SGM Jan. 2015 Meditation of the Month: “Stepping Into Your Goal!
Press the play button or click here (right click + save target as) to download the audio file
Press the play button or click here (right click + save target as) to download the audio file
Welcome back to the January 2015 Edition of Spiritual Growth Monthly. I’m Kevin Schoeninger. Thank you for being with us here at SGM! In this week’s message, we’ll practice a powerful meditation to mentally rehearse the steps to begin living your goal for 2015 right now!
The premise of this meditation is that imagining a desired experience creates the same neural networks in your body and brain that having that experience in “real life” does. By mentally rehearsing an experience you groove the neural pathways to more easily welcome that experience into your life. What you can imagine in full sensory detail you more easily become.
You actually use your imagination all of the time to imagine experiences you want and dread experiences you don’t want. The purpose of mental rehearsal is to consciously pave the way for the experiences you desire.
Mental rehearsal familiarizes you with the felt experiences you want to have, so you can recognize them, choose them, and grow them in your life. So often we may not feel worthy of the experiences we desire, or may not feel that they are possible for us. By mentally rehearsing those experiences we learn to become comfortable seeing and feeling them by imagining ourselves having them. This opens us to the realization that what we thought was out of reach may actually be possible.
To make concept even more practical and effective, you can imagine not only the experience you desire, but also the significant steps you take to get there. This will make taking those steps easier and more doable as well. You can apply this technique to any goal you have, such as creating a successful business, finding your life partner or growing a deeper relationship with your life partner, achieving optimal health by engaging in self-care practices, or any creative project or experience your soul desires.
It’s important to note that imagining a specific experience does not mean that that exact experience will happen exactly as you imagine it to be. Life may have even better plans for you—ones that you may not have imagined. What’s important is to imagine the experience you desire, given what you know right now, and use the meditation to put you in the state of being that you desire from that experience. It’s that state of being that you are really after.
Once you are in that state of being, be it love, joy, peace, confidence, self-worth, creativity, achievement, higher purpose, or any other feeling you wish to have—that state of being becomes a filter through which you can recognize and choose similar experiences and a magnet that draws them to you.
So, in the following guided meditation, we’ll practice imagining a felt experience that you’d like to have embodied in a specific event in which you experience this feeling, along three significant steps that take you there.
To prepare for this meditation, call to mind a goal that you’ve set for 2015 or some felt experience that you would like to have more of in your life. Imagine a specific event or moment when you are living that experience. Then imagine the step you took just prior to that moment to get you there. Then imagine another step that you took just before that one. And finally imagine a step that you took to initiate this whole process from where you are now to where you want to be.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to imagine this perfectly. You don’t have to get all the steps right. Just imagine three significant steps that you could take to move you toward the experience you desire. If you aren’t sure of the steps or exactly what you desire, you can even just allow the experience to unfold from within the meditation itself. You may be surprised at what you discover!
If you find any challenges or obstacles to achieving what you desire, use that as an opportunity to imagine a step you could take to move through that challenge.
If you feel resistance, unworthiness, or any other uncomfortable feeling about this whole process, I encourage you to observe and accept those feelings as they arise. See if it’s possible to view this meditation as an exploration, a game in your imagination, and a fun way to step outside your normal view of yourself and life, so you can imagine something new, exciting, and emotionally compelling. You can visualize, but you don’t have to. Simply imagine the experience using whatever images, ideas, or senses work well for you.
When you are ready, you can follow along with the guided audio in PART B of the recording above. Enjoy!
“Stepping Into Your Goal”
Let’s begin by settling into a relaxed inner state. This will allow you to gently release any worries, concerns, or limitations, so you can welcome possibilities. I encourage you to view this meditation as an exploration, a game in your imagination, and a fun way to step outside your normal viewpoint on yourself and life, so you can imagine something new, exciting, and emotionally compelling. You do not have to do this perfectly. See if it’s possible to play with it in a way that feels good to you.
So, if you will, please join me in sitting comfortably upright with your feet flat on the floor and parallel to each other. Lightly close your eyes.
Allow the soles of your feet to soften and relax as if they are melting down into the ground.
Relax your hands palms down on your thighs. Allow your hands to soften and relax, as if they are melting down into your legs. Allow your shoulders to relax down, releasing any tension in your neck and arms.
Imagine a string attached to the top of your head drawing your spine gently upright, creating a feeling of vertical spaciousness inside your body. Tuck your chin slightly, gently lengthening the back of your neck.
Smile, a subtle smile of appreciation and gratitude for this moment to consciously relax and imagine good-feeling possibilities.
Focus into your abdomen and become aware of your breathing there. Take a few, slow, deep breaths focusing on feeling the sensations of breathing inside your body.
Now, let go of your breathing and feel your body as a whole from the inside. Feel the entire space inside your skin. Imagine your inner body as open, clear, and spacious.
Now in this open, clear, inner space, imagine a goal you’d like to achieve or an experience you’d like to have. If you feel any resistance, unworthiness, or any other uncomfortable feeling about doing this, I encourage you to observe and accept those feelings as they arise. Those feelings are natural and O.K. Allow them to arise and gently fade to the background as you engage in your desired experience.
So, now, if you will, imagine any important details of the experience you desire, including: if you are by yourself or with anyone else, where you are, along with any significant details of the environment, and what you are doing. . . You can visualize, but you don’t have to. Simply imagine the experience using whatever senses bring the experience to you.
Now, step into that scene so that it surrounds you, as if you are immersed in that experience right now.
Make the scene vivid with bright colors, sounds, tastes, smells, or any sensation you feel in your body—enhance anything that makes the scene feel good to you. How does that feel? Is there any way that you’d like to adjust the experience so it feels even better? If so, go ahead and do that now.
Now, I’ll guide you to imagine three significant steps you took to arrive at that experience. If you find any challenges or obstacles along the way to achieving what you desire, use that as an opportunity to imagine a step you could take to move through that challenge.
We’ll imagine your three steps in reverse order, from your desired experience backwards to where you are now.
First, imagine a step that you took just prior to arriving at your desired experience. What did you do to get to that experience? Imagine any significant details of this step.
Now, imagine a step you took just before that. Imagine any significant details of this step.
Now, imagine a step you took to initiate this process and set you on the path to this experience. Imagine any significant details of this first step.
Now feel yourself sitting right where you are in the present moment. From where you are now, run your three steps forward like a movie of sequential clips, from this moment to your desired experience. Go ahead and do that now.
Feel what it is like to arrive in your desired experience again. Record this feeling in every cell of your body, so you can remember it and return to it—anytime. You can repeat this process as often as you like to make this experience even more vivid and real for you—and to enjoy what it feels like!
Slowly open your eyes and take in the space around you. Take the feeling of your desired experience with you into your life and follow the steps you feel inspired to take. Well done!
Take a few moments to write down anything that is important for you to remember from this meditative experience.