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Using Meditation as
an Aid to Boost Self-Esteem
Many people have a low opinion of themselves as they progress
through life, affecting their ability to interact socially,
enjoy life and be decisive about the things they want. In normal
everyday life, we are constantly identified with the mind and
the positive or negative things it feeds us; in cases of low
self-esteem, the mind is constantly returning to the same
circles of denigration and despair which might have been there
as far back as childhood.
Developing a practice of meditation can be of some help in
combating these feelings. By stilling the mind through
meditation, one is introduced to a deeper part of one's being
which lies beyond the mind's judgments of acceptance or
rejection. We have all had experiences 'in the heart', like for
example when watching a sunset or being touched by a moment of
kindness, experiences which seem to point to a deeper sense of
self than that experienced by the vacillating mind. Meditation
helps us have these experiences more often, and gradually
identify with them instead of the mind's constant
self-rejection.
There are many different techniques for the beginner to try, and
some will work better than others depending on the individual
nature of the person. Meditation is best done in a space
dedicated solely for its use, perhaps in front of a little table
containing inspiring things that evoke this deeper more
uplifting part of you - for example flowers, candles, or
pictures/statues that inspire you. There are many ways you can
sit during meditation, but by far the most important thing is to
keep your back straight, which means you can even use a chair.
Here are some techniques to use specifically for promoting
self-esteem:
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Identify
yourself with the heart rather than the mind. You can begin
the meditation by imagining you have no mind, only the
heart. You can even say to yourself 'I am not the mind, I am
the heart' - emphatically rejecting the mind's negativity.
You can think back to when you were a child, with an
undeveloped mind, running around and always in the heart.
Try and let this sweet childlike feeling permeate your whole
body.
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Use an
object of concentration. Concentrating on a flower evokes in
the beauty and innocence of the heart which the flower also
embodies; similarly concentrating on a candle evokes the
inner flame, the inner urge for deeper truth. When breathing
in you can imagine these qualities entering you from the
object and becoming part of your being, and you can imagine
their negative opposites leaving you.
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A good
way to overcome self-esteem is to do things you are good at.
Meditation can help you overcome the inner resistance to do
this. You can repeat the English word 'dynamism' silently,
but powerfully and forcefully, invoking the inner strength
you need to overcome obstacles such as fear. Another good
English word to repeat is 'destined', invoking the inner
conviction that your life has a unique purpose which cannot
be performed by anyone else, even if you haven't found it
yet. Then as you try different activities, you can try and
rely on this inner sense to tell you what to do instead of
being influenced by than the acceptance or rejection of
others.
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