The Little Pocket Book of Meditation E-Book

Stephanie Brookes

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

An easy-to-follow guide to the stress-busting, tension-taming practice of meditation. Trying to find a work/life balance can be exhausting, which means we are always looking for ways to release tension and relax. Meditation is the perfect solution! People often worry that to meditate properly they need to sit for hours in cold and empty rooms, but in The Little Pocket Book of Meditation Stephanie Brookes sweeps aside these out-dated stereotypes. Writing in a down-to-earth, accessible style, Stephanie shows us how to incorporate simple meditation techniques into our busy, non-stop lives. Over the years she has created bespoke meditation routines and developed a large inventory of meditations to suit a wide range of situations, including meditations for self-healing, meditations for relationships and meditations on the go. Packed with engaging insights on the benefits of meditation, this book will show you how even a short meditation can reduce stress, ease tension and set you on the path to inner peace.

Leseprobe

THE LITTLE POCKET BOOK OF

MEDITATION

THE LITTLE POCKET BOOK OF

MEDITATION

With step-by-step 5-10 minute guided meditations to calm mind, body, and soul

STEPHANIE BROOKES

For my husband, John

This edition published in 2016 by CICO Books

An imprint of Ryland Peters & Small Ltd

20–21 Jockey’s Fields

London WC1R 4BW

341 E 116th St

New York, NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

First published in 2014 under the title

Meditation Made Easy

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Text © Stephanie Brookes 2014

Design © CICO Books 2016

Illustration © CICO Books 2014

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress and the British Library.

eISBN: 978 1 78249 521 5

ISBN: 978 1 78249 377 8

Editor: Elanor Clarke

Designer: Luana Gobbo

Illustrator: Rosie Scott, Melissa Launay and Amy Louise Evans

In-house editors: Lauren Mulholland and Kerry Lewis

In-house designer: Fahema Khanam

Art director: Sally Powell

Production controller: Mai-Ling Collyer

Publishing manager: Penny Craig

Publisher: Cindy Richards

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1

Why Meditation?

Chapter 2

Meditation, Mindfulness, and Mantra

Chapter 3

Meditation Basics

Chapter 4

Meditations for Self-Healing

Chapter 5

Meditations for Relationships

Chapter 6

Meditations for a Balanced Life

Chapter 7

Meditations on the Go

Conclusion

Index

References

Acknowledgments and Author Biography

INTRODUCTION

A friend first introduced me to meditation in my teenage years. I imagine this was the first “meditative” experience for many of us; it certainly gave us that alternative edge that we so often look for at this particular juncture of our lives. At first, I felt caught up in the mystique of it all—exotic incense permeated the room, well-seasoned meditators all sat in various stages of the lotus position—it was an exciting new experience, yet I wondered, once I had stepped back into the real world, how could it really be of any use?

You may have experienced meditation in the same way and perhaps felt the practice wasn’t exactly applicable to your day-to-day life. The image of the Zen-like guru in full lotus position has been weaving its mystical web for so long, the practice itself may seem rather antiquated and not really an essential part of modern living.

Over the years, meditation has come in and out of my life like an old friend; I fall back into a natural pattern within moments of meeting again, yet I have often felt that the hour-long sessions are a bit much for me and that I didn't need “that much meditation” in one go. And so began an overhaul of my routine, a “meditation makeover,” if you will. I crafted much smaller, bite-sized sessions, which could realistically fit into my daily schedule, and a routine that actually worked for me. I instantly felt more comfortable and relaxed, with no added pressure.

Our routines have to adapt continually to meet the ever-changing demands of our very real life commitments, and it is natural then that our meditation practice has to readjust accordingly—whether you decide on a daily five minutes, fifteen minutes, or simply integrate mindfulness into your lifestyle—use the practice in the way you want and don’t be governed by what the current trend calls for. Meditation has a habit of coming in and out of fashion, but what remains true is that the practice works because it is essentially about cultivating a better understanding of who we are in the here and now. As the world continues to speed up, meditation keeps us grounded in the present, the only place we can ever truly “be.”

CHAPTER 1

WHY MEDITATION?

I think the “why” in “why meditation?” is a perfectly valid question, and one that I encourage you to ask. After all, meditation is now a possible addition to your agenda, and how many hours of the day do we have for our own personal and private use? Our schedules are often tough, and the days and years seem to speed up at an incredible rate. It was with this thought in mind that I started to consider how new endeavors are an investment in time and have to be accessible for anyone willing to give them a go. The exercises that I suggest are designed to fit into the most hectic of schedules, so the practice of meditation instantly opens up and not only becomes accessible, but above all approachable. This book will help you get started with meditation right here, right now, so you have the basic tools to start developing your practice. The thing is that you don’t have to worry about whether you can fit it in because meditation will bend to fit into your life; it’s that simple.

THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION

The practice of meditation is already well known for helping with a variety of issues we may be familiar with or have experienced ourselves. For example, meditation helps alleviate stress and anxiety, improves communication issues, helps bring greater clarity to our thoughts and actions, strengthens our concentration, increases self-awareness, and helps us to feel more objective about situations that are troubling to us.

… alleviate stress, strengthen concentration, and increase self-awareness …

The well-being benefits are enough for anyone to think, “I’ll give it a go,” but what marks this practice out in a world of ever-changing health fads is that meditation quietly works away in the background, ever reliable, and can be picked up with relative ease, without requiring hours of time or even considerable investment.

Meditation doesn’t hand you the answers on a plate, rather, it allows you to come up with the answers for yourself. I have often likened meditation to that friend who just sits with you while you come up with your own answers. You inevitably thank your friend for their help when, in fact, you came up with everything on your own. You just needed that space, that inner sanctuary, to discover what you already knew.

HAVE A BEGINNER’S MINDSET

The concept of “beginner’s mind” originates in Zen Buddhism and was popularized by Shunryu Suzuki in his book Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. Cultivating this way of thinking allows you to approach new experiences free from any predisposed worries, doubts, or uncertainty. Applying a beginner’s mindset to these meditation exercises will allow you to simply experience the moment as it unfolds. You may initially experience the pangs of frustration that can overcome a first practice, but just allow yourself to sit with these feelings and observe how they become less and less prominent as you remain firmly in the moment. We are all so used to living our lives at a frenetic pace that, when we consciously choose to slow down, it can be uncomfortable and unfamiliar. One of the key themes we will explore is allowing yourself to feel and to be open to your present emotions, however imperfect they may appear to you. Take your time with this book, and don’t feel you need to launch yourself into meditation overload. The meditations are designed for you to dip in and out of and to experiment with so that you can cultivate a realistic and resonant practice. Meditation doesn’t require you to be that perfect enlightened being we may have read about in books, it just requires you to be, nothing more.

TIME FOR YOU

Taking time out for us is often at the very bottom of our to-do list; it may not even be a priority at all. It’s far easier to relegate our needs to the bottom rung of importance, and yet it is vital that we do pencil in time for our own needs, even if that means taking a few minutes out of our day just to sit and breathe. Meditation is simply the practice of being in the moment: allowing yourself the time to focus on a singular activity, whether you follow the rhythm and sound of your own breathing, become more aware of your presence and the sensations in your body, or maybe just observe your steps as you take a walk. It is that unique moment in your day when you allow yourself to pause for greater reflection and understanding, which helps calm and de-clutter the mind. We rarely allow ourselves that time and put enormous pressure on ourselves to be “doing” at every moment, be it working ever-longer hours or making sure we keep up with the current trends and fashions so that the outside is looking perfect, leaving little if not any room for our inner life. You could say that meditation is taking care of the “inner business” of living, helping us maintain a good balance between the inner and outer aspects of our lives.

A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF MEDITATION

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years; its origins span many cultures and traditions, each with their own specific way of practicing. Although the “meditation route” may differ, the end result is the common thread that ties the practice together. The aim is ultimately to find a deeper and clearer understanding of the self.

The most identifiable icon in meditation history is the Buddha; his birth is widely thought to date back as far as 563 BCE. As a young man, Siddhartha (as he was then known) made it his life’s purpose to find the cause of man’s pain and suffering. After an extensive period of self-discovery, he became enlightened. His subsequent teachings emphasized meditation and, in particular, mindfulness—the act of becoming fully aware of our body, thoughts, and feelings in order to better understand the self—as a central component of his awakening. The beauty of mindfulness meditation is that as much as the roots are in Buddhist tradition, it is practiced secularly and doesn’t require any belief system whatsoever. In fact, mindfulness can be integrated at any moment, not just during meditation practice.

If you fast-forward to the present day, the core ideals of meditation have remained—those of compassion, awareness, and a greater understanding of the self—yet the practice isn’t confined to a temple or a shrine, but instead can be carried out in the comfort of your own living room. You could say that the practice has traveled far and wide to where it needs to be in people’s lives right now.

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT MEDITATION

If we can dispel any of the old myths attached to meditation, we can set off in the right frame of mind without any misconceptions, which may limit our knowledge of what the practice can actually do for us. Here are just a few things to bear in mind before you set about your meditative journey.

What meditation is

→ A means to help attain greater clarity and focus.

→ A way to help better integrate you into your life, not take you away from it.

→ A practice to help you find a greater appreciation of your inner self and life in general.

What meditation is not

→ A quick fix for inner well-being.

→ A way to escape reality.