Inner Peace

Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................3
Inner Peace Evaluation ...............................................................................................5
Inner Peace – Finding Peace of Mind .......................................................................9
Finding Peace During Challenging Times ............................................................. 13
Self-Love and Kindness Exercise ........................................................................... 16
Belonging: A Key Component for Inner Peace.................................................... 17
Meditation for Stress ................................................................................................ 20
Meditating in Today’s World ................................................................................... 22
Finding Peace in a Busy Society .............................................................................. 24
Benefits of Meditation.............................................................................................. 26
Creating Your Own Meditation Practice ............................................................... 28
Meditation FAQs ...................................................................................................... 31
What’s Possible Now? .............................................................................................. 35
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www.WellnessWithMoira.com
Introduction
Do You Feel Stuck?
• Do you wonder how other people seem to achieve success

while you stay stuck in the same place?
• Do you feel stuck in your career or in your business?
• Do you feel stuck in your relationship or with your wellness
goals?
If you are tired of this never-ending cycle of frustration and

disappointments from limiting beliefs and self-sabotage, this may well
be the most important thing you’ve ever read…
You Are Totally Worthy of Absolutely Everything

& Anything You Aspire to Be or Have!!
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How you derive your feelings of ease, confidence and peace is often
complex. It's quite possible that every life event that you've
experienced and everything ever said to you, have all contributed to
your beliefs about yourself and the habits you currently have.
Before we start creating more inner peace for you – let’s first discover
how much you currently experience by doing the following assessment
(many of my clients come back and re-do this assessment over and
over depending upon what is going on in their lives – I hope you start
to use it to gauge your progress in developing increased levels of inner
peace too).
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Inner Peace Evaluation
1. Usually:
a. I meditate regularly.
b. I meditate occasionally.
c. I don’t have time to meditate.
2. I view other races as:

a. People I don’t understand.
b. People with whom I need to be defensive.
c. People as one on the earth.
3. When anything irritating happens to me:

a. It irritates me all day.
b. I laugh about it a little later.
c. At times I take it out on people around me.
4. When I have time alone:

a. I can work or play or just be quietly at peace.
b. I keep busy by working.
c. I watch TV or read or eat.
5. As I evaluate what I do during the day:

a. I believe that there is a “big picture” and a purpose.
b. I understand how my work and activities help others.
c. I wonder what my purpose in life is.
6. My attitude toward my current life situation is:

a. I am very frustrated with what is going on.
b. I want to make some changes but wonder about the outcome.
c. I can continue what I am doing for now and prepare for the
future.
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7. When socializing with new people:
a. I learn about our likes and dislikes then debate about them.
b. I focus on subjects we agree upon.
c. I agree with them just to be friendly.
8. When I get angry with someone:

a. I am silent and patient.
b. I express my anger in order to let it out.
c. I acknowledge my being upset but try to work out a solution.
9. My most important goals are:

a. Reaching financial success.
b. Helping others for a better world.
c. Preparing myself and loved ones from life’s dangers.
10. If I try anything new:

a. I know I will get it right however long it takes.
b. I make mistakes and get angry at myself.
c. I want to be shown exactly what to do before I start.
11. If I work with someone smarter than myself:

a. I feel intimidated.
b. I try to pool our resources.
c. I let that person know that I am just as smart as they are.
12. When trying to live up to my high expectations:

a. I am angry at myself if I fail.
b. I realize that my expectations are too high and stop trying.
c. I simply try to improve.
13. I consider myself to be in:

a. Excellent health.
b. Good health.
c. Poor health.
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14. I think death is:
a. The end of all.
b. The transition into new life.
c. The unknown.
15. When meditating, if my mind wanders:

a. I relax and gently bring it back to focus on the subject.
b. I try to shut out everything.
c. I just let it go.
16. I feel a oneness with others when:

a. We have a common complaint.
b. When we have the same opinion about something.
c. When we work toward the same goal.
17. In a social situation with new people:

a. I am uncomfortable and try to leave.
b. I try to get to know them better.
c. I like to sit back and simply observe.
SCORING YOUR EVALUATION
Using the key below, add up your total points for all 17 questions.
1. a=2 , b=1 , c=0 10. a=2 , b=0 , c=0

2. a=1 , b-0 , c=2 11. a=0 , b=2 , c=1
3. a=0 , b=2 , c=0 12. a=0 , b=0 , c=2
4. a=2 , b=1 , c=0 13. a=2 , b=1 , c=0
5. a=1 , b=2 , c=0 14. a=0 , b=2 , c=0
6. a=0 , b-1 , c=2 15. a=2 , b=1 , c=0
7. a=0 , b=2, c=0 16. a=0 , b=1 , c=2
8. a=1 , b=0 , c=2 17. a=0 , b=2 , c=1
9. a=0 , b=2 , c-0
TOTAL SCORE:
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What your score means…
A score of 27 – 34 indicates that you already experience a great deal of inner

peace most of the time and that you apply this inner peace in your relationship
with others. You need to maintain this current level of inner peace as you evolve
even more.
A score of 17 – 26 indicates that you experience a moderate amount of inner

peace, yet there is always room for improvement.
A score of below 17 indicates that you probably are not feeling very peaceful
about your life in general; however, you have the exciting opportunity for growth
as you apply the principles for inner peace.
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Inner Peace – Finding Peace of Mind
What does inner peace mean for you? Does it
mean a place of sanctuary where you can come
home from stressful situations and find that place
of safety away from the ‘stresses of the world’?
Does it mean a place where you can be yourself
without the facade many of us wear throughout
the day so that people won’t know how we really
feel? Or is this place (often our home) one more
place where we need to defend ourselves from the
ongoing barrage of anger, hostility, and power
games that are so often the measure of our lives
in the 21st century?
The dictionary defines inner as: of or pertaining to the mind or spirit;

mental; spiritual: the inner life. It's more intimate, private, or secret: the
inner workings of the organization.
Peace is defined as: a state of calm and quiet; freedom from disturbing
thoughts; and an agreement to end hostilities.
For our purposes here, I will combine these two notions and define
inner peace as: the integration of our thoughts and feelings culminating
in a state of tranquility and harmony.
One of the most important keys for this tranquility and harmony or
‘peace of mind’ as it is often called, is to honour our emotional nature
and find methods to express feelings in appropriate ways that allow us
to release them.
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Practical Steps for Accessing & Releasing Emotions
1. Learn to listen to yourself. Many of us have been stressed for

so long that we are out-of-touch with how we feel. A situation
will present itself and we will ‘flip out’ and find it unbelievable
that we have lost control. This is a result from a build-up of
emotions that we’ve not been aware of.
2. Accept responsibility for your feelings. No one makes you

feel anything; rather you choose how you think and feel based
on what you interpret the situation to be. Blaming others gives
away your power and when you feel like a ‘victim’ you react with
anger and resentment.
3. Talk to a trusted friend or

coach. Finding a ‘safe place’
where you can express feelings
without anyone judging you
provides an opportunity to
release pent-up emotions.
4. Accept yourself. You are not supposed to be perfect and

learning to accept yourself with all your strengths and
weaknesses (i.e. ‘warts and all’!) creates feelings of peace within.
5. Don’t judge yourself. Judging yourself means thinking you

must be perfect and creates feelings of not being ‘good enough.’
When feeling inadequate you judge yourself harshly and no
matter what you do it will never be ‘good enough.’
6. Let go of the past. The past is over and you did the best you
could with what you knew at the time. If the past evokes
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memories of painful experiences for you, release the memories
and find forgiveness for yourself and/or others.
This doesn’t mean you condone bad behaviors. It means you

release the memories and feelings to find your own inner healing
and peace.
7. Learn to relax. Many methods exist that contribute to staying in
balance and harmony. Practicing meditation as a daily ritual,
reading, exercising, walking, or creating a sacred space where you
can spend time feeling a sense of renewal and refreshment are all
methods that take you away from focusing on ‘what is wrong’ to
seeing yourself as having ‘control of your life.’
8. Practice gratitude. What you pay attention to increases as you
give energy to your thoughts. Thoughts of peace, love, and
abundance increases the inner healing and peace and leads to
living lives that feel more balanced and harmonious.
9. Keep a journal. People have used journaling for many years to
release emotions and make sense of what is going on.
This journal or notebook is for your eyes
only and allows you to say anything you
want without anybody seeing it except you.
Once expressed, emotions tend to dissipate
and you will find they are released through
this exploration. If this process doesn’t
totally release them the first time, repeat the
exercise.
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10. Spend time in nature. We are part of nature and when we re-
connect with the natural world we touch our inner self/ spiritual
connection to something more. That something more is our
connection to the Universal Energy whether we call it God,
Goddess, All That Is, or Higher Power.
Whatever we call it, when we feel connected to the ‘Whole’ we

recognize our place in the world and feel a sense of peace and
harmony and that ‘all is right in our world.’
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Finding Peace During Challenging Times
Creating inner peace is a choice. Each day, we’re faced with the choice
to create peace or create stress. This can be a challenging task on a
good day. On a bad day, it feels impossible. The constant ups and
downs in life are a given. They’re largely uncontrollable. But you can
control your response to them. You can learn to feel peaceful in
challenging times.
Find the peace you need to thrive:
1. Give yourself the advice you would give a friend. It’s difficult
to make decisions when you’re emotionally compromised. But
the path forward is more obvious to you if someone else is
struggling. Imagine that your friend has the same challenge
you’re facing. What advice would you give them?
2. Ask yourself what you are learning from this experience.

Are you learning the importance of saving your money? Are you
learning not to overextend yourself? Are you learning how to
deal with the death of a loved one?
Every hardship provides a lesson. Determine what you can learn

from the experience.
3. What are you afraid of? If you’re feeling out of sorts, you’re
afraid of something. What is it? Defining your fear will make it a
little less scary. Ask yourself what is the worst thing likely to
happen.
4. Practice mindfulness. We make our challenges more

challenging by continuously churning through them. You think
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about your issue while you’re in the shower, driving to work,
eating lunch, talking with friends, or watching TV. You never get
a break.
Mindfulness is simply paying attention to your environment and

the task at hand. If you’re eating dinner, your mind should be on
eating, not thinking about your problems or issues. It’s
challenging to control your thoughts, but the peace you
experience can’t be beat.
5. Tame your mind first. It’s a common mistake. You focus on

solving your challenge first. Then you believe you’ll feel better.
This is logical, but slow and challenging. Get your mind under
control, and then your problem is easier to solve. You’ll also feel
better more quickly. Quiet your mental noise first and then
search for solutions.
6. Remember all your previous issues that turned out okay.

Think about the challenges you’ve faced in the past. You
survived and moved on. You’ll get over this, too. Believe that
everything will work out for the best.
What was the worst thing that happened to you during your
elementary school years?
• High school?
• Early 20’s?
7. Look for the helpers. Whether there’s a fire, an earthquake, or

a homeless family, there’s always someone helping. There are
people available to help you, too. Look for the helpers and you’ll
find them.
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Feeling stressed is a typical response when life takes an unexpected
turn. Our responses to hardship are habitual. Habits can be altered or
broken. New habits can be created. Avoid the belief that your negative
feelings are happening to you like bad weather. You can choose your
focus and manage your thoughts. Find peace first and then solve your
challenge.
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Self-Love and Kindness Exercise
When you are feeling stuck, full of worry, fearful and struggling with
some aspect of your life, try this quick exercise to improve and increase
your quotient of self-love and inner peace.
Take a couple of deep breaths – in through your nose and out through
your mouth and put your hand somewhere on your body that feels
comforting to you – it could be over your heart or you could give
yourself a hug, or cradle your cheek in your hand – something that
feels loving and nurturing to you at this moment.
Acknowledge to yourself (out loud or in your mind) that this is a

moment of suffering (or struggle or angst or what it is for you) and
that there IS suffering in this world.
Now ask yourself (again – out loud or in your mind) what could you
do for yourself right now that would feel loving and kind and see what
intuitive answer comes up for you… myself and my clients find that
we will receive guidance from our intuition to do things like have a cup
of tea, have a nap, go and meditate, go for a walk, move your body…
I wonder what your guidance will provide.
You can use this as a quick tool as you steer through your day or you
can change it into a much longer meditative exercise.
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Belonging: A Key Component for Inner Peace
I believe that for anyone to be successful in any type of relationship

(marital, friendship, employer/employee, child/parent, sibling, etc.)
the individual must believe and know full heartedly that they are whole
exactly as they are.
When dysfunction shows up, the individual buys into an agreement

that they are less than perfect, they need someone else to make them
whole, in fact they give part of themselves away to make up for that
perceived lack. They get to a point where they do not need any abuse
from anyone else as they beat themselves up without any stimuli.
I do not intend to minimize the impact of an abusive

relationship. Abuse does show up in many forms
and many different levels of intensity. What is
important however is to see that the core you is not
the victim, you are a beautiful, whole and divine
being. Connecting to your divine source is the only
way in which the individual can cast off the impact
of abuse.
To relate to anyone, the individual must spend time and become

dedicated to the re-connection with Source, if this does not happen,
you will go from one bad relationship to the next, there may be varying
degrees of abuse, it might be physical, emotional or both. This pattern
will only be interrupted when you take stock and connect with yourself.
Counseling is very beneficial for people dealing with abuse, but only as
far as looking at what has happened and taking ownership for the
experience. Unfortunately, many styles of counseling allow the
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individual to get stuck in a loop which will never become undone until
the person can release the emotion and then connect with their
divinity. This will allow the person to grow through the experience
and not feel like an invalid for the rest of their life.
Assigning blame and labeling someone as bad, wrong, evil is not

healthy for the person who has experienced any type of abuse. It
would be far more powerful to forgive the person who has hurt you
and then release the whole experience. Forgiveness does not mean
that you condone bad, inappropriate, or unjust behavior; you do not
even have to speak to a person to forgive them. In fact, in my
experience, it is much more powerful to communicate at a soul level;
this can be done alone or through a guided meditation process.
To move through the hurt and pain left in the wake of abuse, it is
important to be completely willing to let it go in its entirety. If there
are any blocks or hesitation to this, it would be very beneficial to go
within and ask yourself ‘what part of this hurt or pain serves me’.
Using journaling and meditation as your tools to journey through this
you will be able to remove all that is blocking your journey to regain
your wholeness. I say regain here as we are all on a journey back to
our divinity; we are recapturing what is already ours, already there
within. This life is a process which allows the reconnection if you want
it.
There will be times when journaling and meditation will not be enough
for you to bring up the emotions that you need to let go of. When you
feel like you have hit a block or need help, going for an energy healing
session, guided meditation or hypnotherapy session will help you get
through. All forms of massage and bodywork are also very beneficial
to releasing emotions.
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When you feel whole, fulfilled and right just as you are, you will find
that like-minded people naturally gravitate toward you. You will also
find that people who are stuck in their own stuff will either come
through it or drift out of your life. Your life will take on a natural flow;
you will find that your love of life will know no bounds.
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Meditation for Stress
There is no doubt that stress is a huge issue
for thousands of people today. In fact, stress
is often referred to as the silent killer. It can
creep up on you and take hold of your life in
devastating ways. If you are dealing with
stress in any way, it could be to your benefit
to start incorporating some form of
meditation into your daily routine.
One of the main benefits of meditation is that it can help calm your feelings. It
can help both your physical health and your mental well-being. While you may
only spend 10 or 20 minutes actively meditating, the benefits of this session will
stay with you all day long.
Stress often builds up because you just have too much to do or to think about.
Your mind is full of things that you want to accomplish and you just feel
overwhelmed with it all.
Meditating will help you diminish these thoughts by calming and soothing your
mind. You will find it much easier to prioritize all your daily tasks and chores and
you will be able to focus on what is important.
A key element to all of this is that meditation will help you learn the skills that
you need to manage your stress level effectively. Learning how to let go of the
past and not dwell on it, is another important side effect of meditation.
As well as stress, meditation seems to be showing positive results when it comes

to other health issues. People who are dealing with health problems such as
anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep issues and substance abuse have seen great
results after meditating.
Your goal when meditating is to discover your inner peace. Everyone has this, it
is just extremely well hidden in some. There are different ways to find your inner
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peace such as using a physical form of meditation as in yoga or Tai Chi. Repeating
a calming phrase is yet another method.
It is important to choose a way to meditate that will work for you. You may find
that you need to experiment with various methods, before finding the one that
works the best for you.
When it comes to dealing with stress you want to look at Mindfulness Meditation.
This method helps you accept and deal with living in the present. These
circumstances are often the root cause of your stress, so this should prove to be
an effect way to manage your stress.
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Meditating in Today’s World
The face of meditation has changed to a certain extent today. This has been made
possible by the acceptance of meditating in different places and in various ways.
The whole purpose of meditating is to allow your mind and body to connect and
to discover that inner peace.
The following ways are simple things that you can do to enjoy the benefits of
meditation.
Enjoy sitting back and relaxing while soaking your feet in a tub of warm water
with added bath salts. This can help you remove all the stresses from your long,
hard day.
Use an icepack, wrapped in a washcloth, on the right side of your body while
sitting and meditating. This is supposed to help cool your liver. It is thought that
people with an overactive liver have more mind chatter than others.
Use some type of external aid to assist you with meditating. This could be a
phone app to remind you when to meditate. Or you may prefer to use music or
listen to motivational tapes.
Meditate while walking or jogging. You can listen to motivational tapes or just
repeat your favorite quote whilst outside walking. You may wish to focus on just
one thing during your walks, such as what a person or thing means to you.
While yoga and Tai Chi have been around for a long time. These are activities
that have seen an increase in popularity in recent years. Both are excellent ways
for helping you meditate and deal with the stresses of life.
Listening to music is another great tool you can incorporate into your life.
Binaural beats are extremely popular and effective when it comes to meditating.
Your doctor or health care provider may also have ideas for how you can
incorporate meditation into your life. In fact, doctors are recommending
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meditation to their patients frequently these days. It is extremely cost effective
as all it requires is your time to learn the different ways of meditating.
It is important to choose a meditation method that suits your body and your
frame of mind. If you are dealing with a health issue you may not have the ability
to sit with your legs crossed for longer periods. It may be easier and more
soothing to sit in a chair and soak your feet.
When you feel at ease you will find it much easier to meditate and reap the full
benefits successfully.
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Finding Peace in a Busy Society
Today it seems as though everyone in our society is busy. Who isn't running
around trying to juggle careers, schools and home life? This can become a
traumatic experience for some. The pressure from your peers and friends to fit
in and succeed are enormous. So how do you deal with all of this while still
keeping your sanity?
Lately there has been a ton of research conducted on the benefits of meditating
on a regular basis. Meditation is nothing new, by any means, it is an art form that
has been practiced for centuries. So why is it now being looked at as a healing
process?
In short, we can put it down to our society as a whole. Families today see both
parents working and this puts added pressure on the entire family. Everyone is
always rushed. You go to work to run home and prepare dinner. Then there is
homework to be done, laundry that needs doing and there seems like there is
never any time for you!
Just look at some of the tools that you use in your life. You probably carry around
a Smartphone or an iPad or laptop. This just increases your activity levels. Even
on the bus or in the car you are busy doing something. Years ago, a bus ride
could have been viewed as a restful experience.
When was the last time you turned off all of your devices for 24 hours or even
less? Likely quite some time ago I expect!!
Meditation gives you that time in your day when you can slow down and relax.
Just sitting in a comfortable chair and closing your eyes for 10 - 20 minutes can
be a huge help. Your body and your mind finally have the time to take a break.
You can stop thinking at a million miles per hour, instead you have the time to
focus on just one thing.
Research has shown that using some type of meditation method has helped
reduced stress, crime and violence in society. It has also shown increases in
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understanding, positivity and in people experiencing that peaceful, glad to be
alive feeling.
You can really see just how busy we are as a society. This is why taking up the
art of meditation is an excellent choice for many people. Meditating gives you
space and the ability to take time out, sit down and clear your mind.
After a few sessions of meditating you will notice that your concentration levels
have increased as well as your productivity levels. Overall you will start to enjoy
living life to the fullest again.
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Benefits of Meditation
As you are aware there are several ways you can meditate. While each method
may have different benefits, we will take a look at the overall benefits of
meditation in general.
How Meditation Affects Your Brain
It is so easy to stress out your brain these days. You are busy at work, you have
a family to take care of and provide for. This can lead to you not eating correctly,
not exercising enough and we haven't even touched on social impacts such as
drinking and smoking. It is easy to see that your brain is extremely taxed out.
As you become stressed out you start to make impulsive decisions. You are
always in a rushed state, so you don't take the time to think things through. This
can lead to making bad judgements that could affect everyone around you.
Using meditation methods such as Mindfulness or Transcendental you can

minimize and even reverse these effects on your brain. By giving your brain
permission to stop and relax, you are allowing it to enter a period of restfulness
while still staying alert.
What this achieves is that it helps to strengthen the communication process in

your brain. Without getting too technical, this is where your brain's prefrontal
cortex and different areas that control brain functions are located.
The result of this restful period is that your ability to make strong, well thought
out decisions is restored. Outwardly you project a more stable and confident
appearance to your colleagues and family.
• The overall benefits you will reap from meditating include:

• Feeling as though you have a purpose in life
• Your behavior becomes less impulsive
• Your decision-making skills are enhanced
• Your memory works much better than it used to
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• You stop abusing things such as cigarettes, drugs and alcohol
• Your energy levels are increased
• You become much healthier overall
• Your immune system works better
• Your self confidence level is increased
• You feeling of well-being is improved
• Your relationships are better
• You just feel happy and optimistic about your life
So, if you are not totally happy or satisfied with your life then you may want to
incorporate meditation into it. The nice thing about meditating is that it doesn't
take very long at all. A twenty-minute session, once or twice a day, can do
wonders for your health.
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Creating Your Own Meditation Practice
1. Choose a conducive environment. Find a nice, quiet place where you
won’t be disturbed for fifteen minutes or longer. Sit down, relax and rest
your hands on your lap. You can sit on the floor cross-legged with the
support of a meditation cushion, or on any chair with your feet resting on
the ground. It is not necessary to force yourself into a lotus position if you
are not used to it.
Regardless of how you sit, it is important to maintain the natural curve of

your back. That means no slouching. People with chronic back problems
who cannot sit for a prolonged period of time can explore other
meditation positions.
2. Breathe slowly and deeply. Close your eyes softly. Direct your soft,
unfocused gaze downwards. Begin by taking a few slow and deep breaths
— inhaling with your nose and exhaling from your mouth. Don’t force
your breathing; let it come naturally. The first few intakes of air are likely
to be shallow, but as you allow more air to fill your lungs each time, your
breaths will gradually become deeper and fuller. Take as long as you need
to breathe slowly and deeply.
3. Be aware. When you are breathing deeply, you will begin to feel calmer
and more relaxed. That is a good sign. Now, focus your attention on your
breathing. Be aware of each breath that you take in through your nose. Be
mindful of each breath that you exhale with your mouth. Continue
focusing on your breaths for as long as you like.
If you find your attention straying away from your breaths, just gently
bring it back. It may happen many times. Don’t be disheartened. What’s
important is to realize that you have wandered and bring your attention
back to where it should be. As you develop greater focus power, you will
find it easier to concentrate.
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4. Ending the session. When you are ready to end the session, open your
eyes and stand up slowly. Stretch yourself and extend your increased
awareness to your next activities. Well done! You have done it!
Meditation Tips for Beginners
Guided meditation MP3s or CDs as meditation tools. For beginners, audio

guided meditations provide step-by-step instructions that help to introduce
meditation in an easy and non-intimidating way.
Experienced meditators may also benefit from guided meditation programs as

they can reveal different perspectives and approaches that might have escaped
one’s awareness.
As there are many types of guided meditation available, it is important to be clear

on what you are looking for. No matter what your objectives are, you are likely
to find a guided meditation that suits your needs.
Aim to have the length of your exhalations as long, if not longer, than your
inhalations. By expelling more used air, you make more room for fresh air to fill
your lungs. If your out-breaths are much shorter than the in-breaths, you can
help to expel more air by gently contracting your abdominal muscles.
If the weather is chilly, keep yourself warm with a blanket or shawl during
meditation.
Meditating with an empty or full stomach may be distracting or even

uncomfortable. Make sure there is something in your tummy, but not so much
that you feel distracted while sitting.
Some people find it easier to meditate with light music or other relaxing sounds
in the background, while others prefer total silence. If you belong to the first
group, choose an appropriate music that helps you to calm down and yet won’t
distract you from your practice. Some examples are sounds of nature (such as
rain and ocean waves), traditional music (like native American flute music) as
well as contemporary meditation music (Music for Healing by Steven Halpern
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comes to mind). The choice of music, or lack of, is entirely a matter of personal
preference. So, feel free to experiment and see what works best for you.
Use a meditation timer or any countdown timer. It tells you your time is up
without you having to think about it constantly. You can use the timer that is
built into your mobile phone or digital watch. Alternatively, you can also use a
free online meditation timer (I really like Insight Timer - available for iPhone or
Android)
Once you have mastered breathing meditation, you can choose to continue with
it or try other meditation techniques. There are many types of meditation
techniques that can help you to develop inner qualities which you never knew
existed.
Page 30 of 36
Meditation FAQs
1. How often should I meditate?
Once a day, or more if you wish. Some people meditate in the morning
before breakfast and have another session just before they sleep.
Meditation may seem like a chore at first, but I encourage you to learn to
enjoy it and look forward to it everyday. See it as an opportunity, rather
than an item on your to-do list, to spend some intimate moments with
yourself.
Cultivate meditation as a habit that you’d do naturally every day, like

brushing of your teeth.
2. How long do I need to meditate each time?
Aim for at least fifteen minutes for each session. For most people, it will
normally take ten minutes or more for the mind to settle down. So, if your
meditation is too short, you would find the session has ended before you
even have a chance to get into it.
3. Why do I find it so hard to concentrate or sit still during meditation?
Many people, including long-time meditators, have experienced occasions

when they find their concentration is not as focused as they want it to be.
So, it is important to be patient and compassionate with yourself,
especially if you are a beginner.
Meditation requires your mind to be calm and quiet. Therefore, anything

that stimulates your mind just before your sitting is not going to be very
helpful, such as a heated argument with your partner, an exciting computer
game, a dramatic movie or a thought-provoking book. If you find yourself
often having a hard time sitting still during meditation, try to avoid
engaging in any of these activities prior to your session.
Page 31 of 36
Some people also find a relaxation exercise or a gentle stretch before
meditation helps them to get into a tranquil state faster.
Alternatively, you can try walking meditation if you face difficulty with the
sitting version, or work on improving your concentration.
4. When I meditate, I feel like I’m betraying my religious beliefs. Why

is that?
Meditation is often associated with Eastern cultures and religions, like

Buddhism, because it probably originated from there, or at least became
popular first in that region. That is why many people have mistakenly
equated meditation with a particular religion when in essence, it is not.
This is a common myth.
As you can see from the steps shared above, meditation does not require
you to believe in any deity or God, neither does it require you to give up
your existing religious beliefs.
On the other hand, some forms of meditation do involve the visualization

of popular religious icons or recitation of mantras from religious texts.
But labeling meditation as religious just because of its diverse use is as
good as saying all knives are weapons of destruction and hence should be
avoided.
5. My mind keeps wandering off during meditation. I feel so frustrated

and disappointed with myself. Am I wasting my time?
I shall let St. Francis de Sales, French saint and Bishop of Geneva, answer
this question:
“If the heart wanders or is distracted, bring it back to the point quite gently…And
even if you did nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back, though
it went away every time you brought it back, your hour would be very well employed.”
Page 32 of 36
Though it may not be apparent to you, there is a gentle yet profound
transformation taking place within you every time you meditate. It is like
a fruit ripening on a tree. The ripening process is slow, but no doubt it is
happening. So, rest assured that every minute that you put into calming
your body, mind and soul is never wasted.
6. I tend to fall asleep during meditation. What should I do?
Allowing more light to enter the eyes is a good way to stay awake. Lifting
your eyelids higher, while keeping your gaze soft and unfocused, will help
to keep the brain stimulated and alert. Your physical and mental states also
play a key role. When you are lethargic or dull, it is much harder to
concentrate, which means you will need to put in more effort to stay
awake. In meditation, we are always trying to strike a balance between
being too distracted and too relaxed and drowsy. It is perfectly normal.
Just keep trying.
7. How do I know I’m meditating?
In short, when you are focused on your breathing, yet fully aware of the
random thoughts in your mind and not distracted by them.
8. I feel very uncomfortable in a sitting position due to mental and

physical issues. Is sitting the only way to meditate? Can I lie down?
Thankfully, sitting is not the only way to meditate. You can also meditate
while lying down. But it can be a ‘dangerous’ position. No, not physical
danger of course. You are in danger of falling asleep halfway through your
meditation. A lying position, especially one on the bed, is so comfortable
that many people find it a challenge to complete their meditation. That is
why you don’t find it mentioned often. However, if you can overcome
that, then by all means do it.
Page 33 of 36
9. Who are not suitable to learn meditation on their own?
People suffering from moderate to severe mental or learning disabilities

should learn meditation under the guidance and supervision of a qualified
trainer.
10. What is the best meditation technique for beginners?
If you are new to meditation, I would recommend that you start with a
meditation that strengthens your concentration power, such as the
breathing meditation and the breath counting meditation.
Page 34 of 36
What’s Possible Now?
I specialize in helping people get unstuck in their lives so that they can
feel healthy, prosperous and whole – just the way they originally
intended. If you (or someone you know) are asking yourself things like
“Is this all there is for me?” or “I thought my life was going to amount
to more than this” or “Surely there is a better way than this” – perhaps
it is time to look at a different way!
1. Are you ready to identify and remove the roadblocks to

your success once and for all?
2. Are you feeling stuck or some aspect of your life?
3. Are you aware that things could be so much better in your
life – but just not sure how to get from where you are to
where you wish to be?
Page 35 of 36
Please contact me to set up your complimentary assessment to look at
how to get you from where you are to where you desire and deserve
to be.
You can arrange for your breakthrough session with me by going to

http://wellnesswithmoira.com/breakthrough-to-success-session
Or you can contact me directly at [email protected]
I look forward to hearing from you!
And above all – I wish you much increased Inner Peace!
Many Blessings,
P.S. Just in case you missed downloading the guided meditations I

created to help you find inner peace and balance in your life… here are
the download links again:
Balance Your Life
Awakening the Spirit
Page 36 of 36

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Contents

• Do you wonder how other people seem to achieve success

If you are tired of this never-ending cycle of frustration and

You Are Totally Worthy of Absolutely Everything

2. I view other races as:

3. When anything irritating happens to me:

4. When I have time alone:

5. As I evaluate what I do during the day:

6. My attitude toward my current life situation is:

8. When I get angry with someone:

9. My most important goals are:

10. If I try anything new:

11. If I work with someone smarter than myself:

12. When trying to live up to my high expectations:

13. I consider myself to be in:

15. When meditating, if my mind wanders:

16. I feel a oneness with others when:

17. In a social situation with new people:

SCORING YOUR EVALUATION

1. a=2 , b=1 , c=0 10. a=2 , b=0 , c=0

A score of 27 – 34 indicates that you already experience a great deal of inner

A score of 17 – 26 indicates that you experience a moderate amount of inner

The dictionary defines inner as: of or pertaining to the mind or spirit;

1. Learn to listen to yourself. Many of us have been stressed for

2. Accept responsibility for your feelings. No one makes you

3. Talk to a trusted friend or

4. Accept yourself. You are not supposed to be perfect and

5. Don’t judge yourself. Judging yourself means thinking you

This doesn’t mean you condone bad behaviors. It means you

Whatever we call it, when we feel connected to the ‘Whole’ we

Find the peace you need to thrive:

2. Ask yourself what you are learning from this experience.

Every hardship provides a lesson. Determine what you can learn

4. Practice mindfulness. We make our challenges more

Mindfulness is simply paying attention to your environment and

5. Tame your mind first. It’s a common mistake. You focus on

6. Remember all your previous issues that turned out okay.

7. Look for the helpers. Whether there’s a fire, an earthquake, or

Acknowledge to yourself (out loud or in your mind) that this is a

I believe that for anyone to be successful in any type of relationship

When dysfunction shows up, the individual buys into an agreement

I do not intend to minimize the impact of an abusive

To relate to anyone, the individual must spend time and become

Assigning blame and labeling someone as bad, wrong, evil is not

As well as stress, meditation seems to be showing positive results when it comes

How Meditation Affects Your Brain

Using meditation methods such as Mindfulness or Transcendental you can

What this achieves is that it helps to strengthen the communication process in

• The overall benefits you will reap from meditating include:

Regardless of how you sit, it is important to maintain the natural curve of

Meditation Tips for Beginners

Guided meditation MP3s or CDs as meditation tools. For beginners, audio

Experienced meditators may also benefit from guided meditation programs as

As there are many types of guided meditation available, it is important to be clear

Meditating with an empty or full stomach may be distracting or even

Cultivate meditation as a habit that you’d do naturally every day, like

2. How long do I need to meditate each time?

3. Why do I find it so hard to concentrate or sit still during meditation?

Many people, including long-time meditators, have experienced occasions