Meditations

Most people allow themselves to be defined by things other than who they are. They allow themselves to be defined by what other people think, by circumstances, by many things beyond their control. Or they allow themselves to be defined by their achievements, how much money they make or how successful they are. Perhaps they define themselves by how much education they have or how much power and influence they have. This one is especially prevalent in political circles. Some define themselves or are defined by others according to their station in life. Do they work for that big law firm or major corporation and live in a six thousand square foot home on the lake or the golf course, or do they work at Walmart and live in a trailer park?

None of these things, in truth, define us. In fact, not only do they not make us who we are, most of them are the result of who we are. No, we cannot control what people think. Nor can we always control outside circumstances that are forced upon us. But, we can control how we respond to those things. At this point I would like to stop and ask a simple question. I suggest you reflect upon this question. Don't just dismiss the idea and don't answer immediately, off the cuff, either. Take some time. Reflect upon it. Get alone in a quiet place, away from the hustle and bustle of life and ask yourself this question. What defines you? Or, in the words of a philosophy professor I had back in my college days and we won't go into how long ago that was either, can you tell me who you are without telling me what you are?

I warn you, this is no easy task and it will mess with your head a little. However, I believe the exercise to be of tremendous value. Everything in our lives from business to relationships to our faith and most certainly our sense of self worth, depends upon how we feel about who we believe we truly are. In fact, feelings will probably come closer to the truth than a more pragmatic analytical approach. Most of us have difficulty being honest with ourselves. Perhaps we are afraid of what we will discover if we probe too deeply. We don't always like getting in touch with our feelings. Do it anyway, it's important. How can we be comfortable in the many different relationships we have in life, personal and business, if we are not comfortable with and have not accepted who we are? So do yourself a favor and ask yourself. What defines you?


THE BENEFITS OF MINDFULNESS MEDITATIONS:With the hectic pace of life in the modern world, it is no wonder why more and more people are dealing with issues of anger, rage, stress, depression and anxiety, as well as many other negative reactions and destructive emotions. With busy lives and packed schedules it is also easy to find yourself going through a day on "auto-pilot" and actually missing some aspects of life. Mindfulness meditations are one way that people are combating these issues.

The concept of mindfulness meditations is to help you to be more aware, or mindful, of the many aspects of your life and of everything you are doing. So many times it is easy to get into a groove or a rut and fail to recognize patterns of behavior, attitudes, emotions and actions that begin to take over. Sometimes, it seems that it is easier to let habit or outside circumstances and influences "push" us through the day, and living starts to take on an aspect of "unconscious existing."

For years, experts have said that it is impossible to change anything in your life that you are not aware of. When people slide into the coping method of going through the motions of living unconsciously, utilizing mindful meditations can be useful.

Taking time on a daily basis for mindful meditation practice is the way to become aware of the patterns that a person has fallen into. Once this awareness is brought about, the person who is meditating can then start to see their life from a different perspective and start to see where they can make changes and improvements. In general, meditation techniques help people to gain a more balanced, realistic and grounded view of their behaviors, attitudes and actions.

As you become more aware of all the different aspects of your life, your unique situation, and the environment you are surrounded by through mindfulness mediations, this in turn helps your body to relax, which also helps the nervous system to relax. As a result, stress can be greatly reduced simply by becoming aware through the meditation process.

Mindfulness meditations can also be instrumental in helping a person begin to regain the control in their life that they have given up, while operating in that auto-pilot state. One of the most stressful things people experience is the belief that they have no control of their own existence. These meditation techniques can be very beneficial is raising awareness, breaking old patterns and restoring control over one's own life.