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Elena Brower

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Art of Attention: Meditate in 1 Minute

Posted: 07/26/11 09:42 AM ET

My mom recently asked me about meditation. I had three minutes to communicate this practice to her, over the phone, in a way that would both serve AND inspire her to continue a practice on her own. I was nervous and had no plan, but this is what I shared, and it feels right to share it here.

Lightning-fast meditation to balance your head and your heart -- an actual, factual balance. Right now, as you read, feel how much energy it's taking to read and process these words in your brain.

Now bring an equal amount of attention down into your heart. Even though we read and compute first with our minds, play with this for a few seconds. Close your eyes and feel the resonance in your heart as equal to the resonance in your mind.

Why is this so difficult to do?

We all have a much easier time living in our minds than in our hearts. I watched a super smart woman today literally fight herself to stay present to her heart's voice instead of her mind, and she couldn't hold that space for more than one moment at a time. Our tendency as humans, simply, is to live in our minds. I've been listening to two of my colleagues, Kris Carr and Nick Ortner, this weekend as we're all co-leading a retreat up at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. We have a room full of accomplished, creative adults who seem to have it all together, yet when Nick does his work and we begin tapping on our emotions, our fears, our blocks, we all have a long-awaited shift into our hearts. Many tears are shed and pain is released throughout the room, literally folks who've had chronic pain for decades are practically pain-free after a few minutes.

Unravel the pain with repetitive phrases to define and refine awareness. Simultaneously tap on the primary meridian points on the body, and there you'll find yourself wide open and present to healing again and again -- all because you are now speaking to, from and with your heart.

Kris had the group write a letter to themselves to commence the weekend. Yes, you'd write a letter to yourself as though coming from your most supportive best friend. Every letter begins uniformly, "Okay [Elena], this is what's really going on." Again, there are tears, because the the heart is speaking and the real story begins there every time. Whenever the heart closes because of doubt, judgement, fear, dread or shame, the mind steps in to make sense of it, to deftly shift the conversation to something else. All of our energy ends up there in the brain, draining the rest of our body of energy needed for listening, praying, helping, giving or sharing -- all absolute requirements for healing.

So it's about the mind and heart together, on the same page. Let's get down to the meditation.
One practice, one minute to even out the resonance [the velocity, the intensity] of both the heart and the mind.

Sense the moment when you've arrived at an even energy in the two spaces. That "balanced" feeling lasts only briefly, but with practice, that sensation can be prolonged, and will be healing for your whole being. And everyone close to you.

One minute now. Take a few healing breaths and smile, be still here for just one minute. As you finish reading this sentence, soften your eyes, and make your heart as big, as active, as alive, as open and as receptive as your brain.

Feel how much softer it is in your heart now?

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: Bring this evenly open, softer state to both mind and heart, no matter what the context, no matter how vexing or crazy it seems in front of you, and watch as the confusion abates, everything gets quieter, because you're in your heart. Watch how you begin to feel more abundant. I dare you.

 

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My mom recently asked me about meditation. I had three minutes to communicate this practice to her, over the phone, in a way that would both serve AND inspire her to continue a practice on her own. I ...
My mom recently asked me about meditation. I had three minutes to communicate this practice to her, over the phone, in a way that would both serve AND inspire her to continue a practice on her own. I ...
 
 
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06:24 AM on 08/23/2011
Thank you for this article. I had just starting meditating again this week after not doing so for years. It is amazing how the ego and mind want to take you to some busy place or put you to sleep instead of focusing on the peace within. One thing I have gotten back to doing is I quiet myself before a begin a new task whether it is a conference call or eating a meal. This allows me to reconnect with my heart and get centered and whole again.
09:15 AM on 07/31/2011
Thanks for a wonderful article. Though I meditate whenever I can, this was great info for those new to the process or even for those of us who just need to take a deep breath. I've linked this so my readers could have the opportunity to read it and try it. Kudos.
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audaciouseditor
Publishing consultant and nonfiction author coach
07:41 PM on 07/28/2011
Meditation feels so good, one minute is too short for my taste. I'd rather bask in the good feelings for longer. One minute sounds like the amount of time it takes to take a dose of cough syrup. No wonder people don't want it if we keep telling them to be brief--they haven't felt bliss yet.
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Elena Brower
Mama, Founder of Virayoga, Art of Att
10:12 PM on 07/30/2011
Agreed. Agreed fully. This is really just for an introduction, for the folks who haven't tried it yet, to feel that moment of connection, of readiness, of quiet. The hope is that this will lead to many more moments... Thanks so much for your comment!
04:15 AM on 07/28/2011
What a lot of people tend to forget is that meditation (and all the health benefits that come along with it) is about "training the mind" Yes, things go faster now on all levels than they did even 10 or 20 years ago. But that doesn't mean that there is going to be an "instant"just add water and stir version available. There are no Cliff notes. YOU have to do the work. YOU have to train YOUR brain. As long as YOU are looking for that quick fix with regards to meditation then making progress is going to be so difficult. And that's why, as a professional trainer, I suggest you get a professional to help you at first.
After all, you don't go to the gym and expect to come out five minutes later looking like Arnie do you? Well, the same applies here!
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Elena Brower
Mama, Founder of Virayoga, Art of Att
10:11 PM on 07/30/2011
Thank you. This is really about what to do in the moment, for those who are being introduced to the benefits of meditation, to get just one moment of it is more than nothing. The hope is that this moment will lead to many many more! Thank you for your comment...
08:28 AM on 07/27/2011
This is spot on! Thank you for this article.

The heart center (anahata chakra) hridaya. As an adjective anAhata means unbeaten, unstruck, unwounded. and intact,

hRdaya can mean going to the heart. Hence hrid (hRd) as center and ayam as this.

http://spokensanskrit.de/

Namaste
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budanatr
US Expat in EU
11:42 PM on 07/26/2011
Thank you Elena, a wonderful practice. It is so powerful to take moments throughout the day to feel the Self and remember who and what we are. It does take practice though. I use these meditations as the practice, http://1ness4u.wordpress.com/meditation/, and then am able to 'return' to tranquility with a deep breath. A minute can become an eternity in this way.
By using a 1 minute meditation it can also change the rest of one's day. It can also bring us into a state of Grace as well.
By bringing to light the fact that meditation can be done in a minute you open the possibilities up for many people. Good job.
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Elena Brower
Mama, Founder of Virayoga, Art of Att
10:48 PM on 07/27/2011
thanks so very much for the encouragement.
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rawfoodsphd
Rx for Body, Mind & Spirit
08:22 PM on 07/26/2011
Such an excellent post in this fast-paced world! You hit it exactly in suggesting that we tune into the heart - we are such talking heads... It's very hard to get out of our heads, having a subconscious dynamic like envisioning a safe and rapid elevator ride down to the heart center can help.
www.rawfusionliving.com
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Elena Brower
Mama, Founder of Virayoga, Art of Att
08:47 PM on 07/26/2011
Rapid elevator to the heart! Thank you!
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rawfoodsphd
Rx for Body, Mind & Spirit
09:24 PM on 07/26/2011
It's a technique that I've used in hypnotherapy (www.drljrose.com) - kind of a magnetized elevator (assuring them it's very safe to avoid any claustrophobia :-) that works very well. Thanks for acknowledging! I really loved your post and will follow you!
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Fred LaMotte
I am nobody. How dare you give me a micro-bio.
05:49 PM on 07/26/2011
"Place the mind in the heart" is the instruction given over and over again in the 'Philokalia,' the ancient Christian Orthodox book on the Prayer of the Heart. Precisely the same instruction is given as an instant meditation in the ancient Yogic text, 'Vijnana Bhairavya.' This is not a new instruction.
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Elena Brower
Mama, Founder of Virayoga, Art of Att
08:47 PM on 07/26/2011
Thank you. Definitely not new; just hoping to help a few folks find the words and the practice - folks who wouldn't be reading the Philokalia or the Vijnana Bhairava anytime soon. Aiming to be useful in my posts.
Nancy Alder
mom, yogini and blogging at www.flyingyogini.com
09:59 AM on 07/26/2011
Thank you for this post. Being that it is summer and my elves are fast and furious and home I am really struggling to get in my meditation and my yoga. Yep, teaching both but doing both, not so much. What a great way to get a little recharge. Thanks from one mom to another! xo
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Elena Brower
Mama, Founder of Virayoga, Art of Att
08:47 PM on 07/26/2011
Thanks Mama! Awesome.