My favourite part of the day is the Morning, the earlier the better.

It is usually anywhere from 6am to 7.30am, before the neighbourhood starts to get busy getting ready for their day ahead. There is a calm around my property, with the noise of the birds still singing their songs, and somehow the weather fronts feel far away; almost like there is a kind of bubble surrounding this particular part of my world. This feeling of security comes about through my daily practices of Meditation, two or three at different times of the day.

I would like to share an example of what this feels like.

Pouring myself a small coffee, opening the curtains and finding a quiet place to sit, in that order, and I am set to begin.

Being comfortable is vital so as not to be distracted by aching muscles from poor support or posture. When I sit, my spine is supported well with a hard backed chair rather than the soft sofa one. A few nice long breaths becoming aware of my surroundings, and relaxing.

Some stretches of my arms, shoulders; anything that feels tense and more deep breaths.  

Be in the present moment, not the past or the future. Deep breathing exercises can help keep you from being distracted.

Become aware of your senses, and what surrounds you in your environment.

Being grateful for everything you have in people and material possessions.

Breathing and releasing tensions in parts of the body, I start to feel stronger and lighter.

The above instructions take around 20 to 30 minutes but can be adapted to whatever length of time you wish. (They are not described in detail either)

With Meditation there is something that is not usually shared or printed in books, but when starting off with the deep breathing exercise, then releasing any tensions in your body, over a few minutes, you will either feel extremely tired and want to sleep, or the opposite and feel invigorated.

Sometimes it is better not to fight the urge to sleep. Meditation is not an exact science, so do what feels right for you. If you feel waves of tiredness, don’t fight, rather go and rest, and try your Meditation the next day. You body may be exhausted and telling you it needs rest.

If you feel invigorated to continue, then great, you can take this as a positive step in your journey. Remember how this feels as there will be days that you may feel too tired. Use the positive memory as motivation to experience it again, and again.

As I have been practicing for many years, my routine and self-instruction keeps my mind awake during the Meditation. It takes a disciplined mind to remain focussed, like in any new activity.

Learning to play a Sport, or taking up Art or Music, requires dedication and the individuals who are good at what they do, have worked hard to get to a level of expertise. Meditation is similar, where practice helps you feel more positive about life and your role in the world.

The beauty of Meditation is that you do not need to buy any special equipment, only that you be yourself, and practice when sitting or lying down, just remember to support your spine and be comfortable.

Sitting cross legged to meditate is not required either – last time I managed this was 50 odd years ago!

Thanks for your time.

Steve