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Meditation is for Everyone

Meditation is for everyone. It is the universal state of mind when you are not resisting moment to moment experience and when you are in a state of deep loving absorption. Even most nonmeditators have “accidentally” slipped into a meditative state at one time or another.

Have you ever been so absorbed in a task that you lost all track of time? This can be prayer, sewing, singing, gardening or many other things. If so, you may have discovered meditation.

The ego resists uncomfortable experience and clings to pleasant experience, often by restricting the breath. This process is what causes stress in our lives. The resulting stress and tension wreaks havoc on the body and the mind. It also distorts our clear perception of the world and ruins relationships. We must gradually train the mind to be present with reality if we are to have any chance at realizing wholeness.

Taking time to train yourself to enter a state of relaxed, nonattached awareness is extremely rejuvenating and has too many health benefits to mention here. Regular meditation practitioners say that it is as essential for you as stopping for gas is for your car.

There are two components to meditation. They are concentration and equanimity.

Concentration means just what you think it means. In meditation, you concentrate on an object of focus. You relax into it and become increasingly absorbed in it.

Imagine two people in a room with you. One of them you are absolutely in love with and hope to marry some day. The other is some schmuck from your high school days who was never very interesting. Who are you concentrating on more? You are connected with the former on a much deeper level. The two of you “touch” on finer levels. This is what you are aiming for in an object of focus. Therefore, when choosing one, think of one that you can fall in love with. Maybe it’s the word “Jesus” or a visualization of a waterfall. Maybe it’s just your own breath or a body sensation.

Equanimity is a detached awareness of whatever is occurring in the moment. When we resist experience of senses, thoughts and emotions, clarity of mind becomes distorted. Equanimity occurs when we are present with experience and detached from the poles of attraction and repulsion.

You will be distracted with internal chatter during your concentration practice. Thoughts will tempt you, and so will emotions and body sensations. However, these are all happening in the present moment. When they come up, take note by saying “thinking” or “angry”. Let the thoughts move through you like clouds through the sky. Just watch. Then, bring your attention back to the object of focus. This process trains the mind to achieve equanimity.

Now that you know the theory, let’s try it for real.

Sit down in a chair with your ankles crossed or with your feet flat on the floor. Let your hands rest on your lap. Plant your tailbone and “stack” your vertebrae one on top of the next, starting with the tailbone. When you get to the head, your chin will want to tuck in a little bit.

Take a few deep breaths through the nose. Then, just breathe normally. Watch your breath without trying to control it. Is it shallow? Is it deep? Does it start in the chest? How does it sound? Relax and observe.

Your object of focus is the cool feeling in the nostrils as the breath enters your nose and the warm feeling as the breath leaves your nose. From here onward, pay no attention to where the breath goes. Just feel it where it enters and leaves the nostrils.

This is all that exists. Become deeply absorbed in the breath. Soon, the breath will deepen naturally and the brainwaves will slow down.

When a thought comes up, silently say “thinking” to take note of what is happening in the present moment. The thought will start to lose power over you. Go back to the breath without judgment.

Don’t worry about how “deep” you’re going. Your state of absorption will vary according to the fluctuations of your mind. Do this at the same time each day, even if you only have five minutes. You will become much better at it over time.

Now you know the basic nuts and bolts of meditation. In future articles, we will learn how you can fit meditation into the busiest schedules and how to create a strategy that makes meditation much easier to do. After a while, you will realize that meditation is for everyone, and not just people who are fascinated with “eastern” religions.

Tom Von Deck is an international corporate meditation trainer, stress management speaker and author of Oceanic Mind – The Deeper Meditation Training Course. You can sneak preview the first half of the book and get free guided meditation mp3s at Tom’s website, www.DeeperMeditation.net

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Get to know Patrick Scott

Founder, Tiffeny Curier posing with Patrick Scott

A few weeks ago you may recall Nightlife contributor Monica Byrd covering a story about the annual Arts, Beats, and Lyrics event hosted by Gentleman Jack. While attending the event I was able to get the chance to briefly speak with Patrick Scott, an Atlanta based musician, and exchange contact information. Patrick and I got a chance to talk more in dept over the phone about his music career and we manged to get a few laughs in at the end….. check out details of our conversation below!

TiffenyC. How old were you when you first started making music.
PatrickS.
I always had a passion for music and began recording at the age of about 14 or 15. I loved listening to groups like Metallica. I would sing along to their music all the time.

TiffenyC. Wait so you were into hardcore metal, with all the screaming and stuff. [laughs]
PatrickS.
Yes. I loved them. I was also inspired by artists such as John Mayer.

TiffenyC. So I know you play guitar from seeing you at the event, but what other instruments do you play outside of guitar?
PatrickS.
I play several instruments including keys, bass, drums, harmonica, guitar and the mandolin

TiffenyC. Wow, your kind of a jack of all trades..[laughs] Who in the music industry right now would you say you sound the most like, in other words who would you compare your sound to?
PatrickS.
If your referring to genre wise I would have to say The Fray, One Republic, John Mayer, and B.O.B.

TiffenyC. Wow, I love B.O.B. I think he represents real hip hop culture. So Patrick if you were given the opportunity to work with different artists of your choice who would you choose and why?
PatrickS.
Hmm..I would have to say Dave from the Foo Fighters because he is so innovative. If it is a hip hop track maybe somebody like Andre 3000.

TiffenyC. So how exactly did you hear about Art, Beats, and Lyrics? How long have you been on traveling with the tour?
PatrickS.
Its funny because that night was my first performance with Art, Beats, and Lyrics. I actually met Hustle, the guy who was rapping and the MC for the night, at a performance I had in Midtown Atlanta about 4-5 days before the event. Hustle walks in, started free-styling, and I was like he’s great. Next thing you know the group invited me to the Birmingham event. So it was my first time for everything.

TiffenyC. Really, you did really well for the first performance on tour. How is it touring and where are you guys heading off to next?
PatrickS.
I drove to Birmingham myself but overall its a pretty cool atmosphere. The next performance is St. Louis, November 12th.

TiffenyC. What are you bringing different to the industry, what sets Patrick Scott apart from the other artist currently out?
PatrickS.
One major thing is my writing ability, most musicians don’t do a lot of their own writing. I really just try to get my thoughts out and concentrate on what people really want to hear.

TiffenyC. Patrick where do you see yourself five years from now?
Patrick S.
Definitely working with a few more artist. I would like to be pursuing music full time and have put out a full album with about three or four different genres. I also hope to do more hip hop.

TiffenyC. If you had to choose three words to describe yourself which three words would you choose?
PatrickS.
Energetic, outgoing, and polite.

TiffenyC. If you had to write about three topics what topics would you choose to write about?
PatrickS.
Of course one would automatically be relationships and women. The second one would be life in general and just how hard life can sometime get. I would talk about how you have to just stick with life no matter the outcome. Last I would talk about people loving people, and crossing racial boundaries.

TiffenyC. I think its important we cross racial boundaries. We could realize how much we all really have in common with each other if we just took time out to stop the hate and see.
PatrickS.
Exactly

TiffenyC. So now is the really random and fun part of our interview. I’m just going to ask you very random questions that dont pertain to music at all. [laughs]
PatrickS.
[laughs] Ok.

TiffenyC. If you had to go by an alias or a stage persona similar to Beyonce’s Sasha Fierce what would it be?
PatrickS.
Well I actually use go by Patrick Hoydar, Hoydar is actually my real last name. No one could ever pronounce Hoydar and it was really confusing so I changed my stage name to Patrick Scott. Scott is my middle name.

TiffenyC. Oh okay. That’s so crazy. [laughs] So if you were trapped on an island what one item would you bring?
PatrickS.
Given I have the essentials I would have to say my guitar one hundred percent.

TiffenyC. Lets say you win one million dollars and you have only a day to spend it, how would you spend your money?
PatrickS.
I would have to definitely throw a few thousand to my parents and a lot would go to a music foundation I want to start. The foundation would serve as some type of after school function that was music related, so I would purchase guitars, amps, etc.

TiffenyC. Whats your most used phrase?
PatrickS.
Its actually something really corny that I say all the time when I’m leaving or hanging up the phone, its Peace Out.

TiffenyC. Are you serious? That has to be an Atlanta thing because my best friend Bre attends college in Atlanta and she says Peace Out all the time. [laughs] I swear I say it all the time now too! Are you single or taken?
PatrickS.
Happily taken. My girlfriend is very supportive and usually tries to come out and support me as much as she can.

TiffenyC. So were at the last question, its a really fun one. What super word would you make up? Similar to supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
PatrickS.
Even though this is a word already I would have to say janky. I love that word.

TiffenyC. Well Patrick its been my pleasure to interview you. I hope we can keep in contact.
PatrickS.
Definitely!

To hear music from Patrick Scott check out his website at www.patrickscottmusic.com.

You may also find Patrick Scott on: Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Reverbnation, Purevolume

You can view the original post covering the Gentleman Jack AB+L event by clicking here!

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Home Stretch

Okay AUBURN FANS, now that I’ve gotten your attention with my last article, I would like to honestly say that the Tigers are really on a roll. I can honestly say that Auburn has definitely been dominating their opponents this season, their great success is due largely to the talent of their All-American Quarterback, and possible Heisman hopeful, Cam Newton. Thanks to Newton, the Tigers have shown several glimpses of greatness, and with the season almost at an end, they can’t afford any mistakes. The constant inconsistencies in the team’s , and not Newton’s, performance could end up being the Tiger’s biggest downfall if they aren’t corrected.

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Do It With No Hands

Do you constantly find yourself having to be so many things to so many people?  Well, you are not alone!  Many of us have to wear different hats to help different people in our lives.  Isn’t it interesting that when we have our hands in all this stuff that we seem to neglect ourselves?  Well, breathe!  What if God wants you to take your hands off situations and stress so that he can transform your test into a testimony?

Today, we should all make it a habit of “Doing It With No Hands” and allowing God’s mighty hands to fix things in their proper order.  The statement “Doing It With No Hands” means that you turn it over to God.  I know that many of us are frustrated about someone or something creating a headache in this current season, but you have the victory!  You must realize that God grants us all power through Him and that we will always win, and without him we lose.  Just think of it like this, how can you catch your blessings, when your hands are full of mess?  When you let go of the mess, this allows God to work.  Let go and Let God!

Do it with No Hands…By Faith!! ..And Watch God work!

I know it’s a rough time for many of us.   What happens when the helper needs help?  We are so strong for other people and are crying for help ourselves.  Our hands our nothing!  The Potter (God) is able to construct miracles and shift our situation at anytime.  So today, take your hands off the issue, headache, or concern that keeps your heart heavy.  Do it (Have Faith in Him) with no hands!

Prayer:

God, we come to you in the name of Jesus, thanking you for all that you do and all that you are about to do.  We release our problems, frustration, issues, and situations right now.  We claim that better days are ahead and sleepless nights full of tears will be a thing of the past.  God, we come with authority claiming that this is our season and that we trust you to move according to your will.  We touch and agree that healing, prosperity, and peace of mind will come to everyone in need.  God, allow your goodness and unconditional love to overflow into someone’s life today.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 3:5 – It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves.  Our only power and success come from God.

This message is brought to you by Pastor Michael D. McClure, Jr. and the Rock Church. For more information, call (205) 798-7621 or www.therockcity.org.

Marcus M. McCord, CIO

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