If one is not in the habit of meditation, then meditating regularly might seem unsustainable. I flit in and out of being consistent and not. What I know by now, is that, when I have decided to ramp up my mediation practices again, going straight back into long, deep sessions is a recipe for failure. Just like building up to a 5k run from having no running experience, you need to start small. Although an hour-long meditation after a period of not meditating won’t leave you with a torn calf or sprained ankle, it might leave you thinking that an hour is far too long to be doing several times a week.

Not only do micro mediations make it easier to get back into the habit, and to train your brain to go to that place, but they fit into a schedule whenever and wherever you are. Here are a few micro mediations that I like to use, and some that I am going to try in the coming months.

1.     Sit and Watch

I sometimes fantasise about the time when we had no mobile phones. Once, if you had time to kill in a public place you had very few options for entertainment. Sitting down somewhere, be it a bench, a wall, sometimes even the floor, and watching the world go by is incredibly relaxing. Watching humanity exist in a moment when you, yourself, have no immediate pressures, is a great way to allow the mind to wander.

2.     Peruse

Another thing I do when a moment of time needs filling is wander around a shop without the intention of buying anything. Again, this is a way of connecting to the tangible world in a moment of downtime that is much more organic and mindful than scrolling. Bookshops are my favourite. I love the gentleness of the atmosphere. I love book covers. Most of all I love the smell. Go into a store and notice it.

3.     Close My Eyes

 I did this in the wings of the theatre before going on stage the other day. My castmate prodded me because she thought I’d nodded off. I now know why my grandfather liked ‘resting his eyes’. There is something freeing about shutting off one of your senses for a moment. It makes you pay attention to the world in a totally different way, and, for me, helps to turn away from whatever was dogging me.

4.     Lie Down

I also do this backstage. But that doesn’t make it exclusive to performers. I’ll find a quiet corner to lie on my back, stare at the ceiling or sky, and listen to what is going on around me. Oddly, it allows you to be in the world for that period without having to be actively involved in it. Present yet somewhat invisible. Another wonderful way to allow your mind to relax.

5.     Think Happy Thoughts

In moments of irritation, I often search for a memory that gives me some perspective. For example, I have clawed my way up the career ladder and know full well that my eighteen-year-old self would be thrilled with where I am now. I like to imagine that version of myself. Or perhaps I conjure up a memory of a job I had way back down the ladder that wasn’t so great. This rarely fails to offer up some perspective and gratitude.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Micro Meditation Ideas appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

I hear ‘I can’t meditate because’, and then comes a laundry list of reasons, which all sound rather valid and impressive, but have absolutely nothing to do with a human being’s ability to meditate.

You see the fact that you are terribly busy, have a jumpy mind, can’t sit still, and can’t imagine finding the time to fit anything else into your Piccadilly Circus mornings juggling off-spring, zoom meetings, and your personal hygiene are in fact, simply put, all of the reasons why meditation would be so very good for you.

I used to teach courtroom advocacy to trainee lawyers at leading law firms and the first thing I would get them to do on day 1 of the three-day programme would be to check at the door any negative story they held about their public speaking ability. My invitation to them was to give themselves a blank slate and to use the next 3 days to discover whether they are actually any good at public speaking. By the end of the course, they were all performing in a Mock Trial as if they had been doing it for years.

And so, when it comes to meditation too, we must remember the truthful words of Marianne Williamson:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us… Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.

So right now – I’d love to invite you to give yourself a blank slate here in respect of meditation. Why not try meditating for a few days with an open mind and see what comes. See what you discover about yourself and an ancient practice that has perhaps always held a type of allure, for the simple reason, that you know deep down that it is part of your birth-right.

Start by reminding yourself that meditation is not a destination-based activity – there is nothing to do and nowhere to go – nothing to achieve and no one to award points. Meditation does not exist in a binary – there is no moment of arrival either as a meditator or as proficient, there is simply a practice that unfolds. There is no need to join a club or sign up for a story or doctrine, just the next breath within your miraculous body to experience and explore.

To investigate meditation you only need two things: the breath and the body. You have both, so I see you came prepared. The journey within beckons you forward, yet perhaps you are yet to fully hear and accept this timeless invitation. Perhaps today is the day? Listen to your heart – it holds the answer. And like everything – hold it gently. There is a rhythm to all life, including your readiness to embrace more fully your inner world of thoughts, emotions, and sensations. Meditation offers you a map. It turns out to be the map of your own consciousness.

If the last year has led you on a journey of self-discovery and you are ready to deepen that process – remember that at a certain point, all awareness falls within. The breath begins in stillness and ends stillness. So will you.

As within, so without.

My last year has taken me on quite the journey too, during which I was inspired to create a course specifically for people who think they can’t meditate but secretly wish they could. I have called it: Zen In Ten – The Mindfulness Accelerator For People Who Need To Slow Down and it is open for enrolment today on Teachable. In less than 20 minutes per day for ten days, you will learn the basics of mindfulness meditation and by the end, you will be able to meditate solo for 10 minutes. There are 15 places available at the introductory price of £55.

The full price thereafter is £95. You can find it here: Zen In Ten

And so I leave you with a final reminder that emerges as a whisper from the soul of humanity: You Can Meditate!

By Neil Seligman

________

Take The Next Step:

1. Join The Conscious Professional Mindful Community (my private Facebook group) for access to live weekly meditations and energy transmissions.

2. Learn the foundational practice of mindfulness in ten days with my flagship online course: Zen in Ten.

3. Discover if working with me one-to-one is right for you. Book your 15-minute discovery call HERE.

4. Make a corporate enquiry to bring The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes into your workplace. Book a call HERE.

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Why You Think You Can’t Meditate appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

It is ‘World Meditation Day’ on the 21st of May, so what better time to remind everyone what the very foundation of meditation is all about.

Meditation and mindfulness practices can sometimes seem complex, especially if you are well-practiced in the regular inclusion of meditation in your everyday life. But meditation, in its purest form, is really quite simple. It is an opportunity to remove yourself from whatever stresses and pressures are on you at any given time, and to give your body and mind a moment of rest, release, and clarity. An opportunity to simply live in, and reflect on the present moment.

If you are new to meditation, know that it is not abstract or pretentious. Many of us suffer anxiety, stress, and mental fatigue on a daily basis. Putting[ct1]  aside a small amount of time to release pressure and connect with your body and emotions, even for just a few minutes, is hugely beneficial, and can change your entire outlook and capacity for positive energy indefinitely.

So, whether you are a seasoned meditator or a newbie, support your wellbeing this week by getting into the basics of meditation…

1.     Start Small

I would not advise leaping into huge, 60-minute-long meditations or anything. Start small. When I say small, I mean between 3 and 5 minutes every day. You’d be surprised, as when you start out with meditation, even three minutes can seem like quite a long time. Often, when people decide that they are going to ‘get into meditation’ and leap into a long and complex practice right off the bat, they don’t find it useful or enjoyable and tend to give up on it quite quickly. Beginning meditation is the same as beginning any other new habit. You wouldn’t start your first running session by running a marathon, would you? Start with just a few minutes, and build up when as and when you feel ready to do so.

2.     A Distraction-Free Space

Before you begin to practice, ensure that the space you are intending to use is free of distraction. Distractions come in many forms. Of course, the most prominent of these is the mobile phone. If I have mine anywhere near me, I pick it up without even realising I have decided to do so. I put my phone on charge in a different room. Turn off your TV and your radio. Try and get a space free of pets, kids, or spouses if you can. It might also help to pull your blinds halfway down, or to swap your main light for a few lamps, just to let down the atmosphere, creating a soft and calm space.

3.     Always Begin with the Breath

The simplest meditation practice begins with the breath, and every meditation practice works in harmony with the breath. Once you have prepared your space and settled down in a comfortable position (preferably cross-legged on the floor, with a straight back, relaxed shoulders, and your hands on your knees, or, alternatively, in semi-supine), close your eyes and simply notice your breathing. Don’t attempt to force your breathing in any way, just pay attention to what it is doing. This helps to relax and steady the breath, but also to divert your mind away from the worries of the day, and onto yourself and the present moment. Even three to five minutes of this activity constitutes a meaningful and effective practice.

4.     Silence

It may be hard to find a space that is totally silent, but your meditation space should be quiet enough that it is not distracting. However, if silence is not possible, I recommend a calming soundtrack or some white noise. These sounds are calming and unobtrusive. Here are some of my recommended playlists:

Calming Music for Anxiety/Stress

Rain Sounds

Ocean Sounds  

5.     Stillness

Whatever position you are in, the most important thing is that it is comfortable enough that you can remain still within it for the duration of your meditation, as the discomfort can become an irritating distraction.

By Chris Thomson

If you are out in the world and need to find a quiet place for some brain space, why not try one of these… 6 Everyday Places to Seek out A Moments Peace

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Meditation: Back to Basics appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Meditation often feels very ordinary – so don’t expect too much at the beginning and remember – there is a practice of stillness in every wisdom tradition – so you know how to do this – it is as instinctive as eating, drinking, or keeping warm.

Is it just something that is done ‘in the mind’? 

Meditation might seem at first to be a mental exercise because often the body is static – however meditation teaches the skill of welcoming awareness into both body and mind, and links us to the deeper ways in which we might experience ourselves as human beings. In many traditions meditation also offers a path to spiritual development although this does not need to be the focus of your practice.

How do I meditate? Do I need to be sat cross-legged and hum like the stereotypes?

Yes of course. (No – just kidding!)

Meditation is best approached in a comfortable seated position. This could be on a normal chair or with your hips raised on a cushion and feet resting on a wider cushioned mat (traditionally known as zafu and zabuton). It is a good idea to begin with a form of guidance or tuition such as an audio meditation, an app, or a piece of inspiring music – something that you find calming and instructive.

What are three benefits of meditation?

1. Meditation builds stress resilience. The reason we associate the stereotypical meditation image with a calm serene landscape and stones balanced one on top of the other is because meditation teaches you how to align, come back to centre and find stillness when you are stressed or anxious. By returning consciously to the breath and the sensations of the body, you learn how to direct your attention towards peaceful stimuli and away from alarming ones. As many of the daily catalysts of stress are perceived rather than actual dangers – this skill is hugely valuable to anyone seeking calm in an uncertain world.
2. Meditation builds self-awareness and empathy. Meditation offers a map that allows you to know your interior self a little more intimately. As you become more adept at navigating your thoughts, emotions, and sensations a space opens up for intentionality and heartfulness which develops empathy, generosity and connection.
3. Meditation as a commitment to your self-care enhances your overall sense of happiness and wellbeing. The skill of being able to attend to the present moment, enrich it with presence, and practice appreciation becomes its own reward.

How long should I do it for?

There are always lots of questions about frequency and duration but it is important to remember that there is no set target here. If you were to build up to 20 minutes once or twice a day, that would be fantastic – but my usual suggestion is to simply meditate more than you currently are now.

So, if you’re not meditating at all – just try it once. If you meditate once a month – how about trying once a week – if it’s twice a week – build up to a weekday practice and so on.

Start small with just a 5-minute practice and gradually build up, not worrying that sometimes it feels easy and some days it feels really hard. Just keep showing up! Perseverance and a little discipline is key to get throught the first weeks and build a habit.

Is it ever possible to truly clear the mind?

Yes it is, but trying actively to clear the mind tends to have completely the opposite effect. In fact, if you ask someone to seek out a thought in their mind right now – this actually is much more likely to give them the experience of thought-free awareness. Try it now if you like: Go find a thought…what happens?

How can I get started?

There are many ways to begin so it is more about finding the one that suits you best. I wrote my first book: 100 Mindfulness Meditations – The Ultimate Collection of Inspiring Daily Practices to offer beginners a simple and structured way to build their skills and confidence day-by-day.

If you prefer an app, the most popular ones like Headspace, Calm, and Buddhify are very sophisticated and well-designed. Insight Timer is another wonderful resource that links you to a huge array of recorded meditations and courses from the world’s best teachers.  So, my advice is to experiment, find a teacher, writer, or guide that resonates. Instead of being overwhelmed by choice – pick one app and go deep into it, or choose one book and read it slowly – twice! You can bring your mindfulness to how you learn too!

Should I incorporate breathing techniques?

Up to you. Mindfulness meditation includes a lot of breath awareness in the guidance because the breath is the doorway – we follow the breath into the body from where we continue the exploration of interior self. If you enjoy the breathing practices in a yoga class you may wish to explore a pranayama class or try breathwork. All of these practices have many benefits and it is up to you to find the ones that feel right for your particular likes and needs.

Practice Time:

Got 1 Minute – Try a STOP

If you are feeling stressed or anxious I recommend practicing STOP, a pocket-practice taught on Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses to help regain clarity and calm:

• Stop and pause. Feel gravity pushing the weight of the body down – feel your feet on the floor.
• Take a conscious breath. Feel the warmth and energy of your body.
• Open – gently observe what is happening internally and externally. Is there an opportunity here to redirect?
• Proceed

Got 5 Minutes – This practice is called: Slow Down

• You have arrived. Take five slow breaths here.
• Acknowledge the whirl of activity that the mind is still chewing over as you begin your practice. Observe it neutrally and welcome it by allowing it to be just as it is. Know that it will settle in its own time.
• Offer your breath an invitation to Slow Down and take five easeful breaths here.
• Now, bring the same invitation to the body: Slow Down.
• Take five breaths as the Energy of Slow circulates gradually through every bone, every muscle, every artery, every cell.
• Next, take the focus of your awareness to mind and offer it the invitation: Slow Down.
• Take five breaths here and before bringing your practice to a close, contemplate how the Energy of Slow can be welcomed into daily life.
• Return to wakefulness in your own way.

Got 20 Minutes – Try the Body Scan

• Breathe and notice the body. Remember it. Discover yourself in this moment as a physical being with weight, temperature, texture, colour and energy. Take five breaths here.
• Are certain parts of your body calling for attention? An itch, a scratch? A shift of body weight? Attend to the body’s needs until it is quietly resting at peace.
• Now bring awareness to the feet and toes. What do you sense? What is present? And what do your feet want you to know about how they are feeling in this moment? Take at least five breaths here and gather information.
• On the next breath, allow your awareness to move up into the legs. How do they feel? Are they comfortable? Go slowly. Check in with the calves, shins, knees and thighs. Feel for temperature, movement and weight. Notice where you are holding on. Take at least five breaths here until ready to move on.
• Bring your awareness now to the central core of the body: the abdomen and chest. Check in. Listen. Feel. Be in your body. Notice all sensations, images, feelings and words that arise and take five breaths here.
• Next, bring your attention to the arms and hands. Let your awareness travel down through the upper limbs and into the fingers. Take your time and feel all of the sensations present. Simply notice. Whatever is there, whether it feels pleasant or challenging, take an inventory. Do not add any judgment or commentary to the sensation. Follow and breathe. Listen for five more breaths.
• Finally awareness moves up through the neck and into the head. Breathe. Listen. Gather. Observe. Witness. Take at least five breaths here.
• On the next breath set an intention to inhabit the body fully. Imagine the mind and body are one. Take five breaths here.
• Return to wakefulness in your own way.

By Neil Seligman

Here are some extra thoughts on how to use meditation to tackle your daily niggles and concerns: Mindfulness and Meditation Tips to Defuse Day to Day Worries

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Beginner’s Guide to Meditation appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Remember this: YOU are the awareness of this chatter. The chatter is NOT you. So observe it. Remark to yourself, ‘This chatter is quite a peculiar happening. It is coasting along without me. I will sit calmly here and watch it, and see where it goes.’

The one thing not to do here is to give any energy to any particular thought that travels through. Simply let them come and go. Know that if there was a useful reminder about something important that it will still be available to you in 5 minutes time when you come out of your practice.

With repetition of this exercise and time, the chatter will give way to growing periods of silence or stillness as the mind releases its grip on the internal window and gains confidence to be without content for longer periods. This silence is intensely nourishing for the soul. Meditating for 10 minutes where 9 minutes are spent watching the chatter and 1 minute is spent witnessing the silence is a great achievement.

Even if you don’t find silence on your first attempts (and you probably will not) acknowledge your commitment and your intention. Keep the attitude clean and positive. Every time you are sitting down to practice, you are closer to finding the silence. Every step is crucial for the journey.

With practice, persistence, forgiveness and non-judgement, you will develop your ability to reach the point of silence or emptiness and maintain it for a few minutes. You have now become the neutral witness of your thoughts. You have learned through experience that you and your thoughts are separate. You now know yourself to be the awareness in which thought arises.

This is a huge lesson. It changes everything.

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post The Conscious Guide to Quitening Your Mind appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

The starting point for increasing our personal capacity for mindfulness must be a practice of stillness. Group classes make the practice accessible and fun whilst a daily ritual of home meditation is fundamental. Whilst, the challenges are intense, the learning is exciting and the discoveries plentiful.

Beginning to uncover your own internal sphere of experience is a little like exploring a new world and as such can be a surprisingly enjoyable and unexpected endeavour.

Whatever you do find in your internal sphere, the mystery and the wisdom that you discover will be your own. As you go deeper into the experience there will no longer be any need to rely upon someone else’s definition of mindfulness because you will know that state for yourself and perhaps increasingly choose to live and create from it.

So I would encourage you to move further towards mindfulness and experiment with meditation. With a bit of luck, the mysteries will come along hand-in-hand with the wisdom.

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post How To Increase Your Capacity For Mindfulness appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Simply sitting in the silence and following its waves could provide a lifetime of teaching. Once the mind is still you may find that there are other streams of intelligence that become audible. Listen for the inner voice, the wisdom of the higher self and the whispers of revelation. Discover yourself anew. Many aspects that are available to be witnessed are not easy to define or name so don’t. Simply be the witness of the riches that arises from within the silence.

If you prefer a little structure to guide you within, I suggest three requests to contemplate in turn. These requests were ‘given’ to me when I meditated atop the Galzig mountain in St Anton, Austria.

1. Ask For Alignment

2. Ask for the Healings

3. Ask for the Teachings

Experimenting with these requests I have found the following:

1. Alignment

Once the mind has calmed and I have found the stillness within, I say to myself,

 “I ask for alignment…”

I simply then wait. Sometimes nothing occurs in which case I wait for a moment and then move to the next request. However, sometimes I feel my body physically aligning. Often this centres around the spine but can also be felt as subtle energy shifts within the whole of my body. I also notice alignments in other subtle ways which are hard to define, my emotions seem to settle further, my mind feels larger and less constrained. Contractions release.

I simply allow this process to occur peacefully until it feels complete.

2. The Healings

I say to myself,

 “I ask for the healings…”

I then wait again and watch for the flow of further subtle energies and processes. If words come to me in this part of the meditation I may pay them a little more attention, scanning to see whether they have the transient aroma of passing mind chatter or the denser more peaceful wisdom of the inner voice.

In this phase, the energies that can be experienced within the body can be quite strong. At times, healing energy is gentle but it can also be thorough, cleansing and challenging. Simply witness the sensations that arise within you and note the areas which seem to be most active.

Witness the healing phase until you feel it is complete.

3. The Teachings

I then say to myself,

“I ask for the teachings…”

I had in fact asked this very question when meditating on Mount Galzig in Austria when I was guided by my inner voice to begin using these three requests in my own meditation practice and in teaching others.

On some days the teachings are profound, on others days there is only silence. Accept each day’s bounty with gratitude just the same.

Use this structure to guide your next meditation and see what comes up for you!

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post A Conscious Guide to Meditation for the Regular Practitioner appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Did I lose you? Here, we encounter the limitation of words when describing experiential phenomenon. My description can only reference the experience of meditation for those who have already had the experience. For those that haven’t been there, the words can only serve to arouse curiosity of might even put you off!

With this in mind, through incorrect usage, meditation has also come to mean ‘any practice or ritual which brings one towards the pure state of conscious experience’. Thus the practice of contemplation to welcome in the state of meditation, has itself been dubbed meditation, as has the ritual of sitting down cross-legged with your eyes closed.

So when most people say they are going off to meditate, what they are actually doing is going to practice the craft of contemplation. This might be breathe-awareness or thought-monitoring and meditation is an experience that sometimes occurs during that practice.

The distinction between contemplation and meditation could be summarised as follows. Contemplation is something you do. Meditation is something you be.

I sometimes intrigue my class by telling them that meditation is something that simply occurs ‘when awareness comes to meet you in the silence’. It is just an idea, but it gives you the sense that meditation is something that arises, it is not something that you ‘do’.

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post What is Meditation? appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Meditation is commonly prescribed as an antidote to the stress caused by this inability to stop thinking and to become quiet within our own being. However, whilst many clients try to meditate, they quickly give up because of a simple mistake – they think something incredible is going to ‘happen’ almost immediately. They also expect to reach stage 2 (the expansive discovery state) without going through stage 1 (the boring mind-bilge waitout)…and as they weren’t expecting stage 1 to be so hard and so dull, they often give up within a week or less. By managing expectations and preparing for the difficulties, meditation can become part of your daily routine with minimal fuss.

STOP DOING : BE

The first thing to get past is any expectation that something is going to ‘happen’ because you are ‘doing’ something different. The thing to bear in mind is that the ‘happening’ that you are after is exactly that which you couldn’t stop if you wanted to. The ‘happening’ you are looking for is simply the natural state of you. At its heart, meditation is not about ‘doing’ anything, it is about noticing something that is already ‘happening’, whether you intend it or not.

Now, if meditation is just sitting still and noticing something that is already happening, why is it that we find it so challenging? What is the tricky bit?

Well, apart from our hesitation in making a commitment to set aside time in our hectic lives, the tricky bit is letting all the stuff which isn’t quite so natural simmer down for long enough that we actually get a good whiff of what has been happening all along…ie the self. YOU. You have been happening all along – and by that I mean humming along in quite an incredible way.

This pure place of ‘being’, is the foundation of all meditation, but is the most difficult and the least interesting stage.  It is where most meditators dabble and then give up. It is a practice of simply allowing the mind to become silent through witnessing. The second stage, the stage of discovery, is only available once stage 1 has been achieved. Stage 2 is the gift. It is far more exciting and expansive. The possibilities for discovery in stage 2 are limitless but include self-exploration, contemplation and opening to wisdom. So persist in just being, welcome challenges and initial barriers and release expectations. With commitment, dedication and gentleness you will soon be exploring the wonderful gifts that this practice unfolds.

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

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