When did meditation start in your life? It is something that comes up when looking back at my journey. Over 16 years ago I was introduced to a meditation teacher that worked with me while I was suffering from exhaustion, immune system issues and body pain. Burning the candle at every angle, I didn’t feel present. Also, I was dealing with old emotional hurt that wasn’t resolved. So I decided to work with a Transcendental meditation teacher.
I met with her practicing repeatedly in a quiet room and after months of hard work (meditation is not easy starting off with) things within myself and my environment started to shift. I sat in silence, ( not guided) which I didn’t even know guided even existed at that time and believe it would have been easier starting off). But silent meditation became my daily intake of of added health. Drifting off to a place beyond any comprehensive of explanation as I was completely unattached from “me’.
Throughout the years, I moved to more mindfulness stress reduction techniques to Kriya yoga. They involved more body scan style meditations connecting to my body which I believe to this day allowed me to connect and be more aware to what was happening inside me than attached to my external environment. I would blend what has worked from 5,000 years ago that sages brought to us to a few softly guided meditations that were around real yogic science working with the chakras and breathe.
My mantra-based meditations took my mind to quieter levels of awareness into a transcendental state. Where I went beyond analyzing, beyond time, space, intellect and self. I felt as a sense of oneness and wholeness. To this day, I am known as the “mindfully connected body feeler” which means I feel about anything. They can call this “ the sensitive” or connected to self, but to this day, even though I thought it was exhausting always feeling, it also helped me be able to pick up on things sooner, which led me to my work in self-care which led me to being an internal detector before it manifested into sickness.
I continued the same techniques, some guided with specific purpose, but to me there was nothing more precious than the ability to stay in silence and connect with self over those speaking, even though those can lead to accountability and tremendous healing as well. Both work, however, it wasn’t my start. Quieting the mind not only connects you to you, and helps to resolve deep seated emotions, unresolved triggers. It can have a major impact on your whole life. After my specific silence training within 1 year, I become the top revenue generated sales consultant in my 20s, I flourished in my career. I would sit inside my car on breaks and go through the meditation, My body pain eliminated , any fear I held within left, while my relationships grew at the same time. I was able to detect what and who were good for my growth and which ones would maybe stagnant it. Becoming more connected meant being more intend to myself, my environment, my emotions, and ultimately created this internal strength which radiated.
This took practice, I knew when I wouldn’t have time to meditate, I would drift out of my own alignment and harmony and emotions would take control of me. My “attachments” would take over. The moment I would take breaks, my body and mind would let me know. “Get back on track” I would hear. Meditation to me isn’t attending “meditation events or seminars in beautiful destinations” Sure they are fun and just like any motivation retreat set you off on this empowerment track however it isn’t sustainable, not for wallets either.
This process takes work, Once I found one teacher or two teachers that worked one-on-one with guidance, they set me free. They would always be there for questions. They had enough confidence in me to do the work and that I am my own creator for success. They aren’t. That is the confidence and real deal authentic meditation teachers where I believe need to get awards. They believed in me.
To me, meditation is personal. It is spiritual. It is connecting to your higher self, the higher power, and the healing power within this is unstoppable. It is not a “fade” or completely healing from only a few years of practice. It is living and a lifelong process. Ups and downs, waves, and each time a new layer is released to help you. You are your own guru; it is inside you. It is connecting to something bigger than us that is inside each and everyone one of us. Not from someone else telling you their style and what works for you. The spirit within you shares the wisdom. There is another source within you guiding you. You are your own healer, no one else. Once you get the introduction to meditation, know all you need is the power within you to heal and it isn’t easy, but it is practice. Meditation works, whatever style technique or many all at once, the answer is relying on yourself over anyone else and knowing you have the answers within yourself. You have the power.
“You have the answer within you, you are your own teacher”. — Amani Mind