There are many types of meditation. The one definition that fits almost all types is..."Consciously directing your attention to alter your state of consciousness."

There's no limit to the things you can direct your attention toward... symbols, sounds, colors, breath, uplifting thoughts, spiritual realms, etc. Meditation is simply about attention... where you direct it, and how it alters your consciousness.

What is the purpose of meditation?

Traditionally meditation was (and still is) used for spiritual growth...i.e. becoming more conscious; unfolding our inner Light, Love, & Wisdom; becoming more aware of the guiding Presence in our lives; accelerating our journey home to our True Self... our Spirit.

More recently, meditation has become a valuable tool for finding a peaceful oasis of relaxation and stress relief in a demanding, fast-paced world.

Other uses include: Healing Emotional cleansing & balancing Deepening concentration & insight Manifesting change Developing intuition Unlocking creativity Exploring higher realities Finding inner guidance

Some Misconceptions about Meditation

Misconception #1. Meditation is turning off your thoughts or making your mind a blank.

Not True ...Inner quietness is experienced in meditation, but not by willfully turning off thoughts. Quieting the mind results naturally from:

• the effectiveness of the method used... and
• an uplifting spiritual energy that is beyond our own efforts.

Misconception #2. Meditation is difficult and requires great concentration.

Not True ...Meditation can be easily learned and practiced. Meditation is only difficult if we become too concerned with doing it correctly or incorrectly. Although staying focussed in meditation does become easier with time and practice, it is definitely not a requirement for beginning to meditate. Thinking that we should be good at focussing when first starting out, is essentially putting the cart before the horse.

Misconception #3. Meditation is not successful unless we see interesting things in our mind.

Not True...Although some meditations are specifically for visualizing, many are not. In those meditations, seeing things may be entertaining, but is not essential. Even visualization does not necessarily require seeing. Some people sense or feel things inwardly, and that's all right.

This is a meditation for connecting you with your Inner Spirit.... your essence or core Self. It uses the light that is already within you as an object of focus. It's a fairly simple meditation, but is quite powerful, and potentially very deep.

This meditation is said to be the meditation taught by Gautama Buddha about 2500 years ago. The primary focus is your breathing. However, the primary goal is maintaining a calm, non-judging awareness, allowing thoughts and feelings to come and go without getting enmeshed in them. This calm, accepting, spacious awareness is your Core Self... your Essence.

In this simple healing meditation, you send the powerful healing Life Force directly to the area in need of help. This Life Force is the energy behind all healing. Wherever this energy is flowing and in balance, there is health and well being. Wherever this energy is blocked or out of balance, illness manifests.

We are not just our physical selves. We are multi-dimensional beings, composed of an Inner Spirit, a mental body, an emotional body, a vital body, and a physical body.
 

Centering is meditation in action... staying in the Light. Centering means remaining in your calm inner center amidst the clamor of everyday life. Being centered means not allowing your Inner Light to be overshadowed by stressful circumstances or negative thoughts and emotions.

1. Breath Awareness #1
   While involved in whatever you are doing, bring some attention to your breathing... not your full attention... just enough to bring you back to your calm center. Breathe a little more slowly and deeply.

2. Breath Awareness #2
   When feeling stressed, take several slow, deep breaths. With each in-breath, imagine you are pulling all of your scattered energy and attention back to your Self... your calm inner center. As you exhale, let go of all stress and negativity.

All spiritual traditions have spoken of the ultimate goal of meditation. It has been called Enlightenment; Self Realization; God Realization; Nirvana; Cosmic Consciousness; Mukti; Christ Consciousness; Buddhahood; etc. Currently, the term "Ascension" is emerging in our collective consciousness to refer to this goal, so we will use that term for consistency. What, then, is Ascension?