SAMDA Healing Courses: Meditation The Language of the Spirit

Over millennia, so much has been said about meditation. I am sure you have all heard some of the obscure and remote explanations, the mystical and psychic experiences; that put the concept of meditation so far "out there" as to make it a joke to some and a dirty word to others. Despite the fact that meditation can cause psychic experiences (outside the sphere of physical science) these experiences are only a by-product of meditation.

Meditation is the tongue of the soul and the language of our spirit. ~Jeremy Taylor (Writer and Bishop, 1613-1667)~
It is also not the exclusive preserve of religious ascetics or the "spiritually advanced" and it is not necessary to subscribe to any particular belief system. Even though meditation is often associated with the Eastern Philosophies - Buddhism in particular - it is merely a state of mind, a very natural way to quiet the mind and tap into your limitless potential.

Various scientific studies have also confirmed that meditation has a measurable effect on both the brain and the body. The latest brain studies, conducted by function MRI (fMRI), Cat and other high-tech scans which can see brain function in real time, show that for instance the "day dreaming" state, formal meditation and even self-hypnotic states are all very similar in term of the wavelengths they generate (mostly in the alpha range of 8-13 Hz or cycles per second).


Contrary to popular belief, meditation is neither alien to our culture, nor to our nature. Although it is virtually impossible to pinpoint where and when it evolved, I would say that it is fair to assume that primitive man took the first step towards self-awareness when he began to wonder where he had come from and what purpose there might be in existence.

Meditation has been used from the very beginning of time as people have always sought inner quiet, balance and physical relaxation, whether for spiritual, self-realization or health reasons. The benefits of meditation for your health can be viewed here.

Meditation does not necessarily mean you need to spend large amounts of time to get the benefits to your mind and body it is:

For everyone who wishes to relax and enjoy their own inner peace.
A pleasant way to gain deep relaxation as well as creating time and space for yourself.
Beneficial for your general well-being, but by using some simple words and images while you meditate (visualization) you can encourage improvement in a specific area of your life, you can gain the confidence to cope with an event in the future.
A technique that can be utilized for its therapeutic and relaxing benefits in stress management, or simply in pursuit of self-awareness.
For anyone wanting to improve their concentration.
For everyone who wants to foster a more positive attitude to life.
A way to enable you to gain a clearer sense of purpose.


Meditation Benefits your Health

Meditation benefits your health in various ways. Even though meditation is still a relatively new field of study for scientists, the practice of meditation is ancient. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., from the University of Massachusetts, studied actual brain movements of people who meditated. He found that through meditation we actually change the brain activity from one part of the cortex to another. This explains the scientific reason behind how meditation improves overall health.

Meditation benefits your health by increasing happiness. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin reported that people newly trained in meditation have shown an increase in electrical activity in the left frontal part of the brain, an area associated with positive emotion and happiness.

Meditation boosts the immune system. In the same study, meditators also showed a significant increase in immunity to the flu.

Meditation benefits your health by enhancing memory and attention. A study at Massachusetts General Hospital found that parts of the brain’s cerebral cortex were thicker in people who had practiced meditation daily for just 40 minutes for several years. The cerebral cortex is the part of the brain that deals with attention and processing sensory input and tends to thin with age.

Meditation benefits your health by reducing the physical pain, anxiety, and stress of fibromyalgia. A study published in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics showed sustained benefits over a three year period in a group of women who had taken an eight-week course in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.

Meditation lowers blood pressure. A 2004 study published in the American Journal of Cardiology showed meditation can lower blood pressure and mortality rates in older people with hypertension.

Meditation helps alleviate mild to moderate anxiety and depression. Researchers at the University of Louisville found that mindfulness meditation alleviates depression in women with fibromyalgia.

Meditation benefits your health by increasing alertness. University of Kentucky researchers found that sleepy people who meditated for 40 minutes did better on a test of mental quickness than people who had taken a 40-minute nap.

Meditation helps to control binge eating. A study at Indiana State University found that obese women who practiced mindfulness meditation had an average of four fewer binge-eating episodes a week than before they took up the practice. Mindfulness can help bingers recognize when they want to overeat and lower the odds that they will.

Meditation benefits your health by helping to lower blood sugar: Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles showed that patients were able to lower their blood pressure, blood sugar and insulin by practicing transcendental meditation.



These few things alone can have profound secondary impacts on all areas of your life and relationships. It is simply astounding that a practice of sitting still can make us so much healthier. What is even more interesting to me is how hard so many of us find it is to sit still.


Meditation Share - Share your meditation or experience with others as we could all benefit and learn from one another.




Meditation Secrets

Following find the seven meditation secrets that will give you a comprehensive introduction to meditation. It's ideal for anyone with an interest in meditation, self-growth and personal development.

Secret #1: Meditation Is No 'Quick Fix'



Meditation is no 'quick fix' as far as personal development is concerned. I'm sure however that you've seen lots of quick-fix, "wealth without work" approaches to personal development. It's often claimed that you'll experience exotic states of blissful meditation and/or that you'll quickly bring about transformational changes in your life. While I'm sure some programs have something to offer, I also know there is no real short cut to LASTING transformation and happiness.

Meditation and mind-body training in general require PRACTICE. Those people that practice usually find the rewards are well worth it. If you practice correctly and you are committed to the process, the odds of achieving the results you're looking for and very good. I recommend you set aside some time each day for your practice. Ten minutes a day is fine to get you started. But the most important thing is that you make it fun so you enjoy it and practice consistently.

Secret #2: Your Posture Must Be Good

There are many possible positions for meditation namely the lotus position, half-lotus, sitting on a chair or cross-legged on the floor or lying down. Some prefer to sit on a cushion on the floor while others prefer a standing meditation. Whatever position you settle in, your posture must be full and open and your back straight. A bad posture is uncomfortable and will make you feel restless. When your posture is good, you will feel more comfortable and your practice will be so much more enjoyable.

Sitting or standing in a good posture makes the inside of your body come alive. Energy flows more easily through the body. Good posture promotes natural, spontaneous healing. Make good posture an inseparable part of your practice. In fact, make good posture part of your daily life!

Secret #3: The Best Style of Meditation

There are many people out there teaching all sorts of different styles and practices. But do not accept anyone's teaching without verifying the truth of what they say in your own experience. I recommend you try a few different styles and see what feels right for you. Find one or two styles that feel good for you and stick to that, but be careful not to get stuck in the technique. While there are a number of important guidelines common to all styles of meditation practice, the most important guideline is this:

Listen to your own body and do what is natural and feels right for you.

Remember that if you feel discomfort in any way, that is a sign that what you are doing is NOT good! Meditation should NEVER be forced. You should let the meditation happen in a relaxed and comfortable way without forcing or directing it. The main thing to remember is to pay attention to your body. Make sure that what you are doing is natural and feels right for you.

Meditation Share - Share your meditation or experience with others as we could all benefit and learn from one another.

Secret #4: The True Purpose of Meditation

Many people feel a sense of fascination when confronted with the possibility of mystic visions, psychic intuition and heightened mental functioning. I mean who wouldn't? Remember while meditators often report these sorts of improvements, these experiences should not be the primary reason for practice, otherwise we might lose ourselves in the fantasy.

The true purpose of meditation is peace of mind and to bring us back to ourselves.

As we become healthier, happier and realize greater self- awareness, the other benefits of meditation begin to follow naturally: improved mental functioning, greater intuition, as well as greater access to unconscious resources and abilities.



Secret #5: Distraction Does Not Equal Failure

Meditation is not work in the sense that you have to 'force' yourself to concentrate completely for long periods of time. If we consciously try to prevent thinking, it's going to have a negative impact on the meditation.

Always remember that meditation should be natural. Whenever we become lost in thought or confusion, we simply acknowledge those thoughts and then gently return the attention to our meditation cues (breathing, mantra etc). We do this as many times as distraction occurs. Thoughts and feelings are part of meditation practice. It's our relationship to our thoughts and feelings that we're training. With practice, the mind becomes calmer and discursive thought disappears.

A peaceful mind is achieved not through forcing the mind but through the act of quiet surrender.

Secret #6: Insight Alone Is Not Enough

Insight alone will not transform our lives. Meditation is likely to help us by giving us larger perspectives and increase clarity of thought. But even though our sense of inner guidance might become stronger, unless we act on that guidance, we will never manifest the changes we truly want in our lives.

This doesn't just mean we need to take action in our outer world, for example, having an honest conversation with a friend or paying a bill. It also means we must actively request the assistance of the unconscious in a clear and persistent way.

When you do that, as is taught in "Secrets of Meditation, Health and Manifestation," you find yourself magnetically drawn toward your dreams with an irresistible impulse.

Secret #7: Learn To Let Go

Once you have made your request, it's important that you let go. Don't be concerned with how you're going to get what you truly want in your life. Needing to know how can hamper the process of making it manifest in the outer world. Learn to trust the deeper part of yourself. Some changes - perhaps all of them - will happen automatically. I have personally found that many of my destructive habits simply dropped away with minimal conscious effort.

For me, this was achieved not by self-discipline and will power, but rather a "letting go." So we realize that spiritual growth is a natural process powered by parts of ourselves that know more than we can understand consciously. As we let go consciously and receive more input from these parts, we learn to trust this feeling - this feeling that we are in safe hands and that something amazing is about to happen.

FREE - 7 Minute Deep Relaxation


This is an easy meditation that will only take 7 minutes and it will relax you completely, be it after a hectic day or before a meeting. It is best used through stereo headphones. Download it now with our compliments, and use it often.


You can also try these "COLOUR HEALING MEDITATION CHARTS" as they will not only help you to improve your general well being but I have very successfully incorporated these colour meditation charts in my healing sessions with astounding results and they can take as little as 2 minutes.




What is Meditation?

What then, in laymen's terms, is meditation?

I quote Sri Chinmoy when he says: "Meditation is acceptance. It is the acceptance of life within us, without us and all around us. Acceptance of life is the beginning of human satisfaction. Transformation of life is the culmination of divine satisfaction."
Meditation is merely sitting, relaxing and being in the now.

Yes . . . it is just that uncomplicated, sitting, relaxing and being in the now discovering, learning and understanding; not criticizing your thoughts, but simply watching them and learning about yourself from them.

Meditation can be as simple as "time out", the getting "lost in thought" moment, "taking a deep breath - hmm hmmm", the "waking up and smell the roses" moment.

Our lives are so full of the demands of work, family, friends and organized leisure interests that we have no time to just "sit and stare". Think of those rare moments when your mind "dipped out" for an instant and you landed up being able to just "stare" into the distance.

Cast your mind back to when you experienced one of those moments . . . your thoughts were so calm and harmonious that you felt as if you had no thoughts at all. Meditation is very much like these "sit and stare" moments.

We get so caught up in the "rat race", planning our days, gearing up to work towards our future, raising children, worrying about our obligations, the list is never ending that we hardly observe anything in our hustle and bustle to "get on" with life anymore, let alone take notice and pleasure from this moment, the here and now, we more often than not miss out on the simple pleasures of life;

a beautiful sunset,
the innocent wonder of a child,
the comfort of a log fire in winter,
the softness of a baby's skin,
the singing of a bird,
the smell of fresh roasted coffee or a "cuppa" tea,
or even just a deep breath of fresh, crisp air on a spring morning.
These simple pleasures in life are there to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and experienced, even if you live in the "rat race" of the most industrial and commercial cities.

It is important to remember that meditation is not dependent on the body, you do not have to be a contortionist or a monk to meditate, you don't have to fast, no special physical exercises or breathing control exercises are necessary for you to enjoy the benefits of meditation on either a mental, physical or emotional level; although if you already practice physical or breathing control exercises (and you understand what you are doing) there is no reason to stop. If they are unnecessary or wrong for you they will drop away naturally.


The Spirituality of Meditation

Let's take a quick look at meditation from a spiritual physics point of view and how it can and does affect you, the individual as well as the world in which you live.

How often have you heard the human race being referred to as "Light Beings" but what does this mean?

According to the scientific community light is energy which produces hundreds of trillions of vibrations per second in the form of light waves. Let's just say that the "source" of this light or energy is within you - the individual - and these light waves or energy waves are eternally emanating from your consciousness as lines of force and that these waves or lines of force govern electrons and causes atoms to cluster in an energy field as a thought-form which is then "moved down" through the dimensions to manifest on the physical plane.

We know from science that all things of "matter" whether it is visible or not are made up of atoms, or pure energy therefore all things seen or not is energy in motion and this energy of all things are controlled by thought.

Your consciousness is not only the transmitter of energy but also the directing force that destroys or creates.

Now depending on the frequency of your consciousness, a high or low vibration, you will either heal or harm; there is no in-between. This is why pure and harmonious thoughts are of vital importance to your own well being as well as that of the world and one of the ways to attain this state is through meditation.

It is a good way of taking "time out" and allowing you to tune into, appreciate and experience the moment.

It may be sitting back at your desk and enjoying a cup of fresh roasted coffee, watching a breathtaking sunset, walking your dog along the seashore or in the park, sitting under a tree on a warm summer's day watching the clouds change shape, or just noticing and experiencing the intensity and power of silence in a still room and enjoying it.

Meditation is the quality of awareness that we bring to an act.

It is about raising our levels of consciousness so that we are aware of our activity and of any thoughts and emotions that we are experiencing in the moment as we do it.

Meditation is a powerful tool that promotes deep relaxation in all areas of your being, slowing down the brain waves into a relaxed alpha pattern similar to deep sleep. Try Visualizing and Meditating with Color.

Visualizing and Meditating with Color


Visualizing and meditating with color are powerful healing tools if used regularly, healing this way can be very potent because as we experience different color vibrations they in turn affect our energy bodies. To explain this further... each color of the light spectrum has it's own unique vibration with specific healing characteristics and those vibrations interact with and affect our personal vibrations (color is light, light is vibration and we are made up of vibrations). An imbalance in our personal vibration is the major culprit behind various disorders ranging from high blood pressure to skin disorders as well as psychological problems. Color can therefore have a profound effect on your mood, vitality and well-being!

It takes a bit of time to get into visualizing and meditating with color but if you are willing to spend the time you will benefit greatly. I suggest that you start with the colors displayed through flowers or minerals finding either or both in the color you need.

These colors are living and vibrant and have a great healing capacity. Yellow and reds are stimulating; blues and greens are calming. I also recommend that you choose the same time each day to practice visualizing or meditating with color because this creates a good habit that is easy to follow.

Do not be concerned about doing things correctly. There is neither right nor wrong in visualizing and meditating with color: only what benefits you. Follow your feelings, if it feels good or seems right, go with it and if it makes you uncomfortable, then change.

Visualizing with Color

The following is an example of a color visualization when visualizing or meditating with color that you might like to work with.


For this a red tulip or rose is needed.
Place this in a vase where you can see it comfortably.
Look at its shape and color and then, when you feel ready, close your eyes and visualize the head of the tulip or rose increasing in size until it is large enough for you to walk inside and sit or lie at its centre.
When you are comfortably positioned inside the tulip or rose, imagine the sun shining through its petals, creating shafts of soft red light which bathe you from head to foot.
Try to feel the effect that this has upon you physically, emotionally and mentally.
After approximately 15 minutes, walk out of the tulip or rose on to one of its green leaves.
Pause here for a moment to absorb this complementary color through your feet, before walking down the tulip's leaf or the roses stem back to where you are sitting.
Visualize the tulip or rose returning to its normal size before gently opening your eyes.
Work with a different flower or mineral regularly.

Meditation Share - Share your meditation or experience with others as we could all benefit and learn from one another.



Meditating with Color

When visualizing or meditating with color, this method is best suited to those of you who have some experience with meditation and if you don't have experience read - How to Meditate. When you meditate it is important to find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. The ideal time is early morning after a good night's sleep which will eliminate the temptation to fall asleep. The sitting position adopted should be one that is comfortable and allows the spine to be straight. If you choose to sit on a chair, make sure that both feet are placed on the floor with your hands, palms downwards, on your knees.


Close your eyes and start your meditation with a few minutes of rhythmic breathing. This helps to quieten the mind and relax the body. When your mind has become quiet and your body relaxed, imagine that you are sitting in front of a giant quartz crystal.
Standing up, walk round the crystal (see healing properties of crystals) to find the entrance to its inner chamber.
When you have located this door, open it and walk through into a room constructed from crystal.
On the floor lies a deep indigo thick-piled carpet upon which are scattered indigo and white cushions.
Hanging from the ceiling are spirals of indigo glass balls which fill the room with wide shafts light.
Walk around this room to see what else there is to discover before taking some of the cushions to place under your head and beneath your knees.
When you are lying comfortably with your cushions in position, take note of your body bathed in the indigo light flooding the room.
If you listen carefully you will hear gentle tones being sounded by the crystal.
Become aware of your physical body and experience how this color induces a wonderful state of peace and relaxation in your body and mind and how it creates space for you to be yourself.
When you feel refreshed and re-energized, stand up and walk out through the door of the crystal.
At the end of your meditation it is important to close down the major chakras. These are your doors to higher consciousness which open during meditation.
Close them down by visualizing each chakra as an open flower and starting with the crown chakra, visualize each flower closing back to a bud.
Start to become conscious of your physical body sitting on the chair.
Now open your eyes revitalized and energized for the day that lies before you.
Experiment with the above meditation using different colors in the crystal room.


Meditation - How to Meditate?

How to meditate is quite simple as any act can become a meditation; it is a question of bringing our attention to what we are doing and taking notice. There are many meditation techniques. Some of the techniques are quite simple and can be picked up with a little practice. Others require training by an experienced instructor.

In Christian spiritual training, meditation means thinking with concentration about some topic. In the Eastern sense, meditation may be viewed as the opposite of thinking about a topic. Here the objective is to become detached from thoughts and images and opening up silent gaps between them. The result is a quietening of our mind and is sometimes called relaxation response. In Christian mystical practice, this practice is called `contemplation`.

To meditate, one must break away, however briefly, from the world. Turn off your cell phone and pager, disconnect the fax machine, shut down the computer and turn on the answering machine... allow no interruptions during this special time.

Instead of pushing and straining yourself physically and mentally, just relax; sit in a chair, any chair will do, even the chair at your desk, as long as it is comfortable.

Sit with your feet flat on the floor, hands resting in your lap or on the arms of the chair, and your head comfortably balanced. It is not a good idea to slump as it is a relaxed attentiveness that you desire.
Bring your awareness to your breath as it is a good way of bringing attention into the "here and now". Use each out-breath to relax a little more deeply.
Enjoy and observe.
Meditation Share - Share your meditation or experience with others as we could all benefit and learn from one another.

Meditation is about relaxing and letting go into deeper levels of your being, and sometimes this is best achieved through a passive "non-doing" state.

Above all it is about staying with the moment, about being in touch with your surroundings and your inner world, much of which is more easily reached when in the contemplative state, when you allow yourself to be "lost in thought". If you enjoy walking, for instance, you can make this your meditation.

Instead of hurriedly rushing to be somewhere, slow down and take the time to feel your feet connect with the earth as you take each step.

As you walk, be mindful of what you are doing, thinking and feeling, and be aware of your energy flowing through your body. Take time to look around, to experience just walking.

Whenever I make the above suggestion of taking a stroll I have the recollection of reading about the 10th Century Buddhist monk, who said:

"If you walk, just walk. If you sit, just sit; but whatever you do, don't wobble."

He walked up and down the same path in the forest everyday; he moved slowly, giving total attention to his feet, the movement of his feet, the changing pressures on the soles of his feet, and the reaction of the ground to his feet. A truly amazing, relaxing and pleasurable experience that you can try for yourself.



Whatever the technique of meditation, the following aspects are generally common to all of them:

ATMOSPHERE - The best environment for the practice of meditation is a quiet place with minimum distractions. It sometimes helps to set up a meditating room with special pictures, icons, holy books or even burning incense sticks and soothing music in order to infuse the atmosphere with spiritual energy. It is best to sit in a well ventilated room, which receives natural light.

ATTITUDE - The best attitude to follow while practicing meditation is that of a receptive observer. Try to observe either the mind or the immediate physical environment, without thinking anything in particular. Watch the mind slowly empty itself out.

POSTURE - Assuming a certain posture has been central to many meditation techniques however a major characteristic of prescribed meditation postures in many traditions is that the spine is kept straight. This is true in Hindu and Buddhist yogas, in the Christian attitude of kneeling prayer, in the Egyptian sitting position, and in the Taoist standing meditation of "embracing the pillar." People with misalignments may feel uncomfortable in the beginning when assuming these postures. The spine is put back into a structurally sound line, and the weight of the body distributed around it in a balanced pattern in which gravity, not muscular tension, is the primary influence. It is possible, although it has not been conclusively proven that this postural realignment affects the state of mind.

ELEMENTS OF CONCENTRATION - In Hindu meditative techniques, the object the attention dwells on is often a mantra, usually a Sanskrit word or syllable. Usually the meditator repeats an affirmation to increase positive spiritual energies. Alternately prayers or are often said for calming the mind.

In Buddhism, the focus of attention is often the meditators own breathing, a luminous sphere or a translucent Buddha Statue.

Whether one performs mantra meditation, Buddhist breath meditations or any other for that matter, they all fulfill all the elements required for meditating for relaxation.

TIME - It is always recommended that meditation be practiced daily. The emphasis however is the regularity of practice at all costs.

During meditation your business is simple awareness, nothing else. It is a time to connect to your inner Source and let go of the things and roles we get caught up in: work, parenting, concerns and responsibilities. It may be that your meditation is peaceful, or it may be fretful and full of obsessive thought. Regardless, daily meditation will have a positive effect on your life. Try Visualizing and Meditating with Color.