Meditation Secrets Revealed

I am frequently asked by people for advice regarding their personal and professional lives and I usually start with questions such as, “What happens in your mind? What do you see, hear, feel, and think?” It is shocking how few people are able to answer these relatively straightforward questions, yet the answers are the key to overcoming many people’s challenges. The good news is that it is fairly easy to develop this self awareness.

A simple, yet powerful, meditation technique is to create a silent watcher over your own mind. Its a simple practice that you can begin to develop into a daily habit. Take a small part of your attention and assign this part the task of watching everything that flutters through your mind. Imagine this part as a video camera that records everything, to be stored and analyzed almost immediately after it occurs. Stop reading for a few brief moments, and try this RIGHT NOW! As you begin to develop this ability, you can notice thoughts, stories, narratives, emotions, reactions, and many other processes going on in your mind. By watching and then analyzing yourself at all times, in all situations, you can discover what kinds of thoughts are going through your mind, which will quickly bring realizations and epiphanies about your own beliefs, motivations, actions, and reactions.

The only way a fish can understand water is by getting onto the shore, and looking back down into the water. You are the fish and the water represents your thoughts. In order to understand, analyze, and ultimately steer your mind, you first need to watch yourself from the outside, as a passive observer. At first, this may seem to be strange, or daunting as the self now how has to pay attention to the self, but it quickly becomes second nature. I want to make it very clear that the watcher or observer must not participate or be in any way involved in what is going on in the mind. This means that it should not make comments or judgments on what is seen, but simply observe passively and report, similar to a surveillance camera.

Be patient and do not become discouraged if you forget or become distracted, this is completely natural. Keep with it, and in time you will develop the ability to keep mental track of the chaotic landscape of the mind without becoming distracted from daily activities. If I could recommend any one meditation technique in the world, this would be it. It is crucial key to opening the door to self awareness, personal growth, stress management, mental clarity, and peace of mind.

There are many products out there, on the internet, that boast the ability to help you achieve a meditative state or teach you how to meditate, but non compare to the fantastically simple, elegant, and beautiful Mind-Lamp produced by Psyleron Inc. This product not only helps you learn how to attain a meditative state, it also allows you to get in touch with your unconscious and intuitive mind. Psyleron is a relatively new company, but it has deep roots that trace back to over 25 years of scientific research conducted by the PEAR Laboratory at Princeton University. Their kaleidoscopic lamp, sitting on my table in front of me right now, produces a beautiful spectrum of colors, and responds to my moods, thoughts, beliefs, and intentions. As shocking as this sounds, it actually responds to how I feel.

Frequently, the lamp reflects my feeling of joy or curiosity by displaying a rich and deep purple or magenta color, a stuck or annoyed mood will typically produce blues or reds. When I am deeply in thought, the color turns darker but when I turn to stare at it, trying to will it to change, it goes to white or produces a weak color that quickly fades back to white. From my experience, the more conscious attention I give the lamp, the less the effect, but when I am deeply engrossed and the conscious mind is completely occupied, the interaction becomes significantly stronger and much more striking. When someone else enters the room, the lamps “knows” by quickly changing to a color that I rarely see. It seems that each person has unique interaction with the lamp and the lamp responds by displaying that person’s color, or family of colors. Fascinating isn’t it? I have had the lamp for two weeks and I am totally attached to it, every night I am tempted to bring it upstairs to keep me company at night.

The magic is in the quantum-based technology and circuit board that sits at the bottom of the lamp; it was initially developed at the PEAR Laboratory and relies on random event generator to produce randomized bits of information. The PEAR Laboratory research statistically proved that over many trials, a person’s conscious intention has an effect and can interact and influence the data produced by the random event generator. Along with the Mind-Lamp, Psyleron also offers several other unusual inventions and technologies for unlocking your mind, you can find out more about their product, technical information, PEAR Laboratory research and much more by visiting their website.

Breathing is something so automatic that we frequently take it for granted. It is directly tied to our emotions and state of mind. Have you ever noticed that in a deep state of concentration, it is as if you are not breathing at all and, after a while, you give a long sigh to catch up. When we are in this frame of mind we tend to automatically hold our breath. The reverse happens when we are agitated or energized -we tend to take many quick breaths. In a relaxed state, we can experience and become aware of the slow deep breathing that happens automatically. By first watching our breathing and how it affects our state of mind and emotions, we can then learn to use it to our advantage. Here are a few simple meditation techniques for controlling and working with the breath.

Three- Part Breath: Inhaling slowly and deeply, notice which part of your body appears to receive the breath and where does the air move to as you complete the inhalation. As you begin to bring air into your body, the first part of the inhalation fills your abdomen. You should feel the abdomen expand outward a little, filling like a balloon. In the second part of the same inhalation, the air begins to move to the middle of the chest, and finally the upper lungs. You should feel three separate sections of the torso filling, expanding, and contracting as you inhale and exhale slowly. The reverse movement should happen on the exhale. This is a very powerful exercise and can be done to a count or with a  mantra addition.

Alternate Nostril Breathing: Closing one nostril, begin to draw in breath through the remaining nostril – start with a count of five. As you reach the five count, stop inhaling through that nostril, switch and close of the nostril you were just breathing through. Now, exhale with the alternate nostril also counting to five. When you are done exhaling, keep the hand on the closed nostril, inhale for another five count and switch to the other nostril for a five count exhale. Alternating this way back and forth until you feel comfortable switching to a 2:1 ration. For every five count on the inhalation, exhale for a ten count. Keep this ration, you can vary the inhale and exhale count as you become more adept and your lung capacity increases. Notice any difference either mental, or physical as you alternate this nostril breathing. People frequently find that the sides feel different, are able to breath in longer or shorter. This is fine and over time this technique will balance the two sides.

Fire Breath: Begin by drawing a deep breath in, exhale in rapid short bursts through the nostrils focusing on the lower abdomen. Placing your hand on the abdomen, you should feel a pulsing outward push with every exhalation. As the name suggests, this is a highly effective exercise for creating internal fire and heat and should therefore be practiced with caution.

I recently wrote an article about the Law of Attraction, where I outlined 4 steps in a process of manifesting intent in your life. In this follow up article, I want to give specific ways that you can make your intentions more powerful and real. The more vivid, clear, and concrete your intention is, the quicker and closer the outcome will be to what you imagine.

See yourself in it: When you see yourself inside the scene that you wish to happen, you make it that much more powerful. Imagine seeing yourself in the exact mood, surrounding, and situation that you would like to happen, you can even bring in other people that will help you make this manifestation become reality. Clarity, focus, and realism are key.

Action: When you see the scene happening, try to create action, aliveness, and vividness. If there are people, they can be moving, talking, cheering, smiling. If there are no people, see yourself in motion, get some feeling into this mental movie and make sure you can actually feel the motion in your body, that is one sign that your body is going along with the mental movie.

Focused: Make sure that you clear your mind, before beginning this meditation. A clear mind is able to focus much more then a distracted and scattered one. It is the difference between a lightbulb that scatters light everywhere and a laser beam that hits a small spot with all it’s power – 100′ away from the source. You want your intention to be that focused, and clear so that there can be no doubt or confusion as to what you want to manifest.

Multi-sensory: Because life is perceived through all of the senses, the mental movie should mimic real life as much as possible. Therefore, if your intention is to have the perfect chocolate cake on Thursday, you should be seeing the cake, smelling the cake, tasting the cake. Meanwhile, imagine the feeling of holding that fork in your hand as you bring the first piece to your mouth. The more senses are involved, the stronger the intention will be.

Time: The frequency with which you repeat this meditation will also determine the speed with which it manifests itself. In my own life, if I want to attract something or somebody, I practice this meditation daily until the imaginary outcome becomes the real thing. Running through this exercise for the first time may take a while, but once it is well formed it becomes easy, quick, and much more clear. The power and effect increase dramatically with every repetition similar to practicing any other skill, the more you do it, the better you get.

While siting at a workshop last week, I noticed that several people around me were having trouble paying attention and sitting still. The topic was interesting, the presenter was being extremely engaging and yet here they were, fidgeting. As part of an exercise in non-judgment and listening, attendants were asked to pair up and take turns give advice on problem areas in their partner’s lives. I was not surprised to see that patience was one of the top resources that people frequently wish they had more of, but just don’t know how to get. In the past, I have frequently found myself becoming extremely impatient which quickly lead to frustration and anger. While I can’t say that I no longer experience impatience, I now have many tools at my side to deal in a quick and healthy manner. Here are a few meditation techniques for doing exactly that.

Chinese Man: See an old Chinese man standing with his hands clasped behind his back. He has a relaxed, calm, and slight smile on his face. As you see him standing there, begin to move closer and end up looking at his face. As you zoom even closer, move behind and step into him. Feel the patience, calm, and peace washing over you.

Clasped Hands: When experiencing a moment of patience, clasping your hands behind you, begin to lean back and take a deep breath. When you need more patience, repeat the patient stance and follow the breath – deeply settle into the experience.

Breath Sip: Take a long slow deep breath in, hold for a count of five, and then slowly release. As you do this, pay attention to how the breath is coming into your lungs, filling them up, and leaving. This is one sip. Repeat several times as necessary.

Here are a few of my favorite meditation techniques for achieving concentration when I really need it, but just not in the right  mood.

Distant Glow: Two walls closing in and a bright glowing light in the distance. As you focus on the glowing light, see yourself moving with force and dedication forward towards the light. Feel the wind rushing as the walls come closer and enjoy the feeling of knowing that your one and only goal is that light. Nothing else matters, nothing else exists, concentrate on the goal and move forward with power, speed, and concentration.

Laser: from the eyes, see a laser beam of such concentration and focus that it can burn a hole through anything. This beam is the carrier for your concentration. Let the warm, soft, red glow of this beam spread through your body and as you bring it up from your feet all the way up to your head feel your thoughts being pulled with it, concentrated, centered, and laser sharp. Now, focus that beam on the task at hand, and burn your way through it with the full force of your concentration.

Zoom Lens: Imagine the task at hand as a mental image, see it far away and small. Now, reach with your hands and your mind for that task and begin to bring it closer. Closer, even closer. All the while seeing it becoming bigger, and filling up the entire view of your mental screen. As it approaches, all else becomes hidden from view and only this image, this task, is left. As it fills your entire screen, feel the concentration bubbling up and reaching with your mind and hands for the image, grasp it. Now that you have it in your hands, your your concentration is total.

For more meditation techniques visit the Techniques Section here:

My grandfather is one of the happiest men I know. He is 87 year old with failing hearing, loss of eyesight, no teeth, frequent migraine headaches, and yet, he is always there, greeting me with a grin and a smile. I wonder, what it is that makes him enjoy life so much while others at his age, and even much younger, are completely depressed, somber, bitter, and so on. I know that when I hear that slow rhythmic soldier shuffle of a walk, I can count on him being in a good mood, ready to hear about my life and eager to tell me about his own. Positive thinking perhaps? Maybe he is the type of person that always sees the glass half full.

I think it is more than that. He tells many stories and they frequently highlight just how lucky his life has been. When he thinks back on his life, he dwells on the challenges he overcame, on the creative solutions, on the relationships he has built and the amazing people he has met. As we sit in the backyard and gaze out over the lush suburban landscape, I hear him say, “Isn’t this wonderful, look at how beautiful this is.” In those moments, he emits a pure feeling of gratitude and appreciation for what he has. It is completely out of his control, he accepts it, and is grateful. He is always present in the moment, still sharp of mind, and quick of wit. I love, admire, and respect my grandfather, he has mastered the art of joy.

For those of you that earn for bullet points here are the take-away lessons from Grandpa:

1. Be present in the moment

2. Appreciate what you have, even if its outside of your control

3. When dwelling on the past, think about your accomplishments, not the failures.

USA Today Article: June 8, 2008

This article just barely touches on all the research that has been done in the last 30 years to prove that meditation and mindfulness can create huge psychological and even physiological changes. In fact prayer and meditation are very similar but the main difference is that one the former is intricately associated with a religion practice while the latter is a technique. Meditation is a skill, just like riding a bicycle or learning to drive a car. One does not have to be spiritual or religious in any way shape or form to practice meditation or mindfulness. In fact, the same can be said for prayer. People frequently get confused by this because these techniques come from religious traditions of Buddhism and Hinduism, but they can be separated out. I personally practice meditation daily and love yoga but do not have any interest in Buddhism or Hinduism. Is this wrong? Would any Buddhist hold this against me? I doubt it.

Despite a growing pile of Western and Eastern scientific research about these practices, there is still a lot of misconception and narrow minded thinking, especially among scientists. The Dali Lama recently spoke at a neuroscience conference about conducting more research on meditation to help people deal with stress and better control their moods and as a response to his invitation, over 500 scientist signed a petition to try and stop him from speaking there. Their reason; don’t want religion mixed in with science. What rubbish! Like helping people deal with stress and gain greater emotional control is such a terrible thing. If there is one thing that we can all learn from the great religions of the world it is to have more compassion, kindness, and love. I think that everyone could use a bit more of these qualities, no matter what religion or belief system they ascribe to.

One of the simplest ways to begin learning meditation is to watch your breath. This meditation technique is perfect for beginners because it is natural, easy, and can be done anywhere and anytime. Begin by paying attention to the breath as it leaves and enters your lungs.

Take notice of any bodily sensations, thoughts, or feelings. At first, start with five inhalations and five exhalations, counting slowly and taking deep regular breaths. Make sure that you are paying full attention and giving all of your focus to the breath. If you find yourself getting distracted, do not worry or get agitated, this is a natural part of the practice. When this happens, gently bring your attention back to the breath and begin again. Once you are able to maintain a steady focus and count five breaths without becoming distracted, you can increase the number of inhalations and exhalations.

Take note of the moments when you become distracted, there you will find the greatest lessons and realizations and I always try to think of those moments as reminders and helpful reminders instead of failures. To use the metaphor of driving a car, if you momentarily drift off the road, you simply take control of the steering wheel and bring the car back to the center of the road. It is exactly the same with this meditation technique. Watching and counting the breath can be done frequently and in short bursts, and you may find that even a five count will dramatically reduce stress and anxiety while calming, clearing, and centering the mind. As with any skill, the amount of time and length of practice will determine the benefit and mastery.

The only way a fish can understand water is by getting onto the shore, and looking back down into the water. We are the fish and the water represents our thoughts. In order to understand, analyze, and ultimately steer our mind, we first need to watch ourselves from the outside, as a passive observer. At first, this may seem to be strange, or daunting as the self now how has to pay attention to the self. Be patient and keep with it, in only a short time it is possible to develop the ability to keep mental track of the chaotic landscape of the mind without becoming distracted from daily activities.

The watcher or observer must not participate or be in any way involved in what is going on in the mind. This means that it should not make comments or judgments on what is seen, but simply observe passively and report, similar to a surveillance camera.