Tag Archives: meditation

meditation

Why Your Mind Shouldn’t Be Going “Blank” During Meditation

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The most common understanding of meditation is this idea that you should “empty your mind”, a phrase used time and again in modern discussions of meditation, but it is actually totally wrong, and a common misconception of what it means to meditate.

In fact, if you’ve ever felt disheartened that you couldn’t make your mind go blank, you weren’t actually doing anything wrong. Here we delve into what should actually happen when you meditate, and why your mind shouldn’t be going blank.

Understanding EmptinessScreen Shot 2016-07-08 at 1.46.00 PM

Firstly we need to distinguish the difference between ‘making the mind blank’ and ‘not thinking’ and how this applies to meditation. These are actually very different from each other, but it’s understandable if you automatically link the two, seeing as our everyday existence is experienced via our own thoughts.

Even as you read this sentence, your understanding of it and the concept it is explaining is through your own inner-voice.

Meditation is precisely an escape from this kind of thought; silencing the verbalization of thoughts, feelings, or emotions, and replacing it with experiencing these in their purest, rawest forms. You empty your mind of the filters through which it interprets the world, rather than the thoughts themselves. You can therefore stop thinking, but your mind is far from blank or empty. Continue reading →

Spirituality

4 Transformative Rituals To Practice During The Summer Solstice

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The summer solstice is one of the most important natural events of the year. It’s the longest day and signifies a shift in the Earth’s cycles, and in our relationship to them as the Northern Hemisphere is bathed in light.

There’s a reason so many cultures around the world and throughout human history have seen the summer solstice as a sacred and divine day! What better time to go outside, take a moment, pause, and connect deeply with yourself than when nature’s peaking in energy?

Here are a few rituals to help you enjoy and empower yourself during the summer solstice.

1. See the Sunrise:

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The rising of the sun is a symbolic time, a sign of new beginnings and rebirth. The sunrise of the summer solstice is the most powerful one of all, and participating in it can give you energy for the year to come.

First, find a place from which the sunrise can be seen. The more secluded and natural the better, but if that isn’t possible, any view will do.

Arrive a little early so you have time to relax and prepare yourself for the moment. Take a few deep breaths and relax your body.

As the sun begins to rise, meditate on your own new beginnings. What can you harness the energy of the summer solstice for in your own life? Feel free to close your eyes and visualize that golden orb inside of you, burning and providing heat, energy, and life. Breathe in deeply and feel each breath giving you more energy and growing the sun inside. Continue reading →

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How to Be Mindful: 4 Important Techniques

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What does being mindful mean? You may have heard of mindfulness meditation but what does it mean to BE mindful? Mindfulness is defined as the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. Being mindful means to have that awareness of everything around you. According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, “mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”

baerefoot woodsMindfulness practitioners learn how to pay attention on purpose by practicing specially developed mindfulness meditation practices & mindful movements. Being mindful is an intentional way of being that you can cultivate on a daily basis. Being mindful means to be conscious and aware of all the things around you and how you affect them.

For instance, I live in a house that has a basement apartment below. I try to be conscious of the noise that I make and since I stay up very late at night doing things like writing articles I try my best to not disturb people sleeping in close proximity to my activities. I am careful not to wear shoes in my house and to walk lightly on my feet. 

As a young man, I was taught by rainbow family elders to tread lightly in the woods. Not only does this mean to physically walk lightly, meaning on the front of your feet and not on your heels, but also to be aware of WHERE you step, HOW you step ,and even WHEN you step. Basically, this just means to be aware of how you affect your surroundings.

Another way to practice being mindful is with your voice. Not only can one take care in what they say but HOW they say it. The volume of one’s voice can also be important.

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Do you use an inside voice when you’re outside? You may not get heard or may get asked to constantly repeat yourself. Do you use an outside voice when you’re inside? You may be so loud that you become annoying without even knowing it.

Being aware of your surroundings and the vibration you are putting forth in those surroundings is very important when being mindful.

There are many ways to become more mindful and mindfulness meditation is one of those ways. There are many mindfulness meditation resources on the web. Here are some tips on being more mindful…

  • Pay attention to your breathing. When all else fails always return to this tip.

  • Try to notice everything that you are doing when you’re doing something specific. For instance, if you are taking a shower notice the sound of the water, the temperature of the water, the smell of the soap and any other thing that you can sense. If you are eating notice the texture and the color of the food, its taste, its smell and texture.

  • Focus on the things that distract you. Pay attention to where you space out, for example, being on the computer, driving, doing household chores. Focus on bringing more awareness to those moments of distraction.

  • Be aware of people around you. Notice their eyes, their clothes. Take advantage of every moment and compliment someone or express affection.

 

Imagine a more mindful world!

News

Permaculture and Observation

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If you read my last post, or are familiar with the subject, you’ll know that observation is crucial in permaculture; because of its great importance, that’s where we’re going to start today.

The designer is the recliner.   Finding a good sit-spot.

lightThe first thing you should do is get your mind right…  To do that, you should find a good sit-spot.  It might sound simple but the sit-spot is crucial for a couple different reasons.

First, you get the obvious benefit of relaxation; being in nature is a meditative and healing experience.  Second, nature can teach you a lot of things about your environment, even yourself.

My sit-spot is right outside my back door.  I make it a point to go outside every day and become absorbed by the natural world around me.  It has been cool to implement some of the stuff I’m learning in my permaculture class and see nature doing the things my teachers described, there is something truly magical about the process.
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Patch Parables

Patch Parables 2 – The Parable of the Lute

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I feel that life is about living the way you want to, with love and respect for everything all around you. As if Life is a metaphor for beautiful music, and the songs that you play is the melody of the life that you live. Of course, it becomes very hard to do when your instruments are not tuned.

Everything has its own colour and tone. Some of these vibrations mix harmoniously while others combine in discordance, because they are not in tune with each other. You can feel in your heart when you are sad, because the pace slows as if playing the song of your grief. You can feel in your heart when you are happy, because the rhythm of your heart becomes upbeat and bouncy as if playing the song of your joy.

One way you can tell if you are in tune, is just by sensing the way your body makes you feel. Your body is your most important instrument for interfacing with this 3D world, so it’s important to stretch, go for walks, meditate, drink lots of water, and do things like that to help tune your physical body. Don’t forget to also tune your mind. Read things that are insightful, watch things that are inspiring, things that lift you up and make you feel like you’ve never felt before. Do things with others that inspires this connection as well.

Find comfort in the little things that make you happy, feel love and gratitude towards the things that you have or receive, and give love in return to all of those around you. You can have, do, or be anything: but if you’re not tuned to the frequency of your highest awareness… How do you know what you want?

By the way, If you’re interested in the traditional “buddhism” and eastern spiritual practices, I highly recommend you check out this book called “Eastern Body, Western Mind”, which is all about bringing a balance between eastern and western practices in spirituality.

It’s an absolutely fantastical book, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll probably get a lot out of it.