Follow this Meditation Checklist for Success

Meditation is vital for increased peace of mind and even enhanced physical health; we offer a meditation checklist below to help you finally reap all the benefits from deep meditation.

Twenty-five years ago, meditation was still viewed by almost everyone as something only practiced by dreamers and fools. Thankfully, that has changed. Today, there’s far less of a stigma attached to the practice of meditation.

Follow this meditation checklist for success:

1. Do it first thing in the morning. Even if you have to wake up earlier, you’ll find the habit is well worth the marginal amount of lost sleep. Can’t seem to get up earlier? Turn off your TV at night and go to sleep earlier. Or, do it before bedtime--it will help you relax so you can sleep more soundly. A ten-minute meditation can make you feel great, but twenty minutes or longer is better.

2. Meditate in a quiet place, where you’ll be free of interruptions. Turn off your phone and computer.

3. Sit cross-legged with your back straight and supported, using a chair or sofa, or against a pillow and the headboard of your bed. Those who wish to exercise more discipline may simply sit on the cold, hard floor, like the ascetics in ancient times.

4. Maintain focus--until you begin to practice the regular habit of meditation, you’ll likely be very tempted to do other things as you sit down to meditate, or your mind will simply wander during meditation. The subconscious mind is very clever and does not want you to detach yourself from your fears and mind drama; it does not want to lose control. Tell yourself as you sit down to meditate, “This is important, everything else can wait.” Also, imagine taking all the conce
s and issues on your mind and dumping them into a large box, telling yourself, “I’ll get to those thoughts after I meditate.”

5. Strive to maintain your discipline. Regular meditation is a discipline. In order to have the energy and will to maintain discipline, try reducing sugar consumption and eating more healthfully. Regular exercise and enough good sleep also help.

6. Follow a procedure that works for you. A popular one is this: with your eyes closed, take a deep breath, exhale, and begin focusing your attention on your chest plate. If your mind wanders try slowly counting and see each number appear at the point of your focus. Alte
atively, focus on your third eye, the area just above and between your eyes.

7. Ask for help. If you’re having problems getting into a good meditative groove, right before you meditate, make it a habit to ask God, or your guides and angels of the Light (or whomever you pray to) to help you successfully meditate.

8. Remember the goal of meditation, which is to detach from your mind and reposition your focus in the center of your being. You’ll know you’re making process if you feel a growing distance from the judging, active mind. As you detach from your mind, listen for whispered truths from deep within your being, as if you’re listening for an oncoming train. Over time, you will eventually receive consistently pure insight, untainted by fears and desires.

9. Make the commitment to getting centered through daily meditation, which will allow you to receive the maximum amount of benefits. The daily routine will also make the practice a breeze instead of a struggle, and you’ll be amazed at how easily you’re able to make time for it.

We encourage you to follow this meditation checklist to increase your peace of mind, the clarity of your thinking, self-understanding, and to gain all of the other benefits of regular meditation.

Copyright © 2014 Scott Petullo, Stephen Petullo