A reduce 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 the 'baggage'. What is the 'baggage' that causes stress? THINKING about the past or the future (especially ruminating about them) is the root cause of most stress.

Thoughts create emotions – some thoughts, especially unrealizable expectations, cause stress and much of the anxiety that we see so much of these days.

We can learn to detach from such thoughts through regular meditation practice, and we can have a stress free 'ride'.

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 of 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). Just notice them do this.
  
  As each 'car' passes by say to yourself: "Not true - Only if God wills it." Then put your focus on your next breath. Feel the breathing!
  
  Treat all thoughts the same whether they are 'good' or 'bad' - they are just just different types of 'cars' passing by.
• Repeat this process for the whole session. Focus on your breath, notice your thoughts and feelings, and then say: "Not true - Only if God wills it."
  
• 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 enough 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.

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