Guidelines and Tips
1. Begin with stretching activities such as yoga and deep breathing exercises.
2. Unplug the phone and put away your cell. Your top priority is quieting your mind.
3. Get in a comfortable position with loose clothing and practice emptying your mind.
4. Even if you have prior experience with mediation, listen to Part One (tracks 1 to 4) for review.
5. Part Two (track 4) uses a song-chant format. Try to develop a personal song-chant of your own.
6. Part Three (track 5) is very short. It explains how to transition to independent mediation.
7. Part Four (tracks 6 to 10) are exclusively mediation background music and sounds.
8. Many prefer to fast 8 or more hours prior to mediation.
9. Listening to mediation music while driving is not desirable.
10. Have a notebook and pen handy to record whatever come to your mind.
The term “meditation” means many things to different people and has been practiced as a formal element of major religions throughout history. One does not have to practice any particular religion to incorporate the type of meditation being suggested in Holy Moments. In fact, some who practice mediation regularly often refer to their spiritual source as their Higher Power or simply God. For the purpose of this CD, a Christian orientation is used.
Basically, the techniques suggested here conform to what is often referred to as “New Age meditation.” This simply means learning how to quite the mind. While this may sound simple at first, it really is quite difficult for many and requires serious practice to achieve.
Most of us are conditioned from an early age to incessantly process our thoughts, make judgments and comparisons and rehearse what we intend to say or accomplish to achieve our goals, wants and needs.
This “head chatter” includes what we love, fear, desire—as well as our anger, shame, joy and happiness—in an endless stream of thought.
While our intellectual and emotional energy focuses full-force on present moment needs and issues, somewhere beneath the roar and confusion rests a much higher source of intelligence and wisdom waiting ever so patiently for our attention. To connect with this consciousness, or tap into this source energy, requires both deliberate and habitual mind focus.
"Holy Moments" teaches a progressive relaxation and breathing process that will help quiet random head chatter. Then as the mind begins to quiet, you will be encouraged to focus attention on the space between the thoughts. This experience is enhanced through the delicate blend of music featuring the ancient Native American wood flute combined with song-chants, Tibetan bells, drums, crystal bowls, wind chimes and a variety of environmental sounds and with guitar and keyboard.