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How To Meditate Like A Monk

Meditation involves reaching a state where your body and mind are consciously relaxed and focused. What you get out of meditation is an increased awareness, more intense level of focus and concentration, and a positive, much more upbeat outlook on life.

The practice of meditation has existed for a long time. It's truly a gift from the heavens... and it's readily available to anyone, anywhere, at any time. But for most of us in the West, meditation is usually associated with monks and mystics and anyone seeking spiritual enlightenment or answers from above. To an outsider like me, the practice of meditation was something that seemed to take years and years to master.

But you don't have to be a monk or mystic to enjoy the profound benefits of meditation. In fact, you could go from zero to a full-flight meditation in just minutes, once you know the basics. It's very easy to do. But the experience can be so profound, that it's something you'll want to do for the rest of your life.

Today there are numerous different approaches to meditation. But the basic fundamentals remain the same. Essentially, meditation is about relaxing to a deeper level where negative, limiting and wandering thoughts no longer occupy your consciousness. You simply calm the mind through relaxation, breathing and by focusing on what Wayne Dyer calls "the space between your thoughts". This process clears the mind of clutter, recharges your batteries and gives you a deeper connection to the energy of life.

All those negative thoughts you have - your 'blind' boss, noisy neighbors, sabotaging co-workers, rude cashiers, demanding voice mails and dreaded spam -- all occupy the mind, contributing to confusion, a lack of clarity and even more stress.

But peaceful meditation provides a 'cleansing' effect on the mind. It helps you gain clarity and rejuvenates your spirit. You come out of your meditation feeling lighter, clear, more energized and better able to focus on deeper, more meaningful thoughts and accomplish tasks with greater efficiency. Some people prefer to shut everything out- no sights, no sounds, and no distractions of any kind. The reasoning is to allow for the complete detachment of themselves from the goings on of the world around them. This might be something you want to grow into, but it's not necessary to have a profound meditative experience.

When you first attempt meditation, you may be surprised that the constant barrage of mental activity that comes to the surface. The silence may seem uncomfortable at first, but that's a natural reaction because most of us are accustomed to a non-stop diet of sensory stimuli.

Don't let it throw you off course. One magical meditation can change your life in many positive ways. Once you get accustomed to it, you'll discover that it's something so beneficial that you just don't want to give it up - ever!