Art of Self-Mastery (eBook)

SELF-MASTERY
LESSON #6:

Meditation

"When we spend time in silence, we can hear the voice of our soul whispering its sacred message and encouraging us to make choices

that bring us more happiness, health, love, meaning, and peace."
- David Simon

Meditation is a powerful technique that can bring a sense of calm, balance, and wellbeing to our lives. It is a means of connecting with our inner selves, transcending the distractions of the external world, and discovering the wisdom and power that lies within us. Meditation opens the door to a direct connection with the boundless wisdom of Infinite Intelligence. It serves as the bridge between our physical body, mental awareness, and spiritual being, where we can find authentic peace and harmony.

Meditation has the power to connect us to "who we really are" - our Souls, spiritual beings. We realize a profound truth: we are connected to everyone and everything from an energetic level. Dhyana, a Sanskrit term for meditation, represents a transformative journey within. It is a pathway to connect with one's innermost Self, to still the mind, and to access a state of profound peace, insight, and introspection. Dhyana invites us to delve deep into our being, unravel the mysteries of our Soul, and awaken to our highest potential. Embrace this spiritual practice and allow it to guide you toward self-discovery, self-realization, and a life of empowerment, wisdom, and inner peace.

Authentic yoga, the yoga of meditation, unites the Soul with Infinite Intelligence. It is a holistic practice to explore who you are and the ultimate way to get in touch with reality. It is a way of life leading us towards self-realization and higher states of consciousness. The purpose of yoga is the development of selfawareness to the point of liberation.

Meditation is about returning to your Higher Self to unite with the Divine. As a result, we become boundless, free, and liberated. The yoga of meditation allows us to shift our identity from ego to our Higher Self, to return to the Soul where the secrets of the Universe reveal Itself. Meditation allows you to connect back to the oneness of life, drop your conditioned ego, and enable Spirit to express its greatest good through you.

While prayer is your Soul talking to Spirit, meditation is where Spirit talks back. Communication is a two-way street, so prayer and meditation are life partners—a conversation with God.

There are many definitions of meditation, but meditation happens when your inner mind is clear, still, focused, aware, and fully present. It is a practice of prolonged concentration that brings forward your unique gifts, talents, creativity, and innovation, which connects you to your inner truth. Meditation is like fitness for the mind; it is a state of "allowing." It allows you to "be" with Source/ God/Infinite Intelligence; "IT" has many names.

Meditation is giving your full, undivided attention to life as it is now. It is becoming intimate with your Soul and learning to become more conscious. Meditation gets you beyond the analytical mind. It allows you to see other perspectives, expanding your awareness. You become self-aware while letting go of your socially and culturally conditioned mind, freeing you from the burdens of the ego. Meditation is completely surrendering to the infinite silence while observing your thoughts and environment without judgment. It's an expansion of consciousness and awareness. It frees you from the chaotic mind and gives you a greater perspective. Meditation opens the portals to a profound, direct experience with the Divine and is the swiftest path to aligning with your Soul. This sacred connection grants you the opportunity to truly know and experience the essence of who you are, in all your authenticity and magnificence. Embrace this transformative practice and allow it to guide you toward a deeper understanding of yourself.

Yoga helps us to expand our self-awareness and recognize our True-Self. This opening of awareness is the door to ultimate freedom. As a seed is a promise to blossom, yoga is the promise of our spiritual awakening. Through yoga, we actively explore Pure Consciousness and connect with eternity. Exploring who you are is meditation. We become boundless, free, and liberated when we remain anchored within ourselves.

Meditation aligns physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional energies to create harmony and allow us to express our vision. Through meditation, we can become aware of what we are creating and learn to connect with our inner desire to create. The benefits of meditation are diverse, ranging from deepening our connection with the world around us to bringing a greater sense of meaning and purpose to our lives. However, the most profound benefit of meditation is its ability to empower us to live more fully and authentically. By quieting the mind and connecting with our inner selves, we better understand who we are and what we truly want. We become more aware of our thoughts and emotions and learn to respond more mindfully.

As a dedicated meditator, I understand the importance of meditation in fostering spiritual development, self-empowerment, and overall wellbeing. Through meditation, we can gain insight into the nature of reality, transcend our limiting thoughts and emotions, and tap into a deep well of inner strength and wisdom. I have consistently meditated since 2008, sometimes doing multiple sessions lasting hours. As a result, I have witnessed my thoughts and emotions with a 30,000-foot awareness, allowing me to "observe" rather than react to stressful situations. The power of observation gives you a broader perspective, and we begin to see how life operates at a deeper level.

My morning meditation allows me to reset, and I feel recharged and ready for the day. I can observe my thoughts and feelings and separate myself from them. I perceive from a calm state of mind. I realize that these thoughts are not who I truly am. They're just thoughts. I have realized that there is a "choice" in how I feel.

One area that meditation significantly improves is resilience. Like all of us, I have had many setbacks in life, whether in my career or relationships, and meditation has enabled me to release any fear that may arise in my head. It has allowed me to experience perseverance and bounce back from any challenge or difficulty. This resilience has pushed me towards successful outcomes.

Meditation helps to reduce identification with thoughts, allowing one to observe them without getting too caught up in them. You become the observer. Most of us spend so much time thinking about the past or worrying about the future that we rarely pay enough attention to the present moment. Meditation helps us stay grounded in the present moment, increasing awareness of one's mental state and environment and decreasing stress. During meditation, the inner and outer world exists in an undivided continuum, and the mind, body, Soul, and environment are strongly aligned. You realize you are not your thoughts but something more extraordinary. Our concentration will vastly improve. Concentration is like a muscle; the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. Consistent meditation practice in a state of concentration day after day will give you laser-like focus and pinpoint accuracy.

Meditation can expand one's perspective, allowing for an ever-present witnessing of the ego's activity. Through meditation, emotions can be observed without getting lost in them. With regular practice, emotional intelligence can improve significantly, leading to more effective problem-solving skills and the ability to handle difficult situations with greater ease and grace.

The benefits of meditation can also include increased clarity in decision-making, as well as heightened awareness, compassion, power, and precision. In addition, practicing meditation can help to remain calm and centered in the face of negative vibes, challenging situations, or unexpected hurdles.

Meditation vastly increases our creativity as we tap into unbounded, limitless creative potential. I can tap into my creativity consistently and am more innovative when I do my daily meditations. I also notice that I can stay in "Peak Performance" mode much longer at a more consistent rate, thereby increasing productivity and efficiency. I experience a state of "flow," and time ceases to exist.

I incorporate a variety of meditations throughout my day, such as: "walking meditations," mantra-based, chakra meditations, guided visualization, heart meditation, gratitude meditations, breath meditations, "I Am" meditations, etc. There are countless ways to meditate. When you're present and engaged in sports, training your body, writing, dancing, singing, or practicing yoga, these activities can put you in a state of "flow" or the "zone," and you transcend time and thinking. Meditation gives us a more remarkable ability to keep our attention and awareness in the present moment, putting us in that state of flow. People ask me which is the best meditation, and my answer is, "Whatever works and resonates with you." So be open, try different techniques, and experiment to see which resonates with you. Soon, you will look forward to doing it every day.

Meditation can develop the ability to stay focused, which is one of the most important skills to strengthen in life: the ability to maintain a laser-like focus while maintaining a high level of awareness. What we focus on expands, whether it be a relationship, building a business, training our bodies, or simply being present in the moment with mindfulness.

Through meditation, we can lengthen our concentration on a single point of focus, as focus and concentration are...