By Elyse Allen M.F.T.
Anyone who is interested in spiritual exploration or growth will want to acquire the tools essential to meditation and prayer. Meditation supports our spiritual growth by teaching us to quiet the outer and inner chatter of our lives that threatens to drown out the gentle voice of the inner-self. Communication skills, including the ability to listen effectively, form the backbone of any positive relationship. So it is with us. We can strengthen our relationship with self, by cultivating the use of meditation-spiritual listening. The loving and guiding voice within all of us has so much to offer. However, we must learn to quiet ourselves and listen.
Ideally, communication flows in more than one direction and this is where prayer comes into the picture. Prayer can be thought of as speaking or communicating with higher aspects of the self or others. These higher aspects include the inner-self, Higher Self and Divinity to name but a few possibilities. Unfortunately, many of us have turned off to prayer, as the result of discouraging experiences. My clients often cite harsh religious training received as a child, antiquated dogma and lack of instruction in the practical application of prayer as reasons for rejecting the practice of prayer. Prayer is reduced to wishful thinking or strictly a crisis measure.
At my True You workshops, participants learn to use "words of power" that serve to manifest their positive goals. Many participants are surprised to learn that this is a simple but powerful form of prayer. More important is the discovery that the practice of prayer can be an ongoing creative, joyful, effective part of our lives.
The S.M.A.R.T. way to meditate and pray refers to an acronym that you can use as you launch your meditation and prayer experience. The acronym is a quick and easy way to orient yourself to what is one way to approach your meditation and prayer times.
Whether you are new to meditation or possess a great deal of experience, I believe that the S.M.A.R.T. way has something to offer you. However, until you give this method a try, it's impossible to discover the potential benefits it may hold for you.
However, before I explain how the S.M.A.R.T. method works, I want to stress that this is a meditation tool and not meant to be a substitute for professional counseling or psychotherapy. I use the method myself and it has proven to be a powerful tool for self-discovery and growth. Nonetheless, if you are currently being seen in therapy, get your therapist's approval prior to using the method. You should not use this method if you have been diagnosed as schizophrenic (or having another psychotic disorder), experience hallucinations or paranoia.
SACRED SPACE. This involves creating an external and internal environment that supports your spiritual exploration and growth. Select a specific chair, room or other location as your sacred space. Try playing soft beautiful music or lighting a candle to enhance the positive energy of this space. Sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor. Allow your hands to rest gently, palms down or up, on your thighs. Gently close your eyes, as you start to take long deep breaths and allow yourself to release any tired and tense muscles. Remember that your breath forms a bridge to your inner-self. Your breath is your bridge to the self.
MEDITATION. Simply allow yourself to sit quietly and continue to breathe deeply. Then, simply listen. This is an opportunity for the higher aspects of your inner-self to offer you guidance, reassurance and support. Don't worry if you don't perceive anything right away. It will come. For now, the important thing is making you available to yourself. You are filled with an infinite number of solutions to every potential problem you face. So, sit quietly and allow yourself to listen.
AFFIRMATION. A positive statement that is in the present tense that reflects your positive goal or belief is an affirmation. Affirmations are extremely important in spiritual growth work, because balanced and positive thoughts create positive feelings, which in turn motivate positive actions that support attainment of your goals. Your thoughts play a powerful role in creating your everyday reality. Your words are merely a reflection of your thoughts. I recommend taking time to examine your beliefs about yourself, others and the world. You can choose to change those thoughts and beliefs that don't support the reality that you wish to manifest in your life. Instead, you can now determine to choose positive statements that serve to support your new positive beliefs and reinforce these by entering them into a notebook.
I highly recommend that you allot time to identify and consider the origin of your negative beliefs. During this stage of your meditation session, anchor two or three personal affirmations by stating them aloud, in a clear and determined tone of voice and ending this portion of your meditation with the phrase "and this is so here and now". Here are a few positive affirmations to get you started. Notice that affirmations are always positive and in the present tense.
REQUEST. Supplication, another form of prayer, involves asking something of Divinity or ourselves. This is a time to let the Universe know what you perceive as a significant desire or need in life. Ancient wisdom reminds us that we often miss out on what we want because we neglect the important step of requesting it. Your request can take the form of a supplication to the inner-self, Divinity or the universe in general. The results will amaze you.
Your request can take the form of a supplication to the inner-self, Divinity or the universe in general. The results will amaze you.
TO OUR LIVES. Appreciation for oneself and others increases self-esteem, awareness of human potential and the infinite possibility inherent in every life.
Your S.M.A.R.T. session can be as short or as long as you'd like it to be. Several clients and workshop participants tell me that they spend 2-3 minutes on each of the five stages and complete their session in about 15 minutes. Others prefer to spend a longer time working with each stage. It's strictly up to you. So, experiment and feel free to be creative. Once you find an approach that gets you the results that you are looking for, stick with it and allow the wonderful benefits to flow into your life!
Elyse Allen is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a private practice in Sacramento, California. Contact Elyse at (916) 349-8783 to schedule a private consultation. A companion audiotape to this article is available for purchase.
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