ahh...to clear one's mind can be tricky to someone not used to it! thoughts are after us!! lol....
when I first learned to meditate I learned how to clear my thoughts completely by relaxing my entire body...sitting so still I couldnt feel my body..then focus on a white dot. Doing this will surely make you aware of all the thoughts that are going on!
at first we can only do it for a few seconds...total silence...totally clear. As we do it more often it comes quicker and for longer periods of time. I started with the recommended two minutes. Once I could do this then I could start any visualization or just be in silence.
mental stillness can come easiest without physical distraction (outside noises i.e. tv, radio, lawnmowers) such as movement. Becoming completely relaxed and completely still physically still or "silent" sets us up for the mental stillness or "silence"
to completely physically relax I take up to 5 minutes to mentally "talk" to my body. Sitting perfectly still with my feet flat on the floor, sitting up straight with my hands in my lap close my eyes and first start with controlling my breathing. For 5 breaths I slowly inhale to the count of 3 and exhale to the count of 5...this lowers my heartrate. Then...I say to myself "Toes relax" I talk to the to the toes on my right foot and say "toenails relax" I relax every muscle every tissue every bone in my body. I work my way up and around
starting with
toenails of right foot
toes of right foot
top of right foot
bottom of right foot
ankle of right foot...completely and fully relaxed...I tell them "relax"
doing this on just one foot..after doing this notice how your right foot feels compared to your left feel how much tension is released just by talking to your body!!
then move to your left
toenails
toes
top of foot
bottom of foot
ankles...
then move to both calves
knees
thighs
buttocks
stomach
chest
shoulders
back of neck
scalp
forehead
ebrows
eyelashes (yes eyelashes!)
cheeks
jaw
teeth (yes teeth!)
tongue
throat
lungs
inner organs
back
spine
every muscle, every tissue every part of my body completely relaxed...I move through and instruct my body bit by bit to relax
then focus on a white dot...sit quietly and just be
this kind of meditation puts me into a receptive stonis (or state). I can use visualization to bring about whatever it is that I need. Or I can invite in my higher power's will. Before I got into recovery this method didnt work to well...but since I got clean I use it to ask for my higher power's will.
Gets me out of my way!
I take about 5 minutes to relax my body and about 5 minutes of total silence...as best I can...it does take practice. I started with 5 minutes of physical relaxing and then 2 minutes of total silence...keeping clear of thoughts. Be patient because you may only be able to do it for a few seconds at first, which is real good evidence of how many thoughts are actually happening!!
The more you do it the easier and longer it lasts.
I learned to do this with a cassette tape that talked me though it. All I had to do was listen...then after I did that a few times I could do it on my own.
peace,
Missy