Your Inner Gifts - a meditative experience

Find yourself in a comfortable position in a seated or lying down.

Allow your mind and body to relax. You can be seated or lay down.
Completely relax. Let go of any thoughts about the day.

Right now is about you and your inner journey. Imagine that it's a sunny day at the beach. The wind is blowing through the trees, through the grasses, through the sand. And as it's blowing, you can feel it on the surface of your skin and your face. The sun is smiling, shining brightly.

And you can see the water of the ocean ahead of you shimmering in the sunlight, creating all kinds of visual patterns as if the ocean waves are dancing with the light. You're seated on the sandy beach with your feet in the sand. And you look down and you touch the sand granules and watch them fall through your fingers. You just feel all your burdens and tensions falling away. The sand is grounding you, birthing you, giving you a feeling of relief and calm and gentleness.

You've entered a space of no judgments, no barrage of thinking patterns pulling you down, slowing you down. It's a boundless free space of love and appreciation and freedom. The environment is so rich in natural beauty. The sand, the palm trees, the grasses, the little shells, the birds, the seagulls, and the pelicans, and just the vastness of the ocean fills you up with pure liquid light. You realize parts of you were dormant.

They are now getting activated. Your creativity, your creativity, your imagination, your desire for creating and bringing something beautiful into this world is getting activated, getting turned on. Switch is turned on. Just by being here, sitting on the sand, looking at the ocean, you're feeling the activations throughout your body, throughout your mental and emotional body, to your spiritual body. All the different dimensions of who you are are instantly being healed, transformed and transmuted into the being, into the one that you were meant to be.

Allowing your gifts and talents to flow through you without any judgment, without any critical voice, without any doubt, without any reservation or hesitation, moving forward confidently and boldly, marching towards and through your desires into the realm of infinite possibilities.

You're allowing your true self to flow into this 3D world in order to impact, touch, inspire, move countless beings, activating them on their own journey of transformation. You are the catalyst. You are the bridge. You are the stepping stone.

Your presence, your creative outputs, that is what is required for the transformation of millions of people. In a domino effect, you affect millions. Even by just one person being transformed and changed, you are affecting millions because of all the people they're gonna interact and all the people they're going to interact and they're going to interact and so on.

And so now you're sitting here on the sandy beach allowing yourself to let go of your own inner biases, limitations and concerns and doubts that you imposed upon yourself. All these masks that you put on your face to cover up your true self out of a desire to protect, to heal, to shield.

But now you're ready to be visible. You're ready to be seen and to be a channel of change for all those who come in contact with you. You're honoring your own inner gifts and talents and inclinations, quirks, skills, propensities, things that come so easy and natural to you. You're just embracing all of it, being who you are.

Unfiltered, uncensored, unrestricted.

What you have, nobody has in the exact way that you have. The best thing you can do is to let that inner talent, inner gifts flow through you without expectations, but only with the desire to share with the intention that what you put out helps one other person. Purpose that you've been yearning for, fulfillment, the purpose that you've been yearning for. It's all within you. It has always been within you all along.

But now you're opening up to channels. Now you're allowing the river to flow ideas, inspiration, projects, concepts, modalities, various various formats of how this thing that you do so naturally can now take shape, take form. It is yearning to take form as well. Just as you're yearning for your purpose, this creativity, whatever it may be, doesn't have to be in the arts. Can be sciences, mathematics, engineering, or raising animals and children or gardens.

Creativity is just the act of creating. Giving form to an idea and inspiration, a thought that has benevolent implications to anyone who experiences them. It's an act of creation because you are a creator, because you have the physical vessel to take some intangible concept and give it tangible form. In the doing of this, there is transformation and shifts for you, yourself, first. There's fulfillment and satisfaction.

And from this, then there are ripple effects into the world, which cannot be quantified. In fact, the whole quantification of any of your outputs is a futile endeavor. It only derails you. Those are all numbers of vanity, of egoic mind seeking satisfaction in numbers. Numbers are great measurements. Yes. Only up to the extent that they enable you to create, not derail you from creation, not move you away from your aligned goal.

So allow yourself to embrace this beautiful sunshine, this wonderful sandy beach, the vastness of the ocean. Let it all inspire you to move forward, trusting the process, trusting yourself, knowing with conviction that this is the right way for you, for your growth, transformation, healing, and for your receiving abundance. Receiving abundance, receiving prosperity, receiving appreciation, respect, love, all those all those are side effects.

World of bounty, world of beauty, love and appreciation. They're all here for you. It is up to you to step up to your inner gifts and share it with the world.

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Peace. Want my writings in your inbox? I send SophiaNotes every Thursday morning with my words to inspire you along with success mindset insights from people I interview on the Be.Do.Have.Life Show. You can sign up here.

Why Meditate? Many practical benefits in everyday life

Short Talk + Guided Meditation

Film Sachertorte and the Law of Assumption — Application for Love & Romance

Written by Sophia / Abundance Through Imagination
I help you create abundance in your life using the law of assumption and Neville Goddard teachings.
About | Contact | YouTube | Free Masterclass

I share with you a beautiful message in the 2022 film, Sachertorte, a romantic comedy. It carries some real messages about applying the Law of Assumption in our every day lives.

In this live, I explore the idea of “being loyal to your vision” and how to live in flow and reception of life based on the love story in this German-Austrian film. If you are imaging being in a relationship or even if you already have a significant other, this session is a fun one.

I extrapolate the message as it applies not only for romance but it has implications for life in general. Watch this fun conversation about applying the law of assumption to romance.

Peace,
Sophia

How Neville helped a friend find his lost piano using an imaginal act — Neville Goddard Success Story

Written by Sophia / Abundance Through Imagination
I help you create abundance in your life using the law of assumption and Neville Goddard teachings.
About | Contact | YouTube | Free Masterclass

Neville Goddard - author, speaker and some call him a modern mystic shares many “success” stories of how he used the law of assumption to create results in his life and those shared by his students.

This is the story of how he helped a friend get back a piano that was lost after he sent it in for repairs.

He got the piano delivered back using an imaginal act, without lifting a finger!

Peace,
Sophia

Without lifting a finger, he got out in 9 days using his mind — Neville Goddard Success Story

Written by Sophia / Abundance Through Imagination
I help you create abundance in your life using the law of assumption and Neville Goddard teachings.
About | Contact | YouTube | Free Masterclass

Neville Goddard - author, speaker and some call him a modern mystic shares many “success” stories of how he used the law of assumption to create results in his life and those shared by his students.

This is the story of how he was drafted in the US military during the Second World War but he wanted to be back with his wife and daughter who was not even a year old.

He got out in 9 days without lifting a finger.

Today, I am super excited to share about how Neville Goddard applied the law of assumption in his own life.

Watch my first YouTube Live to get the deets on Neville’s own success story.

Peace,
Sophia

Are we ill-equipped to deal with life?

Written by Sophia / Abundance Through Imagination
I help you create abundance in your life using the law of assumption and Neville Goddard teachings.
About | Contact | YouTube | Free Masterclass

Often I’ve wondered about this while pondering about our world.

Why are so many people suffering? Why are they experiencing all kinds of misery? Why does life bring us into this world of suffering, at all?

This line of thinking inevitably leads to feelings of sadness for the state of the world. And thus, I too, slip into a form of suffering - a suffering that comes from seeing others in pain and misery.

Then, I saw an interview of Jenifer Lopez by Oprah as part of Oprah’s 2020 Vision Tour Visionaries. In this interview, J Lo was describing how she feels that life is just beginning at 50 while Oprah accentuates the point that life doesn’t even begin to get good until we are in the 40’s and 50’s.

I get the good intention of that statement - it’s about reminding us that things are still good and will get better when we turn 40 or 50.

But why do people have to go through years and years of being lost and struggling till they get to the “good part”. Why “waste” 40 or 50 years before we get to realizations and insights and begin to enjoy life? (Nothing is a waste, I am using that word to exaggerate the point only!)

So while all this pondering and wondering was going on, I listened to a lecture by Neville Goddard. In it, he was talking about our human capability to imagine. He said that we don’t ever have to create our imagination; it’s always with us. We may not be good at using imagination. We may not yet have mastered the art of imagination. But we don’t have to invent it. It’s already something we know how to do.

That’s when it clicked:

We are already birthed into this world with all that we need. We are already given the tools to navigate this life.

I used to wonder why we are so ill-equipped to deal with this life. It seems like everyone is going through some version of emotional, physical or mental hurdles. But I realized that it’s not that we are ill-equipped; we are unaware of all that which we are equipped with. In fact, not only are we well-equipped to deal with this life, we have the best tools already within us.

If you know the movie, The Matrix - there’s a scene where Neo, the protagonist needs to fly a helicopter but doesn’t know how. He calls up control room and asks for the helicopter flying program to be uploaded to his mind. Then instantly he knows how to fly the helicopter!

I think that’s how it is for us. We already have the program we need. We just didn’t know.

The two tools that we are equipped with:
1. Awareness
2. Our Creative Imagination

We just need to use our creative imagination and we need to begin applying our awareness to life.

We have it all!

Peace,
Sophia

How I went from $32K to $100K in one year using simple mindset shifts | Neville Goddard + Florence Scovel Shinn

Written by Sophia / Abundance Through Imagination
I help you create abundance in your life using the law of assumption and Neville Goddard teachings.
About | Contact | YouTube | Free Masterclass

Money mindset shifts are powerful. I used simple shifts to triple my business revenue in just one year. And I did that not by changing the marketing, the website, content creation or such things in the external world. What I did change was my internal world.

These are simple practices that I have learnt from Denise Duffield Thomas, Rachel Rodgers, Neville Goddard, Florence Scovel Shin, Wallace Wattles and others.

Today, I am super excited to share these simple yet powerful practices with you so you can get results too!

1. A little background of my biz journey

2. A moment of real low that helped bring about a big shift in me

3. Actual results in numbers

4. 10 practical money mindset shifts 

5. My assignment for you 

6. True abundance & how all this applies to you individually

Watch this YouTube Live to get all the juicy details including insights, anecdotes and actual revenue numbers. Plus, I have a free gift that I share about in the video that you can download.

Peace,
Sophia

Congratulations Scene: Manifestation Method of Neville Goddard

Written by Sophia / Abundance Through Imagination
I help you create abundance in your life using the law of assumption and Neville Goddard teachings.
About | Contact | YouTube | Free Masterclass

Today, I am super excited to share about this Neville Goddard method that helps you create results in 3 seconds.

1. What is the Congratulations Method

2. What it is not

3. How I first began using it and my first success

4. How I am currently using it for my next goals

5. Tips on using this method successfully 

6. 4 examples of how you can apply it in your life

Watch my first YouTube Live to get all the juicy details about this method.

Peace,
Sophia

How to get guidance from your future self | Visualization

Written by Sophia / Abundance Through Imagination
I help you create abundance in your life using the law of assumption and Neville Goddard teachings.
About | Contact | YouTube | Free Masterclass

In this visualization, I guide you through a visual journey so you can meet your future self. Ask questions about a particular problem you are facing right now or insight about your next step.

How I Found My Lost Wedding Ring Using Visualization

Creative Visualization is highly powerful for manifesting your dream life and this website is all about using this method for creating our future. But one area where visualization is very useful is in finding lost items.
In this other article, I share with you the one question I asked to find a lost nail.

In this post, I want to share with you another incident where I was able to retrieve a lost item using visualization and inner-guidance.

This is a story of many years ago - around 2012-2013 when we had published our first CD on Creative Visualization. (Yes, it’s that old!). I was living in Asheville, NC and wanted to get the CD out to various stores. I made a list of some alternative healing, yoga and mystic shops in the area and one day set about visiting each of them in person. My quest was to go to each of these shops and ask them if they would carry our CD for sale.

This went on for an entire day. I would drive from shop to shop.

At the end of the day, I got home only to realize that my wedding ring was missing. I didn’t have a huge reaction to this realization as I had grown to be detached to items and I had begun practicing remembering the people and meaning behind things and not get too attached to the things themselves. But this ring was special - it was my wedding ring afterall.

I started to think back at all the places I had been.

Then I closed my eyes to “see” where the ring was. Immediately, I got an image of my ring laying on tarmac - the tar/asphalt concrete of a parking lot. It was a close-up image of the ring - and I could see about a few inches around it and what I saw was some kind of a parking lot.

I got back into my car and went to one of the shops where I had visited that day. I parked my car and started to look around the parking lot. And in a couple of minutes, I saw it. My ring!

It was laying on the parking lot. It was right there, waiting for me to pick it up!

I was stunned that this happened - that I found the ring exactly as the image that came to me in my mind. Of course, I was relieved and went home happily.

The Method of Finding Lost Items

So the method was quite simple. I just closed my eyes to “see” where the ring was. That’s it. No question asked like in the last article where I was looking for a nail. I only closed my eyes and in the next instant, I got the image. The process was easy and smooth. I didn’t skip that image with disapproval, instead, I trusted it and then took action.

Step 1: Remain calm and close your eyes to “see” where the missing object is.
Step 2: Trust the image right away. No second-guessing
Step 3: Immediately take action based on what you see (provided the action will not hurt you or others and doesn’t break and moral, ethical or legal rules and laws).

Keep This In Mind

We may have the habit of neglecting the first answer if we don’t like what it showed you. But it’s important to listen to the first answer and to act on it (again, as long as it doesn’t harm you, others or break any moral, ethical and legal rules and laws). The fact that you take action based on your intuitive guidance sends a strong message to your inner-voice, showing that you trust it and are listening to it.

Also, don’t rely on the first thing you see as the final destination. So in other words, don’t think that the first answer you see is where the thing you are looking for is located. It could be that your inner-voice is guiding you to the next step and then you will have to ask again to get to the next step…kinda like a treasure-hunt. Think of the process like getting cues to get to the first point and once you arrive there you will be getting the cue/hint/guidance for your next step and so on.

If you are more of an auditory person, meaning you get messages in terms of sounds or thoughts/ideas, check out my other article about finding the nail - this is where I audibly asked a question out loud.

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Now, it’s your turn.
Let me know in the comments if you have used your visualization and inner-guidance system for finding a lost item and how you did it.

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Hi! My name is Sophia and this is my message to you:

It’s possible to live the life you want.
Visualize the Life of Your Dreams + Believe + Take Action + Sprinkle In Some Gratitude = Create A Life You Want

To learn more about my approach to creative visualization and how you can use it in your life , see all the details here.

How Creative Visualization Can Be A Tool For Finding Lost Items

Creative Visualization is a useful tool that I have begun using for everyday problems. An aspect of creative visualization is tapping into your intuition or your inner-voice or higher-self to get guidance on day-to-day issues. A very common use is to find lost or misplaced items. Recently, I used this method to solve an immediate problem such as finding out “where is the nail?”

Let me expound on that.

Yesterday, I went into my husband’s home office and my eyes fell on a calendar that’s hanging on the wall. The calendar hung on a measly little nail that was strong enough to hold the weight of this tiny wall calendar. But as I flipped through the pages, the calendar came undone and the nail went flying somewhere. Since the floor is covered in carpet, I did not hear it fall.

I first checked the calendar to see if the nail had sneaked in. But no, it was not there. So I got on to the floor and started scanning the area. I could just vacuum the whole room and trust that the nail was picked up. However, we have many tiny soft paws running around our house and to protect our kitties, I wanted to be absolutely sure that I retrieved the nail.

But it was nowhere to be found.

I looked and looked and looked.

I was looking not for a needle in a haystack but a nail on my carpeted floor - the feeling was the same. Overwhelm! How was I going to find it? I lay on the carpet and put my face to the ground so I could be eye-level to the carpet and perhaps, this way I might be able to notice a pointy nail jutting out of the carpet. But to no avail. I then tapped with my palm the entire floor under the wall calendar. Nothing.

Then out of nowhere, I asked out loud, “Where IS the nail?”
And I heard an answer in my head, “In the book.”

As soon as I heard it, I knew intuitively that what was called the “book” was actually the calendar. I didn’t think the nail was hidden in the “book” as I had already checked it. But I checked again anyways. You know how you look for your lost keys throughout the whole house and then when you finally find it, you say to yourself, “I swear I had checked this area before and it was not there”. This has happened to me as well. So I looked again.

Lo and behold, the nail was there. It was snuck between the page and the metal ring and since there was a pen attached, not clearly visible on first glance.

The nail was hidden in the metal ring of the calendar. You see it on the top right corner of the calendar. I’ve placed the nail in a way so it is slightly more visible in this photo.

It was amazing! Simply amazing!

I am still just stunned how quickly the answer came to my question and I how I found this nail! Actually, I should be that surprised as I have used a similar technique to find my lost wedding ring many years ago. Read that technique for finding lost things in this blog post.

So now that I had found the nail, I decided to share this with you so that you too can use creative visualization to solve such everyday problems.

How To Use This Method ?

1. Ask a simple question.
In this example, my question was, “Where is the nail?” Ask it out loud if you can or in your mind or in a private space where you are by yourself and can ask this out loud.

2. Listen to the answer that arises immediately.
The first answer is the one. Don’t skip it to look for “better” next answers.

3. Take action.
It goes without saying but I must mention this: Do what the inner-voice suggests but only do it if it doesn’t harm you, others or break any moral, ethical and legal rules and laws.

Keep This In Mind

We may have the habit of neglecting the first answer if we don’t like the sound of it. But it’s important to listen to the first answer and to act on it (again, as long as it doesn’t harm you, others or break any moral, ethical and legal rules and laws). The fact that you take action based on your intuitive guidance sends a strong message to your inner-voice, showing that you trust it and are listening to it.

Also, don’t rely on the first thing you hear as the final destination. So in other words, don’t think that the first answer you hear is where the thing you are looking for is located. It could be that your inner-voice is guiding you to the next step and then you will have to ask again to get to the next step…kinda like a treasure-hunt. Think of the process like getting cues to get to the first point and once you arrive there you will be getting the cue/hint/guidance for your next step and so on.

If you more of a visual person, you may enjoy reading how I found my lost wedding ring using visualization.

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Now, it’s your turn.
Let me know in the comments if you have used your inner-guidance system for solving everyday problems and how you did it.

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Hi! My names is Sophia and this is my message to you:

It’s possible to live the life you want.
Visualize the Life of Your Dreams + Believe + Take Action + Sprinkle In Some Gratitude = Create A Life You Want

To learn more about my approach to creative visualization and how you can use it in your life, see all the details here.

Creative Visualization - Meet Your Future Self For Insights And Guidance

Today, I have a brand new video for you. It is a creative visualization where I guide you through a visual journey into the forest where you meet your future self and get guidance on a question. Take a nice 20 minute break from what you are doing, find a calm, quiet, safe place and experience this visualization. Have a little notebook and paper with you as I will be guiding you with some prompts to fully benefit from this visualization.

Jan 1st 2020 - Close Out the Old. Welcome The New. Guided Meditation

Happy New Year! Join me in starting the year fresh with a guided meditation:

Much peace,

Sophia

I realized the power of meditation when I experienced intense pain

Last week, I had to undergo an unexpected surgery. An intense pain developed over the weekend which sent me straight to the Urgent Care who sent me to see a surgeon. The reason I am telling you this is because it happened just before my March 27th presentation which is all about navigating pain through meditation.

Now, I felt that I was fit to talk about this subject because I used to have extremely debilitating menstrual cramps for years before I began using meditative techniques to reduce the pain and stress. But life had a different plan. 

Before the surgery was conducted, I went through excruciating pain over the weekend with nothing but my meditation practice and a loving husband to get me through it. Having never gone through anything like that before in my life, this was a brand new territory for me and a very potent learning ground. I hope to tell you more about the fruits of that experience in a future blog (or if you are in the Boone, NC area then on March 27th), but all I want to leave you with is this:

Meditation is not a luxury. It is a vital tool for navigating the real mess this life we live. Everything may be going well for you now so you may not feel the urgency of developing a meditation practice - I get it. We, humans, tend to do things only when we are fully convinced of its value. And if everything is going well for you right now, then that's really good. Take the opportunity of good conditions and practice meditation as much as you can.

It was when I could continuously place my attention on my breath, that I could feel relief from the intense physical pain. It was in those moments that I realized how far I still need to go in my practice. But I also became aware of how far I had come. Had I not been practicing meditation so far, the pain would have been completely overwhelming for me. 

Meditation is a balm that you can apply now so you can handle any injuries in the future with ease and find relief from suffering.

Love,
Sophia

10 Steps To Building A New Meditation Habit

10 Steps To Building A New Meditation Habit

Photo by Jay Castor

We all know the benefit of meditation, especially a daily meditation practice. It has good effects for our health, our mind, our relationships and practically every aspect of our lives. So if we know it is good for us, why can't we do meditation every single day, without struggling to fit it into our daily hectic lives?

There are many answers to this question. We may intellectually know that meditation is good but don't have enough personal experience with it to seal the deal, so to speak. Or we may not have easy access to a meditation practice. Or we may not know how to go about picking a meditation that fits our life. Or we may not know how to build a daily habit. We may think that because of physical illness we cannot do meditation. Or that we need to sit cross-legged in order to do it in the first place. And there are plenty more reasons...

So how does one go about navigating this new world of meditation? Here are some tips that can help you tap into the juicy benefits of a daily meditation practice that await you.

1. Try different kinds of meditation

If you are just starting out, I highly recommend that you take a taste of the various kinds of meditations there are out there. You can try breath awareness, yoga nidra, mindful walking meditation, body scan technique, creative visualizations (I've got tons of free videos on my YouTube Channel for you here), shamanic meditation, anapana meditation, loving kindness meditation, gratitude meditation, vipassana meditation and so on. Try meditations with music or without music. Just see what you feel drawn to and start there. You don't have to try all. Just find one that you like to begin with and then you will find that the right practice will emerge for you in time.

Here's one

2. Start small

An important tip that can help you on your meditation journey is to start small, especially if just the idea of sitting for a long period of time causes you unease. Even just one minute is good enough. You can always progress into longer sessions. But what is more important in building a practice is consistency. So I'd suggest that I'd rather have you meditating 1 min every day of the week rather than an entire hour once a month. You will find it much better to ease into a longer practice by being aware of your current needs. Here's an example of a short meditation in a moment:

3. You don't have to sit cross-legged

This one is such a big myth. You don't have to be an acrobat or any where close to accomplished in twisting your body in any way. You do not have to sit cross-legged during meditation. Yes, sitting with a straight back vs hunching over is a good idea. But what's most important is to sit comfortably. Find a position that your body feels good in and start there. It That means, you are allowed to sit on a chair or a couch or a bed or anywhere that feels good. You can lean against the wall, use cushions and any support you need to keep your body relaxed. And now point 4 is the big one:

4. You can change your position

There's such a misconception out there that during meditation you've got to sit in one position without moving and force yourself to stay still. This is not a gentle approach and in my experience not beneficial in building a practice. See, if you need to move, move. You need to stretch your legs, do it. You need to change your position do it. Over time, it will become easier to sit in one position for long stretches of time. But don't force yourself into it, especially not as you are starting out. So be gentle and move when you need to.

5. You don't have to get rid of your thoughts

This one was my biggest hurdle for the longest time. I heard Deepak Chopra and Eckhart Tolle talk about the gap or the space between thoughts and it just frustrated me because all I experienced was a series of thoughts. No space between the thoughts! It felt like a far away dream to have no thoughts during meditation. Thankfully, I found out that meditation is not about getting rid of thoughts, rather it is about observing them. You observe the arising and disappearing of thoughts. Over time, the frequency of thoughts naturally declines and you get less and less thoughts. But that happens organically, naturally. You don't have to get rid of your thoughts - that is once again forcing things to be what they are not. So, don't get rid of thoughts, just observe them!

6. Do live in-person meditation sessions at a yoga studio

A really good way of starting a meditation practice is to go to an in-person studio where meditation sessions are held. A possible starting point is your local yoga studio or your local YMCA. For those of you living near Boone, North Carolina, you can try out Neighborhood Yoga Studio. They have many possibilities for meditation sessions. You can also come to my in-person workshop at the Appalachian Regional Library in Boone where I am doing free workshops (sponsored by the Library). 

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Try my Daily Live Sessions:

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7. Go on a 9 or 10 day retreat

I dabbled in meditation for five years before I went to my first 10 day meditation retreat. Of course, as much as I'd like to have done it earlier, I had to arrive at the right time for it to happen. This retreat was pivotal in my meditation journey because it was total immersion in one type of meditation; in this case, it was vipassana. A full-immersion meditation retreat that is all about learning and practicing meditation. And that's a great way to get started as a beginner because you learn the foundations of the practice from step zero and then go on to build it. You also find out quickly if this type of meditation jives with you or if you should rather move on in your search for a meditation practice.

Two recommendations:
1. Dhamma.org for 10 day meditation retreat to learn vipassana meditation inspired by S.N.Goenka, Burmese Indian follower of Burmese teacher U Ba Khin and his teacher, Burmese Monk Webu Sayadaw. They have retreats all around the world.
I've done three of these retreats in the past two years (two 10 day retreats as participant and one 5-day retreat as a server).

2. Buddhist Society of Western Australia: 9 Day meditation retreat in the tradition of Thai Forest Monks led by Ajahn Brahm and Ajahn Brahmali.
This one I'd like to do in this year.

8. Use triggers and tracking to build your new habit

Once you've honed in on the one meditation practice that you want to focus on, use the best information out there about building a new habit. Leo Babauta with his Sea Change Program and Shawn Achor in his book, The Happiness Advantage teach how to build new habits. What has worked for me is a two-pronged approach to building my habit: 1: use triggers and 2: use tracking calendar. Create a system in which you use triggers to build your habit and then track it every day. A trigger example: After waking up in the morning, brush teeth. For me, I apply this to meditation. After breakfast in the morning, meditate one hour. Use the tricks and processes that productivity and personal development masters have identified to build your new habit. Blog: How to use systems to build your meditation practice.

9. Try guided creative visualizations.

I've found, both for myself and for the individuals in my live workshops, that creative visualizations are a great place to start. A lot of us begin our meditation journey by going straight into a silent meditation practice. If it works for you, great. But for many of us that seems really daunting. We are overpowered by our thoughts and feel frustrated by the process. You can always give silent meditation a try but don't allow the challenges you face there to deter you from doing your meditation practice. Just give guided creative visualization a chance. These are great because they serve as a stepping stone to silent meditation
They are much easier because you are using the voice of the meditation guide to literally guide your mind to focus on a a limited set of thoughts. If you don't connect with creative visualizations, that's fine too. Just go with other guided meditations such as the ones by Abraham Hicks or Jon Kabat-Zinn. See Blog: Why guided meditations are a useful stepping stone to silent meditation practice.

Here's one example of a creative visualization:

10. Be in nature

Take time off to be in nature as often as you can. Stroll around in a park or in other natural settings and just watch the sky, the trees, the waves, streams or the landscape. What does this have to do with building a meditation practice? Well, nature has an amazing effect for calming the mind. The effect of being in nature continues to help you when you sit down to meditate.

11. Be kind to yourself

Finally and, I'd even say most importantly, it's crucial that you stay kind to yourself. Meditation is habit and a new enhancement of your lifestyle. There will be challenges but you've got to help yourself trust the process. Don't use meditation to hurt yourself. As you move through the habit building phase, let go of expectations and be kind to the process of calming the mind. Be especially, kind and patient when you miss a day of practice. I used to be filled with guilt when that happened and now I am much more kind to myself in that regard.

So, my friend, I hope these 10 tips are helpful to you as you build your meditation practice. Feel free to jot down your questions in the comments. Let me know what challenges have you face when building a new meditation practice.

Inner-Peace Chats: Get My Help To Carve Your Meditation Habit Plan

Building a daily meditation habit has been a life-changing phenomenon in my life as I see its healthy effects in all aspects of my life, including a big drop in mental and emotional stress, almost zero worrying and a deeper sense of ease about life and its many challenges.

I want to create resources on reflectionpond.com to help you live a more harmonious, peaceful life. And so I'd like to help you create your customized Meditation Habit Plan. This is part of my Inner-Peace Chat series where I speak with you via a video call (such as on skype or zoom) and find out a bit more about your lifestyle so we can customize your meditation habit plan. 

This is something very useful if you are starting out brand new or have been dabbling in meditation for a while but now want to get into a daily habit. I will identify how you can build a system to make meditating a no-brainer activity. And I will also share from my meditation journey of 8 years so that you can understand why it's been challenging to build this habit. At the end of our one hour session, you will know exactly what to do in order to incorporate your unique meditation practice into your life.

Based on what you need in the moment, in this Inner-Peace Chat, I will guide you through a process and a meditation to help you understand what is blocking you from building a daily habit and how you change it to truly benefit from a continued practice.

I invite you to take this opportunity, which at the moment, is the only way to get one-to-one time with me. 

So are you in? Go here to see a bit more detail and reserve your spot.

Why a 15 min daily meditation session is good enough?

Photo by Bryan Minear

Hello there my friend,

You know that meditation is good for you. But you've got a busy, very busy life. Just finding time to have lunch seems sometimes difficult for you because of all the things that need to get done. Then you here that meditation helps you and that an hour a day is the recommended time for really good results. And you think, "One hour? Are you out of your mind? Just the thought of doing meditation for an hour is making me anxious. I don't think meditation is for me!".

Please don't throw the whole meditation thing out just because you cannot do the "recommended" hour. I used to think that way and it really slowed down the process for me. I would think that because I can't do the full hour, why bother?

But, you know, it doesn't have to be a full hour. Just a few moments of mindfulness is good enough. Even just a minute several times a day can help you train your mind to become stronger, calmer and more able to deal with your life.

That's what I realized when I read the author Jon Kabat-Zinn's book, "Wherever you go, there you are." I did my first little book review back in 2010 on YouTube where I share how it was so liberating to know that I can just be fully present for a moment and that is already good enough.

So start there: Take it moment-by-moment.

Now, let's say you have been doing this "momentary" mindfulness exercises where you are fully in the present with whatever you are doing and now you want to take it to the next level, so to speak.

Then, I suggest that you think of investing 10-15 minutes towards calming your mind daily. Yes, d.a.i.l.y. A daily practice helps you ingrain the process of meditation in your mind. You will be building the mediation muscle by repeating this every single day. Just like any physical training, or learning anything new takes repetition, so does meditation.

Someone in my Live in-person workshop said that they have it harder to be calmer when the meditate by themselves. And that triggered a series of inspired thoughts for me. I thought, "How about offering a live meditation session every single day at the same time to help people like this one participant who wants to meditate every day but finds it hard to do without some support?" 

And the answer was as resounding yes. Starting on Monday, March 19th 2018, I've begun a daily LIVE meditation session called Daily Meditation with Sophia on YouTube.

Here's a link to the YouTube Channel where you can see the upcoming scheduled events. Or start of with these below:

These live sessions take place every single day at 12 noon ET. I start off with 2-3 minutes of introductory banter and then jump right into the meditation so that you can have at least 10-12 minutes before it's time to wrap up at 12:15 pm. I do stay on to chat more, share a few tips and answer any questions from the chat - until around 12:20-12:30pm. Then it's off to lunch!

I've designed these sessions to last from 12 noon til 12:15pm so that anyone on a tight lunch break schedule can take a sip of calm and then go eat something and head back to work. It's meditation for a busy lifestyle which seems everyone seems to have these days. It gives you enough of a break to build a daily practice without being overwhelming which a long 30 minute or an hour long session can feel. 

So do come and join me or catch a recording each day:

Also if you'd like to learn how to become a Patron of Reflection Pond and of these daily meditations, take a look here.

New In-Person Meditation Sessions in Western North Carolina

Hello there! 

I am super delighted to announce that we will be holding live in-person meditation sessions in Boone, North Carolina starting in Feb 2018! Here's some more details from the Press Release.

Inner-Peace: Meditation for a Healthy Mind

Location:
Watauga County Public Library
140 Queen St, Boone, NC 28607.

Event Dates: 
Feb 17th, Mar 17th, April 21st and May 19th.
Event Time:
3pm - 4pm

NEW MONTHLY MEDITATION PROGRAM
at the Appalachian Regional Library.

Starting in February, 2018, Watauga County Library in downtown Boone will be offering a program of meditation and visualization, “Inner-Peace: Meditation for a Healthy Mind.” Local residents of all ages can come and learn how to take charge of their mental well-being. The program will focus on teaching daily practices to calm the mind and wash away the daily stresses, using breath awareness exercises and relaxation techniques combined with guided creative visualizations. These are skills that the participants can learn and use on their own in their daily lives. 

Inner-Peace is a monthly meditation program held in the Meeting Room at the Watauga County Library taking place on the third Saturday of each month, from 3pm-4pm. The dates are: Feb 17th, Mar 17th, April 21st and May 19th. It is hosted by Sophia Ojha Ensslin from reflectionpond.com, a long-time meditator and writer on topics of training the mind, introspection and creating inner-peace. It is part of the mental wellness initiative funded by various national level non-profit institutions.

This program is helpful for anyone who wants to learn how to deal with tensions at home or stresses from the job. It can be used by students to better deal with the pressures of student life. It can help people better cope with loneliness, physical illness, depression, irritation, anger and can help increase a sense of compassion, kindness and love towards themselves and others. It is beneficial to all groups ranging from moms and dads, professionals, students, the elderly and anyone who is interested in taking care of their mental well-being.

Meditation A Necessity Not A Luxury

We, as a society, are re-learning how to take care of our minds after having focused, for centuries, primarily on the body. Our minds are our most important asset and keeping it healthy and nourished is no longer a luxury but a necessity.

If every single individual in Watauga and neighboring counties learned the art of taking care of their mind, with simple daily steps, imagine how much more self-confidence, peace, productivity and helpful solutions we each could experience and contribute towards.

Taking a few minutes to meditate and visualize are powerful ways to wash away the mental anguish, hurt, irritations and anger that builds up in the course of the day ⏤ helping us live happier lives.

For Media Inquires send an email to sophia@reflectionpond.com or go here: Contact
More Details See: Mindful Events Page

New Creative Visualization Series Coming Next Year 2018!

Hello there, my friend!

I am thrilled to announce that starting in January of 2018, we will be releasing new guided creative visualization series: Intentions Manifested.

These will be between 15 and 25 minutes long and we will cover all kinds of topics - all the things that you are wanting to manifest in your life. It's really juice and I can't wait to share these with you. We've already got a few of these audio tracks done!!

If you'd like specific guided visualizations on a topic that would help you best, suggest those in the comments below. And keep an eye out on the blog, the newsletter or youtube to see the first episode. You can always also sign up to the 5 days to Happier Life ecourse - as everyone who signs up to those will be the first to be informed!

Until then, stay happy and have a peaceful holiday time!

Love,

Sophia

 

Thank you to all the kind words you have said to me and Reflection Pond!

I am grateful for your kind words and testimonials!

Thank you this made a great difference for us ! - Eric Schwan

Really awesome! Helping with little manifestations and now going for big. - Lisseth Wertz viewer on youtube.

The most effective visualization meditation I've done thus far. - F. F. viewer on youtube.

Just wanted to let you know...once again, how much I enjoyed reading your last piece on "creating happiness". You are so good at motivating people to take action in improving their lives. Keep up the great work you do...using your god-given gift in helping people. It's invaluable to this world. - V.

Very good! Thank you! I had not expected this kind of experience. I am working with a counsellor on mindfulness, and this fit with it very well. - Peter S.

My experience was very similar to watching Yellow Submarine. I started with a migraine and ended with peace. - LS

I come to Sophia for the vivid imagery of her guided meditations.  The insights, the surreal beauty, and deep relaxation are rejuvenating.  When I have personal issues to deal with she is an open vessel that listens and empathizes before her gentle guidance ripples back an insightful response.  She always helps me get to that next level. - Rachael S.

Fantastic!!  Love it! - Kim Smith

Hello Reflection Pond! I wanted to send my gratitude to you on the first day of the new year. I just re-listened to dream manifestation and it was really perfect. Thank you for being such a blessing in 2012 and I look forward to future journeys. :) Namaste - Leah Kuhlman

How clever life is – I so needed this type of meditiation this morning. and there is was. It has helped me and will continue to help me as I struggle with a number of issues at this time. I am going to make myself a beautiful golden globe with colourful ribbons attached and suspend it over my desk. It will be the manifestation of all that this meditation has meant, and will mean for me in the future. - Bev.

As we went into the visualization the imagery and travel was like Alice in Wonderland, going down a rabbit hole, opening up into a flower garden, and eventually I found myself at my place. It was where I belonged, my true self, my high self. I've never forgotten that place or the imagery and it continues to affect me to this day. I know where I am going and I know that everything I do is towards my goal because I can feel that same feeling of arrival and accomplishment. My life has clear direction and purpose towards my future which feels as simple and tangible as a memory. - Rachael Shores, Asheville, NC

Thank you for bringing this into my life. When I got my first mail from Sophia I recognized that writing down things is really important for clarification! For me, it is essential to take the time and bring my objectives into focus. I enjoy getting clear about my intentions and to empower them during the I.M. process. Every meditation session provides an enrichment of my life and is a great experience for me. - Peter, 29, Germany

Focus is so powerful. The I.M. program is a key pillar to keep me focused and give me the confidence that what I focus on, for me, is the right thing to do. - Alex, USA

When I meditate in the morning, it really sets the mood for the day. Any obstacles that are thrown in my direction are easier to overcome with a clear mind. - Joy Kirk, Asheville, NC

I would really let problems and stress effect me. I have learned that all we need to do, as humans, is breathe. Just saying that to myself...really lets me relax and be happy. - Eric Barker,  Asheville, NC

Really enjoyed your Visualization for Manifesting Your Intention you posted on YouTube. It was just what I needed today. Thanks! - Celeste Clevenger

Thank you universe! I really needed this meditation today! - Michelle Snovak

Thank you for the beautiful gathering! - burnthesun, music band from Asheville, NC

Ah, I miss listening to your voice.  I'm so glad you made these recordings. - Rachael S.

Thank you so much for sending me the CD!! It came out great!!! I´m listening to it with my girlfriend right now, it´s so nice and calming listening to you and the wonderful music. What a great job of you guys. - Manuel M.

This is an excellent manifestation meditation! Thank you very much! - Ahawellness

What a touching video you have created once again. It is lovely and inspiring! You brought tears to my eyes with your sweetness and your sincerity and your message of hope and intention. Your workshop in December looks great. Go for it! Nice invitation to join in the event." -Paul Steinkoenig, Washington D.C. 

I loved the Sunday reflection for following the heart.  This was exactly what I needed to hear and this is exactly the message I want everyone I know to hear.  I want to put this some place where I can read it every day. Thanks for a great reminder. -Rachael Shores, Asheville, North Carolina

Vielen Dank fuer diese wunderbaren Worte und die Hommage zum Muttertag, liebe Sophia. Das tut gut.- Martina Lehner, Sardinia, Italy

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I really enjoyed reading your newsletter "follow your heart"...really inspiring and so very true...thanks for bringing such wonderful insights into my life! Also, just wanted to let you know that as usual, I've enjoyed reading your recent newsletter "mighty flame". Thank you for sharing such insights! I'm going to keep telling myself that whenever I encounter a problem, I should see it as an opportunity for growth and for my own personal learning." - Asmita Barua, New York City

Thank you for sharing your wonderful gift with the world! - The Wilhelm Brothers, Asheville, North Carolina

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LIVE EVENT: An Evening for Spiritual Renewal

This Sunday May 25th 8PM EDT!

Dear Friends,

I am just writing to remind you of the Live meditation show I am hosting from my home this Sunday, in case you haven't already checked it out.

What I do is not something I learned in school or at university. What I do comes naturally, intuitively; and I am grateful that it does. I believe that if you are needing a new way to be, if you are wanting to create magical breakthroughs, if you are just wanting to find a way to have a sense of ease and relief from pain- physical or emotional, you will be able to do that during Sunday's live event.

Meditation and mindfulness practices are known for training the mind - to bring focus. And guided visualization or guided imagery is a bridge to that stillness. During this event, you will hear me guide you through a visual journey. In a visual journey you visualize with all your senses not just visually. You use your sense of smell, you may feel texture such as sand under your feet, or simply feel a pleasant presence of a kind spirit.

And it is a journey beyond time and space. We may begin on the banks of the Amazon river, or dive deep into the Pacific Ocean or fly into space in order to get to our unique sacred/secret garden. This is a place in the invisible realms that some traditions refer to as the place where we go after physical death. It is a garden of possibilities from where, I believe, our spirit guides and our own inner self derives life force and wisdom from. It is here that we can get help to design and to summon a life we want. This is core of it where the visualization becomes a practical tool to help us in our waking life.

For many of us entrenched in the left-brain world, all of what I am saying may sound too far-fetched. I myself was stunned when I felt the presence of a giant cobra in one of my guided visualizations. Was it real? Was I dreaming? Thankfully, in the Indian culture which surrounded me as I was growing up, the cobra is known as a protective symbol and so instead of being freaked-out by a humongous serpent, I felt greatly relieved. None of what happens in a visualization is something I can prove to you; some faith on your part or at least curiosity is necessary. A beginner's mind is all you need to open up especially, if you find the prospect of visualization perplexing. Take a bold step and step into this world that is waiting for you to discover. It is uniquely yours and yours only. Each one of us has his/her own magic kingdoms to commune with.

This is what's in store for you, if you allow yourself to give it a try. So I invite you to join me this Sunday May 25th 8pm EDT for An Evening for Spiritual Renewal.

Be rest assured, there is nothing religious about this whole thing. I stay away from any institutionalized form of religions; instead I mine the deep treasures that come to us from all of our world heritage of wisdom teachings; seemingly, all sharing the common message of peace and love in their own ways.

Get Your Tix Here.  It is a pay-what-want model so you decide what this experience is worth to you. It is about time.

Gather your friends spontaneously or give your loved one a surprise. This is a very cool surprise to give someone or to oneself, by the way, if I may say so myself.

I shall be there online for an amazing evening Live from my living room. Will you be there?

May you be surrounded by and infused with the light of love,
Sophia