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Meditation 101 “The point of meditation is not to discover some cool techniques to occupy your leisure hours; it’s to make the simple momentous shift from doing to being.  Don’t make the mistake of turning your meditation practice into another urgent item on your list of things to do” (Meditation for Dummies, pg. 6). Meditation is a  willingness to be present with whatever unfolds in the moment Mindfulness is to know ones feelings without having to act upon them Mindfulness confers upon us the capacity to relate to emotional life in an open, balanced, accepting, and tolerant way, while freeing us to act with compassion, rather than on impulse, in response.  – (thoughts without a thinker. Xxii). Pay attention to sensations in your body Repeat a meaningful word or phrase Follow your breath Cultivate lovingkindness, compassion, forgiveness, compassion, or other healing emotion Visualize a peaceful place or visualize Christ   Benefits of meditation Stronger focus and concentration Reducedtension, anxiety, and stress Clearer thinking and emotional turmoil Lower blood pressure Increased self-understanding and self-acceptance More love, joy, and spontaneity Greater intimacy with friends and family members Deeper sense of meaning and purpose Glimpses into spiritual dimension   Meditation made simple Benson Meditation Step 1 (half step): Get comfortable – breathe comfortably Part 1 Repeat a neutral word upon exhaling and otherwise empty the mind (e.g., “One”) Part 2 When you fail at part 1, forgive yourself and, because you prefer part 1, return to part 1.  Part 2 is STILL meditating. Spending a high percentage of the meditation on part 1 will yield deep, often profound relaxation. Spending a high percentage of the meditation on part 2 will yield deep relaxation.

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