As you will see if you explore the meditations I post on my blog, I meditate in many different ways. I like to mix it up to keep it fresh and alive. I rarely do the same type of meditation even two days in a row. Some teachers would say that robs me of some deeper experiences, and who knows, that may be true.

I have to do what keeps me engaged, and for me it’s variety.

That’s one of the reasons that over time I intend to share with you every type of meditation I’ve tried, as well as ones I’m inspired to create.

So why do I meditate?

First and foremost to deepen my connection to the earth. When I’m interacting with the natural world and inspiration strikes, meditating on some specific aspect I encounter fuels my creativity and leads to the forms of self-expression you see on this site. In fact, it was the mounting archive of images and writing that lead me to start this blog, and to name my output Green Meditations. (I just learned the other day that I have 34,000 photos on my computer that I’ve taken in recent years, so I won’t run out anytime soon!)

Another important reason I love to meditate is that at times I get a true spiritual high from it. I can’t make it happen, it just does. Sometimes the least little thing will lead to some real moments of unity. It might be experiencing a strong wind or dancing with the moon in the fog or watching a seal bobbing about in the bay. Living as a modern-day, DSL-enabled hermit, feeling a deep union with the three allies is critical to my mental health. Not to take you too far off the deep end of spiritual experience, but I am able to receive communication from animals, plants and even minerals. These meditation techniques were taught to me by the Native American medicine woman that I studied with nearly 20 years ago. (And yes, I’ll be doing my best to share them here.) The gifts of insights and problem solving that I have been given in this way form an unbroken string of blessings in my life.

I also meditate because it allows me to glimpse my best self and reminds me who I am at my core. Meditating keeps me on track with my life’s work makes me more flexible and adaptive when life events take unexpected left turns. In creating this blog I’ve gone back and re-read my journals for the past several decades (at least the parts that describe meditation experiences). That has been really instructive in gauging my own spiritual progress, as I note the kinds of issues I was struggling with 25 years ago. Thankfully, the Universe has brought me different challenges to resolve now.

Not to bore you with my personal issues, but meditation can also be very therapeutic. I find it useful in connecting me to forgotten parts of myself, to lost ideas and dreams and to unmet desires. That allows me to reach completion on some of them, which in turn gives me a deep sense of fulfillment.

Overall, I am much happier now.

Even though I still have some major goals to attain, I’m able to appreciate and celebrate the bountiful life I already enjoy. I used to suffer from chronic depression and SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but that has totally vanished. I can now endure winters on the 48th parallel, which can certainly be bleak and gray, without so much as one down day. That is life-altering, for sure. I attribute much of that recovery to regular meditation.

In addition, I love the fact that meditating forces me to slow down—at least for a bit. I am a barely reformed workaholic, though what I do now does not feel like work. Nonetheless, I often spend 8-12 hours a day in this chair, and I am driven to create. If I didn’t take those breaks, I think I’d be in bad shape mentally.

I could go on and on, but I’ll leave it here for now. Your reasons for meditating will be unique to you, but I hope you enjoy my Green Meditations and that they in some way enhance your own practice. Please leave me comments on the blog posts and let me know your reactions and experiences—I’d love to hear from you! (There’s a comment box at the end of every regular post on this blog.)

Click here if you’re ready to try some of my specially created meditations.

Click on any of the following links for more information:

How To Meditate in 5 Easy Steps
Setting the Mood to Meditate
Benefits of Meditation
Expanding Your Current Meditation Practice