Kirtan Kriya

The practice of meditation has beckoned  me with promises of rewards for body, mind and spirit.   Until recently, despite my best efforts, the rewards have proved elusive.  Make your mind still like the mountain.  Breathe.  Listen to the silence speak.  My mind is more like the anthill than the mountain, with thoughts that skitter off in all directions.
Discouraged, I looked to yoga as an alternate path to inner stillness.  The path led straight to a meditation I can actually do--Kirtan Kriya.  It courts inner peace through a series of finger movements and musical chanting.  A google search will produce a wealth of information and instructions.  I like the presentation at feelgoodgirl.com/kirtankriya.  In addition to a brief explanation, the site incorporates a great video introduction.
I barely got started with daily practice when synchronicity stepped in to kick the whole experience up a notch.  A friend gave me the book, How God Changes Your Brain (2009, Andrew Newberg, MD and Mark Robert Waldman.)  Early into the book, the authors report on a study of a meditation practice that can improve memory by at least 10% and is one of the best ways to exercise the brain--Kirtan Kriya!
I followed their suggestions on making the meditation your own, and now substitue other phrases for part of the sa-ta-na-ma chant.  Phrases such as loving kindness, being wellness, abundant life.