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May/June 2010 Spirituality
Practical Meditation for Relaxation

by Mary Ellen Flora

You can feel better, look better and be happier while resting your body. Did you realize one of the most important aspects of exercise is rest? It’s also an important part of improving your overall well-being. You can create a new way of relaxing and even rejuvenating your body by meditating.

Meditation can be fun, restful and healing for you and for your body. You can use your meditation to rest your mind from your busy schedule and take a break from your active emotions. Meditation can help you quiet your physical body's intellectual and emotional chatter and allow your higher consciousness to affect your creativity.

Many people recommend meditation, including health gurus, counselors, psychologists, ministers and others. So, how do you do it? Here are simple tools to help you meditate.

1. Create a quiet environment with a straight-backed chair. Any place will do since you will close your eyes during the meditation. One woman meditates in the lounge of the restroom where she works. You do not need a special place, just a quiet one.
2. Sit straight in your chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands separated and relaxed on your lap. This posture opens your energy system and helps you use the following techniques.
3. Close your eyes and take some slow, deep breaths to relax your body. Turn your attention within and focus on yourself. Listen to your breathing and heartbeat to help you focus on yourself. Remind yourself to breathe slowly and deeply throughout your meditation. This helps relax your body and sends clear, rejuvenating oxygen through your system.
4. Visualize a flow of energy from a space near the base of your spine to the center of the Earth. Create this flow of energy from your body to the Earth. This grounding cord is like an electrical ground. Your body is an electrical system and needs to be grounded for you to use and control it effectively.
5. Grounding can also be used to release unwanted energies from your system. Try using grounding now to release any tension from you body. Locate the tension, visualize the tension melting away and flowing down through your grounding cord, and out of your body. Enjoy your grounding for focus, stability and release.
   Grounding creates a safe, centered experience for your body and puts you, the higher consciousness, in charge. Whether you are meditating, working or exercising, you can be grounded. Grounding puts you in control of your body and environment. It eliminates that spacey, unfocused experience and helps you focus on your present creation. Practice grounding while you meditate, and during any of your daily activities, and it can become a beneficial habit.
6. Next focus your attention into the center of your head, a little above and behind your eyes. This is a neutral space where you can view your world without being overwhelmed by it. You may see a bright spark of light there when you do this. The light is your higher consciousness, which will guide you in your life choices.
   Focus into the center of your head when you meditate. You will activate a neutral perspective, which helps you be aware of your emotions and other body communication without being engulfed by your body's experience. You will find centering in your head helpful in business, sports and relationships, as well as in meditation.
7. Put these steps together: sit quietly, breathe deeply, ground from your body to the center of the Earth, focus into the center of your head. Use your grounding to let go of your thoughts and emotions, and experience a few moments of inner peace.

Like anything you use your body for, meditation requires practice. The more you meditate, the clearer your system will become. The healing, rejuvenating qualities of meditation will become apparent in your appearance and behavior. The release of stress will bring a new sense of well-being, even if you only meditate for a short time. All you have to do is invest a little time to feel, look and be a happier you.

Mary Ellen Flora is the author of Angels Don’t Need Wings, and 12 other publications on spiritual topics such as chakras, earth energy, healing and kundalini energy. Flora also is the founder of CDM Spiritual Teaching Center. Visit www.c-d-m.org.