Q. "Do I have to be experienced in meditating in order to get the benefits offered in the Silva Life System Home Study Course or other home study courses?"
You don't need to be experienced in meditating in order to get the benefits from the home study courses. First of all, meditating is easy to do, and you probably have already experienced some form of it naturally. It's much like resting with your eyes closed. The major difference being that you are doing it consciously, and with a purpose in mind. Secondly, the micro courses are so complete, and very clear. Simply follow the instructions and you will be well on your way.
Q. "What do you mean by programming?"
Programming is the process of instructing or learning. It is most effective when it is done in steps, and while in a state of meditation when the brain is at alpha and very receptive. It is somewhat like a formula or recipe, that when followed step-by-step, you end up with the desired result. It allows for you to predetermine a better way in which you want to think, believe, and/or behave. Programming your brain is similar to programming a computer, only a biological one.
Q. "What happens if I go too deep during my meditations?"
The only thing that will happen is that you will end up asleep. Going into a meditation follows the same body, brain, and mind path as entering sleep. The body, brain, and mind often prefer sleep over meditation. This happens mostly when you are either inexperienced at meditating, are tired and sleepy, and/or are too comfortable.
Q. "What is the best way to make my programming work?"
- DESIRE the outcome fully and completely; BELIEVE that it is possible and that you deserve it; and EXPECT it to manifest without a shadow of a doubt.
- Make sure that your thoughts and actions are congruent with what you are programming for.
- Follow the strategy, process, or technique as instructed in order to help insure your success.
- Reinforce the program in future meditations until it manifests.
Q. "Is there a feeling associated with Alpha Brain function?"
There is no feeling associated with Alpha Brain Function. What you will feel is your body very relaxed, and you will notice the quality of your thoughts as being calm.
Q. "When I do my meditations I always fall asleep. What can I do to prevent that from happening?"
Don't get too comfortable when you meditate. Falling asleep during a meditation happens to even the most experience practitioner. Instead of getting too cozy in your bed or recliner, get into a comfortable sitting position in a regular chair. In addition, falling asleep may be just what your body needs.
Q. "I seem to get distracting thoughts when I meditate. Is that normal?"
Yes. Just about everyone who meditates gets distracting thoughts or have their minds wander. Your mind is a real busy-body with many thoughts going through it at any given moment. When you notice your mind wandering, simply bring it back. Sometimes the thoughts that come need some attention. Deal with it accordingly, and then get back to meditating.
Q. "How do I know I am functioning at the Alpha Brain Frequency?"
You will have a pretty good idea that you are functioning at Alpha if your eyes are closed, your body is relaxed, your thought process is internal and active, you remain conscious of your experience, and the external environment goes somewhat unnoticed.
Q. "Do I have to write down my goals or can I just think of them?"
You must write down your goals. It is the first step towards making your goals a reality by taking them out from the internal world of thought to the external world of manifestations. You can look at writing your goals down like writing a contract with yourself. Be sure to sign it.
STRESS & RELAXATION
Q. "Is meditation really that important?"
Yes. Meditation is not only important, it is vital for health and wellbeing. Stress is the number one cause of illness, and meditation is one of the best ways to counteract the negative effects of stress. Meditation comes by many names. Whether you rest, relax, center yourself, go within, internalize, or pray on a daily with an intention in mind, such as healing or solving a problem, you will get noticeable benefits. It is the one thing that strengthens the connection of and heals your body, spirit, mind, and emotions.
Q. "How often and for how long should I meditate?"
That depends on your health, time and need. Most people can easily meditate in the morning when they awaken, and at night when they are ready to go to sleep. Some people can even meditate sometime in the afternoon. Five minutes meditating is good, ten minutes is much better, and fifteen to thirty minutes is excellent. If you are feeling ill, under the weather, or very stressed, it is recommended that you meditate at least fifteen minutes three times a day.
Q. "How soon can I expect to see the results from meditating?"
Everybody is different, and has different needs. If you are one of those people with a Type A personality, you will probably see results immediately. You can expect to notice a change for the better regardless of what type of person you are within a very short period of time. Some of the benefits you will notice are a general sense of calm, self-control, restfulness, and optimism.
Q. "Is there anything to be afraid of when I meditate?"
Absolutely not - Meditation is a very natural activity for your body, brain, and mind. You imitate the meditative process every time you enter sleep by closing your eyes, relaxing your body, breathing deeply, and calming the mind. The difference between sleep and meditation is that in sleep you lose awareness and your brain frequency gets very slow, whereas in meditation you learn to hold your brain frequency at higher Alpha frequencies, and you keep a conscious and active mind.
Q. "Do you recommend that I meditate with the lights off, and with some special music in the background?"
Not necessarily. It is best if you practice meditation under different environments, and times of day. Learn to meditate with lights on or off; with or without music; at home or at the office. Some people even learn to meditate with eyes open while in a daydream state. If you are going to play music during your meditations, make sure it is soothing, deepening, and very relaxing.
SLEEP CONTROL TECHNIQUE
Q. "The Sleep Control Technique doesn't seem to work for me. What am I doing wrong?"
There are several main reasons why the Sleep Management Technique doesn't work.
- You were not sleepy when you applied the technique.
- Your body was still tense and needed to be more relaxed.
- You did not follow the instructions as originally programmed.
- The pitch of your inner voice was too high, and the pace too fast.
Q. "The Sleep Control Technique works so well. Why is that?"
To begin with you are using the technique while in meditation. By that time, your eyes are closed, your body is relaxed, your breathing is rhythmic, and your brain frequency is probably at Alpha. Being at Alpha means that you are closer to Stage One of sleep than you would be if you were wide awake and active. It is much easier to get to sleep when you are meditating.
Q. Does the Sleep Control Technique work for long time insomniacs that have been on sleep medication for years?
Yes, there are many testimonials of people who had been on sleep medication for years, were skeptical about the effectiveness of the Sleep Management Strategy, and applied it with successful results. The fundamental structure of this strategy works, and they were able to relieved themselves of insomnia. So many times, insomniacs make the condition worse by worrying about the insomnia. The worrying itself leads to stress, and stress leads to insomnia. This strategy will help any insomniac learn how to manage the stress, slow down brain frequencies in the direction of sleep, and use their mind in a special manner that will allow them to enter sleep naturally.
Q. How much sleep does a person need?
That depends on many factors such as age, life style, physical, and emotional health, hormones, and if you are deprived of sleep. Infants need about 16 hours of sleep a day. Teenagers require about 9 hours a day, and most adults need approximately 7-8 hours of sleep in order to be at their best. Pregnant women need more hours of sleep then when not pregnant, and if you are deprived of sleep you will need to make it up the first chance you get.
Q. What is a good way to start the process of overcoming insomnia?
A good way to start is to discover what is keeping you awake. Then, take some action to correct it. Find the proper MindBiz tool, or technique to help you in solving problems, and then couple that with the Sleep Management Strategy.
Q. Is overcoming insomnia difficult?
No. It is surprisingly easy. The Sleep Management Strategy will help your body, brain, and mind relearn something that is so natural, and a huge part of your history. Sleeping is something that you naturally know how to do, but for whatever reason, you lost the ability. It is so much easier relearning an old behavior, no matter how old, than learning a new one. Sleeping is not just a behavior it is an innate body function. Sleeping naturally again will be easier than you think.
CLOCK STRATEGY
Q. "I set my mental clock for 7am, and I kept waking up all night to check the time. What am I doing wrong?"
You are not doing anything wrong. In fact you could say your inner conscious mind is looking out for you, and wants to get you up in time. Next time you program your mental clock, insert a mental picture of yourself sleeping all night deeply and restfully, and not waking up until your programmed time. This is something you will overcome quickly.
Q. "I went to sleep late last night and used my mental clock. My mental clock always works, but not this morning. I set it for 6:30am and woke up at 7. Although I still got to work just fine, did I do something wrong?"
No you didn't do anything wrong. You probably just needed a little extra sleep. You will find that you inner conscious will take care of you in certain situations, and also keep track of time. Nevertheless, always make sure you have a very clear picture of the clock in your mind with the time you want to awaken.
Q. "Many times when I use my mental clock, something in my environment wakes me up. Why is that?"
It's hard to say. Yet, do remember that setting your mental clock is the same as setting a goal, only that it is a goal in time. This is probably the best technique you have to learn how to manifest any of your goals by a specific time. And like with any other goal, you never limit the direction from where you get your end result. If a chirping bird, or barking dog wakes you up at the exact time you programmed for, great! The universe is obviously responding to your thoughts.
Q. "Why does the Mental Clock Technique work so well?"
Several reasons may explain why. One reason is that as living creatures we operate with certain biological rhythms like our circadian cycle that gives the body a sense of time. Secondly, The brain also seems to have a time keeping capacity, and thirdly, there are many environmental time givers such as outside light changing, sounds of automobiles, animal activity, etc., that can cue us in to what time it is. The biggest reason is that your inner conscious is now consciously involved.
Q. "I was afraid I wouldn't wake up so I set my physical clock as well as my mental clock, and I didn't wake up. Why?
Your inner conscious knows you don't trust it, and won't bother doing the work of waking you up if you set your physical clock. Never set your physical clock when you set your mental clock. Give yourself the opportunity to wake up a success and a winner by allowing your mental clock to wake you up. If you can do this, you can do anything.
Q. I did the Mental Clock Strategy and I kept waking up several times during the night and checking the clock to see if it was time to get up. Is this how it works?
No, the strategy is meant to wake you up at exactly the time you programmed for. What does happen to some in the beginning is that through the programming, your mind has been alerted to wake up at a specific time and during the night will check in order to make sure it does so. This usually lasts only a night or two. Once your mind discovers that it can and will wake you up, the result will be that you will awaken at exactly the time you programmed.
Q. Before setting the Mental Clock to the time I want to awaken, does the Mental Clock need to be at the actual time?
It does not matter what time is on your Mental Clock when you start. What matters is the time you set on the Mental Clock to awaken, and making that image strong and clear. If you feel that starting the Mental Clock at real time will help, then follow your feelings. You can always modify or shorten the strategy once you know it works either way.
Q. Do I need to raise my hands and arms physically or just mentally?
Try it both ways and discover if one works better than the other for you. Some people who are very kinesthetic may want to physically raise their arms and hands. For them it is more engaging and may have a better outcome. For others who are more visual, simply imagining that you are raising your arms and hands to set the clock is all that is needed. Others may find that picturing the Mental Clock, physically raising the arms and hands, and hearing the statement of intent satisfies the visual, kinesthetic, and auditory modes for an even better outcome. Discover what works for you.
Q. I only use digital alarm clocks. Can my Mental Clock be digital?
Yes, your Mental Clock can be digital. Instead of moving the hands of the clock, imagine the numbers changing rapidly to the time you want to awaken and state your intent clearly. You may even use both. Use what works best for you.