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Meditation forEveryone!
15+ Easy-To-Use
Meditation Styles So YouCan Find YOURS
A Gift from the Heart of Juliana Joie
Photography by Michael P. Burton
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For World Peace.Let it begin in you.
A Lover of the World Creation
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Introduction
We all know the benefits of meditation. We all know we shouldbe doing it. If meditation were a pill, we’d all be taking it. So why is it
so hard to give 10-20 minutes a day to this clearly beneficial practice
with no icky side effects?
It’s my belief that one reason is that we have confusing ideas
about what meditation is. When we clarify what meditation really feels
like, it’s a lot easier to feel successful about doing it.
Also, there are MANY RIGHT WAYS to meditate! That’s right!
Meditation is not only sitting in the lotus position, repeating
“OM,” gazing at your navel, and holding the “no-thought.” There are
walking meditations and sitting meditations, eating meditations andsight meditations. In fact, everything in our lives can be one big
miracle of mindfulness if we follow Thich Nhat Hanh’s example and
guidance.
This book is an invitation to you to broaden your definition of
meditation and to try on some styles to see how they fit YOU.
I recommend trying any style for a 2-5 minute session to see
how it feels to you. After that, you can try a 7-10 minute session if you would like. Later, a 20-30 minute practice may feel joyous to you.
You will find your right rhythm and timing for meditation in your life.
The truest thing I know about successful meditation is thatsuccess lies in practicing it. So follow Nike’s slogan, choose a style that
appeals to you, and “Just do it.”
Welcome more light into your life.
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Table of Contents
1. How to Use this Book
2. Breathing Meditation
3. Mantra Style Meditation
4. Centering Prayer
5. Relaxation Meditations
6. Mindfulness Practice
7. Mindful Eating
8. Walking Meditation
9. Conscious Movement
10. Sight Meditation
11. Visualization
12. Guided Imagery
13. Writing Meditation
14. Pure Love Meditation
15. Tonglen Meditation
16. Quickies!
17. Conclusion
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Chapter One: How to Use This Book
In case you haven’t already realized this, I am an unorthodox
teacher, and this is an anti-orthodox book.
This book is for YOU, to serve you in whatever way it does best.
There is no need to read it in any particular order. Please choose
whichever page speaks to you and check it out-or not! If you want totry a particular meditation, please do. If you want to skip around,
please do.
Because this book is written with the intention of each Chapter
being a stand-alone lesson, it has some repetition of directions. This is
not a mistake, but a way to assure completeness for those who chooseto read Chapter Six before Chapter Three.
You know which styles appeal most to you. You are the best
judge of which styles to try first.
There are many right ways to do this. Please use this book the
way that serves you best to find yours.
I celebrate the unrepeatable miracle that is YOU.
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Chapter Two: Breathing Meditation
Perhaps the simplest form of meditation, and sometimes the
most daunting, breathing meditation is just what the name describes:focusing the energy on the breath.
I recommend starting a meditation for 2-5 minutes, just to see
what it is like. Remember: success is just showing up. Here is aneasy way to experience Breathing Meditation:
1. Dress comfortably. No itchy tags or too-tight waistbands.
Wear something that will not distract you with its presence on
your body, something you’d choose for a Friday night at home
with a movie.
2. Settle yourself in a comfortable position. Some teachers
and practitioners discourage lying down because of the possibility
of falling asleep. [If you need sleep so badly, I don’t think it’s abad thing to sleep.] What is most important is that you feel
comfortable. Consider closing your eyes. Some practitioners close
their eyes to remove outside distractions and some shut them
part-way to remain connected to the world while also moving
inward. Any way that feels right to you is perfect.
3. Once you’re comfortable, begin to notice your breath. Isyour exhale longer than your inhale? Your inhale longer than your
exhale? Is the air cooler as you inhale it than it is when yourelease the exhale? Enjoy feeling the air enter and leave your
body, your chest and belly expanding and contracting with each
breath.
4. Just be present to your breath. When your mind wanders
(it probably will), return to your breath. There is no need to
control it or to try to make it into something it’s not. Just notice
it.
5. To keep yourself from being concerned about time,
consider setting an alarm for the amount of time you wish to
spend meditating, preferably one with a pleasant sound. After 2-5minutes, the alarm will sound, and you may choose to rise or toremain in meditation longer. Congratulations! You have
experienced breathing meditation!
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An important note on meditation: here are the thoughts going
through my mind during a meditation session: (inhale) (exhale)
(inhale) (exhale) wow that feels good. Why don’t I do this more often?(inhale) (exhale) (inhale) (exhale) (inhale) (exhale) Oh no! I forgot to
make the dentist appointment! My teeth really need a cleaning. I’ve
missed the last one. When am I ever going to fit it in? I have to finishthis book! (inhale) (exhale) (inhale) (exhale) (inhale) (exhale) (inhale)(exhale) (inhale) (exhale) (inhale) (exhale) I really appreciate my
husband’s help with everything I’m doing these days. (inhale) (exhale)
(inhale) (exhale) (inhale) (exhale) (inhale) (exhale) etc.
Many people think that meditation practitioners do a solid 20
minutes of pure focus on the breath or mantra or whatever they are
meditating on. I have not found this to be true for me yet. I have been
meditating for 15 years, and my mind still wanders. The goal is toreturn to the breath, to notice that my mind has wandered and to
return home again to the breath and the body.
Welcome to the mountain path. Can you smell the fresh, pine-scented air?A blue sky awaits in the sunshine ahead.
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Chapter Three: Mantra Meditation
Mantra Meditation is probably what most people think of whenthey think of “Meditation.” It is choosing a word or phrase, repeating
it on the inhale and the exhale, and focusing the mind on that one
thought.
There are many good mantras to choose from. You may choose
whichever mantra suits you best, from a word or phrase in Sanskrit or
another language to one in English. One of the most popular is thesimple “Om,” --a sound that Hindus believe vibrates with the cosmos
and means the Absolute, Omnipotent All. Others choose a word theyconnect with and want more of in their life like “Peace” or “Love.”
Mantras can also be more complicated sentences like “Om
Namah Shivaya,” which means “I bow to my true inner self.” A mantrathat speaks to me (and that I use in my Pure Love Meditation) is “Sat
Chit Ananda” or “Love, Bliss, Knowing, Love.” The Dalai Lama taught
this mantra from the Heart Sutra “Form is emptiness; emptiness is
form.” There are many options!
I’ll often choose a mantra that speaks to my heart directly, “I
release all suffering” on the exhale; “I choose joy” on the inhale.
Any word or phrase that you would like to engrave more deeplyin your heart is a good mantra. If you have a spiritual guide or
teacher, that person can lead you to a good mantra for you. As long asthe word or phrase is one that you can relax into and does not distract
you, it will serve you.
As with Breathing Meditation, I recommend starting with 2-5
minutes before expanding into longer sessions. It can be pleasurable
to combine Breathing Meditation with Mantra Meditation, so that youcan enjoy the pleasure of the breath while repeating your mantra in
your head. The beginning instructions for Mantra Meditation match
those of Breathing Meditation, with one exception:
1. Choose the mantra you will use for this meditation,
knowing you can change it at any time.
2. Dress comfortably. No itchy tags or too-tight waistbands.Wear something that will not distract you with its presence onyour body, something you’d choose for a Friday night at home
with a movie.
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3. Settle yourself in a comfortable position. Some teachers
and practitioners discourage lying down because of the possibilityof falling asleep. [If you need sleep so badly, I don’t think it’s a
bad thing to sleep!] What is most important is that you feel
comfortable. Consider closing your eyes. Some practitioners closetheir eyes to remove outside distractions and some shut thempart-way to remain connected to the world while also moving
inward. Either way that feels right to you is perfect.
4. Once you’re comfortable, begin to notice your breath. Isyour exhale longer than your inhale? Your inhale longer than your
exhale? Is the air cooler as you inhale it than it is when you
release the exhale? Enjoy feeling the air enter and leave your
body, your chest and belly expanding and contracting with eachbreath.
5. Inside your mind, say your mantra (or the first part of your
mantra) on the inhale. On the exhale, repeat your mantra (or thesecond part of your mantra).
6. Continue to breathe at a comfortable pace, repeating yourmantra in your mind.
7. When you notice your mind wandering (it is not unusual
for it to do so), simply return to your breath and your mantra.
8. To keep yourself from being concerned about time,consider setting an alarm for the amount of time you wish to
spend meditating, preferably one with a pleasant sound. After 2-5
minutes, the alarm will sound, and you may choose to rise or to
remain in meditation longer. Congratulations! You have
experienced mantra meditation!
An important note on mantra meditation: here is an example of
how my mind moves through a meditation session: (inhale) (“peace”)
(exhale) (“love”) (inhale) (“peace”) (exhale) (“love”) wow that feelsgood. Why don’t I do this more often? (inhale) (“peace”) (exhale)
(“love”) (inhale) (“peace”) (exhale) (“love) (inhale) (“peace”) (exhale)
(“love”) Oh no! I forgot to make the dentist appointment! My teeth
really need a cleaning. I’ve missed the last one. When am I ever goingto fit it in? I have to finish this book! (inhale) (“peace”) (exhale)
(“love”) (inhale) (“peace”) (exhale) (“love”) (inhale) (“peace”)
(exhale) (“love”) ((inhale) (“peace”) (exhale) (“love”) (inhale)
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(“peace”) (exhale) (“love”) (inhale) (“peace”) (exhale) (“love”) My hips
are really hurting. Maybe I need a balance ball. I’m so tired of dealing
with pain. (inhale) (“peace”) (exhale) (“love”) (inhale) (“peace”)(exhale) (“love”) (inhale) (“peace”) (exhale) (“love”) (inhale)
(“peace”) (exhale) (“love”) etc.
Many people think that meditation practitioners do a solid 20minutes of pure focus on the breath or mantra or whatever they are
meditating on. I have not found this to be true for me yet. I have been
meditating for 15 years, and my mind still wanders. The goal is to
return to the breath, to notice that my mind has wandered and toreturn home to the breath or the mantra again.
As you learn to walk more slowly and mindfully,you notice the flowers along the path and smile to them
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Chapter Four: Centering Prayer
Centering Prayer comes from the Christian Contemplativetradition. It is another way to quiet the mind, with the explicit
intention of growing completely quiet to receive God’s presence inside.
It is very similar to Mantra Meditation in that you choose a wordto anchor you should your thoughts wander. “Jesus,” “Abba,” “God,”
“Spirit,” “Shalom,” and “Divine” are popular choices.
The step-by-step instructions begin similarly to the instructions
for Mantra Meditation:
1. Choose the anchoring word you will use for this
meditation, knowing you can change it at any time.
2. Dress comfortably. No itchy tags or too-tight waistbands.
Wear something that will not distract you with its presence on
your body, something you’d choose for a Friday night at home
with a movie.
3. Settle yourself in a comfortable position. Some teachers
and practitioners discourage lying down because of the
possibility of falling asleep. [If you need sleep so badly, I don’t
think it’s a bad thing to sleep!] What is most important is thatyou feel comfortable. Consider closing your eyes. Some
practitioners close their eyes to remove outside distractions andsome shut them part-way to remain connected to the world
while also moving inward. Either way that feels right to you isperfect.
4. Once you’re comfortable, begin to notice your breath. Is
your exhale longer than your inhale? Your inhale longer thanyour exhale? Is the air cooler as you inhale it than it is when you
release the exhale? Enjoy feeling the air enter and leave your
body, your chest and belly expanding and contracting with each
breath.
5. As you relax, quiet yourself. Feel yourself connect with
your faith in God and your love for God.
6. Connect to the sacred word you’ve chosen to open yourself to God’s presence within you. Honor your sincere intention to be
one with God.
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7. Allow your sacred word to be a gentle presence as you
breathe.
8. Whenever you notice anything (thoughts, feelings, images,
etc.) distracting you, return to your sacred word, your anchor.
9. To keep yourself from being concerned about time,
consider setting an alarm for the amount of time you wish to
spend meditating, preferably one with a pleasant sound. After 2-
5 minutes, the alarm will sound, and you may choose to rise orto remain in meditation longer. Congratulations! You have
experienced Centering Prayer!
Eventually, with Centering Prayer, the goal is to completely releaseall thoughts, feelings, insights, images, associations, and other mental
formations and become fully present to God in the state of unknowing.
In this state, it is easier to hear God’s voice and to simply listen andbe present.
A rainbow, symbol of God’s promise to His people.
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Chapter Five: Relaxation Meditations
In this chapter, we will explore two styles of meditation thatfocus particularly on relaxing the body as well as the mind:
Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Love and Appreciation of the Body.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
The Progressive Muscle Relaxation is an invitation to tighten the
muscles so that they will relax more deeply. It begins in the sameway as many of the other meditations:
1. Dress comfortably. No itchy tags or too-tight waistbands.
Wear something that will not distract you with its presence on
your body, something you’d choose for a Friday night at home
with a movie.
2. Settle yourself in a comfortable position. Some teachers
and practitioners discourage lying down because of the
possibility of falling asleep. [If you need sleep so badly, I don’tthink it’s a bad thing to sleep.] What is most important is that
you feel comfortable. Consider closing your eyes. Some
practitioners close their eyes to remove outside distractions and
some shut them part-way to remain connected to the world
while also moving inward. Either way that feels right to you isperfect.
3. Once you’re comfortable, begin to notice your breath. Is
your exhale longer than your inhale? Your inhale longer thanyour exhale? Is the air cooler as you inhale it than it is when you
release the exhale? Enjoy feeling the air enter and leave your
body, your chest and belly expanding and contracting with each
breath.
4. You may choose to start at your head or your feet.
(Reverse the directions to end with the feet if you are feeling the
need to be more grounded. I will offer directions that begin withthe feet and will wind up with you feeling more connected to
your upper body.)
5. Gently squeeze the muscles of the feet (to avoid cramping)and then enjoy the relaxation as you let go of the tension you’vecreated in them.
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6. Move to your ankles. Gently squeeze them and enjoy
feeling them relax. You may notice that your feet squeeze as
well. This is normal.
7. Up the calves, gently squeeze then release the muscles,
savoring their stillness.
8. Gently squeeze the knees, feeling gratitude for them (as
you’re welcome to feel for each part) and then release them to
relax to the chair or floor or bed that is supporting them.
9. Allow the quads and thigh muscles to tighten and then
relax, completely free.
10. Draw together all the tension in the lower belly and back,and then-whoosh-release it with the exhale, feeling the lower
back sink more deeply into whatever you repose upon.
11. Moving up to the mid-belly and mid-back, gently squeezeand release, savoring the relaxation.
12. At the top of the back and chest, tighten the muscles andthen relax, spreading out as more space is created in this area.
13. Bringing your attention to the shoulders, where much
tension can be carried, see if you can tighten their load even
more, then release it completely, relaxing more deeply. Yes.
14. Gently squeeze your upper arms, then release the tension
in them.
15. After squeezing the elbows and forearms, allow those
muscles to relax completely.
16. Gather tension into your wrists, hands, and fingers, then
open them to a relaxed position.
17. Returning to your neck, tighten the muscles in the front
and back of the neck, then exhale tightness as you welcome
relaxation into your neck.
18. Tighten your jaw, another place where many people store
stress, and then allow that stress to leave your body.
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19. In fact, draw tension into all the muscles of the face. Do
not worry; no one is watching you! You may want to push out
your lips and furrow your brow as you squoosh your face to letevery muscle tighten. Then allow the muscles to go slack as you
face fully relaxes.
20. Feel the relaxation in your body now that you havereleased so much tension. Congratulations! You have
experienced Progressive Muscle Relaxation!
Love and Appreciation of the Body Meditation
Another way to relax the mind while relaxing the body is through
this Love and Appreciation of the Body Meditation. I learned it in ThichNhat Hanh’s Book You Are Here, and I have almost certainly adapted it
to suit my style.
This is true, of course, of all meditation styles. Please do adapt
them to suit your style and to meet your needs.The Buddha taught a version of this relaxing meditation where a
person rests on the floor (or on the bed, in my case) and turns
attention and gratitude to each part of the body.As usual, we start by getting comfortable:
1. Dress comfortably. No itchy tags or too-tight waistbands.
Wear something that will not distract you with its presence on your
body, something you’d choose for a Friday night at home with amovie.
2. Settle yourself in a comfortable position. Some teachers
and practitioners discourage lying down because of the possibility of
falling asleep. [If you need sleep so badly, I don’t think it’s a bad
thing to sleep.] What is most important is that you feel comfortable.Consider closing your eyes. Some practitioners close their eyes to
remove outside distractions and some shut them part-way to remain
connected to the world while also moving inward. Either way that
feels right to you is perfect.
3. Once you’re comfortable, begin to notice your breath. Is
your exhale longer than your inhale? Your inhale longer than your
exhale? Is the air cooler as you inhale it than it is when you releasethe exhale? Enjoy feeling the air enter and leave your body, your
chest and belly expanding and contracting with each breath.
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4. I start by saying, inside my mind, "I love you, brain," on
the inhale and "I am here for you, brain," on the exhale.
5. Then I move through each part of the body, allowing it to
relax (if it wants to) with each breath.
6. I flow simply through my body, appreciating and loving itand assuring it that I am here to take care of it.
7. If any part of my body is feeling discomfort, tension, or
pain, I am certain to focus my loving appreciation on it.
8. As with Progressive Muscle Relaxation, it is perfect to start
at the head and relax down to the feet or to start with the feet and
release up to the head.
9. When you reach the end of your meditation, express your
loving gratitude and that you are present and attentive to your head
or feet. I like to also express loving gratitude to my entire body andits systems as I complete this special time. Congratulations! Youhave experienced Love and Appreciation of the Body Meditation!
If you live with chronic pain, as I do, this is an especially
powerful meditation practice to heal and soothe the body.
A body is a beautiful gift to love and appreciate.
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Chapter Six: Mindfulness Practice
Mindfulness means bringing your consciousness to the presentmoment and noticing what is around you. My major mindfulness
teachers are Thich Nhat Hanh, Eckhart Tolle, and my pets.
We may not realize it (which is part of the problem), butsometimes we’re completely focused in our heads. I can find myself so
lost in thought that I walk into an unexpected lamppost or miss a
beautiful sunset. My pets never do.
Often, our minds are like hamster wheels of thoughts andmemories, playing themselves over and over again. Sometimes, I’ll
rehash the same story again and again in my mind (what Buddhists
playfully call the monkey mind) instead of being creative in finding a
solution, enjoying the conversation of my friend, or simply seeing thebeauty around me.
Mindfulness is about connecting to what is present now.
A lot of mindfulness is allowing the mind to rest and quiet and to
be present to the body and its wonderful senses.
A simple Mindfulness Meditation that Thich Nhat Hanh teaches is
this: “Breathing in, I calm my body.
Breathing out, I smile.Living in the present moment.
This truly is a wonderful moment.”
It can be simplified to “In, Out, Present Moment, Wonderful Moment,”
if you wish. How peaceful I feel, just typing those words!
These words serve as a bell of mindfulness to remember to
enjoy the breath and to enjoy the moment. As we know, life is made
up of moments, so each one is worth savoring and smiling to.
Every action of the day welcomes mindful presence—from
driving a car to feeling excited. Another simple and powerful
Mindfulness Focus I can model in this moment is:
“Breathing in, I know I am typing at the computer. Breathing out, I smile to my hands.Breathing in, I know I am happy to be sharing this practice with
you.
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Breathing out, I smile to my happiness.”
You can use this framework for any action you are doing,thought you are having, or feeling you are experiencing:
“Breathing in, I know I am doing this.
Breathing out, I smile to this.
Breathing in, I know I am thinking that.
Breathing out, I smile to my thought.
Breathing in, I know I am feeling something.Breathing out, I smile to my feeling.”
This way, you know what you are thinking and feeling and doing.
The smile in the meditations is just a simple half-smile of
presence and acknowledgment. It does not mean that you are happy
when you are feeling angry or when you are thinking about suffering.
It just means that you are breathing to your anger or suffering and areaware of it.
Mindfulness practice can also involve stopping in the moment tonotice your senses. What do you see? At my desk, I cannot even take
in all of the visual stimulation! A few highlights are a picture of adolphin, a dried leaf from my niece, and photos. What do you hear? I
hear the music I am playing and the fan of the computer. What does
your skin feel? Mine feels the cold air of the air conditioner and thesoftness of my clothes. What do you smell? The candle I am burning isWarm Apple Pie. What do you taste? The water with lemon I drink as I
write.
Even when I bring my attention to my senses and am as fully
present as I’m able to be, I still miss a lot of life’s experiences,including a lot of things on my desk!
I am now aware that multi-tasking does not truly exist. I can do
one thing at a time, and if I divide my attention, I am not fullypresent. I am missing some of Now.
A final thought on mindfulness: it can be practiced anywhere and
at any time, simply by bringing your attention to it. It is always herefor you, whenever you welcome yourself into what is present now.
Congratulations! You’ve experienced Mindfulness Practice!
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Chapter Seven: Mindful Eating
Mindful Eating is a very specific mindfulness practice that bringsfull presence to an act I often do in the car or standing around the
kitchen.
Mindful Eating allows us to experience full appreciation of food:to digest better, to know when we’re full, and to savor the gift of
delicious flavors, textures, smells, and sights.
When I teach this Mindfulness Practice or Meditation, I bring the
class raisins. You are welcome to try this meditation with a raisin or ababy carrot or a grape or a nut or any small piece of food you would
usually pop into your mouth without thinking. Here are the
instructions:
1. Think about where the food comes from. Do you know
what state or country? Think of the sun and rain and soil that
created it. Think of all the people who helped to nurture and
harvest this food to give you energy for your life. If you wish, feelgratitude or say a prayer or blessing for this food.
2. Hold the piece of food, product of so many people’s labor
and so many of nature’s gifts, in your hands, feeling its texture. Is
it cold or room temperature? Is it smooth or wrinkly or soft oranother texture? Can you roll it about your fingers? Do you need
to touch it gently or is it robust?
3. Look at your piece of food and turn it over in your handsto see how it is shaped and to appreciate that. What is its color
and shape?
4. After appreciating the touch and sight of the piece of food,please smell it. Notice its scent—if it is sweet or dry or bitter. Also
notice what happens in your mouth as you smell something good
to eat. Is it watering? Are you producing more saliva in
anticipation of tasting this morsel?
5. Press the piece of food to your lips to feel its texture
against them. Again, see if you notice your mouth preparing to
digest the food.
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6. At last, place the piece of food in your mouth. Feel its
texture against your teeth and tongue and cheeks. Yes, your
teeth feel! (I learned this from my dentist.)
7. And finally, chew the piece of food, savoring its flavor and
texture and noticing if the flavor changes as you eat it.
Was that the best piece of food you’ve ever eaten? Or at least the
fullest experience of food you’ve had?
Congratulations! You have experienced Mindful Eating!
You can do this with an entire meal if you wish, alone or with a
friend. You can choose how many steps of the process to follow in
order to savor the meal and fully appreciate it.
I have a friend who is also a practitioner, and we will sometimes
eat mindfully together in silence. I am normally very chatty, but the
joyful experience of quiet and deep appreciation of food soothes mysoul and connects me to my friend.
Did you realize how distinctively beautiful the inside of a grape is?Me neither, until my friend Michael took this photo!
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Chapter Eight: Walking Meditation
Have you ever walked for the sake of walking? With nodestination in mind, nowhere to hurry to, nowhere you needed to be,
just walking to walk?
This is the root of walking meditation. We walk to walk. To putour feet on the earth and to feel each step as a connection.
This is an excellent meditation choice for people who are naturalmovers. If sitting in a chair sounds like the last thing you want to do,
you may want to try walking for meditation. Exercise is, of course, anadded benefit.
Walking meditation can be performed on a labyrinth, which is a
special joy, on a path in a park, or anywhere at all that you arewalking. Yes, even the mall. The keys are that 1) you are walking and
2) you are present and aware you are walking.
Before you begin, connect yourself with your intention. Perhapsyou intend to be fully present to your breath. Or to notice things
around you. Maybe you want to be silent. Or you may want to sing.
Connect to the kind of presence you want to be as you walk.
Choose your walking path, and take your steps with care. Noticethe feel of your feet or shoes on the path or earth or pavement or
whatever you are walking upon. See if you are walking heel-toe ortoe-heel or some other way.
Feel balanced in your walking. With each step, connect to the
ground beneath you. Remember that you are walking for no other
reason but to enjoy walking.
Whatever pace you choose is perfect. Check in with yourself
occasionally to assure that you are moving at a pace you like.
When I do walking meditation, if I pass people, I like to makeeye contact and smile at them. You are welcome to do this or to
remain more inwardly focused. This is your time.
Appreciate your surroundings and the gift of legs and feet thatcan walk. When you are complete, stop walking.
Congratulations! You have just experienced Walking Meditation!
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Chapter Nine: Conscious Movement
This is another excellent meditation for when your body or mindcan’t-or won’t-be still. Sometimes I just need to move. Honoring my
body’s need to move and moving in a conscious way can be the best
way to calm and center myself.
For this meditation, I prefer to play music, but it can be done in
silence as well. As with all these meditation practices, it is best done in
comfortable, easy clothing that allows you to move as freely as youwish to.
Please honor your body’s wishes and only move in ways that are
comfortable and nurturing to your body.
1.
Choose a piece of music (or silence or natural sounds) thatspeaks to you.
2. Take a few breaths to connect with the sounds around you
and to feel your body in this moment
3. Allow yourself to relax into the sound or silence. Allow
your body to lead your movements.
4. If you are in a safely spacious environment, consider half-closing your eyes to focus inward as you allow yourself to move.
5. Any movement at all is perfect. Even silly movements.
Even stillness.
6. Just be fully present to how your body wants to move in
this moment. Allow it. Flow with it.
7. Notice how each part of your body feels—from head to
neck, from shoulders to hands, from torso to legs to feet.
8. Allow each body part its chance to express itself.
9. Enjoy feeling each part of you moving in the world as it
chooses to move.
10. When you’re ready to stop, please do. Congratulations!You have experienced Conscious Movement!
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Chapter Ten: Sight Meditation
The purpose of sight meditation is to allow your body and mindto relax through using your visual sense. Choose a picture that
soothes your soul and delights your heart.
It can be of a place that you’ve been or someplace you’d like togo. It can be a picture of a person you love. It can be a picture of
something real or imaginary. Any picture is perfect as long as it makes
you feel good. Please choose one to try.
I have included a few options that I hope will inspire you:
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We begin as usual:
1. Dress comfortably. No itchy tags or too-tight waistbands.Wear something that will not distract you with its presence onyour body, something you’d choose for a Friday night at home
with a movie.
2. Settle yourself in a comfortable position. Some teachersand practitioners discourage lying down because of the possibility
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Chapter Eleven: Visualization Meditations
Our minds are extremely powerful. Have you ever noticedyourself having a stress response when watching a suspenseful TV
show or movie? Or smiling when you remembered a special moment
with someone you love?
You were not in harm’s way when watching the show, and you
were not with the beloved in the memory. Still, your brain reacted as
if you were.
Visualization taps into the mind’s power to create images thatare relaxing and healing for you. It can be used to help you relax by
transporting you to a favorite safe place, or you can use it to energize
yourself by imagining a future you’d like to create.
The intention and process is different, so clarify within yourself
the experience you would like to have before you begin.
Visualization for Relaxation
Here’s how to visualize for relaxation:
1. Dress comfortably. No itchy tags or too-tight waistbands.Wear something that will not distract you with its presence on
your body, something you’d choose for a Friday night at home
with a movie.
2. Settle yourself in a comfortable position. Some teachers
and practitioners discourage lying down because of the possibilityof falling asleep. [If you need sleep so badly, I don’t think it’s a
bad thing to sleep.] What is most important is that you feelcomfortable. Consider closing your eyes to remove outside
distractions if you’re comfortable with that. It will help you moveinward with the visualization.
3. Once you’re comfortable, begin to notice your breath. Is
your exhale longer than your inhale? Your inhale longer than your
exhale? Is the air cooler as you inhale it than it is when you
release the exhale? Enjoy feeling the air enter and leave your
body, your chest and belly expanding and contracting with eachbreath.
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4. Release any tension, discomfort, stress or pain that’s
willing to leave you, knowing that you can always pick it up
afterward—or not.
5. With your imagination, visualize the place you’d like to go.
It could be a beach on the ocean, a welcoming meadow, a darkforest, a field of flowers, a city street—any place where you feelcomfortable and safe.
6. Imagine the smells of the place. Do you smell the
sweetness of flowers? The greenness of grass? A pine forest? Saltsea air?
7. Take a moment to try looking around you. What do you
see on your right and on your left? What is above you? What isbelow? Are you sitting or standing?
8. Can you feel the presence of the space? The air on your
skin? The brush of sand or leaves? Are others present? Who arethey? People you know? New friends? Animals?
9. What do you hear? Waves lapping or crashing into theshore? Birds calling? Street noises? The wind in the trees?
10. Enjoy being in this space for as long as you’d like, making
the visualization more powerful by using your inner senses to
truly feel yourself there.
11. When you’re ready to return to this world, softly open your
eyes and wiggle fingers and toes, knowing you are better for this.
And so you are.
Congratulations! You have experienced Visualization Meditation!
Visualization for Conscious Creation
Visualization to focus your energy and attention on a vision or
goal for your life is a very similar process. The more senses you canbring to the process, the more powerful your visualization will be. The
most important sense to bring to this visualization is the essence orintention of your dream or goal.
Your goal might be to have a new car, a new career, more
money, or a new house. What truly matters is: what do those things
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mean to you? For some people, more money really means security.
For others, it means the ability to be generous. Still others value
freedom and adventure. Perhaps it means being able to buy really coolstuff. It doesn’t matter what your intention is, as long as it’s yours.
The clearer you are with your intention, the easier it is to visualize and
then create what you want.
Although similar to Relaxation Visualization, here is a full set of
instructions in the interest of completeness:
1. Dress comfortably. No itchy tags or too-tight waistbands.Wear something that will not distract you with its presence on
your body, something you’d choose for a Friday night at home
with a movie.
2. Settle yourself in a comfortable position. Some teachers
and practitioners discourage lying down because of the possibility
of falling asleep. [If you need sleep so badly, I don’t think it’s a
bad thing to sleep.] What is most important is that you feelcomfortable. Consider closing your eyes to remove outsidedistractions if you’re comfortable with that. It will help you move
inward with the visualization.
3. Once you’re comfortable, begin to notice your breath. Isyour exhale longer than your inhale? Your inhale longer than your
exhale? Is the air cooler as you inhale it than it is when you
release the exhale? Enjoy feeling the air enter and leave yourbody, your chest and belly expanding and contracting with eachbreath.
4. Release any tension, discomfort, stress or pain that’s
willing to leave you, knowing that you can always pick it up
afterward—or not.
5. With your imagination, visualize the place you’d like to go
and are on your way to. It could be a new home, a new career, a
new relationship, whatever it is that your heart is yearning formost deeply.
6. Imagine how it feels to have this dream come true. Feel
the excitement in your body and perhaps a smile come to yourface as you know it is now true for you. You have the best job.
Your home is beautiful. You are in love with the person of your
dreams. Savor the knowing of your success.
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7. And now, knowing that you are creating this success for
yourself, connect with the intention behind the dream that’s come
true. What essence are you celebrating? Love? Safety? Security?Joy? Contribution? Inner Peace? Enjoy knowing that you are that
essence. You always have love and safety, security and joy,
contribution and inner peace inside of you.
8. Holding these feelings of self-worth and excitement inside,
take a moment to look around you. What do you see on your
right and on your left? What is above you? What is below? Are
you sitting or standing?
9. Can you feel the presence of the space? The air on your
skin? The brush of sand or leaves? The smell of a new home or a
romantic B&B? Are others present? Who are they? What do youhear? Waves lapping or crashing into the shore? Birds calling?
Street noises? The wind in the trees?
10. Enjoy being in this space for as long as you’d like, makingthe visualization more powerful by using all of your inner sensesto truly feel yourself there. The more detailed you make this
image, the more powerful it is in your subconscious.
11. When you’re ready to return to this world, softly open youreyes and wiggle fingers and toes, keeping with you the sense of
self-worth and excitement you felt as you visualized your dream
come true.
12. Know that you are better for this. And so you are.
Congratulations! You have experienced Visualization for Conscious
Creation!
I have found that visualization is most easily done, at least at first,with audio guidance on a CD or mp3. If you email me at
[email protected], or visit my website JulianaJoie.com, I will
joyously create for you a personalized visualization with your name
and your choice of images if that will best serve your needs.
I learned a lot about Creative Visualization from Shakti Gawain,
who wrote the book of the same name. Belleruth Naparstek of
www.healthjourneys.com offers wonderful CDs with powerfulvisualizations of many types. Laurel Clark’s book The Law of Attraction
and Other Secrets of Visualization was influential in deepening my
Conscious Creation Visualization.
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Chapter Twelve: Guided Imagery
Guided Imagery is very similar to Visualization, and in fact startsout with a Visualization. The main difference is that Guided Imagery
takes you on a journey. Are you ready to go?
Guided Imagery is a proven technique to help bodies and heartsheal faster. I learned it in a day-long workshop with Belleruth
Naparstek of www.healthjourneys.org, and this woman has devoted
her life to researching and creating Guided Imagery that heals manychronic conditions, with a special emphasis on post-war PTSD.
I learned more about Guided Imagery at Coach for Life as I
trained to become a Love-Your-Life Coach.
Guided Imagery is most easily done by listening to a CD or mp3.You can read a script into a recorder or have a friend do it. It is very
powerful to hear a friend’s voice or your own encouraging you to relax
and visualize healing images.
I will joyously record you a personalized Guided Imagery CD or
mp3 file with the images and setting and words that are most powerful
for you if you contact me at [email protected] or
www.JulianaJoie.com.
There are many right ways to do Guided Imagery, like all forms
of Meditation. Your mind may wander, and that is natural. It maychange the images, and that is OK as well. Just relax and trust your
mind to give you the experience you need.
So that you can have an experience of Guided Imagery, here is a
simple script to follow or to record for yourself [A full Guided Imagery
session can take as long as 30-60 minutes and involves more detailthan this illustration, which, thought short, is also effective]:
Taking a deep breath in, see if you can gather any tension or
discomfort in your body and send it out with the exhale. As you inhaleagain, release any thoughts or concerns in your mind, knowing that
you can return to them later if you wish.
Breathe relaxation into your feet and legs, feeling them relax asyou exhale. Turning your attention to your torso, relax your belly andchest. Let go of any tightness and just relax. And now relaxing your
back, allowing the muscles to soften and just melt.
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Feel your neck and shoulders relax as you allow the breath to
warm and soothe them. Your head relaxes against the pillow or chair
or surface it’s upon, fully relaxed. Your arms and hands relaxcompletely, warm and safe and relaxed.
And as your body fully relaxes, you notice that you’re in a veryspecial place. It may be someplace you’ve been before or somewhere you’d like to go, somewhere real or somewhere you’ve only dreamed
of.
Looking around, notice what the space looks like. What is aboveyou and below you? Are you standing or sitting? Lying down? Notice
what is to your right and to your left.
Become aware of the sounds and smells of the space. What doyou hear? What do you smell? Are you surrounded by Nature or by
people?
As you relax comfortably into this special place, you begin to feela sense of curiosity and excitement.
In the distance, you can see a person or animal approaching youwith a gentle, caring manner. You know that this being is important
and is bringing a message to you.
As the supportive, loving being approaches, you notice how they
look, what they wear, and how they speak.
The loving presence shares a message with you that is exactly
what you need to know right now. You feel comforted and happy to
receive this wisdom and grateful to the presence for coming to you.
With a warm smile, the presence leaves, reminding you that youare welcome to return to visit anytime. The loving presence will always
be available for you.
Grateful and happy for this experience, you notice that you arestill in your special place, only now it seems even more special to you.
When you are ready, gently wiggle your fingers and toes and
return to the room, knowing you are better for this. And so you are.
Congratulations! You have experienced Guided Imagery!
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Chapter Thirteen: Writing Meditation
For this meditation, I offer great gratitude to Julia Cameron’sbook The Artist’s Way and her practice of Morning Pages, which
became a meditation for me.
This is a great meditation for people who would like to listen totheir thoughts instead of focusing their attention elsewhere. It has
helped me to tune into what I am thinking and feeling and to,
therefore, respond instead of reacting.
The tools you need for writing meditation are a good pen andpaper and a comfortable place to sit. It can also be done at a
computer keyboard, although I recommend turning off the monitor so
that you are not tempted to edit as you write.
Sitting down comfortably at paper or keyboard, write whatever
comes to mind. Set a writing goal of 2-3 pages, 300 words, 20
minutes, or whatever works for you. With that goal in mind, your only
job is to keep your hand moving on the page or keyboard.
If you don’t know what to say, write or type that. Some of my
best thoughts started as, “I don’t know what to say, but I am really
feeling frustrated because I would like some more support in dealing
with this latest news from the doctor.”
Anything you write is perfect. Any thought you have is welcomeon the page. This is a safe space to express anything within you. I do
not recommend reading what you’ve written. The idea is just to letthe thoughts flow and to release them.
You are doing it right if you just keep outpouring whatever is in
your heart and mind. It is perfectly OK to write “I am bored” or “Idon’t know what to write” over and over again. It is perfectly OK to
write anything at all.
Release judgment and attachment to outcome. Just be. Be onthe page.
When you’ve reached your goal, stop. Congratulations! You’ve
just experienced Writing Meditation!
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Chapter Fourteen: Pure Love Meditation
This is my favorite meditation. It has evolved from manysources, so many that I cannot remember the original teaching. It has
been greatly enhanced by Deepak Chopra’s teaching in The
Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire.
The purpose of this meditation is to fill myself with love and then
to send that love out across the universe. On days when I am unable
to get out of bed, I feel my life’ s purpose is simply loving the world,and this is one way I do it.
We start, as usual, by getting comfortable:
1. Dress comfortably. No itchy tags or too-tight waistbands.
Wear something that will not distract you with its presence onyour body, something you’d choose for a Friday night at home
with a movie.
2. Settle yourself in a comfortable position. Some teachersand practitioners discourage lying down because of the possibility
of falling asleep. [If you need sleep so badly, I don’t think it’s a
bad thing to sleep.] What is most important is that you feel
comfortable. Consider closing your eyes. Some practitioners close
their eyes to remove outside distractions and some shut thempart-way to remain connected to the world while also moving
inward. Either way that feels right to you is perfect.
3. Once you’re comfortable, begin to notice your breath. Isyour exhale longer than your inhale? Your inhale longer than your
exhale? Is the air cooler as you inhale it than it is when you
release the exhale? Enjoy feeling the air enter and leave your
body, your chest and belly expanding and contracting with eachbreath.
4. Relax and enjoy the breath until you feel your mind
quieting.
5. Welcome love into your being. Feel deep love flowing into
yourself. Allow yourself to remember all of the people who have
ever loved you or shown you kindness. They may be friends orrelatives or strangers with a smile. They may be animals or evenimaginary beings. Just feel their love and warmth inside of you.
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6. Feel love for yourself. Allow yourself to know what a gift
you are to the world and all of the wonderful things you are and
do. If love has a color for you, imagine yourself filled with thatcolor.
7. When you are overflowing with love, start sending yourlove out into the world. As any person or thought crosses yourmind, breathe love to it.
8. If you wish, send love to each person who is family or
friend to you or who is especially in need right now.
9. When you’ve sent love everywhere that you wish, return
your attention to the breath. If you wish, say in your mind,
“Love, Bliss, Knowing, Love,” on the breath. This is an Englishtranslation of the Sanskrit, “Sat Chit Ananda,” which you could
also use. Or you could remain focused on your breath.
10. After you feel connected with your inner Love, Bliss, andKnowing, you may change your thought to “Thy will be done” onthe breath. (“Thy” can refer to Love, to your intuition, to the deity
you connect with, or to the universe.) As you make your requestto be inspired by the deepest wisdom there is, allow yourself to
be fully at ease and in trust of Love.
11. Finish when you feel complete. Congratulations! You have
just experienced Pure Love Meditation!
Designed for me by Laura Pence, this tile makes me think of “limitless undying lovewhich shines around me like a million suns it calls me on and on across the universe”
from “Across the Universe” by John Lennon and of Pure Love Meditation.
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Chapter Fifteen: Tonglen Meditation
Tonglen is Tibetan for “giving and taking” and is a very counter-intuitive meditation practice, and a powerful one. I included it here at
the end because it encourages us to do the opposite of what we are
most inclined to do—to take in our suffering and the suffering of othersand send out happiness to all sentient beings.
It is both a personal practice for coping with personal pain and
suffering and a broader practice for removing global pain andsuffering. The practice is much the same; only the intention changes.
It is a powerful practice for me to accept my physical and
emotional pain and deal with it inside of me and to send out happiness
instead. I am grateful for the practice to remove some of the suffering
of the world (even when I am in bed) and replace it withlovingkindness and compassion.
The practice is a simple one and starts in a familiar way:
1. Settle yourself in as comfortable a position as possible.
Some teachers and practitioners discourage lying down because
of the possibility of falling asleep. [If you need sleep so badly, I
don’t think it’s a bad thing to sleep.] What is most important is
that you feel comfortable. Consider closing your eyes. Somepractitioners close their eyes to remove outside distractions and
some shut them part-way to remain connected to the world whilealso moving inward. Either way that feels right to you is perfect.
2. Once you’re comfortable, begin to notice your breath. Is
your exhale longer than your inhale? Your inhale longer than your
exhale? Is the air cooler as you inhale it than it is when you
release the exhale? Enjoy feeling the air enter and leave yourbody, your chest and belly expanding and contracting with each
breath.
3. Visualize any pain and suffering you are experiencing as adark cloud around your heart if you are meditating on your own
pain. Breathe in the dark cloud, allow it to transform, and with the
exhale, blow it away to leave your beautiful heart.
4. If you are meditating on the suffering if another person,visualize the pain as a dark cloud around her heart. Breathe in the
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dark cloud, allow it to transform with in you, and with your
exhale, blow it away to leave her beautiful, healthy heart.
5. If you are meditating on the suffering of the world,
visualize the pain as a dark cloud about the world or the country
or region you want to heal. Breathe in the dark cloud, allow it totransform within you, and with your exhale, blow it away.
6. Continue meditating until you see your heart, the heart of
your friend, or the world or country or region whole and healed.
Congratulations! You have experienced Tonglen Meditation!
It is especially sweet to start this meditation with yourself,
acknowledging your own pain, and then to spiral out to others in your
community and to the entire world.
This meditation, along with the previous one, hold special spaces in
my heart, because they are gifts I can give to the world, even when
my body needs to be in bed.
I love sharing more light with the world.
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Chapter Sixteen: Quickies!
Sometimes we don’t have time to sit down and focus. Many of the previous meditations can be done anytime, anywhere, but these
are especially quick and easy Spirit Booster Shots!
Ten Seconds of RadianceThe first was created by my friend and author of Choosing Easy
World: A Guide to Opting Out of Struggle and Strife and Living in the
Amazing Realm, (sounds awesome, doesn’t it?) Julia Rogers Hamrick.
It is called 10 Seconds of Radiance. That’s right. 10 seconds. TheQuickest of the Quick. Here’s how: for 10 seconds, think and feel and
breathe radiance with no other object but experiencing radiance. It’s
like an instant facial or energy drink and totally free and available all
the time, everywhere. I promise, you’ll glow.
Heart Connection
This lovely, loving practice was created by my friend and
mentor, Meredith Young-Sowers, and is a wonderful way to connectyourself to your loving heart when you need it.
You start by placing your hands over your heart and breathing
peacefully. Then, imagine your hands connecting you with your inner
wisdom, a space of love and light where you are fully accepted andsupported.
Direct this energy toward any pain, discomfort, stress, or
struggle you are experiencing, knowing that your inner guidance willhelp you release what you no longer need.
Allow healing to occur in your heart and feel happiness and
balance restore themselves inside of you.
Mindful Presence
I shared this one in the Mindfulness chapter, but I feel it belongs
here too. To bring yourself back to center and full presence in themoment, Thich Nhat Hanh recommends this practice:
“Breathing in, I know that I am doing/feeling/thinking this.
Breathing out, I smile to my action/feeling/thought.”
Instant arrival in the present moment! More detailed instructions
are available in Chapter Six.
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Conclusion
I hope that you’ve enjoyed sampling these different styles of meditation. I hope that you’ve found one-or more-style that makes
you feel good. The more you meditate, the greater the benefits.
Eventually, I’ve begun to recognize the Silent Witness inside of me that is observing my thoughts and feelings but is not my thoughts
or feelings. This makes it much easier for me to soothe myself when
physical or emotional pain is present.
I honor and acknowledge you for making meditation a part of your life. If I can assist you in your meditation practice in any way,
please honor me by asking!
You can reach me at [email protected] orwww.JulianaJoie.com.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to you for creating more peace in your life and theworld by trying meditation.
Thank you to Laura Pence, for the beautiful author photo and
shining heart-stars. Thanks also to Michael P. Burton for free range
access to his incredible photo gallery.
Thank you to my husband, my greatest teacher, who is the most
supportive super-fan ever. I love you always.
Thank you to my teachers: Meredith Young-Sowers, Thich Nhat
Hanh, Julia Cameron, Eckhart Tolle, Shakti Gawain, Deepak Chopra,
Belleruth Naparstek, Laurel Clark, Julia Rogers Hamrick, and others I
am forgetting but am no less grateful for.
If you wish to continue learning about Meditation and
Mindfulness, books by the above authors are good places to start.
Thanks for sharing your day,
Juliana Joie