Prayer and Meditation. MEDITATION?

Prayer and Meditation. MEDITATION?
--not just something bearded guys do on Asian mountains

As I went through the steps, this meditation thing might have been the item I misunderstood most. I had been exposed to prayer since I was a little guy.

I am surprised in my coaching, when clients and I talk about meditation, how little is really understood.

Those that know me are aware that I like to keep things simple, simplicity is a challenge for complicated people, and I spent many years making living as complicated in my head as I could.
I do not profess to be an expert on meditation; I do try to practice it every day. I have studied simple meditation and have been involved in seminars on the practice. I have had the privilege of working with a coach in England that, over the phone, has lead me to a deeper meditative state than I had ever enjoyed, and had taught me how to “trigger” to a place of peace almost instantly incorporating some visualization. But I digress.

As I got to this stage in my journey, I had established, on an increasing basis, a conscious contact with a higher power. That higher power was evolving in what it was exactly in my mind, but I liked the relationship and was thrilled to have it increase in depth and richness.

To have it continue, I was told to both pray and meditate on a daily basis. As noted, I was comfortable about the praying part; my ego did not want to readily admit that meditation was something new to me.

I asked a person who lived a simple, but effective program, what this meditation thing was all about.
The answer I got was simple, and to this day works for me.
“In prayer we talk to god, in meditation we listen”. What a novel concept, to listen, something I was not particularly skilled in.

I did some basic reading and took some seminars on meditation. What I learned was that I had to be able to take quiet time and shut down the “noise” in my head. To bring my conscious thinking of most worldly activities to arrest for a period of time. I’m not sure I’d ever tried to do that. I will also say, to get to a point were I was able to do it took time and effort. It was new behavior.
Today, I try to spend at least 15 minutes a day in quiet meditation. I can get to a point where I can just be, the racing of thoughts and ideas at a virtual standstill in my conscious state. There is serenity and a sense of well being that I feel in these moments.

Also through being coached and practicing, I can use a small physical trigger, in moments when life is rushing too quickly, to take myself briefly to a calm place.
And what’s in this behavior for me? What’s the payoff?

I am constantly amazed how after meditation, I can see situations far more clearly. Things I had not considered are revealed to me. It is an intuition, a genuine gift that comes through conscious contact. A gift given through listening.
I am sure there are thousands around who can give meditation options. I know there are deeply spiritual people who meditate for days on end high in mountains, and I’m sure having a very deep connection.

I was taught to improve my conscious contact with my higher power though prayer and meditation.
Meditation was new behavior for me. I learned to meditate and incorporate meditation, in a form that works for me, into my daily life.

Through the practice of prayer and that misunderstood meditation, my conscious contact with my higher power improves on a regular basis, and for that I am grateful.
MEDITATION? Yes, a part of daily living.