A Collection of Meditation Techniques

Who are you?

Diane Alarcon

What is your project?

My project is to write a collection of 100-ish meditation techniques, something like a cookbook for meditation. I love to cook and I love to meditate so a marriage of the two is organic, authentic and good. My intention is for the book to be easy to consume and a resource that you can go back and re-read.

Can we see some photos?

I made a book cover and I kind of love it. I’ve been using this monster in some of my work for years. It’s cute and a little over the top. Also, it makes me smile. This monster reminds me that we all have monsters, but they don’t have to be big and scary. We can redefine our relationship to fear and self-criticism. Meditation is magical that way.

Why the hearts? Because I love meditation.

For those who are wonder who I am, here’s another picture:

A link to your work:

Holy smokes. Here’s a link.

A preview, snippet, or glimpse of your work in progress:

Basically unedited, but here is a tiny piece of writing:

I love to meditate, and I hope that as you read this book that you will love it, too. I also should confess right here at the beginning that I cannot give you a good definition of meditation. It is both so complex and simple. It can veer off in infinite paths. You can meditate for hours or a second. When forced to define meditation, I will say that it is a practice of alignment with your spirit and the present. It is finding myself in the moment, in such a strong connection to who I am and what I want, that in a sense I disappear and instead become energy, action, momentum and love. If it sounds corny, I know. I agree, but also, it is.

Sitting meditation did not come naturally to me. My mind is, probably like yours, a wild beast, reluctant to rest and inclined to run fast and furious into worry, fear, and doubt. Sometimes my mind can enjoy a wonderful moment (like a dinner party, an afternoon with friends, or a long walk), lose itself in the flow, and be fully present, awake, and aware. When the moment ends, it might crash. It might not. If the experience was truly amazing, my mind will dwell in longing and sadness that something beautiful has ended. Conversely, when times are tough, my mind can step up, and remind me that this too shall pass.

You have been meditating all your life. You are already an expert. It has happened in those moments when everything but the present falls away. Maybe you were walking on a beach, or dancing a in packed, sweaty club. It can happen when you are swimming, running, hiking, knitting, drawing—in moments alone with yourself when time disappears, you breathe fully, the mind falls quiet, and the body just is. It can also happen when you are surrounded by people, like at a birthday party or in conversation with old friends. It’s like the world stands still. The only thing that is, is the present moment, and you feel alive, untethered, and infinite. Maybe the music feels more intense, the colors more vivid—like you exist in technicolor. There is nothing but the magic of being. No longing for the past or worrying about the future. Just now.

That moment, however long it lasts, is amazing. The body, mind, heart, and soul are in flow with the universe. If you pay close attention, you might notice how calm and relaxed the body becomes. It is like all the tensions it carries just slip away. Shoulders relax. The face softens. Your heart beats with a constant rhythm. The arms, leg, and joints feel supple yet strong. In that moment when the heart is open and the mind is quiet, the body is power. If you are really paying close attention, you might realize that something deep within you is recording this feeling. It is stored in your subconscious. Maybe as you read these words, you might be accessing that. You might remember every detail of a time you meditated, or maybe only the feeling, but it’s there.

What will you ship at the end of 6 months?

Ouch, this is hard. I am thinking of switching gears and being more promotional (as I continue to write). Maybe it’s a newsletter instead of the book that I will ship in November. The book is still at least 6 months away, but there is no reason hide behind that.

Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks!