I challenge you....

Are you up for a challenge?

I challenge you for the next 30 days to commit to a meditation practice for 15 minutes once a day.

The guidelines I recommend are:
i) Meditate daily for 15 minutes
ii) Be consistent with your time of meditation practice, it will become part of your daily routine. Choose either the morning or evening to sit quietly.
iii) Become the observer of your thoughts, meditation is not about doing something, it is about just being.
iv) Choose a quiet place where you will not be disturbed and be sure to turn off your cell phone. You may want to set a timer for 15 minutes, to ensure you mind does not become occupied with how many minutes have lapsed or how many minutes you have left to complete your commitment
iv) Do not judge the experience you have, many people give up in frustration claiming meditation doesn't work for them. To those people I say, all the more reason you should continue, acknowledge your frustration and keep meditating.
v) Just allow yourself to be and enjoy the 15 minutes of quiet, you will be surprised at the results you achieve after one month of a committed meditation practice.

I invite you to share your experiences with me and the other readers on this blog, as we can all learn from each other.

So what is Meditation?

• a powerful way to allow changes to manifest in our lives.
  
• creates a space in our thought processes to see situations differently
• a shower for the mind, it washes away all the chatter that lingers in our minds
• it can be used for visualization and manifesting your goals
• it has been proven that meditation increases our immune system, lowers blood pressure levels, decreases stress levels and as a result decreases the rate at which we age

The picture above is from a meditation retreat I participated in Thailand, March 2003.
It was truly a life changing experience. But what I have learned is, meditation is about creating a space within, understanding our thought processes and how our thoughts impact our daily life experience. It is not necessary to travel to the mountain tops of the Himalayas and study with a Master Monk to effectively participate in meditation.

As a psychotherapist, one of the biggest obstacles I encounter when working with clients is assisting them through their own thoughts and beliefs about what is true for them. What I do know is that our thoughts are creative, change your thinking change your life. This is the power of meditation, it allows you a glimpse inside of yourself, many fear to go on this journey within, and this is the challenge i present to you.
Meditate for 30 days, step through the negative thoughts, beliefs and challenges that occupy your mind, making room for what you really want to manifest in your life.
Blessings,
Sheila