What is it for us in meditation?

It took me for many years to understand why I should sit still, be quiet, and listen to my breathing for longer than just a few seconds. For me it felt non-sense. I have a background in sports. My father was aiming me to become an athlete. Moving my body felt right, being fast when I run felt healthy, so WHY should I make my body feel pain while sitting still? Because first it really felt like PAIN.

Yoga instead was calling me. I began with Hatha Yoga and Astanga. They were both physical. I got to move my body, and the pain during the poses felt like a gift. Well earned! Then of course there were the meditation part in the end. But luckily it was only for few minutes. My Astanga yoga teacher in San Fransisco even said that Astanga is 99% physical and just 1% meditation. That worked for my busy body well... until it didn't!

There is always a turning point, when you feel that the path you're walking is no longer leading you deeper into yourself (that was actually my goal in yoga, to know myself better), that you're only repeating same action over and over again. With my practice I was stuck in a loop. I needed to find a staircase, a spiral that would lead me onward! Then I found Kundalini Yoga, 50% physical and 50% meditative. There it was, a balance!

Sitting still was the most challenging part for me. I did not get the mudras, mantras or gazing. I didn't really feel anything, first. I have to admit that it took years to understand the essence of meditating. But now I'm so happy I began. Because, just this morning as I was doing my 25-minute meditation (imagine, sitting still in that long time in my busy body!!), I felt so many little sensations in my body and brain as the energy was re-wiring my nerves. When after the meditation I placed my hands on my lap connecting my thumb tips gently together, I felt the energy rushing in the left side of my brain. The feeling was physical, and it once again gave me confirmation that the meditation really works. Next week I'll talk to you about the mudras, hand-positions, and how to move the energy within by using your fingers.

Benefits of meditation:

• Reduces stress and controls anxiety
• promotes emotional health
• enhances self-awareness
• lengthens attention span
•  may reduce age-related memory loss
• can generate kindness
• may help fight addictions
• improves sleep
• helps control pain
• can decrease blood pressure

(Source: Healtline.com)

If you are ever in doubt, or you don't know which turn to take in your life path, do this meditation for 3 minutes, to calm your heart. Only with calm heart and quiet mind you can reach to the wisdom of your intuition.

CALM HEART MEDITATION

1. Sit with a straight spine. You can sit on the floor legs crossed, or chair. If sitting on a chair make sure your legs are not crossed, but you're pressing your foot firmly against the floor.
2. Bring your left palm on your heart center, fingers pointing to the right. Your right hand is in Gyan Mudra (index finger and thumb tip form a circle), palm facing forward, like taking an oath. 
3. Keep your eyes gently closed.
4. Take a long and calm inhale through your nose, hold your breathe in as long as possible. Then exhale smoothly, gradually and completely. Empty your lungs and hold your breathe out as long as possible. Try to hold the breathe same amount of time in both ends of your breathing. 
5. Continue for 3 minutes.
6. End with powerful inhale and exhale for three times. 

This meditation can help you to calm your mind, so that you can get in touch with your true feelings, your intuition. Intuition always talks with bodily sensations, such as feeling good in your stomach or bad. Learn to listen to your inner voice with this meditation. Try it once, or continue for 40 days. See what happens.