Start Meditating Today

For Joy, Well Being, and Inner Peace!

A Quick Guide for Beginners on How to Reap the

Many Benefits of Meditation

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Intro

My name is Cecilia Kinzie and I’m out to change people’s minds about meditation. You see, I

think meditation needs a reputation makeover! Meditation is not just for monks living in a

monastery in the mountains, nor is it just for people who follow a certain religion or practice a

certain type of yoga, or subscribe to a certain type of diet or lifestyle! Meditation is for people

just like you and me who live in today’s stressful busy world who are trying to balance the many

demands of our lives. Meditation is like an oasis in this fast paced world, a restful place where

we can get away from it all. This magical place I am talking about is inside of you, and it can be

accessed through the power of meditation.

I have been meditating for almost 20 years and although I haven’t reached

enlightenment yet (smile and wink), it has been an amazing tool to help me

through many life and health challenges. Now I teach meditation to others and I

am so excited to be able to share some of the things I’ve learned about meditation

with you! If you would like to know more about me and the meditation I teach

please check out my full bio at my website: http://www.circleforselfhealing.com/about

The Many Benefits of Meditation

The Mind Body Connection

“Gradually, study after mind body study, carried out with

the most careful scientific protocols, produced

incontrovertible evidence that the mind can indeed

influence—and heal—the body.”~ Herbert Benson from The

Relaxation Revolution

The book The Relaxation Revolution by Herbert Benson is full of studies

that scientifically prove that meditation can significantly impact our levels

of health.

When we trigger a “relaxation response”, through meditation our physiology actually changes.

We can experience decreased heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism, and decreased brain

activity. These changes are beneficial for our well-being.

Although science has proved the mind body effect, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that

relaxation is good for us. Everyone knows that we feel better on a vacation relaxing at the beach

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instead of at the office. Although stress is a necessary part of our lives, chronic stress can lead to

poor emotional and physical health. Since we can’t always take a vacation, meditation allows our

minds to take a vacation every single day. Best of all, the vacation is free and only requires 10-15

minutes of our time!

When we meditate we take a break from thinking about all the things that are stressing us out

such as: work, family, relationships, and finances. By quieting our mind of all its worries, our

bodies naturally start to release tension.

Let me explain this concept using a metaphor. Once I was parked on a residential street and I

happened to see a little brown mouse in the street and a huge black cat running after it! The

mouse was a smart little fellow and decided to stop running and lay still. The cat seemed

completely confused by the mouse’s actions. Not only did the cat stop chasing the little mouse,

she lost interest in the mouse and ran away in the other direction!

In this metaphor the mouse is your mind and the black cat is your worrisome thoughts. As long

as your mind is engaged in the worrisome thoughts they will continue to “chase” you. When you

meditate and quiet your mind the worrisome thoughts have no more power over you and just

like the black cat, they are likely to leave you alone!

Control Over Our Thoughts And Emotions

“I can tell my hand what to do,” Augustine once

observed, “and it obeys. Why can’t I do the same

with my mind?”~ Eknath Easwaran

The more we practice meditation and the better we become at

it, the more we have control over our thoughts and feelings. This

does not mean we will turn into numb robots, but it does mean that our thoughts and emotions

are less likely to run (ruin) our lives. For example, we’ve all had a bad day where nothing seems

to go right, instead of letting the momentum of the bad day continue to make us grumpy (and

grumpier) we can stop and take a few minutes to meditate. Meditation is like pressing the pause

button on a remote control of our lives. Imagine taking a few minutes to meditate on gratitude

and find a sense of inner peace in the middle of a bad mood, it can really change your whole

day around!

Meditation can also be used to release repressed emotions. Sometimes what we do to avoid

our feelings can be actually worse than the feeling itself. I tend to overeat when I am avoiding

feeling something, for some it might be watching too much T.V., or for some it might be much

worse such as using drugs or alcohol to avoid pain. When we sit down to meditate we can tap

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into our feelings and feel them in a completely safe environment. By embracing our feelings in a

meditative state we are honoring ourselves and acknowledging our humanity. Through

meditation, we can gently set the intention to release the negative emotions so that they may

flow through us like a wave, releasing any hold they might’ve had on us.

Receiving Inner Guidance

“Meditation here may think down hours to

moments. Here the heart may give a useful lesson to

the head and learning wiser grow without his

books.”~William Cowper

Meditation is a time where you can sit with yourself and be

silent without having to worry about anyone’s needs but your

own. Meditation is a time to connect with your inner guidance and ask your body how it’s

feeling and what it might need. When you ask for answers in a meditative state the answers you

receive can be revealing. If you are not sure about a decision you need to make, clearing your

mind through meditation can actually give you clarity about the overall picture. One of the

easiest ways to make sure you are receiving the best guidance is to ask your heart. Of course,

only act on the guidance you receive during meditation if it feels good and right to you and is

not harmful or destructive to others or yourself. Remember, you are asking yourself what you

really feel about a situation without the interference of other’s opinions or the static of everyday

living.

The Key to Happiness

Meditation is painful in the beginning but it

bestows immortal Bliss and supreme joy in the

end.~ Swami Sivananda

In the end, we are only motivated to do something if it has the

potential to make us feel better. Meditation takes us to the

source of happiness which is simply our own peace of mind.

Meditation teaches us that happiness is not dependant on the outer circumstances we might

find ourselves in. If we have no peace of mind and are constantly thinking negative thoughts,

happiness will remain out of reach no matter how successful we appear in our lives. It might be

hard to fathom that happiness can occur from the daily practice of just being; however,

meditation allows us to discover an unexpected source of happiness within our own being. You

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must experience it to believe it, but once you feel the bliss achieved through meditation you’ll

be hooked!

Living a Consciousness Life

First you try to meditate and after a while you

become meditative. ~J.Kleykamp

In the end, meditation is not just about achieving a state of

peace a few minutes a day, but it’s about becoming a more

conscious person. Once you make meditation part of your daily

routine you will find that the inner peace and relaxation stay

with you throughout the day. Situations that used to unnerve

you won’t be such a big deal anymore. After my husband and I dedicated at least ten minutes a

day to meditation on a consistent basis, we were happily surprised how we breezed through

hosting thanksgiving which used to be a very stressful time for us. Even though meditation takes

little time, it can have a huge payoff in the quality of your life.

3 Simple Meditation Techniques for Beginners

So now you probably want to know how you can start a meditation practice. The best way to

start is by listening to guided meditations (for a variety of guided meditation mp3 downloads

please go to: http://www.circleforselfhealing.com/meditations/) until you get the hang of it. If

you want to get started right away, below are three simple meditations you can try. There are

many different types of meditation techniques, but I'm going to share with you three of the

easiest techniques for a meditation beginner.

Before you get started, find a comfortable place where you will be undisturbed for at least five

to ten minutes. I recommend sitting in a comfortable chair with your spine upright (if

comfortable), your feet planted firmly on the ground, and your arms and hands uncrossed.

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Technique #1 Breath Meditation

The breath meditation technique is one of the easiest meditation techniques for beginners.

Close your eyes and focus your attention on your breath. Really notice how you are breathing. Is

it shallow or deep? Are you breathing from the belly or upper chest? Just notice. Clear your mind

and just be still. Relax. If your mind wanders just bring your attention back to your breath. Start

with five minutes a day and gradually increase until you can meditate for 30 minutes a day. The

point of this meditation is to clear your mind of chatter and worries and just focus on the quality

of your breath. The monotony of just focusing on your breath can be very relaxing.

Technique #2 Burning Flame Meditation

The burning flame meditation is also an easy meditation technique for a beginner. Just close

your eyes and imagine a bright burning candle. Really see the flame and watch it sparkle. Notice

the violet, orange, and yellow colors burning brightly. Get lost in the beauty of the flame. If your

mind wanders, just bring it back to the imaginary flame in your mind's eye. This can be very

relaxing. You can also do this meditation with the image of a blooming flower or with any image

that you find relaxing.

Technique #3 Healing Heart Meditation

Put your attention into your heart and breathe into your heart. As you do this, feel your heart

opening. Imagine yourself surrendering your problems and forgiving those that have wronged

you in the past. Imagine letting go and feeling a sense of peace and well being. Bask in the

feeling of well being for as long as it feels right. I recommend at least 10 to 30 minutes a day for

the most benefit.

Meditation Tips

#1 Try to Meditate at the Same Time Every Single Day. The best time to meditate is right

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after you wake up, or right before going to bed. By meditating at the same time every single day

you are more likely to make meditation part of your daily routine.

#2 Start With Only 5 Minutes a Day. You can gradually build up by five minute increments

until you reach 30 minutes a day. Remember that it is not the quantity of meditation, but the

quality of your meditation. If you only start out with 5 minutes a day you are more likely to build

confidence and not give up before you’ve gotten the hang of it.

#3 Make Sure You are Comfortable. I prefer to meditate in a comfortable chair with my spine

supported and upright, feet planted on the ground, and my arms and legs uncrossed.

I only recommend meditating lying down if you are trying to fall asleep. If you practice yoga you

can meditate in the lotus position, although that position is not comfortable for everyone.

#4 Try the Many Different Types of Meditation Available. There are many different types of

meditation and you have to find the one that works for you. I prefer guided imagery meditation

also known as visualization meditation and that is what I teach. However, there are meditation

practices that focus on the breath, use sound or chanting, or take you on a guided journey . . .

Don’t give up on finding a meditation style that fits you, the benefits will be worth it!

#5 Be Gentle with Yourself. Learning how to meditate takes a long time. I’ve been meditating

for over 15 years and my mind still wanders at times. It’s normal for your mind to wander, just

gently bring your attention back to yourself with the same patience and compassion that you

would have for a little child or puppy. Meditation can be a great way to cultivate compassion for

yourself!

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Resources

Guided Meditation and Online Classes:

Circle for Self Healing

Guided MP3 meditation downloads and classes over the phone. If you sign up for the e-mail list

you get a FREE guided meditation! There is also individual meditation coaching available.

http://www.circleforselfhealing.com/meditations/

Guided Meditation CD

Journey into Meditation by Lisa Guyman available at amazon.com

Books

The Relaxation Revolution by Herbert Benson

Conquest of Mind by Eknath Easwaran

Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn

Happy Meditating!