Meditate With Ziva: Emily Fletcher's Guide

Emily Fletcher is the founder of Ziva Meditation, a company that offers courses in Vedic Meditation to all levels of meditators. She is also the creator of zivaMIND, the world's first online meditation training. She teaches meditation as a productivity and performance tool, rather than a casual bubble bath for your brain. Her mission is to make meditation as normal as brushing your teeth.

Fletcher's interest in meditation began during her 10-year career on Broadway, where she experienced insomnia, illness, and premature greying due to the stress of her job. After a fellow performer recommended meditation, she noticed improvements in her sleep and health on the first day. This inspired her to travel to India to study meditation, and she has since taught meditation to companies like Google and Viacom, as well as thousands of people worldwide.

Fletcher's Ziva Meditation Technique is a combination of mindfulness, meditation, and manifesting. She emphasises that mindfulness and meditation are not the same thing. Mindfulness is the art of bringing your awareness into the present moment, while meditation accesses a fourth state of consciousness where the brain's hemispheres function in unison, providing deep rest and stress relief. Manifesting involves getting clear on your dreams and desires and imagining them as your current reality.

Fletcher recommends scheduling meditation as you would a dentist appointment and starting with short sessions, such as 15 minutes twice a day. She also notes that thoughts are not the enemy of meditation but effort is, and finding the right technique and teacher is crucial.

Meditation is not a bubble bath for your brain

Meditation is not a luxury or a treat, it is an essential tool for improving your mental and physical performance. It is not a passive activity, but an active process that requires training and practice.

Meditation is not about clearing your mind or stopping your thoughts, but about giving your mind a tool and training it to de-excite. It is about accessing a fourth state of consciousness, different from waking, sleeping or dreaming, where the right and left hemispheres of the brain function in unison. This state of deep rest induces healing and stress release, which in turn improves your performance and your life.

The benefits of meditation are accumulative. The more you meditate, the longer you will ride the meditation high throughout your day. It is not a quick fix or an escape, but a practice that requires commitment and consistency.

Meditation is not about floating on a cloud of sunshine and unicorns, but about grounding yourself in the present moment and connecting with your body and your breath. It is about taking control of your life and creating a life you love. It is a tool for achieving extraordinary performance and becoming a powerhouse in your work and personal life.

Mindfulness and meditation are not synonyms

Emily Fletcher is the founder of Ziva Meditation, which offers courses in Vedic Meditation to all levels of meditators in NYC and LA. She also created zivaMIND, the world's first online meditation training. Her mission is to help people turn up the dial on their divinity by alchemizing stress to joy using meditation, pleasure, and medicine.

Fletcher's Ziva Technique is a powerful trifecta of mindfulness, meditation, and manifesting. She emphasizes that meditation alone is not enough, and that mindfulness and manifesting are crucial components for achieving profound results. While meditation helps rid the body of past stress and trauma, mindfulness gets rid of current stress, and manifesting helps make dreams for the future a reality.

Mindfulness and meditation are distinct concepts, and understanding their differences is essential. Mindfulness refers to being aware of and attentive to the present moment, while meditation is a practice that often incorporates mindfulness. Mindfulness is about observing thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment, and it can be practiced in various forms, such as mindfulness meditation, which has roots in Buddhist meditation.

Meditation, on the other hand, is a broader term that encompasses a variety of techniques aimed at training the mind, promoting relaxation, and enhancing personal growth. It involves focusing the mind on a specific object, thought, or activity to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state. While meditation may include mindfulness practices, it can also involve other techniques such as visualization, mantra repetition, or breath control.

In conclusion, mindfulness and meditation are not synonyms. They are complementary practices that, when combined, can lead to enhanced well-being and improved performance in various aspects of life. By incorporating both mindfulness and meditation into one's routine, individuals can effectively manage stress, increase self-awareness, and achieve a deeper sense of calm and clarity.

Meditation is a productivity tool

Meditation is a powerful tool for improving productivity and enhancing work performance. By incorporating meditation into your daily routine, you can achieve a more focused and calm state of mind, which will have a positive impact on your ability to accomplish tasks and make decisions.

Reducing Stress and Enhancing Sleep

Meditation is an effective way to manage and relieve stress. When you meditate, you give your body and mind a chance to relax and recover from the constant demands and pressures of daily life. This is especially beneficial for individuals facing high-stress environments, such as CEOs and celebrities, as it allows them to step away from the constant drive to outperform others. By reducing stress, meditation improves sleep quality, resulting in increased energy and focus during the day.

Enhancing Creativity and Problem-Solving

Meditation is not just about relaxation; it also boosts creativity and enhances problem-solving abilities. By quieting the mind and accessing a deeper state of consciousness, meditation allows individuals to tap into their full creative potential. This is particularly beneficial for artists, writers, and anyone seeking innovative solutions to complex problems.

Improving Overall Well-being and Performance

Meditation has a positive impact on overall well-being, including physical and mental health. It can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, insomnia, migraines, and even physical ailments such as IBS and infertility. By improving mental and physical health, meditation enables individuals to perform at their best, whether it's on Broadway, in the NBA, or as a full-time parent.

Reframing Meditation as a Productivity Tool

It's time to reframe the perception of meditation. It is not just a "bubble bath for your brain" or a luxury activity; instead, it is a vital tool for improving productivity and enhancing performance. Just as you wouldn't leave the house without brushing your teeth, meditation should become a non-negotiable part of your daily routine. By investing a small amount of time in meditation each day, you will gain more energy, focus, and creativity, allowing you to accomplish more and feel better while doing it.

Meditation, when practised consistently and correctly, can be a powerful tool for improving productivity and enhancing overall performance. By reducing stress, improving sleep, boosting creativity, and promoting overall well-being, meditation enables individuals to step into their full potential and achieve extraordinary results in their personal and professional lives. So, if you're looking to level up your productivity, give meditation a try—your mind and body will thank you.

Thoughts are not the enemy of meditation, effort is

Emily Fletcher, founder of Ziva Meditation, teaches Vedic meditation to all levels of meditators. She is also the creator of zivaMIND, the world's first online meditation training. She teaches that thoughts are not the enemy of meditation, but that effort is.

Fletcher explains that the mind thinks involuntarily, just like the heart beats involuntarily. Therefore, trying to give your brain a command to stop thinking is as impactful as trying to give your heart a command to stop beating. So, if you are meditating and you find yourself thinking, this does not mean that you are failing at meditation. Instead, Fletcher suggests that you give your mind a tool or some training to help it de-excite.

Fletcher's Ziva technique is a trifecta of mindfulness, meditation, and manifesting. Mindfulness is the appetizer, meditation is the main course, and manifesting is the dessert. Mindfulness is the art of bringing your awareness into the present moment. Meditation is accessing a deep rest that gives your body the healing and stress release it needs. Manifesting is making your dreams for the future happen.

Fletcher recommends that you find a teacher or technique that you resonate with and respect, and then schedule your meditation practice. She suggests starting with 5 minutes a day and building up from there.

Meditation is not about clearing your mind

Meditation is often misunderstood as a practice of clearing the mind. This misconception is so widespread that many people are discouraged from trying it, thinking that they can't meditate because they can't clear their minds. However, this idea of "clearing the mind" is not only misleading but also impossible.

The human mind thinks involuntarily, just like the heart beats involuntarily. When we're awake, our minds are active, and it's unrealistic to expect the mind to be completely blank. Instead of trying to stop thinking, meditation is about giving your mind something to focus on. It's about observing your thoughts without getting caught up in them emotionally.

Focus, Not Emptiness:

Meditation is about focusing your attention, not emptying your mind. You can focus on your breath, a mantra, a candle flame, or any other object or sensation. This focus helps you observe your thoughts without getting attached to them.

Observing Thoughts:

Instead of trying to suppress thoughts, meditation teaches you to witness them. You learn to notice your thoughts without immediately reacting to them. This practice helps you develop a healthier relationship with your thoughts, understanding that you are not your thoughts; you are the observer of your thoughts.

Reducing Emotional Charge:

Meditation is not about avoiding thoughts but about changing your relationship with them. You learn to observe thoughts without getting overwhelmed by the emotions they may trigger. This skill can help you in your daily life, allowing you to make decisions from a place of calm and rational thought rather than impulsive emotions.

Stress Release:

By observing your thoughts without judgment, you can reduce the emotional charge associated with them. This practice helps in stress release, as you learn to let go of thoughts that may be causing you anxiety or worry. It's not about suppressing thoughts but about understanding and processing them in a healthier way.

Improved Focus and Efficiency:

When you repeatedly bring your attention back to your chosen focus object during meditation, you are training your brain to focus better. This improved focus can benefit various areas of your life, including work and creative endeavours. You'll find yourself more efficient and better able to handle challenging situations.

Misconception and Reality:

The idea of "clearing your mind" is a common misconception that often leads to frustration and the belief that one is failing at meditation. However, the reality is that meditation is a practice of focusing and observing, not suppressing or emptying the mind.

In conclusion, meditation is a powerful tool for personal growth and stress management, but it's important to approach it with the right understanding. It's not about achieving a blank mind but about focusing your attention, observing your thoughts, and reducing the emotional charge associated with them. By doing so, you can improve your overall well-being and enhance your ability to navigate life's challenges with greater clarity and calm.

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