Embark on the journey of meditation

As we draw close to wrapping up the 12 Gifts of Enlightenment, with gift number eleven presented here, take a moment to reflect on the concept that the best gifts are the ones we give and receive with great thought and care. With the holiday season winding down, you may find yourself a little worn out from the season of celebration. In January, the long cold dark nights of winter are a reminder that we should take time to hibernate, recuperate, and create reserves of our vital energy, so that when spring arrives, we are bursting with energy.

One of the simplest, rewarding and budget friendly gifts that you can give to yourself this year, is to adopt the practice of meditation. For many, the concept of meditation is a daunting one. For those who have never tried to meditate, the idea of sitting in a very uncomfortable position in complete silence for hours is enough to discourage even the slightest attempt. True, there are those who enter into meditative practices that become an entire lifestyle, however, just like the preponderance of flowers in an English garden, there truly are hundreds of ways to meditate and connect with your inner self.

Crucial in any meditation practice, is the breath. Regardless of whether you wish to spend ten minutes in meditation or ten hours, slow deep methodical breathing will relax the body, bring in oxygen to the lungs and blood stream and help to retain focus and awareness.

This brings us to Gift Number Eleven - Give the Gift of Meditation. If you or an aspiring metaphysician in your life are looking to adopt a meditation practice, open your mind and disregard any preconceived notions of how you think a meditation practice should operate. Take this time to create a practice that feels right for you. One of the easiest ways to do this, is to adopt a simple ten minute meditation. Make a resolution for the new year, that for ten minutes every day, you will create a window of opportunity to meditate. Perhaps you'll wake early before the rest of your household to have those ten minutes, or set aside some time during your lunch hour in your car or before you go to sleep in the evening. Given the demands of your day and the fast paced lifestyle that you may be leading, you may find that when you take those ten minutes, that it proves to be too difficult to simply relax and think of nothing. Do not feel concerned about this, this is your practice and you can create a meditation practice which is right for you at this time.

For many people, guided meditations are a wonderful way to meditate. You can have the meditation on CD or on your iPod and play in your home, car, or with headphones anywhere you are. Simply choose the meditation that appeals to you and play and enter the journey that the guided meditation provides with a guide and soft music.

If your day is full and you don't have time for a guided meditation, create a sacred space for yourself that you can return to often. This is done by picturing a peaceful scene which you find relaxing. Perhaps it's the beach or a mountain top or garden. Build the scene in your mind, adding beautiful details. If you find the concept of a garden to be calming, create a bench where you will sit in the garden. See the trees, the cascade of flowers blooming in a multitude of color and hear the birds chirping, along with the soft rustle of the breeze blowing through the leaves in the trees. Relax on the bench, stretch out your legs and with your eyes closed, tilt your head back and feel the warmth of the sun on your face. Take a deep breath and sigh out loud. Breathe in slow and deep and exhale fully, releasing the air from deep within. Notice the colors of the leaves and the bark on the trees. Take your shoes off and sink your feet deep into the soft grass, flexing your toes. As you breathe in again deeply, become aware of the flowers as their scent fills the garden.

Continue building this garden in great detail until you can see it fully in your mind and know it well. Then claim this scene as your sacred space. Know that you can return there anytime, all you need to do is to sit quietly, breathe deeply and imagine this scene in your mind. In this space, you can relax and spend a few minutes there every day. This act of active meditation can become a profound spiritual practice that can make a significant impact on your day and create a sense of relaxation and well-being.

Tune in tomorrow as we explore Enlightenment Gift Number Twelve. If you've missed Gift's One, Two, Three, Four, Five  Six,  Seven, Eight,  Nine or Ten. Click on the links here to visit the articles and click on the subscribe button on the top section of this page, where you'll be notified via email each time a new article by yours truly appears.

As Bob Marley once said, "Man is a universe within himself".

Breathing deeply, unwinding and going within...
Kala

More about Kala Ambrose:
Kala is an award winning author, intuitive and talk show host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. Her thought-provoking interviews entice listeners to tune in around the globe! Described by her guests and listeners as discerning, empowering and inspiring, she speaks with world renowned authors, artists, teachers and researchers delving into metaphysical, holistic and paranormal topics. Kala's  book, 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled delves into the mysteries of ancient Egyptian mystery schools and explains their wisdom teachings. Kala lectures on Esoteric Teachings,  Developing Business Intuition, Working with Auras, Chakras and Energy Fields, and Wise Woman Wisdom (also known as the Divine Feminine). Kala's Guided Meditations CD's include Spirit of Hawaii and Egyptian Mystery Temple and Tibetan Mountain Journey.  More info: www.ExploreYourSpirit.com

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