A reduction of stress meditation

DISCUSSION

Every meditation technique is based on some underlying purpose. The purpose of this meditation is to reduce stress.

What is the cause of stress? But first a little story.

A man traveled from New York to Boston on a train, about a four hour journey. At the end of the trip he was asked by a fellow passenger, as he disembarked, how he found the trip. He replied, "HORRIBLY EXHAUSTING because my baggage was so very heavy for this long trip". The fellow passenger remarked that, had he put his luggage in the overhead racks and taken a seat, the train would have done all the work for him.

Meditation is the practice of putting down our 'baggage'. What is the 'baggage' that causes stress?

It is, very simply, our THINKING about the past and the future and missing the facts that none of that is true, and all is well right here right now. THINKING about the past or the future is the root of stress.

THOUGHTS create emotions - emotions like stress cause behaviors like agitation. So to get rid of agitation we must change our thinking.

INSTRUCTION

• Begin by sitting comfortably and taking a few deep breaths and focus your attention on your breath.
  
• So ... imagine yourself sitting on a porch in front a street watching cars go by.
  
  Then, as thoughts, feeling, noises, and even body sensations arise, treat them as cars (they come, they pass by, and then they disappear). Watch them do this.
  
  As each 'car' passes by say to yourself: "I need do nothing about this thought or feeling - all is well right here right now". Then put your focus on your next breath, both the inhale and exhale. Feel the breathing!
  
  Treat all thoughts the same whether 'good' or 'bad' - they are just just different types of 'cars' passing by.
• Repeat this process for the whole session [focus on breath, notice thoughts and feelings, say: "Not true - God controls all things."]
  
• Do this for one minute longer than is comfortable with the eventual goal of reaching twenty minutes. It is at the twenty minute mark that the brain begins to change neurologically.
  

FINAL THOUGHTS

Daily practice is the key to reducing stress. After all most of us practice THINKING about the past and the future thousands of times every day ... We can change this habit with practice - and learn to live in the every present HERE and NOW where ALL IS WELL.

Trying to do this right is the only barrier to success - always take what you get from each session.