This is why you should start a meditation practice…
Just three to five years ago I had no idea what meditation was. I knew I wanted to feel better – and I knew for sure I was ready to connect to a higher source – but I didn’t know how. Now I meditate over an hour a day, cannot wait to wake up before the sun to do this, and am constantly connected to Spirit. I went from zero to one hundred. I also went from being over-emotional, clingy and disorderly to having a higher self-esteem, healthier relationships and overall better life. Meditation changed me. Let me tell you how….
When I became interested in spirituality I knew I was ready to learn and grow, but I didn’t know where to start. A friend told me about a practice called Vipassana from India. I was ready to try anything at that point so I signed up for a 10 day “retreat” (ha!) in a secluded residence. We could not speak or look at anyone in the eyes for 10 freakin days! We sat in a room for 12 hours a day in complete silence. I naturally went a bit crazy and knew that this practice wasn’t for me. They recommended that we sit silently in the morning and the evening from that point onward, which felt stifling. I think it is hard for anyone to sit still this long and assume that thoughts won’t come, dont you? If I was going to meditate I wanted to feel energetic about it so I kept praying that a practice would find me that would match my desire……
A couple of years passed and during my pregnancy with my second child I came across some Kundalini Yoga and Meditation videos. I started to get up early every morning during this pregnancy. At that point, I didn’t know what I was doing or why, but I would compulsively rise to chant what is called the Long Ek Ong Kar in Kundalini Yoga. There are thousands of meditations to choose from, but this must have been what the baby wanted. I found out later that this is the best meditation to shift consciousness and bridge the gap between the mother and the child.
I became so passionate about Kundalini that I became a teacher and I focused much of the content in Mystical Motherhood on this ancient yogic science. Kundalini Yoga and Meditation, as taught by Yogi Bhajan, is the fastest growing yoga on the planet and also the fastest way to increase awareness. The meditations are generally active with movement and mantra, which makes them fun. That is what hooked me. The more I meditated the more I saw positive results. Kundalini is like a forklift – it improves every aspect of your life. The practice works really fast and removes issues quickly saving you thousands on therapy bills! Woo hoo!
If you are new to meditation, it is better to meditate daily, even if it is short, compared to an occasional longer attempt. A daily practice of three to eleven minutes is a good place to start. With time you will find that you may want to increase your meditation period because of the pure joy and stability it brings. As a mother (new or experienced), you can help to create a strong and safe foundation for your child, and ultimately create a thriving human being, through a daily meditation practice.
I recommend meditating in the morning to set your day off right and here is why….
The time upon waking is sacred because it sets the tone for the rest of your day. Waking in the morning to meditate sets the tone for a life of victory and trust in your own capabilities. If you can commit to waking up early every morning, you can accomplish anything; this I promise you. Ancient yogis give some pretty good reasons as to why this time of day is best to meditate. They call these early morning hours “Sadhana”.
Sadhana is a practice that many yogis across the world have been doing for thousands of years. Guru Singh wrote 21st Century Prophets The Sage Within and described the science behind waking in the early mornings with the purpose of increasing your energy. He said, “There are two and a half hours before the rise of the sun, where the rays of arriving light are infrared. This is known to the Yogis and Masters as “amrit vela” the “ambrosial hours.” This is a time when early light—it’s an invisible light—carries vast quantities of information for nourishing life…These infrared rays are attuned to the longer “theta” waves of your dreamtime brain, which is the same state of the brain in deep meditation.” The best activities to complete in the morning to create a higher frequency and more intuition are stretching, yoga poses, chanting mantras, silent meditations, deep breathing, or even just being grateful for the day to come.
For me at first, naturally, it was hard to get up early and change my sleep cycle to be shorter at night. I could think of every excuse in the world at the time as to why it was a bad idea including the fact I was pregnant, tired, caring for a year-old child during the day, and still finishing my FNP degree. I started waking up to chant for thirty minutes, which turned into forty-five minutes, and eventually I meditated for up to two hours a morning. This may sound absolutely shocking to individuals who have never heard of such a thing, but what I know for sure is that spending time in the morning to meditate, even if it is just ten minutes, will significantly affect the amount that you accomplish during the day. If you cannot switch how many hours you sleep, the most important thing to do is get up in the morning and do something that makes you feel good so that you can carry that positive frequency into the rest of your day. You will become more effective, focused, and creative with your time.
Waking up in the morning to meditate is wonderful for mothers as it allows you time alone for self-love and grounding and demonstrates a commitment to increasing your happiness and connection to Spirit for the family. Now, I do not even have to set an alarm to wake up; my body naturally rises, and I am excited for this time. Shocking but true. The amount of time that I spend meditating in the morning often varies, and so do the meditations I complete, but I always do one meditation that is the same every day so that I can go deeply into it.
Meditation will result in a greater understanding of the nature of the universe and of yourself. You will have more peak experiences throughout the day, times of insight, and a deeper connection to your world. Your concentration on tasks at work or at home will increase, your ability to make decisions will improve, and you will learn more efficiently. If you want to correctly interpret reality and have a bright, powerful, and uncluttered personality take some time every day to meditate.
Here is how you can start right now!
Exercise:
Wake up just ten minutes earlier than normal to meditate, be grateful, breathe, or journal. Just start here and see where this takes you. Add more time as you begin to see a change in your demeanor and wellbeing. Use the meditations explained in this book as your starting point. Mindful breath is a simple but profound way to shift your perspective. Your mind follows your breath. The key to controlling your mind is controlling your breath.
Breath Exercises You Can Begin the Day With:
Sitali Pranayam: Curl the tongue into a “U” shape, inhale through the curled tongue, and exhale through the nose. Do this twenty-six times to reduce anger.
Long Deep Breathing: Using the full capacity of the lungs, inhale deeply and expand the abdomen, then the chest and the upper ribs, and clavicle. Exhale in reverse until the abdomen pulls in and up.
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Here is an AWESOME video for you to learn more about the benefits of meditation:
Tags: health, kundalini, meditation, motherhood, pregnancy, wellbeing, wellness
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