Meditation refers to a state where your body and mind are intentionally relaxed and focused.  Practitioners of this talent say that they have increased awareness, focus, and concentration, as well as a more positive outlook in life.

Meditation is most commonly associated with monks, mystics and other spiritual disciplines.  However, you don’t have to be a monk or mystic to enjoy its benefits.  You don’t even have to be in a special place to practice it.  You could even try it in your own living room!

Although there are many different approaches to meditation, the fundamental principles remain the same.  The most important principle is that of removing obstructive, negative, and wandering thoughts and fantasies, and calming the mind with a deep sense of focus.  This clears the mind of debris and prepares it for a higher quality of activity.

The negative thoughts you have – those of noisy neighbors, bossy officemates, that parking ticket you got, and unwanted spam– are said to contribute to the ‘polluting’ of the mind, and shutting them out is allows for the ‘cleansing’ of the mind so that it may focus on deeper, more meaningful thoughts.

Some practitioners even shut out all sensory input – no sights, no sounds, and nothing to touch – and try to detach themselves from the commotion around them.  You may now focus on a deep, profound thought if this is your goal.  It may seem deafening at first, since we are all too accustomed to constantly hearing and seeing things, but as you continue this exercise you will find yourself becoming more aware of everything around you.

If you find the meditating positions you see on television threatening – those with impossibly arched backs, and painful-looking contortions – you need not worry.  The principle here is to be in a comfortable position conducive to concentration.  This may be while sitting cross-legged, standing, lying down, and even walking.

If the position allows you to relax and focus, then that would be a good starting point.  While sitting or standing, the back should be straight, but not tense or tight.  In other positions, the only thing that is a big no, is slouching and falling asleep.

Loose, comfortable clothes help a lot in the process since tight fitting clothes have a tendency to choke you up and make you feel tense.

The place you perform meditation should have a soothing atmosphere.  It may be in your living room, or bedroom, or any place that you feel comfortable in.  You might want an exercise mat if you plan to take on the more challenging positions (if you feel more focused doing so, and if the contortionist in you is screaming for release).  You may want to have the place arranged so that it is soothing to your senses.

Silence helps most people relax and meditate, so you may want a quiet, isolated area far from the ringing of the phone or the humming of the washing machine.  Pleasing scents also help in that regard, so stocking up on aromatic candles isn’t such a bad idea either.

The monks you see on television making those monotonous sounds are actually performing their mantra.  This, in simple terms, is a short creed, a simple sound which, for these practitioners, holds a mystic value.

You do not need to perform such; however, it would pay to note that focusing on repeated actions such as breathing, and humming help the practitioner enter a higher state of consciousness.

The principle here is focus.  You could also try focusing on a certain object or thought, or even, while keeping your eyes open, focus on a single sight.

One sample routine would be to – while in a meditative state – silently name every part of you body and focusing your consciousness on that part. While doing this you should be aware of any tension on any part of your body.  Mentally visualize releasing this tension.  It works wonders.

In all, meditation is a relatively risk-free practice and its benefits are well worth the effort (or non-effort – remember we’re relaxing).

Studies have shown that meditation does bring about beneficial physiologic effects to the body.  And there has been a growing consensus in the medical community to further study the effects of such.  So in the near future, who knows, that mystical, esoteric thing we call meditation might become a science itself!

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Laura and Liz from ‘The Way To Bliss Now’ are talented energy workers who practise EFT and Z-Point. I was honoured to have them as guests on my ‘Learn To Be Psychic Talk Show‘.

Z-Point is an energy therapy, similar to EFT but it doesn’t rely on ‘tapping’ to clear the energy blocks instead it relies on the installation of a healing program and the use of a keyword or cue. This all technical and clinical and Laura and Liz do a much better job of explaining this on the show.

The connection between Z-Point and enhancing psychic abilities is quite simple really, it’s all energy and by using Z-Point energy clearing techniques you can ‘tap’ into your psychic energies a lot better. You could also use Z-Point to remove any blocks you may be experiencing around your psychic senses. Read the rest of this entry »

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            Spirituality and the paranormal are not typically linked together. But when it comes to developing psychic abilities meditation and finding your “Zen” is a must.

            The human mind is in constant motion. When we allow it, our brains will flow through one series of images to the next. We will create “to-do” lists throughout infinity if we do not slow the flow. Various religions believe that meditation is the key to higher consciousness. And as most psychics will tell you higher consciousness is necessary for a psychic connection.

            The quest for higher consciousness begins with a single breath. Although there are many different techniques for meditation one thing remains constant and that is effective and controlled breathing. Controlling the breath is a discipline which takes much practice and concentration. But once engaged in a natural yet mindful breathing pattern the mind is calm and able to create the space for psychic intuition and development.

            Psychic abilities are as natural as the human ability to smell. Just like the five physical senses psychic intuition is a natural way to navigate through the world around us. However, just like any tool the senses become dulled without use. Meditation is an excellent way to sharpen the sixth sense.

            In order to tune into psychic knowledge you must be able to tune out the growingly unavoidable distractions of the here and now. Everything from television to white noise threatens our abilities to be still. Meditation is just one tool that helps to discipline the body into ignoring the hum of life and listen instead to the sounds of our intuition and natural psychic abilities.

            The skill for tuning out and turning in is more important today than it has ever been in centuries before. The fast pace of society and the many amenities associated with today’s lifestyles threaten the ability to clear the mind as well as the knowledge of the sixth sense. Since this sense is less physical and more intuitive a clear mind is essential. According to Deepak Chopra, a well known physician and author as well as a leader in the field of mind and body medicine, we are bombarded with more information than our ancestors could have imagined. This constant stimulation takes us away from the sixth sense as the mind is busy trying to sort out and articulate the more obvious and physical stimulation.

            There are two forms of meditation. Monks and others seeking enlightenment or the presence of the divine are often distinguished by strict diets and a hermit lifestyle. This type of meditation practitioner is often highly devoted.

            The other type of meditation is for the casual practitioner looking to improve health, creativity, self-esteem and relationships with the world, both physical and paranormal. It is this type of mediation that the novice may find useful in developing psychic abilities.

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There are myths around meditation – what it will do, what it won’t do, how it works.  This article looks at three of those myths.

MYTH NO. 1 – Meditation takes years of practice and requires super-human powers of concentration.

This is totally false. Meditation is simply a skill that anyone can learn. It takes little more than the ability to breathe deeply, close your eyes and focus on something. You can focus on a color, a shape, a sound, an object, a face, or anything that helps you block out the world around you.

You don’t need to wear fancy clothes or chant silly incantations. But then again, you can if you want to. And that’s another point to remember. Meditation is a personal experience: you do it the way you want to by following the techniques that suit you and your lifestyle.

MYTH NO. 2 – In order to meditate, you have to empty your mind.

This is also completely false. You probably already realize that it’s physically impossible to empty your mind. No matter what you do, there’s always something going on in there. Even when you’re asleep your mind is working away, sifting through information from your day and sorting things out for later use. Rather than thinking about emptying your mind, instead you should think about filling it with just ONE idea and trying to focus on that. That’s what REAL meditation is.

The ability to focus on a single thought is probably the only difficult part of meditation. And once you get the hang of that, with help from all the exercises included with this course, you’ll be able to meditate almost anywhere and at any time that’s convenient for you.

MYTH NO. 3 – Real meditation requires you to get into the Lotus position.

Are you kidding? Meditation is a thoroughly personal experience. It doesn’t require you to position your body in any special way. Crossing your legs in a way that is incredibly uncomfortable is NOT going to help quieten your mind!

There are many schools of meditation and special exercises from “international meditation gurus”. However the simple truth is that whatever works for you, works for you. There are no right and wrong ways to meditate.

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