Meditation for Beginners

A professional astrologer for over twenty-five years, Stephanie Jean Clement, Ph.D., was a board member of the American Federation of Astrologers and a faculty member of Kepler College and NORWAC. Her Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology prepared her to work with clients in defining their creative potential and refining their creative process. Her books include Charting Your Career; Dreams: Working Interactive, What Astrology Can Do for You; The Power of the Midheaven; Charting Your Spiritual Path with Astrology; Meditation for Beginners; and Mapping Your Birthchart.

• Contents List of Exercises/xi Introduction What Exactly Is Meditation Anyway? / 1 Your Mental Meditation Equipment 1 Why Meditate? / 13 Meditation Goals 2 Getting Ready to Meditate / 21 The Meditation Setting Clothing Choosing Your Meditation Posture Eyes Open or Closed? Tips for Making Your Meditation More Comfortable But It Hurts to Sit Still 3 Concentration and Awareness / 33 Development of Awareness Unconditional Positive Regard Insight and Intuition 4 Be Kind to Yourself / 41 5 Getting Past the First Step / 49 Focus of Attention What to Expect Benefits of Shamata Practice for the Beginner 6 Experiencing Insight and Intuition / 57 7 Altered States of Consciousness / 65 Meditation Goal The Role of Medication How Much to Meditate 8 Thinking About Thinking / 81 Personality Types Representational Systems Confused Yet? 9 Yoga and Meditation / 91 Yoga Practices Yantra Mantra Visualization 10 Kundalini Meditation / 101 11 Walking Meditation / 111 Labyrinths 12 Athletic and Other Kinds of Performance / 119 Performance as Meditation 13 Dream Meditations / 127 Using Meditation to Call a Dream 14 Tarot and Other Archetypal Meditations / 137 Studying Tarot Using Meditation Other Meditations on Archetypes 15 Healing Meditation / 145 Healing Others When Physical Healing Is Not Possible Healing with Color 16 Finding What Works for You / 163 Distractions Combining Meditations 17 Identifying Personal Meditation Goals / 173 Using Meditation to Quit Smoking or Eliminate Any Drug Habit Weight Loss and Meditation 18 Deepening Your Spiritual Life / 185 19 Mapping Your Personal Creative Process / 193 20 Labeling / 201 21 Creating a Meditation Space / 207 Cushion or Chair Table or Shrine Wall Decorations 22 Soul Mate Meditation / 213 Opening to Your Soul Mate 23 About the Divine / 221 Afterword Space and Clarity / 231 Glossary / 233 Bibliography / 237 Index / 241