Advent Meditation Can Be Done Through Prayers

Today’s time is very much different from before. Many years ago, a lot of people were quite religious. Although there are still very religious persons nowadays, the number have greatly decreased. Even advent seems to have a different meaning now and most individuals are looking forward to it because they just want to have a vacation.

When does advent begin? If you have no idea whatsoever, advent starts four weeks prior to Christmas. This is also known as the season or time of preparation for the birth of the lord Jesus Christ.

Personal agendas and family schedules are filled with programs, meetings, annual obligations, and parties. What they often forget is the time of advent. This is the best time to meditate as a family so that their bond will become stronger.

This is definitely the time to be close to one another, especially as a family. Most of all, every individual must have time for God. How can individuals achieve real peace and quiet in God’s presence when all they think about are car-pooling or manic shopping, instead of contemplation and meditation?

You should lower your sight to time spent on lengthy litanies or readings and around the hearths. Between parking lots crash and traffic jams, and decking your halls and scribbling notes. There may be enough time, perhaps five to ten minutes, when your family can sit around the advent wreath quietly. You can do this once every day or once a week; or if you’re really that busy, you can do this at least once during the time of preparation.

The family can prepare a simple yet special recipe for them to eat together as they light their advent candles. You can meditate or pray briefly and afterwards, enjoy your feast. This activity can bring the family closer together, and much closer to mysteries people celebrate and contemplate in Advent. Advent is not about vacation and parties; it’s about being closer to God and your family.

On the first advent week, chapter 13 verses 33 of Mark is the gospel. Jesus told his disciples to watch constantly and stay awake because no one knows when He is coming. Usually the prayers or advent meditations for this week has something to do with the gospel, and this is the same with the second, third, and fourth week of the advent. The second week’s gospel is about John the Baptist when he first appeared and preached in Judea. The third week is about Jesus and John’s disciples, and the fourth is about Mary and angel Gabriel.

It’s not hard to find copies of prayers used during advent. You can see religious authorities and request copies of it, or you can also obtain a copy online. With a little research, you can get a copy of a simple yet meaningful prayer that your family can utter when you’re meditating.

Meditation is not all about proper posture and positions used when a person meditates, a simple prayer is already considered a meditation if you’ve focused your mind to it as well as your heart. Don’t forget to meditate this advent season.

Walking Meditation as a Modern Way to a Healthier Life

Meditation has always been associated with solitude, tranquility, and physical inactivity. When one talks of meditation, you may usually come up with a scenario in which a person finds a secluded area, closes his eyes in silence, and rests his body while working his mind out. Does meditation always have to be like this?

Meditation is an art. A method. A skill. A process. It is the art of keeping in touch with yourself, of discovering your entirety and the many facets of your being. It is also a skill that must be developed. It requires discipline and right mindset. You cannot simply think that you will meditate and expect to achieve a result right after. This requires the tuning of one’s consciousness. Meditation typically involves a set of procedures and guidelines to be followed. Typically, the success of the activity will depend on the adherence to the given principles and rules.

One interesting form of meditation that deviates from the old and traditional concept is walking meditation. Walking meditation is a lot different from other forms of meditation known to many. For one, you will not have to be physically inactive just to do it. In fact, you need to move and be active – you need to walk! You have to actively engage your mind and your body in this activity in order to experience a holistic positive result. This brings another benefit. Since walking is a daily activity, you can actually grow by meditation everyday!

You also will not have to find a secluded place just so you can meditate. Anywhere will do. Actually, a noisy and crowded place is even encouraged. Here is where the challenge lies. Concentration is important and awareness must be focused. You must not allow the outer world to bind your mind into it – by the things that you see, hear, or whatever you perceive. You may be aware of them, but you must guard not to do anything about them. Do not cling to anything.

The guiding principle behind walking meditation is achieving a balanced awareness, equilibrium, between your inner self and the outer world surrounding you. This meditation will invite you to feel your entire body, all the workings of the parts that make you up, being aware how each of your body parts operates. While doing this, you also have to notice your emotion and your mood. These are all done while you walk. The outside world need not be lost in your focus. There will always be stuffs that will catch your attention as you meditate, and you are not to resist. You are not to hang on to these, though. You have to let them pass by, observing them without doing anything at all.

This is the real sense of awareness. The ideal result of walking meditation is the person’s consciousness of the outside world while being completely aware of his inner self. When this is achieved, many of the puzzles and complexities of life will become clearer and simpler. By bridging the gap between what is within and what is out of yourself, you can take full control of your life and enjoy a healthier and a more satisfied lifestyle.

Protecting Your Heart and Enjoying Your Life

Facts show that females are five times more likely to die from a heart attack than breast cancer. When you are past the age of 20, your weight, cholesterol level, blood pressure, and stress levels should be vigilantly monitored. When these factors are constantly ignored, your odds of avoiding heart ailments won’t look too good. While it isn’t too late, try to develop healthy habits to ensure your life’s longevity.

What you can first do is avoid all types of unhealthy fat. When you do ingest fat, make sure that it is monounsaturated. This helps lower your bad cholesterol, the kind that blocks your arteries and can trigger a heart attack. What kinds of foods are loaded with this type of healthy fat? Peanuts, salmon, sardines, and fish, to name a few.

When you leave home and enjoy a night out with your friends, try to stay out of smoky places. Even if you don’t smoke, cigarettes from your friends at a club put you at risk. In fact, second-hand smoking is more dangerous than doing the act of smoking. You can ruin your blood vessels and your body may react to it negatively. You may not feel the effects immediately, but when you are constantly exposed to unhealthy air, your arteries may narrow over time.

While you can, try to develop the habit of regular exercise. While any heart-pumping pastime may reduce the risk of a heart disease, short bursts of intense activity (of around three to four minutes) can be even more effective than jogging at a constant pace. Exercise keeps your weight and body mass in healthy proportion with each other. Try to have a sort of climax in your exercise routines so that you get your heart to pump out blood in all the necessary arteries.

While exercise can be healthy, you also need to learn the value of rest and relaxation. People who live life on the edge are also constantly stressed. You release adrenaline, a type of hormone, during times of tension. High levels of these hormones are not only bad for your state of mind, they can also harden your arteries in the long run. Try to give yourself a chance to decompress and unwind. Going out with your friends and having an optimistic view in life always help. Happy people live longer lives. Your friends and family are there to provide you with the right emotional support during your most difficult days. Aside from that, it is people who love you can give you the courage to look at life’s trials as just a mere inconvenience. They will help you feel better about yourself because they see you as someone who deserves life’s rewards.

When you want to fully enjoy the gift of life, you have to take care of what you have. Live your life to the fullest while knowing what your limitations are. You owe it to yourself and to your future children to prioritize your wellbeing and to think about your heart’s health.