By Jim Blue

Copyright 2007, Jim Blue

www.BlueTranquility.com

Know Someone Who Needs to Relax?

Then you've come to the right place!  My name is Jim Blue and I have recorded these guided meditations for anyone who has the desire to relieve stress and relax through meditation.

Congratulations for taking this step towards learning how to meditate or to use these guided meditations to enhance your current meditation routine.

I am not a meditation or relaxation expert but I am compelled to share my personal discoveries regarding my own personal approach to achieving spectacular meditations. 

Feel free to tell your friends about these meditation instructions as well as the guided meditations.

Why Should You Consider Meditation?

In today's world, there are so many interactions and so much tension  that everyone needs a healthy way to alleviate their stress.  Exercise is one great way.  Meditation is another.

What Results Are Possible?

I have realized great results from meditation.  Not only have I produced great relaxing experiences during the meditation, but I've also found that I have more energy and a better attitude throughout the day.

A few of the benefits I have personally experienced since I began a regular meditation routine are: lower blood pressure, lower resting heart rate, and lower stress level.

So, How Do You Meditate?

It's really very simple.  Just relax!  Easier said than done huh?
In my experience there are 5 main parts to a meditation:

1. Intention
2. Grounding
3. Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing
4. Releasing interruptive thoughts
5. Patience

Intention

Of course you want to relax right?  As obvious as that might seem, mentally or verbally setting your intention at the beginning of each meditation is an important facet of your meditation routine.  It can be a simple phrase like "I want to completely relax."

Create a phrase that works for you and use it to set your intention as you settle in for each meditation.

Grounding

Grounding is the foundation of your meditation.  What grounding means is establish an energetic (energy) connection with the earth.  The deeper you get connected, the better.  When I ground, I ground to the very core of the earth.

There are many ways to get grounded and it takes a little practice.  It is an important component of really powerful meditations.  Here are two of the grounding methods I personally find effective:

• Imagine a bright beam of light, like a super bright spotlight, shining from the bottoms of your feet down into the center of the earth

• Imagine that your feet have roots like the roots of a tree growing from them and that the roots are going down, down, down, through the ground all the way to the center of the earth

Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing

To meditate effectively, proper breathing is essential.  When you're stressed, your chest rises and falls when you breathe in and out.

When you're relaxed (like when you're sleeping) your diaphragm rises and falls when you breathe in and out.  So diaphragmatic breathing is the way to go.  This is how babies breathe.

We all have the capacity to control our state of relaxation by controlling our breathing.  Take slow deep breaths in and release the breath slowly out making sure your abdomen, not your chest, is rising and falling.

It doesn't matter if you're breathing through your mouth or nose.  It's your choice. After a few cycles of breathing in this manner, you will notice that you are feeling more relaxed.  Only breathe in and out in a way that is comfortable for you.

If you are unaccustomed to diaphragmatic breathing, this may seem a bit cumbersome at first, but hang in there because it will become second nature.

Releasing interruptive thoughts

One of the challenges I used to face was that I always wanted to make sure I didn't forget certain interruptive thoughts like "The car is way overdue for an oil change so remember to get the oil changed."

My initial solution was to keep a little had recorder next to me during meditation so, as soon as I had that thought I would press ‘record', get it into the recorder so I could forget it.

Keep this in mind.  Humans have up to 60,000 thoughts per day and most of them are the same thoughts they had yesterday.  I mention this because, the thought about the oil change will more than likely come up again!

What I'm suggesting is that you won't really lose any thoughts.  Simply acknowledge the thought then release it.  Let it float away and disappear.

It may seem impossible at first but take it slow.  If you can clear your mind for even one single minute you will be doing better than most of the people.

When I have trouble clearing my mind, I set a goal of dismissing thoughts for a just one minute.  Then just one more minute, and so on.

Bringing your attention back to your breathing will help quite a bit.  When the thoughts come in, dismiss them, then immediately put your focus on maintaining deep diaphragmatic breathing.

Patience

In today's world, it is very hard to be patient.  We're all so busy!  It would be wonderful if you could have an amazing meditation experience the very first time.

I remember when I first seriously tried to meditate.  It was in 1999.  I read somewhere that, if you sit comfortably and stare at a candle flame, you could meditate.  So, I sat in a dark room for about 10 minutes each morning and tried it.

I was looking for a quick fix to my stress and finally gave up after several weeks of futility.  I had no knowledge of grounding or how to release thoughts.

Important Practical Considerations

Reserving Your Meditation Space

Be sure to ask those around you to allow you the quiet time for your meditation.  Ask for quiet during your meditation time.  I'm an early riser so I get up early enough to have complete silence during my meditations.

I suggest using the same space in the same room each time you meditate.  Establish a relaxing ambiance for yourself with pleasant lighting and other relaxing décor.

Once you become comfortable with meditation, you will find that you can meditate anywhere, with any type of lighting.

Meditation Body Position

You've probably seen photos of people meditating, seated on the floor or ground, legs crossed over each other, hands, palms up, resting on their knees with thumb and index finger touching, back straight, eyes closed.

Some believe that one must be sitting straight up to reap the full benefits of meditation.  That has not been my personal experience.  I have tried many positions and the one that works best for me is lying down.

I lay on my back with a bolster under my knees and a pillow under my head.  My suggestion is to use whatever position is comfortable for you, even if it's lying on the couch or on your bed.

Music or Silence?

If you are new to meditation, I recommend using very relaxing music at first.  It will help you keep your interruptive thoughts at bay.  Eventually you will discover that you no longer need the music.

I've been meditating for years and still occasionally use music as a change of pace.

How Much Time Should You Devote?

For beginners, I recommend starting with a 5 minute meditation each day for the first week, 10 minute meditations daily for the second week, and 20 minutes or longer for the third week and beyond.

Of course, if you are able to establish a deep meditation right away, allow yourself the luxury of continuing the meditation.

Enjoy your meditation!

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Jim Blue, Reiki Master and Musician, composes and performs soothing music for bodywork, energywork, and relaxation.  To learn more about Jim Blue, visit his website: www.BlueTranquility.com

Copyright 2010 Jim Blue