Being your SELF, Part I, Podcast 05 30 08
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"Being your SELF, Part I" Podcast"
(length 8:51 minutes)
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May 30, 2008
May 28, 2008
Being your SELF, Part II
This is Part II of a four part blog.
This third state, Beingness, is a state of well being that is, has always been, and always will be. It is a feminine state of openness and receptivity. It listens to its Self first and then acts out of inspiration. Its opposite is the first state of consciousness which is always calculating with a heartless mind and is always trying to “control” people and events. This state of consciousness sees everything and everyone as “objects” to manipulate.
As well, this third state of Beingness is not caused by any particular action on our part and is present everywhere and in every human being. It is our inherent nature. In the past this state was was only attained by saints and masters and everyone else was at a loss. But Beingness is our natural state, the birthright of each and every one of us. It is in our blueprint, our DNA. We can no longer deny or ignore it.
For millennia we have believed that it is our purpose to labor, attain, and then preserve our external accomplishments. We have been promised that this mode of behavior would give us a sense of security and well being. But the results of this belief system have manifested in a soul less life of solving one problem after another in the pursuit of happiness but with no end in sight and with little happiness to show for it.
As Albert Camus reminded us in his essay The Myth of Sisyphus, modern man’s plight is much like the story of Sisyphus who eternally found him self rolling a big boulder up a hill only to have it roll down again so that he would have to go down the hill and roll it up again. There was not much happiness or sense of purpose to Sisyphus’s life as is the case for so many modern people.
This is Part II of a four part blog.
May 26, 2008
Being your SELF, Part I
is not attaining something new or reaching some goal which is far away,
but simply being that which you always are and always have been.
Sri Ramana Maharshi
This is Part I of a four part Blog.
Have you ever just wanted to be your Self? I’m sure you have. But who is this Self that you want to be?
I hope this series of blog posts will help to bring some clarity to you about what this elusive being named the SELF (Higher Self) really is. And in doing so help you to “be” and “find” your SELF.
This is an amazing time in history. On the one hand, there are wars and rumors of even more wars. There are famines and starvation. There are leaders whose consciousness is extremely self-centered and delusional. There is a world-wide economic system based on greed and hoarding that is collapsing.
Yet on the other hand, a whole new paradigm of consciousness is emerging in people who are opening to the Wisdom and Love within themselves and are seeking for answers from within and no longer just looking with out!
- In the past there have been two primary, dominant states of consciousness:
- The waking/thinking/doing state (I am/exist because I think and do.)
- The sleeping/dreaming state
Both of these were based on a sense of separation, of otherness and of duality.
- But now we are entering a third state of consciousness:
- Beingness: Presence, Oneness, Openness, Receptivity, Surrender, Communion (I AM).
This is Part I of a four part blog.
May 23, 2008
Peace of Mind is an Image Away, Breathing Compassion Meditation" Podcast
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"Peace of Mind is an Image Away, Breathing Compassion Meditation" Podcast"
(length 20:20 minutes)
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May 21, 2008
Peace of Mind is an Image Away: Breathing Compassion Meditation, Part II
This is Part II of a two Part Blog which began on May 19.
In this regard, another aspect of meditation that I feel is not emphasized enough or understood enough is that meditation helps you to connect with the higher energies. Most of us do not realize that our internal dialogue is mostly negative. That is, it is usually self-deprecating or it is negative towards another. The problem with this is that whatever we focus on, we attract more of.
So, if we are in a negative thinking state, we are attracting more negative thoughts which eventually attract negative experiences into our lives. As well, negative thoughts create stress hormones in our body. These stress hormones are catabolic in nature which means that they break down or eat away at our bodies from the inside out; and this actually is the ultimate cause of all illness.
So, negative thinking, even if it is unconscious, wrecks havoc on us physiologically and it also attracts negative experiences into our lives.
So, who needs it? Why not use our mind energy to experience, create and receive compassion and love?
Whatever we focus on, we get more of.
Therefore, I would like to lead you in a Compassion Meditation on the Podcast of Friday, May 16, 2008. In this meditation you will be given the opportunity to connect with a higher realm of energies that are always with you and that are more than willing to immerse and envelop you in the Light and Embrace of All That Is.
Be assured that practicing this daily will have a profound impact on your life. Actually, it could save your life!
So, join me on Friday for a Compassion meditation. I would urge you to give yourself at least one dose of this daily, even for just a few minutes. You deserve it!
NB If you are new to meditation, please go to my blog posts of May 5 and 7, 2008 for guidance on how to meditate.
FYI, this "Compassion Meditation" is from my Meditation CD entitled: Peace of Mind is a Thought Away: Mastery Meditations.
If you are interested in finding out more about my Meditations CDs, please go to the following link: http://www.learnmastery.com/AudioTapesByYanni.htm
So, enJoy and Relax!
This is Part II of a two part Blog.
May 19, 2008
Peace of Mind is an Image Away: Breathing Compassion Meditation, Part I
This is Part I of a two Part Blog.
Meditation connects you with your inner world.
By meditating you learn how to care for the garden of your mind.
First, you learn to identify what is growing there.
Then you learn how to nurture and plant what you want
and weed out what you do not want.
There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.
Mother Teresa
The one thing that we cannot get enough of, the one thing that there is no possibility of overusing or over receiving or over giving is Compassion and Love. As the saying goes, "No matter what the question, love is the answer."
Whenever you find your self caught up in negative thought patterns, or negative emotional states, being self-critical or critical of another, or enmeshed in your negative imagination or worry, sit back and drink in compassion. As you drink in that compassion all the tension and negativity will start to release. And then you will remember and accept that your natural state of being is that of feeling and being at peace and in the Embrace.
Compassion is at the heart of meditation because it connects you with who you really are and what is truly at your core. Also, without compassion, meditation is all too likely to become just another activity that you do not do enough of or are doing incorrectly or are not getting quick enough results with. So, it is very important to give yourself a good dose of compassion each day.
Most people who practice meditation do not realize how important this is.
This is part I of a two part blog.
May 16, 2008
Peace of Mind is a Thought Away: Mastering Your Thoughts with Meditation, Podcast 05 16 08
Life Mastery's Friday Weekly Podcast:
"Peace of Mind is a Thought Away, Mastering Your Thoughts with Meditation" Podcast"
(length 19:45 minutes)
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May 14, 2008
Peace of Mind is a Thought Away: Mastering Your Thoughts with Meditation, Part II
This is Part II of a two Part Blog.
So, the point of all this is to encourage you to not take your thoughts personally or seriously. Don’t take them to “heart”. Don’t identify with them. See them as happening outside of you.
This is similar to when a friend or a loved one is really upset about something or someone, and has really “lost it.” You can understand why they may be losing it and you certainly have empathy for them, but really, you wonder why they are making such a big deal of it? So, in this case, you are able to step back and be a witness to all the drama they are in, but not get drawn in to it.
Likewise you eventually will begin to look at your own “stuff” and laugh and say to yourself, “So, what’s the big deal with this? So what? This is just an old reactive, habitual pattern of mine. Here we go again. I can proactively choose a new response, a new habit, a new series of thoughts. So, I‘ll just take a few deep breaths, label the thought, distance myself from it and just forget about it.”
You don’t have to pay attention to thoughts that don’t feel good.
So, join me on my Friday Podcast for a Thought Labeling meditation. Peace of Mind really is a choice you can opt into every moment in your life.
NB If you are new to meditation, please go to my blog posts of May 5 and 7, 2008 for guidance on how to meditate.
FYI, this “Thought Labeling Meditation” is from my Meditation CD entitled: Peace of Mind is a Thought Away: Mastery Meditations.If you are interested in finding out more about my Meditations CDs, please go to the following link: http://www.learnmastery.com/AudioTapesByYanni.htm
So, enJoy and Relax!
This is Part II of a two part Blog.
May 12, 2008
Peace of Mind is a Thought Away: Mastering Your Thoughts with Meditation, Part I
This is Part I of a two part blog.
Continuing with the theme of teaching you how to master your thoughts which began in my last series of blog posts which started on April 14, I’d like to now briefly introduce you to a thought labeling meditation. I will lead you in this thought labeling meditation on my Friday Podcast later this week.
In this thought labeling meditation what you are going to do, instead of counting your thoughts, is to label them. So, if you find yourself having an angry thought during this mediation, rather than saying and feeling “I am angry,” which is like saying, “I am anger.” [Oh my goodness, what a statement to make!] No, rather say: “I am having an angry thought.”
As thoughts wander in and out, the idea, the point, is not to get caught up in them, not to identify with them. By the way, if you are really not noticing any thoughts while doing this meditation, enjoy the quiet and don’t try to find any to label. But if a thought does arise, just label it. Don’t get attached or identified with it.
Some labels you can use are: “planning,” “worry,” “desire,” “fearful,” “future,” “past,” “judgmental,” “self-judgment,” angry,” “critical,” “prideful,” “envious,” etc. [Don’t worry, I’ll repeat these labels during the meditation.]
You know all the “stuff” you get into. Just give the thought a name, a label and step back from it. By giving it a name, a label it somehow is no longer yours. It doesn’t attach to you. It is something outside of you. You’ve objectified it. You see it as separate from you.
This is Part I of a two part Blog.
May 9, 2008
Peace of Mind is a Thought Away, Mastering Your Thoughts" Podcast
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"Peace of Mind is a Thought Away, Mastering Your Thoughts" Podcast, "
(length 16:18 minutes)
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May 7, 2008
Peace of Mind is a Thought Away: Mastering Your Thoughts, Part VIII
This is Part VIII of an eight Part Blog which began on April 14.
Now, in terms of how you sit or what you do when you meditate, the most important thing is to make sure you are physically comfortable. If you have the flexibility to sit in the yoga half-lotus or full lotus position, then certainly do so. If you don’t have the flexibility, then I would not recommend you try. You can meditate very effectively sitting comfortably in straight backed chair. This is the way I do it all the time. Just sit up straight with you spine erect, but not rigid. It is best that your feet lie flat on the floor and are not crossed. Your hands are in your lap, palms up or down, whatever is most comfortable for you.
As we proceed with the meditations, if at any point you are physically uncomfortable, then shift your body. Move around a bit. If you need to cough, then do so. Don’t spend your time suppressing a cough or being physically uncomfortable and then at the end conclude that you can’t meditate.
Again, the most important thing to remember as you start is to make sure you are comfortable while you are in meditation. I might add, though, not so comfortable that you fall asleep. By the way, I do not recommend that you lie on the floor or on a bed or on a lounge chair when you meditate because you are very likely to fall asleep. Lie down only if you have a significant physical problem that necessitates lying down. So, again, the idea is to be as comfortable as possible, yet still alert and then you will really enjoy and get the most out of the experience.
Also, please note that not all of your meditations will be blissful and calm. Sometimes when you sit down to meditate your mind will be like a wild, untamed horse. But that’s ok and to be expected at times! When this happens just do your best to observe rather than get caught up in the content of your mind’s madness and it will gradually dissipate. Eventually you will learn how to calm down even this kind of an overly stimulated mind. Be patient and persistent and you will with practice reach your goal of being peaceful and calm.
Lastly, please note that at the end of the meditation, I will leave you with a little extra time with just the music playing. This will allow you to gradually and slowly come up and out of the meditation and then you can resume your normal activities.
So, happy meditating! Peace be with you!
This is Part VIII of an eight Part Blog.
FYI, this “Thought Counting Meditation” is from my Meditation CD entitled: Peace of Mind is a Thought Away: Mastery Meditations.
If you are interested in finding out more about my Meditations CDs, please go to the following link: http://www.learnmastery.com/AudioTapesByYanni.htm
Please visit my new web site: www.InsideOutJourneys.com
May 5, 2008
Peace of Mind is a Thought Away: Mastering Your Thoughts, Part VII
This is Part VII of an eight part blog which began on April 14.
As I mentioned earlier, I will now lead you in a Thought Counting meditation. In order to help you to prepare for the meditation, which will be on my May 9th Podcast, today’s blog and Wednesday’s blog will consist of instructions on how to meditate.
Please use this meditation on a regular basis. You will be amazed at what you find out about yourself as you do it.
FYI, this “Thought Counting Meditation” is from my Meditation CD entitled: Peace of Mind is a Thought Away: Mastery Meditations.
If you are interested in finding out more about my Meditations CDs, please go to the following link: http://www.learnmastery.com/AudioTapesByYanni.htm
So, enJoy and Relax!
How to prepare to meditate?
Before you start to meditate, it is very important to settle yourself, to slow yourself down and to prepare an internal and external environment for relaxation. So, begin by creating a quiet, comfortable place for you to sit and meditate in. Dim the lights; close the door, and turn off the phones.
Also, it is preferable that every time you meditate it be at the same time and in the same place, but don’t be too rigid about this. It is more important that you actually meditate rather than that you adhere to a rigid schedule. But do know that by establishing a regular time and place for meditation, you are more likely to do it consistently because you are then creating a very clear new habit/pattern and intention that this is my time and my place to meditate.
As well, make sure that all significant others know that this is a quiet, private, undisturbed time just for you. This is your time to be with yourself, to meditate and to do nothing else. Also, pick a time that works for you, a time when you are usually not too busy. And, if the time you first choose doesn’t work for any reason, then change it and experiment until you do find a time and setting that works.
Please note, too, that it is most ideal to meditate every day, but don’t get too rigid about this either. Just start meditating as often as you can and then gradually build up to meditating every day. The more you meditate, the more you will want to, so let the frequency grow on its own.
Also, start off with whatever length of time you feel most comfortable with, even if it is only five minutes. Let the timeframe, as well, gradually become longer. It takes time, practice and patience to build up your meditation muscles. Don’t force any of this. But do be consistent and clear in your intentions.
If you have never meditated before and decide that you will now meditate for twenty minutes, two times a day, everyday, you are more than likely setting yourself up for failure, for self-sabotage. You will most likely go on overload and will quit in a few days. Just as you can’t run a marathon unless you have gradually built up your endurance, so, too, with meditation, let yourself gradually build up your endurance. So, go slow and get there fast!
Meditation is a life-long skill that you step by step integrate into your life. Don’t try to rush or push it! Let it all be easy and fun!
This is Part VII of an eight Part Blog
May 2, 2008
Peace of Mind is a Thought Away, Mastering Your Thoughts" Part III, Podcast
Life Mastery's Friday Weekly Podcast:
"Peace of Mind is a Thought Away, Mastering Your Thoughts" Part III, Podcast”/strong>
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(length 9:04 minutes)
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