by Hari Kaur Khalsa

Living a Conscious Life--Say What You Mean, Do What You Say, Live the Destiny of Your Soul

You may be drawn to practice yoga for many reasons. Perhaps you want to increase your flexibility, improve your health, or learn to manage the stress in your life.

As you practice Kundalini Yoga you may find additional benefits. You may find that you are able to speak from your heart with less fear. You may begin to forgive yourself for the past and look to the future with hope and positive energy. Your communications with family, friends, and coworkers may improve and your relationships grow deeper and more satisfying.

You may begin to feel a new level of self-love and self-respect that enables you to live more happily and feel more fulfilled. Your words may reflect your inner truth, and your actions your words, and you may experience the fulfillment of living your destiny--a life that is a direct reflection of your soul's radiance. You can then live a conscious life. Many of these benefits result from meditation.

What is Meditation and How Does it Help You Live a Life of Awareness and Consciousness?

Throughout your waking hours, you have millions of thoughts. Many of these thoughts are stored in your subconscious mind. Sometimes the impressions of these thoughts interfere with your ability to be clear and focused. Meditating can be compared to taking out the garbage. Each time you meditate, you provoke your subconscious mind to dump the hidden thoughts and impressions into your conscious mind. This gives you a direct experience of your hidden self, and you can consciously release those hidden thoughts.

The process reveals how you react to the circumstances in your life on the basis of past fears and experiences instead of being present to each new moment. Meditation can help clear the mind of unwanted thoughts that lead to inappropriate communication and actions. Through continued and dedicated practice, meditation can free you from fears that prevent you from living a conscious life.

Meditation is Both a Personal and an Impersonal Practice

Meditation is a personal practice and will bring you personal benefits. Meditation is also an impersonal act. We are each a part of the same family of humankind, and each step we take toward personal inner peace and conscious action is a step forward for the peace and conscious action of all.

To achieve the maximum benefits from meditation, meditate in a group, in addition to meditating on your own. Meditation in a Kundalini Yoga class or in a community generates healing energy, which is especially beneficial during stressful times. We may disagree on issues, but we can meditate together and create a projection for healing and peace, moving beyond the mundane to experience universal truth.

There are many types of meditations in Kundalini Yoga. You will encounter meditations for creativity, energy, peace, character, healing, and more. Some meditations emphasize the experience of your breath. Other meditations may include a mantra chanted aloud or silently, or special hand or body postures. The different elements of each meditation combine to produce a specific effect in your psyche. Each meditation is powerful. Even though each meditation may emphasize a particular aspect of life or healing, every meditation, properly done, is meant to give you the experience of universal truth.

Back to Blog