COURSE REMINDERS
10-POINT CHEAT SHEET
1. DON'T TRY!
Remember, we don’t try to meditate. We just start, listen for the mantra, and allow it to come to us effortlessly, the same as any other thoughts.
2. GET COMFY
Sitting comfortably is the name of the game, with back supported and head free.
3. IT'S JUST AN IDEA
Mental repetition of the mantra is not a clear pronunciation; it’s a faint idea. The mantra may change, become distorted, become quieter, fainter, faster or slower, etc.
4. LET IT GO
If we seem to be forgetting the mantra, we don’t try to hold on; let it go. Remember, the mantra is just a mind vehicle. Trying to hold onto it is effortful and will prevent us from de-exciting the mind fully.
5. DON'T CONTROL THE TEMPO
We don’t try to make a rhythm of the mantra or control its tempo.
6. WE LOVE THOUGHTS
Thoughts are our friends; a sign of correct practice and a byproduct of stress release. When we notice we're having thoughts, we know some stress has just been released.
7. RETURN TO THE MANTRA
When we notice we're having thoughts or are in some way “off the mantra”, we just listen for the mantra to return.
8. START/END WITH SILENCE
We always start with ½ minute of silence with the eyes closed and end with 2 minutes of silence with the eyes closed.
9. BE STRATEGIC
Be strategic about scheduling your meditations — have a plan the night before for how, when and where you’ll get the next day’s in. When strategies fail, use tactics as exceptions, like meditating after dinner (even after a glass of wine!); meditating under less than ideal conditions is always better than not meditating.
10. STAY CONSISTENT!
Vedic Meditation is a twice-daily practice, and it's many benefits are based on practicing twice daily. By practicing once daily, we may get up to 35% of the benefits and release stress from the previous day if we're lucky, but we won't deplete the backlog we've accumulated over our lifetime. Consistency also helps wire the brain to build habits and give us more energy to complete our task.
With consistent practice over time, we'll eventually deplete our entire backlog of stress and stabilize the transcendent feeling from meditation into our daily lives — a unique state of consciousness known as Cosmic Consciousness.
SOMETHING FEELING OFF?
EMAIL ME TO SCHEDULE A FREE CHECKING SESSION
When done properly, Vedic Meditation works.
It can be easy to slip into bad habits with our mechanics though.
Students are encouraged to meet with me in-person or over Zoom for regular checking sessions to check the mechanics of their practice. Checking sessions are recommended 2-3 times in the first year and annually thereafter.