How to Make Your Own Traveling Meditation Kit

A recent study highlighted on ScienceDaily.com has shown that people who practice any form of meditation such as transcendental meditation reduce their blood pressure and stress levels. This piece of information doesn't come as a surprise considering the objective for most people when it comes to meditation in the first place, which is to achieve a good level of inner peace to help them through their daily activities and ups and downs of life in general.

As a meditation practitioner myself for the past four years, I know how effective this practice can be on one's total well-being. The goal of meditation is to assist in healing the whole person, which is the goal of holistic health as well.

Some people may be put off by meditation because of time restrictions. There is so much going on in our lives these days. We're constantly running here or there trying to make enough money just to survive in this world of ever-increasing gas and food prices that it doesn't leave much time left to the imagination on when a meditation practice can be pursued.

But I came up with an idea not too long ago when having to travel on business to Chicago this past January. I created my own traveling meditation kit. This is an inexpensive and fun way to ease meditation into your day. And you don't have to use it only when you're traveling out-of-town or out-of-state, this can be used anytime and anywhere.

Here's a small list of what you'll need: a tealight candle, a lighter or a book of matches, and your favorite prayer or scripture. That's all you need! I'm not kidding. Tealight candles are very inexpensive. You can find them at any dollar store such as Dollar Tree or Dollar General as little as $1.00 for a bag of twenty-five candles. The lighter or book of matches are easy to come by as well. Also, I'd like to add that if you don't have a favorite prayer or scripture, I'd like to recommend the Serenity Prayer, the Lord's Prayer, or Psalm 23. And by all means, create your own authentic heartfelt prayer to say before you meditate.

Meditation is a very simple thing to do. All you need to do is light your candle, focus on the flame for a few moments to help clear your mind, say your prayer, and just sit there in silence either with your eyes closed or with your eyes open. It's up to you. The key is to just sit in silence - no talking, no watching television, no music unless it's meditation music to help your session along, no phone calls, etc. Complete silence.

For beginners, I recommend a 10-15 minute session. For intermediate practitioners, I recommend a 20-30 minute session. For advanced practitioners, I recommend a 30-60 minute session.

To carry your meditation kit with you, use a brown paper bag or a nice inexpensive cloth bag that can be put into your briefcase, pocketbook, or tote bag. It should be small, accessible, and lightweight.

Enjoy the peace of silence and the many benefits it will bring to your well-being.

References

University of Kentucky (2007, December 5). Transcendental Meditation Effective In Reducing High Blood Pressure, Study Shows. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 13, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2007/12/071204121953.htm