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“Meditating for the mind is as important as exercising for the body.”

Meditation is our connection to the spiritual world. 

For thousands of years, humankind has practiced the art of meditation. In earlier times, religion and meditation were inexorably joined and all the major world religions incorporated meditating as a means to connect with the One; a means to silence the physical world and experience the spiritual world; and a means to transcend the seen world and to reside within the unseen world.

 

A deeply, devoted state of thinking

And it was the monks, priests, and mendicants who mainly followed a meditative life within the confines of their monasteries and caves, thus, it appears that the conduit to the spiritual realm all too often excluded the general populace. Nowadays, there is no longer a barrier which prevents us from accessing and practicing this time honored tradition. While meditation and religious practices are still tightly entwined, most people out of the realm of organized religions who practice meditation are in reality practicing discursive thinking – a deep, devoted state of thinking.

Our mental state changes our physical body 

Whether it’s achieving spiritual ecstasy or attaining physical enjoyment from regular meditation (or discursive thinking), the scientific community as a whole identifies that a change of mental state results in a change of physical state. A body of research indicates a litany of ills including anxiety, stress, pain, and depression are substantially reduced or completely eliminated by regular meditation sessions.

Our happiness increases with our meditation sessions

There is also evidence to support the lowering of blood pressure levels, improving sleeping patterns, strengthening immunity systems, and increasing general overall happiness. In fact, a number of studies have discovered that your overall Happiness Index number may increase by as much as 20% from regular meditation sessions.

Create a stronger connection between the Source and your Self 

New Age scientists have hypothesized that habitually meditating creates a stronger connection between the practitioner and the Source which in turn releases blockages of energy which are at the heart of the many problems which we suffer from in this modern age.

You can have a healthier brain

Even though we have an extensive list of benefits from regular meditation, researchers have recently discovered other reasons to make this a regular routine in our busy and hectic lives. As we age, we naturally have a thinning of our frontal cortex. One study finds that regular meditation slows down the process and it also helps thicken this area of the brain when practiced over long periods of time. After years of being committed to this sacred act, we end up with a healthier brain.

Meditate to rewire your brain and increase awareness 

A wide number of studies also discover that regular meditation sessions rewire our brain. It seems that the rewiring of the brain results in an increased awareness and focus upon the present moment. Most of us spend a great deal of our time, scientists estimate as high as 50% of the time wandering from idea to idea, hence, there is little focus.

A lack of focus can attract negative energy 

As our thoughts race around in our minds, we most often than not are attracted to the negative aspects of our life; the bill that is owing, the car that needs fixing, the tooth that needs drilling. So, our lack of focus results in obsessing upon the negative which then places us in a negative state which then attracts more negativity to our lives.

Quiet the white noise 

However, a wide range of studies have found that when we meditate, we quiet the white noise of the outside world and become less judgmental in our worldview. This change then manifests as a more relaxed attitude that is not obsessing upon the broken this or the unpaid that. It appears that the brain is able to respond to self-monitoring and retain and maintain focus and block-out worldly interference.

Science not speculation 

This is not just speculation. A recent study discovered that meditating monks and praying nuns activated the areas of the brain that dealt with concentration and focus while they also deactivated the areas of the brain that controlled responses to worldly stimuli. Over time, the ability to control your focus upon the inner world and not upon the outer world is a direct result of the rewiring of the brain which is directly influenced by meditation.

Focus upon the purposeful not the superfluous 

Meditation is more than just a few umm’s while sitting cross-legged on the floor with sweet smelling incense burning and exotic music playing in the background. Meditation results in significant health benefits that help us to live a long and productive life. It is our ability to control our thoughts and focus upon the meaningful things in life and not the superfluous which bring about true happiness and good health.

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“Find your vibrational balance first – then your life’s labor will find you.”

Our goals can be taken away from us when we’re young

When we are young, we often dream about what we will do in the future and more often than not our less than consistent Self caused us problems. So, if we dreamed about being an artist one day and then an actor the next and a pilot the day after that, we were often discouraged from having such childish thoughts and told to think about a real job, even though we lacked the desire to do so; one that would provide enough money to get married, raise children, and buy a home, the kind of jobs like our family and relatives had. While meaning well, our families and relatives were doing us a great injustice when they believed we should work just for money, or work just for prestige, or work just for a family business.

Follow your feelings to achieve harmony in your life

In the end, if we follow their advice, we will suffer disharmony and live in a negative vibratory state which can cause us emotional and financial harm. Rather than discourage such ideas, families would do much better, and we would as well, if they advise us to do what makes us happy rather than what we are obliged to do; finding what occupation will provide you with the greatest amount of genuine happiness first will then lead to you to your life’s labor. And finding genuine happiness for what you do results in a positive vibratory state which makes this life a sheer enjoyment.

Encourage…not discourage your children to travel a different path

When your child is growing-up, encourage them to think big and wonderful and wacky thoughts of being an artist, an actor, a policeman, an astronaut or whatever profession that really ignites a passion or curiosity within them. As you child goes about their daily activities, they will no doubt experience positive things that accompany such worthy occupations. They will see a comedian make an audience roar with laughter; they will see a policeman save a child from grave danger; they will see a scientist discover a new planet somewhere in the farthest reaches of the universe – witnessing these various good experiences can then transfer to become the true experiences they have in their adult lives.

Support your child’s unbridled curiosity 

When you child is older and enters the workforce, let them experience as many occupations that their curiosity can handle and with your full support. Let them do menial tasks, let them apply for prestige jobs, let them travel abroad and live in a hut with natives who survive on little money and eat what nature provides for them. Let them experience as many different jobs as humanly possible with the full knowledge that they will find their true calling in life after their many experiences – both good and bad.

Experiencing different occupations is meaningful and not meaningless 

Many might think that job surfing is a waste of time and time is wasted money, however, we have many years ahead of us and all these experiences are not wasted since each experience results in what we are and how we go about our life’s journey. So, let them not have to do what you think they should do with their life, instead let them align themselves with the real them which is deep inside their soul. And, if they keep an open mind and fully experience each new job that they work at, our children shall exist within a positive vibratory state which will then lead them to their life’s labor.

What makes you happy? 

Now, at a certain stage of life, many find themselves trapped in a job which pays them a large salary, gives them little time to spend with their family, and puts a great deal of stress upon their health. Overall, it appears to be a recipe for an unfulfilled and unhappy life. What can a person do in this unpleasant present situation they find themselves in? Well, what makes you happy? This may not be an easy question to answer since the average person will make their decision based upon their monthly bills and unpaid obligations.

Your life’s purpose manifests when you are in a positive vibratory state 

However, to break the cycle, one has to view what they really want…not based upon the present, but upon their true feelings. I am not advocating just going out and quitting your present job with little or no regard for your financial and personal obligations.

Don’t allow limits to provide answers to your questions

I am saying just the opposite; start by answering the question with a relaxed mind and body with no limiting thoughts about your present situation. If you feel anxiety, you can never find that ideal job since a negative vibratory state will not and cannot ever lead you to a positive vibratory state which includes the work that you want to spend your life doing. Your life’s purpose cannot manifest under stressful or fearful thoughts and conditions.

Achieving my positive vibrational state  

I have experienced what I am writing about: I was working in financial services for many years and had wanted to enjoy a new career, but due to financial and personal obligations, my dream was always after this bill was paid or that bonus was received. I never gave-up on my dream, rather, I visualized my new career every day and experienced all the joys it brought me long before it ever brought them to me.

You may face many unpleasant presents before you live your passion 

As a result, it took many years of unpleasant presents to pass before I finally made the leap to a new career. I went back to university full-time and was making as much money doing odd jobs each month – selling carpets and automobiles – as I made each week in my past job. However, my vibrational state was positive and great happiness has filled my life as an English instructor in a variety of foreign countries. After 15 years of never having a single sick day and still enjoying my work and my students, I know that I found my life’s labor and it wasn’t all about hard work; it was about finding and pursuing what I had a passion for.

Love your labor and not the money

Find your vibratory balance first and then this will undoubtedly lead you to your life’s passion. You can reach this level of awareness and achievement by first, not listening to the wisdom of others. Second, by listening to your Self and then third, act accordingly. At that point, you will never work another day in your life.