Meditation continues to gain global popularity, as more and more individuals realize the healthy benefits of undertaking such a practice. The following three ways to meditate are among the most practiced in the world today.

1. Walking

Many individuals do not realize that they are actually engaging in a powerful meditation method when they partake in their daily walk. People who regularly walk, frequently report that they have a heightened sense of mental clarity, feel better about life, and enjoy bouts of profound wisdom during, or after, walking. These are all the same benefits that meditation offers.

It is not uncommon to come across a person, who makes walking, their daily ritual, and the benefits are obvious to the casual observer. Walking does not automatically equal a meditative experience for everyone. Those who are impacted in a profound way, naturally draw their attention to their breathing, and the subtle vibrations between one’s feet and the earth, as they touch the ground.

For those resistant to more ritualistic meditation methods, walking can either serve as a bridge into other meditation forms, or it can simply be used as the primary mode of meditation itself. Many different lineages practice walking meditation, including Kundalini Yoga. The forms, styles, and methods used, do not matter very much, as long as your practice leads to mental stillness and a deeper connection to knowing one’s self.

2. Breathing

While some of us may think Yogic breath control (pranayama) is the primary source of this method, there are many non-Yogic meditation lineages that practice meditation on breath. This meditation is extremely simple, but also quite effective. The individual sits quietly and observes his or her breathing. Eventually, this focus drives thought from the mind.

This form of meditation is powerful enough that many people follow the breath their entire lives, without feeling the need to look elsewhere for additional techniques. Dwelling on thoughts of the breath coming in through the nose, entering the lungs, energizing the body, and then leaving through the nose is much easier for most people than trying to make the mind blank. Completely clearing the mind is possible, but typically requires years of meditation practice.

3. Mindfulness

With this form of meditation, the individual uses his or her senses to achieve a state of complete mental silence. This meditation can be done anywhere, without anyone else noticing – making it convenient to do in public places. Becoming completely focused, on every detail of the present moment, allows an individual to see things with a depth of clarity.

Some practitioners never think it is possible to stay present in the moment, when they start meditating. For some, mindfulness meditation can create an “all consuming” focus on seeing into one’s self, which can cause some frustration. However, with proper guidance, mindfulness stills the ego, while it promotes inner peace and tranquility.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

These are all states of consciousness or awareness, as are the states of sleep and every-day, walking-around wakefulness. These three, however, share a number of similarities that sleep and wakefulness only display in certain instances, and usually not to the same extent:
• Metabolism drops significantly.
• Brain wave activity changes to alpha.
• The body becomes deeply relaxed.
• The senses become more heightened or alert.
• Certain chemicals are released.
• We become more receptive and responsive to suggestion.
• They each provide an unusually pleasant experience, i.e. subjects report feeling very relaxed, calm, and peaceful — hence, the terms, Hypnojunkies and Meditjunkies — they just love the experience.

How do these states differ, one from the other?
• Hypnosis is more active and usually involves an agenda, e.g. overcoming a fear, extinguishing a habit, loosing weight, improving athletic performance, etc.
• Meditation is more passive and the subject usually meditates patiently, enjoying the experience and allowing the benefits to materialize.
• Meditation can also have the agenda of moving towards a state where no thought is present. It is a point of transcending thought. This is rarely achieved for any lengthy period, and when it is, people report a flash of “enlightenment,” a “moment of bliss,” a “touch of the divine”, etc.

What is Self-Hypnosis and how does it fit in here?
• First, as the name implies, the practitioner induces the trance state him or herself.
• To get to that state, the subject may use methods that are from the traditions of meditation or from the playbook of the hypnotist.
• Once in that state, the person does his or her “work,” such as affirm a desired trait (e.g. self-confidence) or intend a condition (e.g. health).
• In my opinion, self-hypnosis is not as effective as hypnosis for getting the “work” done because the person in that state has diminished analytical ability and cannot be both the subject and the therapist/facilitator at the same time. It’s still very beneficial but it’s much like trying to be the player and the coach in mid-game, each having their unique perspective.

In each of these states, as I indicated above, we become more receptive and responsive to suggestion. How does that happen?

• Real answer: We don’t fully know.

• What seems to be happening, however, is that the unconscious part of the mind comes to the fore and the conscious portion drifts away, taking much of our analysis, evaluation, and judgement with it. The mind becomes very allowing.

• This unconscious part of our mind is the greater part. It takes care of all the bodily functions that we are not conscious of, e.g. chemical release, blood flow, immune system, etc.

• As well, it knows more than we are consciously aware of (some say it knows everything), and it can remember and recall everything that has ever happened to us.

• The unconscious mind seems to be much like a ten-year-old. It takes everything suggested to it literally and it cannot easily distinguish between imagination and reality. This is where the hypnotist or hypnotherapist can make suggestions that help people move from where they are to where they want to be, and sometimes, the speed with which this happens can be truly amazing.

I may have raised more questions than I have answered here, at least I hope so. And, in subsequent articles, I will present some additional ideas on the unconscious mind (some quite metaphysical) and I do want to display some of the many mental and physical benefits that are gained from a regular practice of meditation, so stay tuned…

For more information, See: http://www.mycapco.ca

Peter Dennis, B. Comm., B. Ed., M.B.A., C.H.R.P.

• Past President of The Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce, The Windsor and District Human Resources Professionals Association, and the International Graphoanalysis Society.
• Held senior Human Resources positions in The Hamilton Group, Green Giant of Canada Ltd, Pillsbury Canada Ltd, and KPMG.
• Instructor of Human Resources Management at The University of Windsor and at Seneca College.
• Best Selling Author and publisher of the books: HANDWRITING ANALYSIS, An Adventure in Self-Discovery, Third Edition and METAPHYSICS, An Adventure in Self-Discovery.
• Certified Consulting Hypnotist
• Certified Handwriting Analyst
• Reconnective Healing Practitioner
• Level 2 Reiki Practitioner

By Peter H Dennis