Article by Holly Lane
I decided to take up meditation as a New Year’s resolution, for a variety of reasons. I recognized some qualities in myself that I wanted to confront, and it seemed that meditation was just the next natural step in my journey of self-actualization. Deciding I wanted to learn how to meditate was the easy part. Figuring out how to learn it was the hard part. There are SO MANY different types of meditation, and even more meditation philosophies to sort through. I read what I could online, but meditation is not necessarily easy to understand . . . that is, until you’ve done it. After some trial and error, I came across the “Simple Meditation for Beginners” course. I was a beginner, and I preferred simplicity, so it sounded perfect. Here are the details of my experience with this program:
Things I wanted to accomplish. Meditation was important to me because I didn’t know how to relax. Also, I was having some issues with self-acceptance, and also encountering road blocks when it came to achieving some personal goals. (These were the things that I needed to work on. Your list may be different. Whatever the case may be, you need to take the time to create a list of your meditation goals. That way, you will be able to focus your meditations on your own circumstances.)
What came with the course. “Simple Meditation for Beginners” is broken into four parts – one per week. You get an instructional ebook for each week to help you develop meditation skills gradually, as well as a course manual (which gives you an overview of the entire process) and five guided meditation MP3s. You also get a virtual journal to record your progress (I was not too into this idea, but eventually came around to seeing the benefits).
Pluses. This course is super-easy to follow. You can tell the creator is a genuine lover of meditation, and that he honestly wants to help people learn. That meant a lot to me, as I felt that I was being guided by a friend. For the price, I cannot imagine a better starter program.
Minuses. For people (like myself) who are interested in learning about the deeper points of meditation (like the chakras and transcendentalism, for example), the course seemed a bit simplistic. Sure, I learned the basics . . . but I was left with the feeling that I needed to continue on in my studying if I wanted to truly grasp all that meditation had to offer me. This course is most definitely “for beginners,” as it states, and you will have to do further research if you want to progress on your meditation journey.
Results. Of course, it is impossible to measure the results in a scientific way. What I can tell you is that I noticed I was sleeping through the night after regular practice of the techniques I learned in the system (and I used to wake up several times a night with anxiety). I also felt more positive throughout the day. That’s the best way I have of describing it: I simply had less negative and detrimental thoughts. Lastly (and perhaps this is the most tangible indicator of my success): I finally accomplished those personal goals I’d set for myself the prior year, which up until that point had been mere fantasies. That in itself was enough to convince me of the power of meditation, and of the effectiveness of this course.
“Simple Meditation for Beginners” is a great program for getting started in meditation. Although it does not reach into the broader spectrum of meditative practices, it does provide you with a great foundation to build upon. If you are looking for a fast and easy entrance into the world of meditation, then this could be the perfect program for you.
About the Author
Holly Lane is a single mother of two boys, a freelance writer, and an avid learner. It is her goal to help others accomplish their dreams by sharing her experience. She has just released her first eBook, “How to Go to College as a Single Parent,” and is now offering it free if you visit her site.
For a multitude of other helpful articles and resources related to the complex and rewarding job of single parenting and having it all, visit www.HowtoGotoCollegeasaSingleParent.com.
To get your FREE download of “How to Go to College as a Single Parent,” click here.
To check out the Simple Meditation for Beginners site for yourself, click here.
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