Positive Health Online

Consider this for a moment: what you create feeds you. No, I am not simply referring to the wonderful meal you cleverly created yesterday evening; I am speaking of everything that you say and do in your daily life, from your expert handling of a challenging situation in the workplace to your silent regret at not having told someone you love them. Your words and actions that say so much about who you are as a person, are also what nourish you. When your contribution to the world is a positive one, in turn you are internalizing this positivity and promoting a sense of psychic wellness. Sounds easy enough doesn't it? Actually, it is not always easy to ensure that what you are sending out to the world is positive and soul-feeding. In fact, although we all like to think of ourselves as good people, the reality is that life's stresses can easily prevent us from honestly reflecting who we are. Here is the question: while caught up in life's whirlwind storm of responsibilities, commitments and demands, how can we not only be who we truly are, but also who we want to be?

Life Changing

Three years ago, Joanna Muller was deeply in debt, newly divorced and undeniably depressed. It seemed to her that the life she had worked so hard to create was in ruins. Feeling a mere shadow of her former self, Joanna thought that she had hit rock bottom. Maggie, a concerned friend, also felt unable to recognize the composed, happy, intellectually fierce and kind woman she once knew. Instinctively, Maggie knew that Joanna needed to calm her mind and achieve the sense of inner peace that would lead her back to the person she once was. Maggie devoutly practised various forms of meditation, including chakra meditation, which she hoped held the power to heal her friend. Feeling too tired to even resist, Joanna accepted her insistent friend's advice and joined her for a quiet and life-changing session of chakra meditation. Today, Joanna's life is a far cry from the wounded and unhappy one she once led. Asked now about her former life, she laughs when she considers her state of mind only three years ago and adds, "Although the way I felt about myself and my life was hardly funny; after all, I was a broken woman both financially and emotionally and my life seemed wrecked, now I can laugh about it because I realize that my situation was what it was because I was allowing it to be that way. There was a moment during my practice of chakra meditation when I came to this revelation and I learned to take back control of my life. By regaining an ability to think clearly and make decisions based on a well-guided sense of direction found through introspection, I found inner control and this control was also inner power. Chakra meditation can be such a beneficial practice; for me, it released the ability to very profoundly connect with myself and this way of being has changed my life."

Meditation Techniques

We are living in an age characterized by self-help remedies. From actualization to subliminal tapes to aromatherapy, we are constantly bombarded with feel-good fads that promise to change our lives. Meditation, however, is no fad. These spiritual and physical practices have been utilized for centuries by spiritual leaders and ordinary persons alike to achieve inner harmony and an over-all feeling of well-being. Chakra meditation, a unique form of meditation, has also been practised for many years by a group of serious and dedicated followers. Chakra meditation is a form of relaxation that involves deep concentration to calm the mind and ground the body. By achieving an uninterrupted level of focus, psychic energy is able to flow through the body, energizing and reinvigorating the body's different chakras along the way. But what is a chakra you may ask? The word is derived from Sanskrit and means wheel or vortex. With the image of a wheel in mind, picture chakras as energy centres that direct the flow of energy throughout the body in a continuous motion. Our chakras are a part of our consciousness, and how we use them shapes the decisions we make in our lives. To harness the hidden potential of your chakras, you need only to discover a meditative method that works for you.

There are different ways to practise chakra meditation, including methods aimed at those who have never enjoyed the form before. Although there are many schools and teachers well-versed in the practice, all with their own method of instruction, chakra meditation can be undertaken on one's own. To begin, it is imperative that you are dressed in loose and comfortable clothes and are in a space free from noise and interruption. In a sitting or lying down position, turn your attention to one small part of your body such as the tip of your nose. Focus on the feeling you have in that one small area and attempt to connect with the subtle details of that body part. When you feel confident that you have done this, allow the feeling of concentration to spread to the rest of your face, but be careful not to absorb too much information. The idea behind this meditative practice is that the exercise should be organic in its flow and seamless in its gentle, wave-like movement throughout the body. Invariably, you will be interrupted by thoughts from the outside world, and when this happens, allow yourself to acknowledge the thoughts and then let them go and return to the focal point of your concentration. Do not be impatient. Chakra meditation is a learned technique that takes practice. One way of assisting yourself in the meditative process is with the use of music. Many followers of chakra meditation use a special musical composition with soft sounds and personalized musical tones that will lead them to a place of peace. At the outset of your meditative practice, it may be advised to incorporate music into your session, as it is often cited by beginners as helpful. Chakra meditation is a personal journey that will at times seem difficult for the novice, but with perseverance it can be mastered and it will yield its positive effects.

Benefits of Meditation

Over time, the practice of chakra meditation has the power to transform your way of thinking. As Joanna Muller learned, achieving success in this form of meditation can bring you to a heightened sense of awareness in the world and change your way of being in it. For many individuals, practising chakra meditation daily has led them to a keen awareness of what causes certain behaviours, as well as a better understanding of others. Life is challenging and in those particularly difficult moments it does not always seem possible to act in the way that we know we should. Negativity can all too easily creep into our lives and affect the way we treat others. Succumbing to negative thoughts and actions can trap us in a cycle that will continually inhibit our ability to make a positive contribution. Through chakra meditation you are empowered to release into the world your authentic spirit and energy and this will fill your sails and guide you through life.