“It is indeed a radical act of love just to sit down and be quiet for a time by yourself” Jon Kabat-Zinn
I began meditating about 15 years ago after an old friend and fellow bartender gifted me the book, The Power of Now.
It sat on a shelf collecting dust for about 2 years before I gave it a go – but it's not about when you start something but rather if you start.
Thank you Maggie, you have no idea how much that book helped influence the direction of my life.
I questioned whether or not to share some of the crazy experiences I've had through meditation because it's a very intimate journey.
I'm a level headed bloke so if I just so happened to spark up a conversation with a stranger who claimed to experience what I'm about to share, I would've thought that guy was Bananas with a capital "B".
These are not in any particular order either. Here goes it…
Stopped all thoughts for extended periods of time, plunging myself into a deep state of awareness while transcending time and space.
No joke here… accessed dozens of my past lives with vivid clarity. (This one made my Top 5 list for sure.)
Was gifted the experience of viewing glimpses of a highly likely future. Wife, children, book signings, speaking engagements and even my potential death… eek.
Took in depth dives of my physiology, discovering that my conscious awareness could map out my internal operations while healing certain parts.
Astral projected, left my body and watched myself from across the room.
Held my breath for over four minutes while slowing my heartbeat to 7 beats per min.
Visited with loved ones who have transitioned into the Beyond.
Received very powerful and ethereal guidance not of this world.
Discovered multiple soulmates who I've known and had a really amazing bond with in this life.
Determined my purpose. This was pretty neat:)
Made immensely important decisions with absolute certainty I was making the right decision.
I can hear your thoughts: “This guy is bat-shit crazy.”
Still with me?
And I haven't shared the really weird stuff yet. (sweating a little bit now, nervous laugh.)
But these kinds of experiences and methods aren't why I meditate. I'm not hoping or looking to experience this kind of stuff from one day to the next.
I meditate to:
Clear my mind and center.
Train my awareness to be fully engaged in the present moment.
Regulate my emotions and live a more peaceful and fulfilling experience.
Give myself a much needed dose of self-love and self-care.
Meditation is like a vessel or a car. Most days you use your car to: get to and from work, social visits, and run errands. How much harder would it be to do all that stuff without a car? That's what meditation is for me and my students. It makes our lives easier, more efficient, and a bit more fun too. All that other stuff I mentioned is like taking different kinds of road trips or adventures. Most of us don't go sky diving all the time but it's pretty badass when we do. But ya gotta learn to walk before you can fly. And that's where I come in because I'm gonna lay down the basics for creating a healthy practice. Below I've included: Ten Steps to Begin Meditating And if you know me by now, believing in yourself and your eventual success will be your biggest aid as you get started. You owe this to yourself, it really is one of thee best things you can do for your wellbeing. If you're looking for something a lot more precise and technical, be sure to check out my guide on Amazon: Click here for Joe's Meditation for Beginners I'm grateful for you! Joe
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