A woman meditating on a rock in front of a waterfall surrounded by forest.

3 guidelines for practicing one of the most common types of meditation

Posted on: April 3, 2010by Dr Kim Dr Hil

Centering Meditation Introduction

The purpose of the Centering Meditation is to help you quiet your mind and experience your center. In reality it will only point you to who you already are an essence already centered, already at peace. It will also help you to recognize the natural state of a centered mind throughout the day allowing you to focus and feel vital. This is one of the most common types of meditation. You are developing your ability to quiet your mind, an essential resource for healing, transformation, and manifesting.

Centering Meditation Guidelines

1) Posture - make sure your posture is comfortable. You may sit on a cushion, in a chair or lie on the floor. What is most important is that your spine is comfortably aligned.

2) Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing, is one of the fastest ways to instill relaxation. It fills your body with healing oxygen, stimulates the body's natural relaxation response and soothes muscle tension. Breathe so that your abdomen expands as you inhale and gently contracts as you exhale.

3) Centered mind When you are calm on the inside your life tends to be calm on the outside. Combining good posture with relaxed breathing and a centered mind allows for the opportunity of feeling calm on the inside. As you quiet your mind throughout the centering meditation you strengthen your ability to access a sense of peace and tranquility in many life circumstances.

Coaching and Counseling

Hilary Stokes Ph.D. and Kim Ward Ph.D. have been a team for 20 years, specializing in mind, body, spirit psychology. They are the authors of the bestselling books The Happy Map: Your roadmap to the habit of happiness and Manifesting Mindset: The 6-step formula for attracting your goals and dreams and founders of Authenticity Associates Coaching and Counseling. They are passionate about combining the best of holistic and traditional approaches to health and happiness. If you are interested in learning the answers to the most frequently asked questions on how to decrease stress and increase happiness sign up for their free video series.

About the Authors

Hilary Stokes Phd

HIlary Stokes, Ph.D., LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist in California with more than 25 years of clinical experience, specializing in trauma therapy, PTSD treatment, anxiety, depression, and nervous system healing. She holds Master's degrees in Clinical Social Work and Kinesiology and Sports Psychology and a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology with a specialization in Tibetan Buddhist Psychology. Dr. Stokes is extensively trained and certified in brainspotting, EMDR, somatic therapy and other mind body approaches. Her integrative work bridges neuroscience, mindfulness, and holistic psychology to help clients process unresolved trauma, rewire stress patterns, and build emotional resilience.

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Dr. Stokes’ clinical approach is informed by advanced professional training and her own healing journey from complex trauma, which shaped her commitment to therapies that go beyond traditional talk therapy. She has worked in psychiatric hospitals, addiction and PTSD treatment centers, universities, integrative medical facilities, and private practice. As co-developer of the psychology and wellness programming at Sanoviv Medical Institute, she witnessed firsthand the power of integrating mind and body for lasting transformation. Today she helps individuals heal trauma, strengthen emotional regulation and reclaim purpose through brainspotting, EMDR, somatic therapy and mindfulness interventions.

Kim Ward Phd

Kim Ward, Ph.D. holds both a masters and a doctorate in Transpersonal Psychology with a specialization in Tibetan Buddhist Psychology. She brings more than 25 years of experience in trauma recovery, Brainspotting and mind-body transformation. She is extensively trained and certified in Brainspotting, somatic therapy, and trauma-informed approaches. Dr. Ward integrates neuroscience, nervous system regulation and consciousness-based psychology to help individuals process unresolved trauma, shift limiting beliefs, and access greater emotional resilience. Her work focuses on healing at the root, beyond symptom management, through brain-body therapies that create lasting change.

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As co-developer of the psychology and wellness programs at Sanoviv Medical Institute, Dr. Ward brings a uniquely holistic perspective to trauma therapy and personal growth. Her path from corporate leadership into psychology shaped her commitment to helping clients move beyond external success toward embodied fulfillment and emotional freedom. Dr. Ward's expertise combines Brainspotting, emotional intelligence, contemplative psychology and purpose-driven coaching. Drawing from both advanced academic training and lived experience navigating complex family mental health dynamics, she supports clients in transforming stress patterns, reclaiming vitality, and aligning with authentic purpose.