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 As my friend re-filled his water bottle, he took a marble from one container and placed it into another. I asked what he was doing and he explained to me it was a part of the ‘Counting Principle’.
For every goal you can make quantifiable - you will be naturally driven to improve.
I realized that human beings are geared for growth. The time we spend in school is learning lessons, sitting tests, and progressing when we have proven our worth. Our applicable intelligence is valued on a scale with reference to the pass-mark. If I was a C student and now I’m a B, I am rewarded by my support network and by the increase in self-worth.
This behavioral pattern stays with us throughout life. We continually strive for development and progress in all areas of our life – and it is easiest to value this effort and worth when placed on a scale.
The start of each year is the most common time to set personal goals. It is natural to evaluate the previous 12 months and challenge yourself to improve in the next. And we are taught to be specific with our desires. ‘I want to lose weight’ is not enough. It is correct to specify exactly ‘how much’ weight you intend to lose. ‘I want to be rich’ is too vague – Exactly how ‘much’ money do you want? ‘I want to get fit’… could turn into… I will run four miles without stopping.
Let’s start with weight loss. If your goal is to lose 20lbs, how do you know how you are going unless you get on the scales? You need quantifiable justification of your progress to continue with the improved diet and increased exercise, otherwise your desire will fade as you will not see progress.
For the runner who has measured a 4 mile circuit around their neighborhood and makes just 1 mile on the first day before slowing to a walk, will definitely be driven to push past the same mark on the next attempt. We need a measurable challenge to push ourselves. This runner would not stop 10 houses short on the following run because they would be admitting defeat. They would push 10 houses past the last mark. And the next day, 10 houses past that. No-one likes taking a backward step.
The counting principle states: Anything you can measure and compare – you will instinctively look to improve.
And everything you wish to achieve is quantifiable. That means, no matter what your goal – there will be a way to measure your progress.
My friend knew he was drinking too much soda, so for every bottle of water he drank he added a marble to the reward pile. At the end of the month he counted the marbles and compared it to the previous month. If he had more than before he organized a treat (like a massage) as a reward. Without the marbles he could not have known his progress. As he was striving for growth, and he had means to quantify his efforts, he naturally wanted to drink filtered water and not soda.
Look at the goals you have set for yourself right now. If they are not quantifiable, re-word them so they are. Measuring your progress will keep you focused and boost your self-worth. Achieving your goals becomes easier when using the Counting Principle.
Why not share below, one quantifiable goal you are working towards or have achieved. Have you ever used the Counting Principle for similar technique for personal growth?
 Click for a Free Guided Meditation The Magical Color Shower is a Free Guided Meditation you can download from this website. This guided meditation has been specifically designed as an introductory meditation, as it is simple, easy and safe.
It takes just a few moments to experience simple breathing, relaxation, and visualization techniques – to clear your mind of problems and your body of stress.
There are many benefits you can receive by either taking a ten minute break from your computer work right now – or downloading the meditation to your iPod or similar MP3 player to listen at a more suitable time. The most documented benefits are reduced blood pressure and heart rate, reduced stress and anxiety, a greater sense of peace, a greater sense of connection to your true thoughts and feelings – and indeed, your spiritual truth.
With these immediate changes in your being, it will allow deeper and better quality sleep, more creativity, abundant energy and a passion for life.
Free Guided Meditation
Although there are many free guided meditations available on the internet, you can’t be sure they have been created by experienced and qualified professionals. If you are ever listening to a meditation and something doesn’t feel right to you, take a few deep breaths, draw your awareness and your energy back to your center, switch off the meditation and sit for a moment in peace until you feel comfortable. This should be a very rare occurrence, if it ever happens at all – but understand, you should be in control at all times. You must be open and trusting – but not ignorant to the suggestions of anonymous strangers.
That warning out of the way – rest assured, all of the therapists that contribute to Explore Meditation are intuitive professionals of the highest quality. They work in the light for the betterment and spiritual development of all in this world.
Please click free guided meditation to access the mp3 download. It is a simple journey in which you visualize yourself stepping into your shower. You will feel a complete wave of relaxation as the warm water washes over you. The water then changes through the colors of the rainbow, with each color imparting special qualities on your body, mind and spirit.
For those of you new to Guided Meditation this is a great place to start. For experienced meditators, it is a valuable addition to your spiritual resource library. The Magical Color Shower by Nigel Coates runs for 13 minutes.
I came across a great article on Michaela Scherr’s website called…
Eenie, Meenie, Minee, Mo, Which Meditation is Mine to Know?
 “Sometimes when I’ve mentioned the word ‘meditate’ in the past to some of my clients, almost immediately their response would be “I’ve already tried to meditate, it doesn’t work for me.”
It is a common perception for beginner’s to hold about meditation… ‘That you can either do it – or you can’t’.
If you can relate to this belief, please click the link above to read the full article. It does a great job of explaining basic ways you can introduce meditation into your life, (and she is definitely not suggesting to go on a Buddhist retreat or sit for hours in the lotus pose). How about… Writing with the non-dominant hand, or counting stuff?
Michaela also lists ten basic points to help your practice take hold. It’s a well written article, aimed at the beginner meditator, obviously drawing from great personal and practical experience.
In her words, “I’m here to let you know that there are many different styles of meditation, all you need to do is test drive some of them to see if there’s one right for you.”
Michaela Scherr is a personal change facilitator and intuitive business consultant based in Brisbane Australia.
 Namaste
I send a lot of email in my day to day – be they personal, or promotional for Explore Meditation. As a creative spirit I get bored easily when stuck in a pattern, so when it comes to the sign off I always try to be different.
All the best, Kindest regards, At your service, In Love and Light, Till then then…
But I was always intrigued by the one I was never game to use – Namaste.
I have heard it in my spiritual circles over the years but did not really know what it meant. I asked a few friends who had strong ideas – but their ideas were different. But then I remembered that little internet thingy called Wikipedia.
And no wonder I was confused! It’s worth a look just for the laugh. But I digress.
Namaste: “The Divine In Me – Salutes – The Divine In You!”
A polite bow of greeting or farewell used by Hindus, made with the hands held at chest height and both palms pressed together.
But as it is an ancient Hindustani word – the translation is open to interpretation.
* “I honor the Spirit in you which is also in me.”
* “I salute the God within you.”
* “Your spirit and my spirit are ONE.”
* “That which is of God in me greets that which is of God in you.”
* “The Divinity within me perceives and adores the Divinity within you.”
* “All that is best and highest in me greets/salutes all that is best and highest in you.”
* “I greet the God within.”
* “I bow to you. The light within me honors the light within you.”
And my favorite…
* “I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One.”
How can one small word mean all that! 
That’s all for now.
Check Michaela’s Blog – she has some great information…
And try to use the word Namaste in a sentence. When asked what it means – have a go at that last translation.
Nigel Coates
www.ExploreMeditation.com
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Hello {!name} and welcome…
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I came across a great article on Michaela Scherr’s website called…
Eenie, Meenie, Minee, Mo, Which Meditation is Mine to Know?
“Som
etimes when I’ve mentioned the word ‘meditate’ in the past to some of my clients, almost immediately their response would be “I’ve already tried to meditate, it doesn’t work for me.”
It is a common perception for beginner’s to hold about meditation…
‘That you can either do it – or you can’t’.
If you can relate to this belief, please click the link above to read the full article. It does a great job of explaining basic ways you can introduce meditation into your life, (and she is definitely not suggesting to go on a Buddhist retreat or sit for hours in the lotus pose). How about… Writing with the non-dominant hand, or counting stuff?
Michaela also lists ten basic points to help your practice take hold. It’s a well written article, aimed at the beginner meditator, obviously drawing from great personal and practical experience.
In her words, “I’m here to let you know that there are many different styles of meditation, all you need to do is test drive some of them to see if there’s one right for you.”
Michaela Scherr is a personal change facilitator and intuitive business consultant based in Brisbane Australia.
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Namaste
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I send a lot of email in my day to day – be they personal, or promotional for Explore Meditation. As a creative spirit I get bored easily when stuck in a pattern, so when it comes to the sign off I always try to be different.
All the best, Kindest regards, At your service, In Love and Light, Till then then…
But I was always intrigued by the one I was never game to use – Namaste.
I have heard it in my spiritual circles over the years but did not really know what it meant. I asked a few friends who had strong ideas – but their ideas were different. But then I remembered that little internet thingy called Wikipedia.
And no wonder I was confused! It’s worth a look just for the laugh. But I digress.
Namaste: “The Divine In Me – Salutes – The Divine In You!”
A polite bow of greeting or farewell used by Hindus, made with the hands held at chest height and both palms pressed together.
But as it is an ancient Hindustani word – the translation is open to interpretation.
* “I honor the Spirit in you which is also in me.”
* “I salute the God within you.”
* “Your spirit and my spirit are ONE.”
* “That which is of God in me greets that which is of God in you.”
* “The Divinity within me perceives and adores the Divinity within you.”
* “All that is best and highest in me greets/salutes all that is best and highest in you.”
* “I greet the God within.”
* “I bow to you. The light within me honors the light within you.”
And my favorite…
* “I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One.”
How can one small word mean all that! |
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The Sign Off
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That’s all for now.
Check Michaela’s Blog – she has some great information…
And try to use the word Namaste in a sentence. When asked what it means – have a go at that last translation.
Namaste,
(I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One) (Big Grin)
Nigel Coates
info@ExploreMeditation.com
www.ExploreMeditation.com
I welcome your feedback on the Explore Meditation newsletter.
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“The Most Beautiful Thing That We Can Experience Is The Mysterious”
Albert Einstein
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When writing of spiritual development, it helps to find simple analogies to give perspective to deeper esoteric principals. With that in mind, I ask you to please consider the humble light bulb.
 In essence there are two forms working together. The physical structure that gives it a real world presence and the energetic component of light. An outer shell – and an inner life force. Sound familiar?
Let’s explore the concept further. In the beginning there was only one design of light bulb. As society has advanced in technology and scope, newer designs are now available, and are proving to be advantageous. (Whether they direct light in a more efficient way, are more economic to run, or simply last longer.) The light bulb as a physical structure is continuing to evolve and grow for our betterment.
But a light bulb by itself serves no purpose. It only provides benefit when it comes to life. When a light bulb is filled with light, it can radiate its energy to the world around it. For this to happen, the bulb first needs to connect with something greater than itself. It uses the electricity grid to reach a source of power.
Now let’s bring this comparison full circle – human beings and spirit. Our bodies are the outer shell and our life force radiates to the world around us. We are here to make the world a better place, but can do so in our own unique ways.
Some, with a great connection to the source may stand tall and shine brightly, lighting the lives of many. While others may spend their time exploring the deep shadows and focus their light on the path of someone who really needs a hand.
We all have physical bodies, of varied design and stage of evolution. We all have a life force, or energy, that we use to direct our efforts. Understanding they are two distinctively different forms’ working as one gives greater understanding to our time here on Earth.
We are told to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly for a healthy body. It is not as common to discuss what do to for a healthy spirit. Meditation is an ancient technique for tapping into a greater power, giving perspective to our existence, and allowing us to live each
day as a light for others.
Guided meditation is the simplest way to experience these sensations, as the guide takes you through the process step by step to achieve your goals. If you would like to know more about Meditation Techniques, or How To Meditate, please click these links.
Do all you can for your physical health, and do all you can to shine brightly.
Meditation can be used for many things. Increased connection with your true-self, to reduce stress, for spiritual growth, to calm a busy mind, for creative inspiration… and for Healing.
Self-healing in Meditation can be very powerful, with many individuals using it to overcome pain, dysfunction and disease. Medical research is lagging far behind the accepted benefits from those who have experienced its power first hand, but as it’s an individual experience, what a doctor tells you what will and wont work is irrelevant.
When meditating with healing in mind, it is important to set your intent before you begin. It clarifies your purpose, gives direction to your practice, and lets the universe know what you are wanting to achieve.
The following extract is taken from The Beginners Guide to Yoga and Meditation, which is a $7.95 ebook available from the Explore Meditation website.
 The Color Healing Meditation
We are not just our physical selves. We are multidimensional beings, composed of an Inner Spirit, a mental body, an emotional body, a vital body, and a physical body.
The energy of these bodies becomes progressively subtler from physical to spiritual. Illness begins with disharmony in one of these energy bodies. If not harmonized, the disease moves inward, affecting the denser bodies, ultimately manifesting as physical illness.
Total healing requires restoring harmony to all of our bodies. This meditation is designed to cleanse and harmonize your various bodies with the healing energies of color.
Color healing meditation will provide you with cleansing, balancing, & healing at all levels: Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, Vital, & Physical. It also will develop concentration & visualization abilities.
The Practice
1. Sit comfortably with your eyes closed.
2. Visualize a large ball of radiant Golden light a few inches over your head. Visualize that ball of light slowly descending through your crown, filling your entire being with golden light.
3. Imagine yourself absorbing that light as it nourishes, cleanses & heals your whole being – your Spirit and all of your bodies – dissolving all blocked and toxic energies.
4. Repeat this exercise, visualizing a ball of Red light. Continue through the entire spectrum like this, visualizing a ball of Orange light; Yellow light; Green light; Blue light; Indigo light; and Violet light. Go through the spectrum at whatever pace feels appropriate.
5. Take some time to visualize yourself in a state of perfect, radiant health.
Don’t let the simplicity of this Color Healing Meditation fool you… It can be very powerful. Setting intent and dedicating regular time for practice can ease minor discomfort, give insight into the true cause of pain, and indeed, as has been proven anecdotally by many, to cure dysfunction and disease.
Of course, always consult a medical professional… but look for one with an open mind
In Love and Light, We Explore! Nigel Coates
There is something special about the sound of Tibetan Bowls when in meditation.
For me, I can ‘feel’ their energy, and it is as though I too am transformed by the vibration into a lighter, higher and finer vibration. I
am then free to travel to amazing places – without anchor to the real world.
 For those unfamiliar with Tibetan Music Bowls, I’ve included a few excerpts from Wikipedia, and a link to a video of a meditation using these sounds below.
Tibetan bowls are a type of bell that sit with the bottom surface resting. The sides and rim of singing bowls vibrate to produce sound. Singing bowls have a long history with origins spread throughout Asia. Today they are employed worldwide both within and without these spiritual traditions, for meditation, trance-induction, relaxation, healthcare, personal well-being and religious practice
In Buddhist practice, singing bowls are used as a support for meditation, trance induction and prayer. For example, Chinese Buddhists use the singing bowl to accompany the wooden fish during chanting, striking it when a particular phrase in a sutra, mantra or hymn is sung. In Japan and Vietnam, singing bowls are similarly used during chanting and may also mark the passage of time or signal a change in activity.
The use of singing bowls in Tibet is the subject of much debate and many stories. Some people say they were used for meditation while others say they were magical tools for transformation of self and of matter. However, neither theory is supported by reference to any Tibetan religious sources and indeed there is no evidence that Tibetans ever employed bowls in a religious context for anything other than receptacle purposes.
Both Antique and New Bowls are widely used as an aid to meditation (see the “Meditation and the brain” section in Meditation) and as a tool for trance induction. They are also used in yoga, music therapy, sound healing, religious services, performance and for personal enjoyment.
My friends at Yoga South Africa have posted a short video of a meditation session they held with Tibetan bowls as the sound track.
http://blog.yoga-sa.com/tibetan-singing-bowl-meditation-video/
With so much information on the internet to assist with your Spiritual Growth, it can be overwhelming knowing where to begin.
This post is to tell you of a man named Anmol Mehta, who moderates the Mastery of Meditation, Yoga & Zen website.
Although this website has an extraordinary amount of great content, the search function, or skimming the most popular articles will surely get you reading and learning something of great interest.
I have been subscribed to the Newsletter for many years and always enjoy Anmol’s posts.
Like this one… Opening Third Eye (Ajna) Chakra Meditation Technique for Psychic Powers
In Love and Light, We Explore!
Nigel Coates
Let’s try something more Traditional, because Amazing things can happen on a personal level when practicing meditation in its simplest form.
No guide to walk you through the process… No music to keep you focused. This is how meditation was practiced in the early days. With focus on an object, mantra or breath… or no focus at all.
I do not believe any one form of meditation is superior to another. They are all beautiful in themselves. True, some people have a better experience with a specific method – but that choice is personal – not universal. I do encourage the exploration of all forms, even if you have a favorite.
Imagine a child in a 40 flavors Ice-Cream shop trying to convince everyone that chocolate is better than the rest. When asked how many of the 40 flavors he had tried, he answered ‘one’.
 The Universal Mantra Meditation
This meditation comes from an ancient Indian text called the Malini Vijaya Tantra, which dates back about 5000 years. It is a very easy meditation, yet very powerful in its capacity to quiet your mind and connect you with your Essence or Inner Spirit.
This meditation uses a mantra as your object of focus. A mantra is a word or phrase that has the power to catalyze a shift into deeper, more peaceful states of awareness. The mantra most use for this meditation is: Aum. Aum does not have a literal translation. Rather, it is the essential vibration of the universe. If you were to tune into the actual sound of the cosmos, the perpetual sound of Aummm is what you would hear.
Although this mantra is sometimes chanted aloud, in this meditation, you will be repeating the mantra mentally… silently. Before we get to the actual steps, there are a few important points to be aware of.
• One of the keys to this meditation is repeating the mantra gently or faintly in your mind.
• The power of this technique comes from letting go and allowing your attention to dive into the deeper realms of awareness. Therefore, even though you will be focusing on the mantra, staying focused on the mantra is not the aim of this meditation. Trying too hard to stay focused would keep your attention from descending into the deeper realms. Instead, you will be repeating the mantra with “minimal effort”, and giving your mind the space to wander a bit.
• Resist the temptation to make something happen, and allow the mantra to do the work. This meditation easily produces a shift into deeper, more peaceful states of awareness. (The degree of this will vary from session to session.) It increases the flow of energy to the brain and clears away a good deal of physical and emotional toxins.
Because of this detoxification, it is best to keep this meditation to 10 or 15 minutes a day when first beginning. After a month or so, it can be increased to 20 minutes, but that should be the maximum for anyone who does not have quite a few years of meditation experience. Also, it is advisable to drink a lot of pure water.
Finally, mantra meditation accelerates spiritual growth as you achieve a state of relaxation and self-awareness.
The Practice
1. Sit comfortably, with your eyes closed and your spine reasonably straight.
2. Begin repeating the mantra gently in your mind.
3. Repeat the mantra at whatever tempo feels most natural. There is no need to synchronize the mantra with your breathing, but if this occurs naturally, it’s ok.
4. Allow the mantra to arise more faintly in your mind… repeating it with minimal effort.
5. Continue repeating the mantra faintly, and allow for whatever happens.
6. If at any time, you feel that you are slipping into a sleep-like or dream-like state, allow it to happen.
7. If and when you notice that your attention has drifted completely off the mantra, gently begin repeating it again, and continue with minimal effort.
8. After 10 or 15 minutes, stop repeating the mantra, and come out of your meditation slowly.
Some people struggle without the music or guide to stay focused on the practice. It is important to be kind to yourself when you slip. Gently steer your focus back on track. If you curse yourself or your ability there will be no benefits for you to receive.
Some days will be better than others… and it takes practice.
Please share your experience with this meditation below,
In Love and Light, Nigel.
The Guided Meditation…
Meet Your Spirit Guide
Meeting your spirit guide can be a giant leap forward in your spiritual evolution. Your Guide can give you confidence, connection and direction. Of your guide you can ask questions, and get insightful answers that ring true, often clarifying a situation or concern that can change your life.
Wanda Shipton is an intuitive guide who leads you on this amazing journey. You enter a safe and sacred space within a circle of candles, and your guide steps forward. A being of light, made of the god / goddess energy of love. Your guide touches your third eye and awakens your soul.
The full meditation runs for 25 minutes… Click below for the Preview.
Meet Your Spirit Guide – by Wanda Shipton
You can purchase and download the Full Meditation by clicking Guided Meditation.
If you have listened to the preview… or purchased the Entire Meditation… please comment below to share your experience.
Sean Sheep is a short spiritual story about breaking free from expectation. By Nigel Coates.
Sean lay freshly born on the cold earth on a night with a deathly chill. He looked up to the stars and knew he had to shine as brightly as they did if he was to make it through his first night.
And that is how he lived each following day. Sean questions his destiny and dares to dream. He wants to learn of new things and make discoveries in both the world and in his mind.
But the flock is against him. They are only concerned with normal.
When I say short, its nearly 11,000 words – which prints as 25 pages.
After you have had a read, return here and share your thoughts with the Explore Meditation community
Right Click the picture to download this Spiritual Short Story.
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