Quieting the Mind Opening the Heart
To put it simply, the act of meditation involves quieting the mind so you can open the heart. That's it in a nutshell.
We often believe our hearts are open and we can feel much of what is going on in our lives. Yet to truly open the heart means we have to stop the thinking, the judging, the opinions, the analyzing, the questioning, the doubting, and just love. It's all that unconditional stuff. The act of doing this, takes practice and patience. Learning to meditate means learning to love. To love our self. To love all others. To love the oneness of all. To love more.
The connection you feel when you 'plug in' to this oneness is the most irresistible state of love you will ever feel. Makes it sound like it's worth the effort doesn't it? Maybe you've had glimpses of this - moments when you felt it, and your heart expanded. The beauty of nature in a spectacular sunset or a magnificent rushing waterfall, a child's innocent embrace, a long awaited accomplishment, an exhilarating sport or excursion, being with the one you love.
These can make you 'feel' in the biggest sense of the word. And the feeling can be described as wonderfully peaceful, coupled with a glorious uplifting, a lightening up of the heart. What these experiences all have in common is an external factor. Something had to be there, something had to be seen, in order to involve our senses. These 'things' serve to trigger this feeling.
Meditation serves the same purpose. It teaches you to connect with this feeling all on your own, without any outside stimuli. The source of that loving feeling is always within you. But what happens most often is that you don't know how to access it on our own. You wait for the triggers, look for the triggers, and in fact even seek out the triggers, because you believe they are the source.
When you quiet your mind, you are closing down the outside stimuli. You are holding the mirror up to yourself, deep within yourself, and waiting to see/feel the love. It's there, but the practice is necessary to learn to wait quietly, build patience, and stroke and nurture your loving heart.
Most of us have shy hearts and loud minds, and meditation serves to reverse this so we can truly feel the bliss and the joy and the 'highs 'we so crave in our lives. Now, meditation can be made to be much more complicated than what I have described. There are countless books, tapes, courses and workshops that deal with the core principles of meditation, and then expand upon them. They go into many, many aspects, avenues, theories, understandings, types, etc. It can be quite overwhelming for the beginner. But it's perfect for the intermediate student of meditation.
When you are beginning, the less said the better. Keeping it simple is very important, because the process of meditation is so simple. If it's not working, or if you want to know more about it, or you are ready to know more about it, then by all means read, study, learn. It's like taking the same route to the supermarket every day and then finding out there are other ways of getting there, other roads that lead there, other journeys you can take.
Study and practice of meditation has the potential to open up many layers of your heart. Everything in your life therefore opens up with it. Relationships bloom, work purpose is found, vibrant health is allowed, because love affects your belief system, your attitudes, your choices. Anger dissolves before it ever manifests, frustration mellows out, the pit of sadness and depression are filled up like never before. These are the promises of meditation. These are the long-term rewards. But in the beginning, meditation is simply quieting your mind so you can open your heart.
© 2004 Christopher Stewart
Christopher Stewart is a Medical Intuitive assisting others in their healing process. His work is compassionate, uplifting and empowering. You can visit Christopher's website at http://www.clairvoyantguide.com for further information and to schedule a private consultation. You can also look for frequent updates to his blog at: http://intuitiveliving.blogspot.com/ Publisher's Guidelines: You may freely publish this article online, in email newsletters, or in print so long as the resource box and byline are in tact. Author would appreciate a notification, however that is optional.
Latest News
![]() ABC News | Mother of US Woman Shot in Mumbai on Her Daughter's Escape FOXNews - ALAN COLMES, CO-HOST: 25 people from the Synchronicity Foundation, a meditation group based in Virginia, were on a spiritual retreat in India when the ... 2 From US Meditation Group Killed Remains of 2 Nelson residents set to return from India today Mumbai survivor happy to be home with family in Los Angeles |
Omstream.com Announces Signing of NuTone Music and Their Catalog ... MarketWatch - LOS ANGELES, CA, Dec 02, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- Omstream.com, the online music store that specializes in downloadable yoga music, meditation music ... |
School sees quiet gains as its students meditate Arizona Daily Star, AZ - Despite its simplicity, the practitioners report they're seeing significant benefits from Transcendental Meditation, the trademarked technique created by ... Red Clay to work early on behavior Red Clay plans alternative elementary school |
![]() Calgary Herald | Survivors recall hotel nightmare Toronto Star, Canada - Larry Koftinoff, of Kelowna, BC, turned to meditation during hotel siege. MUMBAI–Days after they escaped the besieged Oberoi hotel, many of the surviving ... Mumbai survivor: 'There was blood everywhere' Prayers for parents visiting India answered in Kelowna |
![]() BBC News | US Jewish, meditation groups' members die in India The Associated Press - Other Americans killed in the attacks were a man and his teenage daughter from a Virginia community that promotes a form of meditation, a colleague said ... Video: NY Rabbi, Wife Among Dead in Mumbai Raid Team of FBI investigators readies to fly to Mumbai Westerners, Asians from all walks of life among Mumbai victims |
Meditation 'beats antidepressants' Scotsman, United Kingdom - GROUP psychology involving Buddhist meditation can be as effective at combating depression as medication, a study published today in the Journal of ... |
![]() NBC13.com | Mumbai Memorial in Boise KBSU, ID - BOISE, ID (2008-12-01) Authorities think they've found all the bodies left from last week's attacks at several sites in Mumbai, India. ... Americans Are Among the Dead in Mumbai Terrorist Attacks Idaho Jewish group mourn terror victims at service Bush: US stands behind India in wake of attacks |
![]() BBC News | Group therapy 'beats depression' BBC News, UK - Group-taught meditation is as effective as staying on drug treatments for stopping people slipping back into depression, say UK scientists. ... Meditation 'best for depression' Meditation is 'effective medication for depression' Meditation combats depression, study finds |
Meditation Tips for Resisting Temptation Methuselah Foundation, DC - Just some background: I view the use of meditation techniques to keep from eating foods you don't truly want that don't support your health, as a process of ... Flying Egg McMuffin |
![]() Zee News | Canadian actor played dead, got new lease of life Times of India, India - A resident of Montreal, Canada, Rudder had come to Mumbai as a part of a meditation group, and hopes to get back home soon. According to officials at the ... My movie experience helped me survive: David Rudder Montreal actor describes 'Die Hard' moment in Mumbai shootings Canadian actor shot three times on yogic retreat |
Resources
-
Our Ultimate Reality. Spiritual Evolution, Astral Projection, OBE, Out of Body Experiences and Astra
Information and forums for Astral Projection, Astral Travel, OBE, Out of Body Experiences,Spiritual Evolution, The Afterlife and much more
-
Yoga Meditation Techniques - Learn How to Meditate
Free Meditation techniques and yoga Meditation lessons. Learn how to meditate using various yoga Meditation techniques to reach higher transcendental states of consciousness.
-
Self-Healing Expressions - spiritual healing, new age healing, holistic health, holistic education
Self-Healing Expressions provides spiritual healing, new age gifts, guided Meditation and holistic education through courses dealing with alternative healing, new age healing, holistic health and healing prayer.
-
geostel.com
Locational Astrology, Meditation, Mysticism.
-
The Yoga of Alignment | YOFA | Meditation | Manifestation
The Yoga of Alignment, or YOFA, draws from the teachings of Abraham-Hicks, yoga Meditation, the healing philosophy of chiropractic, the system of prayer of The Science of Mind, and Dr. Rebbie Straubing
-
Mental Power Strategies
Master Secrets of Hypnosis, Chi Power ,Meditation, Attraction, & Stock Markets.
-
The most effective Meditation technique
A very effective Meditation technique: a simple remedy against stress and anxiety. Scientifically validated.
-
Yoga Weight Loss Secrets: Lose weight with yoga; yoga weight loss ebook,
exercise program
Yoga Weight Loss Secrets: yoga ebook shows you how to lose weight naturally with yoga exercises, yoga Meditation, vegetarian diet, exercise, and health tips.Yoga Weight Loss Secrets: yoga ebook shows you how to lose weight naturally with yoga exercises, y
-
Hypnosis Toronto
The official homepage of Hypnosis Toronto, counsellor referral service and Romantic Magic Meditation CDs





