How to meditate
Exploring Meditation:
A Learner’s Guide to Different Forms of Meditation
- Have you wanted to start a meditation practice but can’t get it to stick, or want to learn how to meditate?
You may just have not found the right type of meditation for you. - Or are you a therapist or healer and want to learn more about meditation to use with your clients?
Meditation is not one size fits all, and individualizing meditation techniques to fit your client’s needs is optimal for healing
Part Three: Visualization
As a therapist I use imagery as a tool to gain insight into my client’s state of mind. In addition to gaining insight, imagery can also be used as means of changing one’s state of mind and promoting well-being. Here is a Visualization Quick Guide on how to meditate:
How to Meditate :
Starting off with Visualization Meditation: Candle Meditation
Imagination is like a muscle. The more you practice the better you get. So if you are just beginning visualization or have difficulty with imagination this a great exercise to practice how to meditate using visualization. You will need a candle for this meditation and it is helpful to set a timer for yourself to take off the pressure of keeping up with time.
- Start by getting into a comfortable seated position and begin to get present in the moment. A helpful tool to bring yourself into the present moment is to focus on the breath, specifically noting your bodily sensations as you breathe. Monitor the flow of breath through your nostrils, your chest, and your abdomen simultaneously.
- Next bring your awareness to the candle seated in front of you. Let your being only consist of getting to know this candle with mindful curiosity. Note its colors, intensity, and flicker pattern.
- Then after a couple minutes, close your eyes and imagine the candle flame that you have just burned into your mind’s eye. Remember it in as much detail as possible.
- When you have held the candle in your mind’s eye as long as you can, open your eyes and repeat the process. Try to stay mindful throughout the practice, noticing any thoughts, emotions, or bodily sensations that may arise during this meditation. Acknowledge them with love and kindness, but let them go and return to the visualization practice.
Here is a video demo of how to meditate using visualization:
Resources to Learn More
Meditation: The complete guide by Patricia Monaghan and Eleanor Viereck
– Tiffany is a holistic psychotherapist providing counseling in Woodland Hills (West Valley). She specializes in women’s empowerment related to self-esteem, self-confidence, and relationship issues. Her writing, public speaking, and teaching endeavors are dedicated to helping others elevate consciousness and well-being. Find out more about Tiffany at www.tiffanyshelton.com
