we are not our thoughts. We are our eternal spirit.
 
As I am writing this blog there is a raging snowstorm outside and I was forced to cancel my introduction to meditation class tonight. Life has its good times and bad without the bad times there would-be no-good times. We must not become attached to the good or bad times in our life because as the inscription on the ring reads “This Too Shall Pass”

Namaste