What I know now that I wish I knew then about meditation.

When I first learned to meditate eleven years ago, I thought it was weird (too woo-woo) and wrong (due to my religion), but I had an inner knowing that it was exactly what I needed. I'm glad I didn't let my fears and misconceptions keep me from learning!

Meditation saved me. Yeah, people say that because it sounds cool, but meditation literally brought me back to life from rock-bottom and I'll forever be grateful for it. Today, meditation is a non-negotiable daily practice for me and it's also become a way of life. 

I highly recommend meditation - it's a great tool for stress-relief, focus and productivity, and self-awareness. Not to mention, it's one of the best ways to improve the state of your inner energy. You literally give off higher-quality vibes that others can actually feel in your presence. 

Here are 3 things I know now that I wish I’d known back then as a baby meditator:

Find a good teacher.

Meditation isn't a pill, it's a subtle skill. While I did notice improvements right away, meditation is more of a long-term approach. Over time, the benefits and changes accrue - and they're profound - as long as you learn correctly and stick to it.

Learning how to meditate from a good teacher makes it so much easier. Otherwise, it can be nothing more than an exercise in frustration. I was lucky, I had a great teacher from the get-go. I didn’t know how lucky I was until I myself became a teacher a few years later and saw the meditation experience anew, from my student’s eyes, who showed me where they struggled most and how I could help them. A good teacher makes all the difference when you’re learning to meditate.

But it’s not the only thing you need. If you really want to put meditation to work and see changes in your life you also need to...

Embody the practice.

Embody the practice is the fancy way of saying change the way you think and act. In short, let go of the what's no longer relevant for your highest good so you can become the Real You. To do that, it’s very helpful (I’d even say, necessary) to have a guide, a coach, a mentor. Someone who’s been-there-done-that to help you navigate the messy and mysterious process of transformation. In my experience, learning to meditate and becoming the Real You is the best way to “win at life,” but it’s not the world’s way so it can feel daunting.

And finally...

Don't go it alone.

Early on in my journey of transformation, I relied heavily on books to help me navigate. I was definitely a do-it-yourself-er. I had a few brief encounters with coaches and mentors who helped me when I needed it the most and I’m so grateful to this day for them. However, I didn’t realize until much later how much I’d benefit from that kind of help. Plus, it wasn’t easy for me to ask for help. So, as I journeyed along mostly alone, life continued to have its way with me. I was growing but it was painful and slow. I finally figured out that going it alone is the hard way and completely unnecessary. Books are fine! They're like friends to me. But when I started working with the right people – I quickly flourished.

Find your friends and guides on YOUR path. They're there, I promise you, waiting to help you along the way so you don’t have to go it alone like I did.

Till next time,

Angela
Chief Energy Fairy