Meditation and Yoga

By Toni Greene, Owner

Happy Hour Yoga Center

. http://happyhouryoga-reiki.vpweb.com

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Meditation and Yoga

Meditation (Dharana) is for everyone. Meditation bridges the gap between you, your mind and your body. Meditation helps us to develop a sense of well-being. Meditation gives us a sense of inner peace, stability and calm. Meditation can develop our intuition. Through meditation we can release reactions and unconscious habits, fears and blocks.

Meditation is a way to still the mind to bring it to neutral. It is when you turn off the positive mind and the negative mind to bring it to the neutral mind.

Meditation is difficult to achieve when the mind is restless. However, it can be trained by the constant practice of meditation.

In meditation a lot of thoughts will come, even the thoughts you do not want. The best time to meditate is in the early morning or at the end of the day. Mediation is clearing the mind and keeping unwanted thoughts from piling up into your subconscious mind.

Meditation can be done with the use of a mantra. Mantras are positive sounds, a positive thought, or something on a vibratory thought level. Meditation with the use of a mantra is said to work on the upper palate of the mouth, which controls the autonomic system and the pulsations of the old brain and limbic system.

Learning to Meditate

Sit in easy pose (cross-legged position) or you can sit in a chair with your spine straight and your feet flat on the floor with a slight jalandar bandh (a neck lock, when you sit with your neck straight and pull your chin toward your neck). Your eyes are lightly closed and focused on your third eye (an imaginary eye between your eyebrows). Place your hands in a gyan mudra position that locks or seals and guides energy flow and reflexes to the brain.

Use the regular four fingers of the left hand for meditation. Place the four fingers in a straight line, lightly, on the right wrist so that you can feel the pulse in each fingertip. On each beat of the heart hear the sound Sat Nam (Sat means truth and Nam means existence or light). Sit quietly for at least 11 minutes and up to 31 minutes. This meditation is good for beginners; it helps to develop the ability to concentrate.

Try this simple meditation and it will be the start of many quiet minutes throughout the day. Sit and meditate everyday. Sat Nam.