Meditations from the Mat

Meditation comes in many varieties, whether you’re looking to reduce stress in your life or find spiritual enlightenment, there’s a meditation practice that is just right for you.

Meditation as described by wikipedia is "a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state." While this definition sounds very technical, I like to describe meditation as a quieting of the mind. Our minds will never be "empty" of thought, at least not in my experience, but we can train them to become the silent observer of the thought, to sit back and witness, without becoming involved.

If you have ever been to one of my yin yoga classes, I like to tell my students that our minds are a product of our busy lives. We have trained them, since we began school and needed to achieve and plan, to do exactly what they are doing now - processing, planning, thinking of the future and learning from the past.

We need to approach our meditation practice gently and not be too hard on ourselves if our mind tends to wander, it is only doing what we have asked it to do for us. We need a mind that plans for today and learns from the past, but we also need a mind that can enjoy the present moment - living mindfully.

Meditation isn't meant to be a chore, a gentle regular practice will become something you will look forward to, as a way to find your centre, and still the mind.

ESSENTIAL OILS FOR MEDITATION

I often diffuse Essential Oils during my meditation practice to enhance the experience by helping to ground myself and promoting a sense of calm. Here are a few of my favourite oils to diffuse:

Frankincense - is one of the most widely regarded essential oils for use in spiritual practice, and is known as a link to the divine. From the tomb of King Tut to the birth of Jesus, it has been used for centuries. Diffuse Frankincense during your meditation practice to create a peaceful space; slow your breath and quieten your mind.

Lavender - is perhaps the most well known of all essential oils for its ability to induce calm and relaxation. You can apply Lavender essential oil to your temples and back of the neck to enjoy its relaxing aroma. In a spiritual practice, lavendar is known to encourage feelings of compassion. It is associated with the third-eye chakra whose attributes include intuition, imagination, visualization, and concentration, making it a perfect choice for meditation.

Sandalwood - has a sweet, woody aroma that is frequently used in meditation for its grounding effects. It is said to increase spiritual devotion, humility, spiritual clarity, surrender and higher consciousness, again making it a natural choice for meditation.

Balance - as one of my personal favourites, Balance Essential oil creates a sense of calm and well-being. Perfectly blended Spruce, Ho Wood, Frankincense, Blue Tansy, and Blue Chamomile, it offers an enticing fragrance that promotes tranquility and relaxation. Spruce, one of the oils in Balance, was used by Native Americans for wellness and spiritual reasons and is still used today to bring harmony through its grounding, peaceful fragrance. is a combination of essential oils that promotes harmony, tranquility, and a sense of relaxation through its grounding, peaceful fragrance.