So many times, in QHHT® sessions while in conversation with the Higher Self, clients receive the advice to do more meditating. From the Higher Self perspective, it is a way for us to connect with Them. Only when we are really quiet and really paying attention can we hear Their subtle, but important, advice and direction.
I’ve found that there are additional reasons to make meditation a daily practice – yes, that’s Their advice, daily – even if it’s only for 10 minutes. Besides being able to listen to our Higher Self, it also helps us get out of our own way. When we meditate, we become clear at observing our thought patterns. We can begin to see them for what they are – not reality – just thoughts. Much of our anxiety and stress doesn’t come from outside. It’s not about what happens to us. It’s about the stories we tell ourselves about what happens to us. And when we meditate, we can become more cognizant of those stories. If we’re aware of the stories, as stories, we can begin to change our stories, change our emotions, and change our lives.
Also, over time, meditating, whether that’s sitting crossed-legged on a cushion, or more along the lines of walking mindfully by the river, changes the structure of your brain1, particularly improved emotional regulation. I think of meditating just like a good workout. Our brains need “exercise” – and the right kind of exercise. Never exercising and then taking off for a 12 mile hike up a 14,000-foot peak will probably result in an injury. Just a little bit of training beforehand can prevent this. Never paying attention to our brain’s needs leaves us vulnerable to the emotional winds of cable news streams or mother-in-law nagging. A regular practice of meditating can inoculate us from stress and disaster fantasies.
It seems that a little goes along way. Find a comfy chair, close the Instagram feed, put the phone on “do not disturb”, turn off the music, close your eyes, breath as deeply as you possibly can three times, and then just pay attention to your thoughts. After observing the thought, just brush it gently aside and try to remain thought-less as long as you can. It may be a single second; it may be several seconds. And when the next thought arises, same thing, observe it and then gently brush it aside. Just meditating a few minutes every day can connect you with your Higher Self, or improve your thought patterns, or change the very structure of your brain.
1. Gotink, R.A., Meijboom, R., Vernooij, M.W., Smits, M., Huninkabd, M.G.M., “8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction induces brain changes similar to traditional long-term meditation practice – A systematic review”, Brain and Cognition, Volume 108, October 2016, Pages 32-41