When I meditate, I experience more deeply the subtle world of hidden dimensions bringing love, upliftment and enlightenment.

I find that this physical plane in which we live, often deadens our awareness because the experiences are so 'gross', that our sensitivity is greatly reduced. It's kind of like trying to listen to a quiet string concerto with loud rock music playing in the background.

So meditation tunes me the deeper subtle tones of life and then I find the whole of life's music is more harmonious.

Why do I meditate?

I simply do.....all the time, in many places....in meadows, by the sea, as I look into the sky or contemplate the beauty of a single flower. I realised some years ago that all those hundreds of paintings are a record of one big, often orgasmic, meditative experience. As a child I meditated without knowing and now I understand why I felt so well after those timeless, mindless hours in the beautiful meadows in front of those paintings - inspired and in spirit. I understand how blessed I am.

Why do I meditate? It is a state of Being without which I simply could not be me. As I cut through all the pointless stuff around me I travel into myself - I find me in that ever-present quiet space, the space that always brings me peace and healing and from which I emerge feeling better. In meditation I am at one with me and all else falls into place......so simple, so beautiful and so essential to my life and to my creativity - the two are synonomous.

With my love. Michael.

To me, meditation is the natural state of beingness inherent in all living things. I consider that each moment in every day life that my heart is in surrender to the divine plan, I am in 'meditation'.

Meditation with a surrendered heart (without expectations) allows us to connect to our true nature, to the truth of who we really are. Personally I experience differing levels of intensity of this, which I have noticed is consistently proportional to how 'open' my heart is.

I find it remarkably easy to find 'stillness' of mind and heart when I am surrounded by trees and nature... although I also appreciate the ample opportunity that the hustle and bustle of busier city or chaotic life affords me in finding 'serenity within the storm' and open into a meditative state.

I frequently practice Openhand Meditation (some of which is in movement). This invites a stillness within and an openess revealing to me a doorway to the joyous sounds of heaven's symphony. It opens a doorway that expands my consciousness beyond anything comprehendable with our basic worldly understanding. Using intentional meditation as a vehicle has helped to give me a far deeper understanding of the nature of reality and a grounded understanding of the truth of who we really are, our essential nature etc..... it often feels as if I am going to a thoroughly enjoyable etheric university :0) Whenever I return from my cosmic mediational journey, I feel like I know much less in my mind, yet know boundlessly more in my heart!

Trin
x

I too think meditation is part of our natural instinct and in my opinion most people actually do it without realising.

Why do I do it? Because I absolutely love it - just the whole experience of being instead of thinking. Sometimes there are dramatic experiences and sometimes just nothingness but a sense of knowing everything and nothing at the same time.

Over the years I have made it so much part of my daily life that my daily life has had to change to acomodate the meditation. I am well and truly obsessed.

And it's often strange to look back and see how our higher selves moved us into a position and led us to meet the right people to share our journey with and keep us ever learning and growing in consciousness.

I'm pretty sure my two dogs meditate with me too, one of them always puts his feet up in the air when I put my meditation music on of a morning and the other one sits in my auric field and twitches when she gets a release of excess energy.

And plants and trees too, maybe thats why we find it so relaxing to be with them? - Fully present and just being.

Peace and Light
Ann

I love the idea of your dog meditating with you Ann!
It has happened to me too only with a cat!

Best wishes

Chris

After meditating I usually feel completely recharged and rejuvenated, as if I have spent my time plugged into a cosmic battery charger. Meditation for me is one way of completely restoring my connection with the Divine - a brilliant way to start each day!
Love
Ana

Anymore, I treat every moment as an opportunity to express my appreciation for the opportunity to be alive. The simplest things that come to me though my senses are truely amazing - even uncomfortable ones - because I am alive.

I meditate when I forget that every moment is a gift.

Beautifully said Spur! I agree that every moment IS an opportunity to express appreciation for the experience of life; even those moments that test and challenge us.

Ironically I begun to meditate when I reliquished all need to meditate at all... and have found meditation to be incredibly revelational. The key was that I truly wasn't looking for anything and hence was unattached to any outcome.

With Love
Trin

My work and life issues can lead to a fair amount of stress being applied to me: however, I am finding the Openhand Meditation (meditation in movement + chakra/kundalini breath work) tools really very effective when this happens. Essentially, this practice washes away all the stress and leaves me very calm, grounded, and detached from all the madness.

Also, and equally as importantly, it takes me back towards the place I want to be: the very special place where every action comes from pure love.

P.S. I've now integrated this practice with some Pilates exercises, so I can keep body and soul trim at the same time - everyone should feel free to evolve their own practice to suit their particular needs.

I think frequently the term 'meditation' itself is much misunderstood. The classic view seems to be that it is about sitting quietly in a quiet room somehwere and trying to still one's thoughts.

To me however, meditation is being in conscious awareness. What do I mean by this?

It is being the observer of experience. It is not being lost within all the things that we do - in other words not identifying with the drama of life.

So for example something goes 'wrong' like a relationship ends, you loose your job, or you get sick. Are you - the spirit - lost in the drama or are you instead 'watching yourself in it'?

If you can be the impassive observer then you begin to release inner tension and tightness. This changes the whole way you are being.

As a new inner softness opens up, we begin to experience a much more complete version of the apparent reality around us. We become much more sensitive to the flow of information coming in and we begin to sense what is 'right action' for us - the action that is more at one with our true selves.

Then we find we are receiving all sorts of help and guidance that we weren't aware of previously.

We get the sense of being at one with the whole of creation and this experience is worth much more than any transient 'reward' of being engrossed and lost in experience.

So adopting the place of the observer is the key to meditation and the challenge is to be in this place the whole time. It's kind of like the hummingbird, there is an internal 'something' keeping it hovering in one place while it gathers the nectar.

If we can do this for long enough, even the observer disappears and we dissolve into a divine flow of energy.
Chris