Getting Centered Simply

Happy Friday, everyone!

I was feeling so scattered today! I tend to get lost in email-world and digital world -- like Tron but less visually stimulating. 

I literally closed my labtop and said aloud to no one, "I need a break." I stepped away to my healing room and sat in front of my Sri Yantra picture. And I simply focused. Thoughts came in and out, and I let them pass as I focused I the bindu at the center of the image. 

The importance in stilling the mind is not if you are absent of thought, but rather the ability and discipline to not follow the string of thoughts that the mind conjures up. 

I love to use the image of clouds passing by across a clear sky. Thoughts come and go, and still we, our essence, remains. Our awareness remains. 

The more I focused and the more still I became, the better I felt. Breathing slowed and deepened. I actually became more energized, too. 

Such is the power of concentration or focusing the mind.

There are so many centering and meditative practices! It doesn't always have to be still-mind, eyes-closed meditation in order to become centered and at peace. I think this is a misconception that many people have. That's why there's yoga, breathwork (pranayama), and for example, yantra -- focusing one's gaze at an image to achieve still mind.  

It doesn't have to be long. In my case just today, 12 minutes turned into 15, then 20-something minutes. I couldn't tell after a while, and it didn't matter. 

So very thankful to lose track of time in order to FIND, and not LOSE, myself!

Namaste.

Why Do We Wanna Meditate, Again?

Need a quick reminder why to meditate? Give me the bottom line, you say. I'll be honest, sometimes I'm impatient and totally ADD. So I'll make it quick.

1. Get clarity

Why do we need clarity, you say? Well, it simply makes life easier. Our vision is clear, our goals are set, we have a strong set of principles. Therefore all decisions in life are made much simpler and easier. Less time wasted.

2. Cut the crap

Get rid of the brain chatter. Clean out the inbox. We don't need all those messages ricocheting around our head from ourselves, from others. There's enough to deal with. Get clear and focus on the stuff that matters. 

3. Be Productive; Manifest!

What's all the clarity and visioning for unless we make something good of it? It's satisfying, especially when aligned with our values. That is the point. 

It comes down to being more efficient and effective. Ultimately less time and energy are wasted and so there's more time and space available for other things we love. Yay!

Another cool tidbit... when we use our whole mind to create, we fulfill our destiny as a human being. In case any of these other points aren't enough ;-)

Now, go! Meditate, do good, repeat.