Mastering Meditation

By TA Sullivan

Did you ever want to try meditation but didn't know what type of meditation to use? Or maybe you didn't know there were different types of meditations? Well, there are and Mastering Meditation explains them and offers examples of each type of meditation technique. 

Do you want to relax? Or are you looking for help or guidance? Try some of the different meditations from the book, and see which of them works for you.

You can also use the regression and progression meditation techniques included in the book to help you find out about your past and future lives. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: TA Sullivan
• Release date: Aug 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370833566

TA Sullivan

The award-winning author, TA Sullivan was born in the back of a cab, and she has continued to be unconventional in all that she does. She has worked as a technical and marketing writer, which taught her much about turning boring into readable. She has written articles for a variety of magazines and small newspapers, contributed short stories to several book anthologies, and has had her photos published in two table-top book anthologies. You can read some of her musings and articles at her blog, Tas Through the Looking Glass, or view some of her photos at https://www.zazzle.com/tdgallery. After a near-death experience (NDE), she turned her writing skills toward the esoteric. In her award-winning book, “Escorting the Dead,” she recounts her experiences in the afterlife, and her struggles to integrate her experiences into her more scientific mindset. Once started down this spiritual path, she continued to write about her experiences, including her understanding of dreams and dream symbology, which is titled “On Dreams and Dream Symbols.” She has also shared her extensive knowledge of meditation in “Mastering Meditation.” All her books are available through online book outlets in both paperback and ebooks. Also, check out her other website, Tas Readings. If you’ve ever wondered what your dreams mean, wanted to know what your life goals and path are, or wondered what pasts are affecting this life, she can help. Check out Tas Readings and see what she can do for you. You can follow TA Sullivan at Tas Through the Looking Glass (https://taslookingglass.wordpress.com), her Tas Readings blog (https://tasreadings.wordpress.com), or on any of her social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter (@tasinator), LinkedIn, or Goodreads. She is also a regular contributor to Medium and Quora.

Book preview

Mastering Meditation

by

TA Sullivan

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Including Regression and Progression meditation techniques.

Awards and Endorsements

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Recipient of the Gold Non-Fiction Author’s Awards for Excellence!

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Recipient of the NFWNA Gold Book Award for Excellence!

Recipient of the IMLP Non-Fiction Superior Award of Writing Excellence.

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Mastering Meditation

Loved the variety of meditation techniques included in this book.  Star Journal

Extremely informative and helpful, especially for beginners.  Spiritual Awakening

Although I’ve been meditating for a number of years, I still found some interesting new information in this book.  Morningstar Mountain Journal

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Choices

This is so uplifting and so true.  A Spiritual Life Book Reviews

I loved the anecdotes and examples...very helpful in working through relationship issues.  Family Health Magazine

Extremely profound. The advice was so helpful.  Heritage Springs Daily News

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Escorting the Dead

Fantastic book! I'd love to read any books by this author after this one.  Heritage Springs Daily News

This is a very enjoyable book and a fast read.  Lightner Book Reviews

Intelligent and well-written book providing insight and hope.  Mountain Journal Reviews

The Past Rekindled

Steamy and dreamy. Can’t wait for the next one...  Hearts & Flowers Books4U

The heroine is bright and breezy. Lovely!  Tri-Town News

Hot. Inventive. Intriguing.  Rom-Book Reviews

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The Starstone

This is definitely a writer worth reading...I can’t wait for the second installment of this series.  Daily News

A fun way to spend a weekend. Unexpected characters and enough plot twists to keep you guessing.  Sunday Journal

Wow...fascinating and fun!  Courier News

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The Globe of Souls

Even better than the first book.  Tri-Town News

Funtastic fantasy with wit, charm, and action!  Fantasy News Blog

The author’s take on fairies is unique...even more fun than her inventive take on elves in the first book.  Book Journal

The Author’s Other Works

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Other award-winning books from this author include:

Escorting the Dead

All About Auras

All About Auras Reference Guide

On Dreams and Dream Symbols

Mastering Meditation

Choices

Life and Nature (photos and poetry)

And fiction books:

The Starstone

The Globe of Souls

The Past Rekindled (a paranormal romance)

The Whimsy of Life (children’s book)

All works are available at most online and paperback book merchants.

Copyright by TA Sullivan

All rights reserved. This book, or parts hereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from TA Sullivan and IM Light Publishing ([e-mail]).

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized editions (paper or electronic), and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

Author’s note:  Names and other identifying information, such as occupations, professions, or geographical locations have been changed. Otherwise, the events and interactions stated and described in this book are reproduced as accurately as memories allow them to be.

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ISBN: 9798605672500

ISBN: 9781980752455

Keywords: spiritual, inspiration, philosophy, meditation, health, prayer, affirmations, yoga, wellness and health, philosophy and mysticism

Cover design by DL-Designs and Digital Art

Dedications and Acknowledgments

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To the world with peace, joy, hope, and love.

Contents

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What is Meditation?

Benefits of Meditation

The Science of Meditation

Types of Meditation

Common Elements of Meditation

Meditation and Sounds

Meditation and Visual Patterns

Chakras and Auric Bodies

The 7 Parts of You

The Physical Body

Chakras and Meditation Goals

Remembering Your Past Lives

Viewing Future Lives

Relaxation Meditations

Cleansing Meditations

Auric Balancing

Seeking Guidance

Healing Meditations

Meditations for Transcending Pain and Fear

Focused Meditations

Using Prayers

Reviewing Connections

Mindful Meditation

Transcendental Meditation

Seeking Oneness Meditations

Everyday Ways to Meditate

Using Gemstones During Meditation

Appendix:  Other Incarnations

About the Author TA Sullivan

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What is Meditation?

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MEDITATION IS A PRACTICE that first appeared in Asian cultures. However, it was soon adopted by many other cultures and nations around the world. Different types of meditation have become popularized throughout history, with each type of meditation having a unique goal and purpose. Tantric meditation—meaning to stretch oneself and one’s mind—became an integral part of Taoism, Buddhism, and several forms of Sufism.

Primarily, meditation is a way to clear the mind and focus your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energy toward a specific purpose. That purpose might be anything from improved health, to conquering your enemies.

There are cultures that incorporate a form of meditation into their various religions. Most Western religions refer to it as prayer, but the concept is similar—to still the mind so that an answer can be heard, or to still the mind and allow the body, mind, or spirit to heal itself. In fact, some cultures consider meditation a complementary form of healing, since it can help individuals produce a healing state physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Benefits of Meditation

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MEDITATION CAN HELP YOU get and maintain a healthy mind, body, and spirit by creating a more positive mental outlook, improved breathing, circulation, and posture, as well as providing an overall shift in awareness and perception.

Meditation can give you a sense of calming peace and balance that benefits both your emotional well-being and your overall health. And best of all, these benefits don’t end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help you maintain your calm throughout your day.

Some of the emotional benefits of meditation can include:

•  A new perspective on a troublesome issue or situation

•  The release of unhealthy habits

•  Heightened sense of self

•  Increased awareness of others

•  Improved emotional balance

Meditation might also be useful if you have a medical condition, especially one that may be worsened by stress. Scientific experiments have shown various advantages attainable during meditation. These include:

•  Improved metabolism

•  Increased immunity

•  Improved circulation and lower blood pressure

•  Stress reduction

•  Increased mental acuity and memory function

•  Heightened creativity

•  Improved motor skills

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The Science of Meditation

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DAILY OR EVEN WEEKLY meditation can change the way your brain works. The cells and neurons in the brain are constantly making new connections and disrupting old ones based on responses to stimuli, a quality that researchers call experience-based neuroplasticity. This affects the neural circuits of the brain, which in turn affects how we respond to situations. It also affects the actual structure of our brains—thickening some areas and making others less dense.

Think of the end of a neuron as a hand, with thousands of fingers, said Dr. Sara Lazar, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital who studies mindfulness meditation. The number of fingers relates to the number of interconnections between neurons and that number can change—one reason it can change is due to stress.

For much of the last century, scientists believed that the brain essentially stopped changing after adulthood; however, research has shown that sustained meditation aids the brain's ability to change structurally and functionally based on environmental input.

University of Wisconsin neuroscientist, Richard Davidson, has shown that experienced meditators exhibit elevated levels of gamma wave activity. Even after the meditation session, frequent meditators can control their thoughts and reactions to adverse and stressful situations.

A 2005 study on American men and women who meditated only 40 minutes a day showed that they had thicker cortical walls than non-meditators. This means that their brains were aging at a slower rate. Cortical thickness is also associated with decision making, attention, and memory.

In a 2006 study, college students were given a choice to sleep, meditate, or watch TV. These students were then tested on their alertness by being asked to press a button every time a light flashed on a screen. Those who chose to meditate did 10% better than those who chose to nap or watch TV.

In 2008, Dr. Randy Zusman, a doctor at the Massachusetts General Hospital, asked patients with high blood pressure but who were not using medication to correct the problem, to try a meditation-based relaxation program. After meditating regularly for three months, 40 of the 60 patients showed significant drops in blood pressure levels.

There are still studies being done on the benefits and long-term effects of meditating, as well as on the different effects of the various forms of meditation. However, it is enough to know that both medical and scientific experts agree that meditation is a valid complement to Western medicine, offering physical, mental, and emotional benefits to all who practice it.

Types of Meditation

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MEDITATION IS AN UMBRELLA term that covers a multitude of contemplative, relaxing, and trance-inducing techniques and platforms. Some of the more common techniques include:

Guided Meditation—This is also referred to as guided imagery or visualization meditation. This technique uses mental imagery of places and situations to help you attain your goal, whether it is relaxation or improved self-confidence.

Focused Meditation—This involves concentration using any of the five senses. For example, you can focus on something internal, like your breathing, or you can bring in external stimuli or objects. You can stare at a candle flame or a mandala, you can count prayer beads, listen to a babbling brook, or beat a drum in a rhythmic manner.

This practice may be simple in theory, but it can be difficult for beginners to hold their focus for longer than a few minutes. If your mind does wander, it’s important to come back to the practice and refocus.

Japa or Mantra Meditation—With this technique you silently repeat a calming or soothing word or phrase while focusing on your goal. This mental repetition is supposed to help you keep your mind focused, while avoiding the distraction of stray or random thoughts.

Mindfulness Meditation—This type of meditation is based on being mindful or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment. You broaden your conscious awareness by focusing on what you are experiencing during the meditative session. This includes your breathing rhythms, your heartbeat, or other external or internal sensations you are experiencing with your five senses at that moment.

Qi Gong (pronounced Chee-gung)—This is part of traditional Chinese medicine. It generally combines meditation, relaxation, physical movement, and breathing exercises to restore and maintain balance.

Tai Chi (pronounced Tie-Chee)—This is a form of gentle Chinese martial arts. You perform a self-paced series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner while practicing deep breathing.

Transcendental Meditation—This is a simple technique based more in nature. You silently repeat a designated mantra—usually designated by your meditation teacher or yourself. This mantra can be a single word, a sound, or a phrase. It’s more about the rhythm and the sound, which enables your body to settle into a state of profound rest and relaxation, while allowing your mind to achieve a state of inner peace without needing to use concentration or effort.

Yoga—This practice consists of performing a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to promote a more flexible body and a calm mind. As you move through poses that require balance and concentration, you’re encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment.

Kabbalah—This meditative practice is part of Judaism and has been used for over 2,000 years. The purpose of this technique is to enhance your awareness and to access the higher planes of consciousness. It is supposed to enable you to attain peace and happiness through a union with All There Is. 

Many people today mix and match the many types of meditation based on what goals they have. Other people may insist that they don’t follow any meditative philosophy or technique. Yet, sitting under a tree and contemplating the clouds, watching a butterfly, or simply listening to the drone of a distant lawn mower is a type of meditation. It

Reviews for Mastering Meditation

[BobRich · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I’ve wished to be able to see auras for many a year, and am full of admiration that TA Sullivan can. It is a rare skill. Perhaps, when I have practiced her techniques for a few months, I might learn it too?
Parts of this book are very well researched, with evidence presented for the claims made. Other parts are simply statements from the author, and we need to accept her word or stop reading. I kept reading, although I do prefer the Buddha’s way: check your personal experience. When you do this, do you find what I say to be true?
“Mastering Meditation” covers a very wide range of situations for which meditation is beneficial. Basically, one script is adapted in many ways, and this works well.
Since I was reading the book to review it, I didn’t pause and practice, but that’s what you need to do. Performing an exercise of this kind a few times is unlikely to result in any significant change. The proper thing is to read it through once, then spend literally months in making the technique automatic, to plug away at gaining past life recalls, or healing ill health, or moving mindfulness from meditation into everyday life.
I’ve been doing regular meditation for over 30 years, and can tell you, the benefits are enormous. And despite my previous knowledge of many forms of meditation, I learned lots from reading this book.