Letting Go of Expectations for a Better Meditation

In my last blog I discussed how sometimes we have uncomfortable feelings arise when we first start meditating. But what if you had a fantastic meditation the first time, and then you haven’t been able to replicate it since then?

When working with my clients I’ve found that if people have a powerful healing experience the first time and get in touch with their core essence, they have the expectation of a repeat experience identical to the first one, and this can keep them from experiencing what is presented to them now.

Let’s say yesterday in the midst of a meditation you experienced your connection to Source from a place of light and the light was connected like a beautiful and glistening spider web. Today you try to experience the same thing, and all you’re getting is the visual of a flower.

If you let go of trying to make today’s experience replicate yesterday’s, the flower may in fact bring you feelings that are different but equally intense. You might feel love and transformation in the depths of the flower and realize that flower or glistening light spider web, it’s all God, it’s all Source.

Whenever anyone has the expectation for experience “A,” they might miss experience “B” because “A” might never be meant to be repeated. Each visit within has its own unique potential of possibilities.

The point of all this is: let go of expectations and dive fully into today’s experience, no matter what it is.

Photo credit:   AlicePopkorn

What To Do When Meditation Dredges Up Feelings Not Related To Meditation?

Sometimes it’s easy to assume that because we started meditating, we’re automatically bound to touch a sense of peace. You think you’re setting the stage for your mind and your emotions to settle only to find the opposite: an incessantly agitated mind, or feelings of anger, sadness or loss welling up seemingly out of nowhere, or physical discomfort. It would be nice if we could always go to the peace but often we encounter that initial layer of mental, physical and emotional “static” when we first begin to meditate. It’s normal for physical, mental and emotional patterns to come to the surface as a result of meditation—it brings consciousness to what is inside of us that we may have tucked away, not fully cleared and/or are looking to heal on a still deeper level.

What to do with this?

Look to remain heart-centered and fearless while in meditation. It can be scary and uncomfortable to feel these parts of you come forward, but remain open and relaxed. Sit and be with the emotion and/or whatever it is (even the emotion of frustration when the meditation isn’t going “how it’s supposed to go”—for that, just let go of any judgment and fear that can accompany and complicate the frustration). Really acknowledge and feel whatever the thought, physical discomfort or emotion is and ask it what it’s related to in your life. Where is it stored in your body? Are there any mental beliefs/patterns connected to this? How does it feel? How has it served you (yes, even the things we do not see as positive can have served us greatly)?

Sometimes just putting conscious attention to it and fully acknowledging this part of you that has surfaced has the effect of “dissolving it”; but you have to be patient to let it really release, as opposed to you wanting it to be done. Ask—is this emotion/emotional pattern ready to be released? There may be a lesson, something that this part of you wants to communicate. Listen for it. When at some point the energy of that thought, physical discomfort or emotion no longer feels contracted replace it with love and allow it to blend into you.

Know that the process of healing, expanding and being more fully aligned with the light gets easier as you go along.

 

Photo credit:  rogiro

The Importance of Grounding in Manifesting Anything

So you may have an idea, a heart’s desire or an aspiration to bring something about – manifesting something. Obviously, first of all, you have to do your piece if there’s action required of you: if you want to write a book the universe can inspire you, but if you don’t put your pen to paper, it’s not going to happen. Likewise, if you want to be meeting more people but you’re not leaving your apartment, you are closing off the avenues to manifestation.

You have a desire and you do your piece. Next, you need to be grounded as a means of connecting all different parts of you – and this grounding is something the people often underestimate in the process of manifestation. Being grounded, being present, and being present in your heart, helps to connect all aspects of you and is key to bringing your energies from above and below, from the universe (source of ideas/concepts) and from the earth (physical/emotional realm).

What’s an example of not being grounded? Say, for instance, that you drive somewhere and arrive without any real sense of what happened between when you left home and you arrived at your destination. That would be an example of not being grounded.

To ground yourself, picture yourself being like a tree – roots sent deep into the ground. Feel yourself as not just connected to the earth, but being a part of the earth. Feel as though one main root reaches deep, to the very core of the earth (or what works for you). Take a few minutes to align with that feeling. Then, think of what’s on your wish list. Does it feel real in your body? Does your heart align with it? Are there any fears or conflicting emotions that interfere with it? Feel (don’t think) your way to a place of clarity and then hand off the list to Source. And handing off the list truly is handing it off – not checking every minute to see what else to add or whether it’s come about yet. Bring your attention somewhere else and let it go so it can come to you.

And then start feeling gratitude as if what you desire is already here and now. Ground yourself, and every step you take you will be radiating and attracting the reality of what you desire.

It’s as simple as that.

Photo credit: cassandra204