Are you interested in exploring the discipline of meditation? NTPagesTV's Melanie Alexander caught up with experienced spiritual healer and meditation practitioner Alana Fairchild to learn more.
Watch this video interview to find out:
- What are the basics of meditation?
- What is guided meditation?
- How do I choose the right type of meditation for myself?
- What is the advantage of meditating in a group environment?
The full transcription of the interview is as follows:
Natural Therapy Pages: I'm here with Alana Fairchild. How are you, Alana?
Alana Fairchild: I'm really well, Mel. It's nice to be here with you.
NTP: Yeah, thank you for your time.
AF: It's a pleasure.
NTP: We're talking today about meditation. There are so many different types of meditation. Can you talk to me about the basics?
AF: Yeah. Meditation really can seem like quite an intimidating topic for someone who hasn't had a lot of experience. But, essentially what it's about is connecting with the self on the inside. So, any practice where you're able to switch off a little bit from day-to-day thinking and connect with your breath, connect with the feeling in the heart just by having the intention to do that – closing your eyes, making sure the phone's off the hook or your mobile's switched off – is really good, and just allowing that time for yourself, whether it's five minutes, 15, or even half an hour. It's a great way to start.
NTP: And what would you recommend for people out there who have never tried meditation about finding the right type for them?
AF: I'd really suggest that they start with a guided meditation, maybe something on CD or as an MP3 off the internet that has some guided visualisation. So, what this does, it gives the mind something to do. It feels quite good because usually those guided visualisations are very uplifting. And it gives you a way to begin to focus without having to be.
Maybe a more difficult prospect of just sitting there with no stimulation at all and being really still, because sometimes, when we do that and we haven't had much experience, the mind can feel like it's going a bit crazy. Lots of thoughts. Lots of thoughts about the groceries that we have to buy, and it's not very relaxing. Sometimes it can be more stressful.
NTP: And you don't necessarily have to, you know, sit with your back straight. I mean, you can lie down, you can just be comfortable, can't you?
AF: Yeah, it's really important that you're comfortable more than anything else. If your body is in a lot of pain because you're trying to sit in a posture, you'll probably find that that's gonna be the focus of your meditation. Sometimes people lie down. Just be careful that you don't fall asleep. If you need to fall asleep, you probably just need some rest and then meditate when you have a little bit more energy.
NTP: And what are the benefits of meditation?
AF: Oh, gosh. Meditation has a lot of benefits. It helps you find a sense of peace, mentally and emotionally. I think one of the most beautiful things about meditation is it helps you know more of who you are. So, instead of feeling like you're this big, and the problems of the world are this big, it's like the proportion starts to change. You start to feel like you're this big, and the problems are a lot littler. So, suddenly they've become more manageable. Apart from that, you just feel better. Usually, your health improves. And because you have more of that relaxation, which is often lacking in, you know, modern western lifestyle.
NTP: Just a chance to calm your thoughts.
AF: Yeah, yeah. There's a lovely expression called sleeping for world peace, and I use this to describe those times when you just either take a nap or have a meditation, or just stop worrying and stop thinking, and you're contributing this beautiful, peaceful energy to your own life and to the world. And if ever you've had that experience where suddenly, the answer to a problem pops into your mind when you're in the shower or driving or doing something completely different – maybe in the garden – that's kind of what this is about. It's creating a space where you stop thinking about problems and you actually allow the solutions to come to you. And meditation really helps us get to that place.
If people are starting from scratch with meditation, I would encourage them to either find a class or find a CD that they really like and just practise it, maybe every few days. So, they're looking at maybe two or three times a week. Even once a week is an improvement. But meditation is really a skill, and the more we find that we can do it, the easier that it gets, and we actually start to crave it. We actually start to want to do it. And when that happens, it's great.
NTP: Classes are a good idea as well, yeah?
AF: Classes are great because you're connecting with group energy. And I have this expression that two crown chakras are better than one. With the crown chakra, that's where we pull in the energy of that peace and that bliss that we connect with in meditation. And something beautiful happens in a group. We become able to lift each other, and the energy that comes through is strong enough that it can actually help calm our mind. We don't even have to work so hard; it just kind of happens, and that's wonderful. It's like a blissful relief.
NTP: Yeah, it sounds blissful. And I guess a good chance to meet like-minded people as well.
AF: Yeah, a lot of people come for that reason, and they get so much more out of it than they thought. But the friendships that can develop, it's quite beautiful. I've seen that happen many times.
NTP: Well, thank you so much for your time today, Alana.
Originally published on Jan 19, 2012
