Key Messages
How To Stop Striving And Start Enjoying Your Meditation Practice
Light Watkins, author of the “Bliss More” book, has learned a few valuable lessons in meditation: You don’t have to try too hard.
Many people feel like they’re failing at meditation because they put in so much effort and still don’t find serenity and bliss.
However, Watkins has discovered that if you make your mind quiet and simplify your approach to the practice, it can be much easier (and more enjoyable).
In these sections of his book, he reveals these simple strategies that have been helping his students for years.
With just a few adjustments like using a Settling Sound or understanding the relaxation response, you will be able to start enjoying meditations without having to apply an excessive amount of effort.
Soon enough, you’ll look forward to your meditations as an opportunity to find even more bliss!
Make Meditation Effortless: Find A Comfortable Position, Any Place To Meditate, And Set A Low Time Commitment
The key takeaway from Bliss More is that meditation should be easy.
You don’t need to find some mountaintop or beach at sunrise to meditate.
In fact, it can be done just about anywhere – on your couch, in bed next to your partner, or even on the subway heading to work!
All you need is a comfortable posture; one that feels ‘effortlessly comfortable’ like when you binge-watch your favorite shows.
And on top of that, there’s no need for strict disciplinary rules.
Whether you get an itch or have the urge to sneeze – just scratch and sneeze!
When it comes to timing, only set aside 10-20 minutes for meditation twice a day – once after waking up and then again in the afternoon.
To track this time better, use something like a watch or digital clock instead of an alarm clock which would likely startle you from your meditative state.
Finally, practice makes perfect and the best way to ensure regular practice is by making it hassle-free and enjoyable rather than stiff and difficult.
So sit back in comfort, pick somewhere convenient yet relaxing to do it, keep yourself timed but don‘t hurry – because doing so will make meditation effortless!
Stop Trying To Quiet The Mind: Learning To Meditate The Easy Way
If you’re struggling to escape the busy chambers of your mind, perhaps it’s time to stop trying to quiet it altogether.
That’s because any attempt at keeping a thought out will only result in it coming back more frequently!
This was famously recognized by Fyodor Dostoevsky, who documented his musings on the polar bear; a study done in the ’80s by Harvard psychologists found that when instructed not to think of one, subjects could not help but imagine the animal more often.
The same goes for meditation; if one tries too hard to escape distractions and focus on something else, they’re putting in more effort than being mindful calls for.
By stopping your attempts at silencing your inner dialogue, you can actually get still – and likely discover a blissful state just below all the thoughts.
As Bliss More author Dr Benjamin Fry advises, practice The EASY technique: embrace every thought as part of your experience instead of expecting perfection from yourself; accept that whatever happens is neither good nor bad; apply surrender rather than having expectations about how meditation should go, then yield gracefully with how it actually does go.
When this cycle is repeated over and over again during yuor sessions, soon enough you’ll learn how to adeptly navigate through all of your thoughts until reaching true inner peace.
Discover The Magic Of Settling Sounds And Experience A Deeper, Calmer State Of Mind
If you’re looking for a way to enter the settled mind more easily during your meditation, using a mantra can be the key.
Natures Nutrition‘s Bliss More Book recommends using what they call Settling Sounds.
These are simple, two-syllable combinations like “ah-hum,” with the first syllable pronounced as “ahhhhh” and the second as “hummm,” like a hummingbird.
The goal of these sounds is to help you reach that blissful settled state faster and easier.
They create vibrational properties which train your mind to quiet itself as it sinks into its ultimate relaxation spot.
You’ll want to practice saying this out loud slowly and quietly before closing your eyes and continuing in thought only.
For best results, sync up your breath with your Settling Sound so it flows steady but remains just on the edge of perception.
Don’t worry if random thoughts appear or if you suddenly wonder how long you’ve been meditating — this is normal when practicing Settling Sounds.
Just come back to them when aware of their absence for maximum effect!
Also note that the point isn’t to control our breathing — that actually takes too much focus —but rather to take advantage of our innate potential for self-quieting by simply repeating the distinctly relaxing vibrations of our motto out loud or mentally!
To Build A Lasting Meditation Practice, Make An Exchange To Show Your Commitment
If you’re serious about getting the most out of meditation, then you need to make a serious commitment.
Light Watkins, in his book Bliss More, shares how an exchange (such as a donation) helps confirm your commitment and ensures that it will translate into stronger consistency and technique.
Watkins has seen time and time again that those who have made this exchange take the teaching more seriously, allowing the value of what they have received to carry into their practice.
So what should you give? Any kind of meaningful donation, whether it’s financial or simply giving of your time can work.
Better still if it’s something that would benefit others – it could be monetary donations to a worthy cause, or spending time with an elderly neighbour who has no one else to talk to.
It doesn’t have to be money – Light Watkins’ teenage nephew did his exchange by making sandwiches for the people experiencing homelessness in his neighbourhood.
The goal is not so much the amount but that it must come from true integrity and willingness.
It might seem daunting but don’t forget that even Light Watkins himself only had $900 sitting in his bank account when he made his own exchange!
Make sure you start with manageable tasks and focus on breaking old habits by building new ones – commit yourself wholeheartedly and over 90 days you’ll see great rewards from your mediation practice!
How Meditation Leads To Greater States Of Relaxation And Improved Mental And Emotional Well-Being
Meditation is a powerful tool for relaxation.
This ancient practice has been helping people to increase their awareness, reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, and achieve a better sense of overall wellbeing since its origins.
Recent research by Harvard Medical School has shown that meditation leads to what Dr.
Herbert Benson dubbed the ‘relaxation response’, a physiological state far calmer than sleep.
It is achieved through various forms of meditative practices, such as Transcendental Meditation (TM) or using focus points like Settling Sounds.
When performed regularly, meditation can assist greatly with stress management.
There’s evidence that it can help with overcoming difficulties in social situations, provide greater clarity of thought and lead to improved sleep quality at night.
In conclusion, meditation is an effective way of entering into a relaxed state in order to help combat the tendency to be thrown into an immediate ‘fight-or-flight’ reaction in times of stress or pressure.
Don’T Worry, You’Re Just De-Stressing: Understanding Meditation-Induced Stress Release
Any time you find yourself in the midst of a difficult meditation session, don’t worry – you’re just de-stressing.
De-stressing is a central part of meditation and allows your mind to detoxify itself and heal from the stressors it has accumulated throughout life.
During stressful sessions, it’s not uncommon to experience unexplained sensations or feelings and even slight fluctuations in body temperature such as itchiness.
This is simply evidence that the healing process is taking place!
The same fight-or-flight response that our caveman ancestors had been hardwired into us so that they would be better equipped to survive dangerous situations.
Unfortunately, when faced with emotional stressors, our bodies can react in very similar ways as if we were actually facing a physical threat.
Unfamiliar emotions tend to hit us hard, which is why we can get triggered listening to songs associated with painful break ups or even arguments from the day before.
So when this happens during your meditation practice, try not to become overwhelmed – instead look upon it as progress!
Relax and take note of what is happening within your body without judgement or fear; recognize that this is just temporary de-stressing and will ultimately lead you to becoming more present and at peace with yourself.
The True Power Of Mindfulness: Unlocking Our Intuition And Transcending Stress Triggers
Meditation has long been known to be beneficial in many ways, but a recent discovery has shown that its biggest advantage is the potential to unlock true mindfulness.
This is an enhanced level of awareness that goes beyond simply paying attention to your surroundings – it’s about being so in tune with your environment that you become attuned to subtleties, patterns and shifts.
True mindfulness is not just about being mindful of what’s happening in the present, but also being able to sense potential opportunities or risks lurking around the corner.
It can allow you to have intuition-driven epiphanies and take advantages of hidden paths and chances.
People who are practiced in meditation often report experiencing such moments more regularly than those who do not practice it.
Biologically speaking, true mindfulness gives us the ability to prioritize our focus and act on cues that may lead us in the right direction.
If someone can feel a call from their friend moments before they actually make contact, this type of detection could be attributed to this heightened awareness.
Moreover, without stress triggers holding people back they are better able to evolve as individuals and make different choices than they previously would’ve done.
Wrap Up
Bliss More, by Dr.
Josephine Rebosura, offers a guide on how to make life more meaningful by embarking on a meditation journey.
The key takeaway from the book is that meditating can help us develop a more profound understanding of life and transform mundane tasks into something extraordinary.
Dr.
Rebosura emphasizes the importance of saving intentions and affirmations for after the meditation session, as it allows individuals to go into their meditations with a clear mind and rested body.
Additionally, doing so also ensures that one enjoys the experience of ‘doing nothing’, which is an essential part of meditating and helps bring about inner peace and joy.
Ultimately, Bliss More serves as an invaluable source of guidance in helping individuals attain higher levels of bliss through meditation.
