How do you communicate with the Creator? Some connect through prayer, others through gratitude. This connection strengthens the energetic channel through which we invite blessings into our lives and into the lives of others. Though, for many of us having a conversation with the Creator feels foreign and uncomfortable. Others only reach out when they need something in their lives or feel pain. Communicating with the divine is not just a way to ask for and receive gifts from the Light. It is a means for gaining closeness and connection to the Creator.
One way to practice and strengthen your connection is through meditation. A common misconception about meditation is that it is complicated. And who has time for meditation, when there is laundry to do, errands to run, and work to be completed? The truth is, meaningful meditation can be quite simple and doesn’t require large blocks of time. We can drastically improve our connection to the Creator and our overall wellbeing in just a few moments of silence.
Though spiritual teachers have used various forms of meditation to tap into the divine for centuries, scientific research has illuminated some of the concrete ways meditation can improve our health. A recent study at UCLA found that the brains of regular meditators age more slowly than their peers who do not. Not only did their brains have more gray matter, the effect was evident in all regions of the brain. Another study at Harvard University discovered that eight weeks of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (a specific meditation practice focused on reducing physical and emotional stress, also known as MBSR) actually increased areas of the brain responsible for memory and regulating emotions, while it decreased the brain cell volume in the amygdala, which controls fear and anxiety.
Based on these findings, it is clear that regular meditation can promote wellness and is worth exploring even if you do not feel necessarily disconnected from the Light. If meditation is not something you are accustomed to, start by setting aside five minutes of your day. Excuse yourself to another room to light a candle. Or step outside and watch the clouds float by and the plants catch the breeze. Set your thoughts aside and focus on your breath. Try to slow your breath down—five seconds to inhale, six seconds to exhale. Whenever your mind begins to wander, bring your attention back to your breath.
If following your breath does not work for you, try visualization. Imagine a swirling ball of healing light entering your body. As it moves through your torso, arms, legs, and head it cleanses your organs and fills you with strength and energy. If there is a color that resonates with you, perhaps try visualizing the light as a color that glows through your entire body. Meditating through visualization can leave you feeling more peaceful and centered than before.
Physical activity can also be a way to connect to the Creator. Some call this moving meditation. Walking, gardening, cycling, yoga, knitting—even household chores—can allow your rational mind to quiet, opening up space to receive guidance and positive energy from the Light. If sitting still is too challenging, consider leaving your headphones at home the next time you go for a walk and turn workout time into meditation time.
Scanning is a tool the Kabbalah Centre teaches that can help us connect to positive energy. There are 72 combinations of three Hebrew letters; each combination offers a unique vibration, or aspect of the Light, we can tap into by simply passing our eyes over them with the intention of connecting to that energy. Closing your eyes and visualizing the letters can also be powerful and calming. Scanning can be done by anyone, virtually anywhere, and is an easy way to recalibrate during the day when you’re feeling vulnerable to stress or negativity. Click here for more information on scanning and the 72 Names.
Regular meditation helps us strengthen our connection to the Creator. We don’t always have the answers or know how to proceed in life. But by making a habit of getting quiet and getting still, we can cultivate a positive relationship with the divine; we can gain access to greater peace, clarity, and wellbeing. “With all the confusion and the negativity in the world right now, our collective meditation, prayers, and energy are especially important,” says Karen Berg. What may start as a practice for personal transformation can become the kind of consciousness that can flood the world with Light.
