Meditation for living a better life

I have written about mindful meditation before (and the associated benefits), but not about the other forms of meditation that I also frequently do. There are so many styles out there originating from different philosophies that there is no shortage in finding a style that will suit you. Below are several types of meditation I prefer for various reasons and which one I choose on a day depends on my mood, the amount of time or freedom from distraction I have, or whether I need to relax and rebalance, or if I’m wanting to seek information or solve a problem.

Mindfulness meditation - can be used in daily life anywhere and anytime and creates calm and focus

Guided meditation - can be useful for full relaxation and creating peace within

Chakra meditation - can be useful for clearing energy blockages and relaxation and healing

Third eye meditation - a deeper spiritual practice that connects to source energy beyond this physical world. Can be useful for seeking information or gaining insight. 

Mindful meditation – in this form the aim is to bring my attention to focus on the Now without being distracted and really is the centre of all meditation types. I often do this in the form of awake awareness where I can do it as I go about my everyday life…sitting on the train, while having a massage, sitting in a café, walking in nature, doing household chores or just to take a mental pause from what I am doing and detaching from any thinking.  This style is great to create space from thoughts and worries and to take a break from ‘myself’ and my chattering mind, brings on relaxation, helps release tight muscles, creates focus and grounds me (as in it brings me into the present) and creates a state of calm. The idea is to tune in to the present moment, let go of thoughts, stay aware, and allow yourself to observe and experience what’s going on around you without reaction or judgement.

Guided meditation (which is also known as guided imagery or visualization) – in this form a teacher or guide leads the meditation and allows you to focus on their words and to be guided with the result being relaxation and healing (you can either attend a class or find an online version). They will often start with focused breathing, relaxing all muscles from your toes to your head, until your body is in a relaxed rested state. Then, depending on the nature of the meditation, the guide may then talk in positive phrases for you to focus on, or they may assist you to visualize a pleasant scenario such as walking in a meadow, or alongside a stream or into a safe sanctuary inside a cave where you can associate this image with positive words and feelings and feel rested and at peace when you are finished. I like to use this style of meditation if I’m having trouble shutting down what else is going on around me – it assists with the focusing and is really only used for relaxation.

Chakra meditation – this style of meditation focuses on balancing and clearing the seven energy centres within the body known as chakras. I usually find a guided chakra meditation online which helps me move through each chakra for this type of meditation. Chakra meditation can be great when things in life are feeling a bit out of kilter and that they are not running as smoothly as they could be or you are experiencing difficulties in certain areas (each chakra is associated with different energy such as health, expressing yourself, giving or receiving love, various health problems, creativity etc). As with the other styles of meditation, this creates a sense of calm and relaxation.

Third eye meditation – in this form, it is a spiritual meditation that is founded on connecting to source energy and consciousness and is a way to gain perspective that is beyond our ordinary senses. This style of meditation creates a gateway into this inner world. I can often just be sitting in a chair or lying down, close my eyes and allow my inner focus to relax and drift to the third eye region inside my skull between my eyes and visualise a circle of light or colour. I form a relaxed ‘lazy’ focus on this image and slow my breathing. Depending on my level of relaxation when I begin, I can connect very quickly within a minute or two by allowing myself to ‘go into’ or become one with the light (which for me also shows up in my third eye as many colours that swirl and blend and change as my emotions/energy changes) and this is where I feel extremely relaxed and the sensation of my physical body disappears and my mind and senses expand and merge into a sense of everything, but nothing, all at the same time and time itself falls away and just becomes a ‘gap’ and brings a sensation of emptiness. This is where I know I have left my physical world behind and I exist as the energy and am connected to all other energy and consciousness in the fifth dimension. Once here I can either just enjoy the space and energy I am experiencing and allow images or thoughts to appear or I can then ask questions to seek new information or for insight to come forward (which sometimes is instant and at other times it 'pops' into my awareness after the meditation is over). I find it impossible to do this type of meditation when I am stressed or have busy thoughts so I may need to do sessions of mindfulness or a chakra clearing in the days before to get myself prepared for this inner work.

Bringing some mediation into your  daily life can be a very powerful and useful tool in your personal development and enhancing your sense of wellbeing. How can you bring a little purposeful meditation into your every day?

Finding Magical Mindful Moments

Want to take a pause on your busy life and increase the experience of mindfulness? There are so many good reasons to bring mindfulness into your daily existence and many benefits that tuning in to the present moment can bring:

• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Bringing on a state of relaxation
• Regulation of emotions
• Clearing your mind of thoughts
• Helping your brain and mind feel clearer
• Increasing your attention span
• Lowering your heart rate…and it feels good too!

This post has been written by request for a very busy friend who is wanting some ideas on how to bring little “breathing moments” into her day. Here you go! J

It can be tricky making or committing to regular time to just pause and live in the moment. I have tried many, many things over the years only to let it all go when I found the commitment too much. What I have found to work for me now is to go small. Introduce little moments of mindfulness multiple times a day without routine or expectation. Even one minute's break from your busy thoughts and actions is one minute of peace and connection to the here and now. I find now that I rarely “can’t be bothered” or find myself “too tired”. All I can put it down to is the lowered expectation to do more or for longer or even to do it at all.

Maybe it’s also really believing that living a life with more mindful moments is beneficial and pleasant and my soul starts to crave these little daily rituals I now carry out. I have only listed below activities that I REALLY enjoy, but there are so many ideas out there, that anything can essentially be turned into a mindful activity. I don’t do all of these daily (maybe only 3 of them are regulars), but I know the others are there when I really feel inspired to bring in something a little different.

Yoga – sun salutation:
I wrote a few weeks ago about my 10 minute mindful yoga ritual. I carry this out every night before bed during the week, and usually in the morning during the weekend. It is so easy to do and makes me feel so good.

Make a cup of tea or coffee:
I am a tea drinker and probably drink about 8 cups of tea a day. When I remember, I slow down the process and really tune in to my awareness of every step I am taking as I make my tea.

Clear out a drawer or space:
This is an old favourite of mine and something I have been doing since I was a teenager! Once again, start small if you have a lot of clutter to work through and I generally like to pick an area where I can see the results. But, take it slow and enjoy the process!

Shine the sink:
This one makes me smile, but I actually still do it occasionally! When my children were little I came across FlyLady.net. FlyLady has a regular routine of shining your sink J While I don’t do it daily, do still find joy in making this tiny space within my home shine - and it only takes a few minutes.

5 senses activity:
This is something I have been doing for a few years and came across it after experiencing a panic attack at work. For a while after the incident whenever I was in the same situation I found myself experiencing the early signs of panic…so I started to carry out this ritual which is very mindful and brings me back into my body and out of the racing thoughts in my head. Focus on 5 things that you can see, listen for 4 things that you can hear, reach out and make contact with 3 things that you can touch, identify 2 things that you can smell, and take note of one thing that you can taste.

Make the bed mindfully:
While it’s not something I do during my work week, I really enjoy making the bed in the weekend. I like to tune in to the moment as I slowly make the bed and make it look nice.

Walking meditation:
This is something that can be done anywhere and at any time. You can do it at home or walking to or climbing those stairs at work. Really tune in to your body’s responses and the breaths that you take.

Nature boost:
If you don’t feel like going out for a big walk or don’t have the time, just step outside the door and take in the view, breathe in the air, feel the sun on your face, pick up a leaf, or go hug a tree!

Daily writing:
After reading The Artist’s Way, I really liked what the author proposed about writing Morning Pages which consists of writing (typed or handwritten) a stream-of-consciousness (which is a method of capturing the flow of your conscious thoughts) for 750 words – this can take about 15 minutes. During this exercise you don’t judge, don’t think, don’t plan, don’t aim to write anything in particular, and don’t edit it as you go, just bang out what comes to mind. What this activity is great at is to clear out all those messy thoughts or chatterings that might otherwise take up mental space throughout the day and allows me more moments to fully tune in to the present moment. Often creative thoughts and ideas pop in as I’m allowing my mind to simultaneously switch off as well as clearing my thoughts.

Take a photo of something seemingly insignificant:

I find sometimes a little thing within my home or when out and about brings me such a feeling of peace when I notice it, that I just want to capture it. It's not so much so I can go back and reflect on it, but I think it's going through the process of tuning in for that moment and it's just a quick little thing to do as I bring my attention to the here and now. 

Doodle art:

I have always been a doodler for as long as I can remember. About four years ago I discovered the art of creating tiny versions of these using intentional, simple, repetitive patterns that allow your mind to take a break, to let it move into creative mode and just zone out for 15-20 minutes (depending on how big you want to make it). I use a very fine ink pen (mine has a 0.4mm nib) and good quality sketching paper in that is no more than 10 cm square. That way I don't need to create a large masterpiece or get to a place where I feel bored, but it's long enough to tune into the moment and let the world around me slip away. Recently I have started doing them on square post-it notes at the end of my working day and attach them to the front of my work laptop as a little reminder to tune in throughout the next day.

What every day activities or rituals do you already do that you can attach mindfulness techniques to (such as slowing down and tuning in to the present moment) and thereby bringing mindfulness into your everyday life with ease and enjoyment?

Meaningful spaces...emotionally satisfying

I’ve always cherished certain spaces within my home. I guess most of us do. It could be just a small corner set up with a few little things that I love or it could be out on the deck with a seat facing a lovely view and surrounded by potted plants and herbs. Often it might be a collection of nature items nestled together on a shelf that remind me of the connection to the earth, or a tidy stack of books and magazines that provide inspiration and learning. And one outdoor special space for me is underneath a lovely maple tree in my back yard with some of my herbs growing underneath.

Sometimes it might be the way the sun streams in across a bench or bathes the floor in a patch of bright warmth on a cold day or at the end of the day snuggled down deep in a comfortable bed with soft bedding piled on. There is definitely a seasonal aspect to how I appreciate certain spaces within my home or garden – I like to acknowledge the seasons and my relationship with them by bringing a little piece of the outside inside. This also helps keep me aligned to the present moment and connected to what is around me. It reminds me of my physical presence on this earth as I simultaneously seek a higher vibrating, non-earthly connection.

What all these spaces have in common are the emotions that are experienced and the energy that is within them. For me they all speak of warmth, belonging, comfort and coziness, a sense of well-being, safety, and “my place”. Every little thing I have placed within my home is there because of the feelings they generate. These are spaces where my soul hums and feels alive, nourished, and connected. Even if I’m feeling out of sorts, anxious, upset or irritable – they bring a feeling of being safe to just sit, relax and heal within the energy.

Sometimes the space can be inspirational for other reasons or symbolize the heart of the home and the people in it or those who visit. It could be a creative space, cooking space, study space, spiritual space, art space, garden shed (I used to dream about having an awesome potting/garden shed), herbal prep and storage area (yet to find a place to recreate one of these) or living areas where everyone gathers together.

Each of the special spaces within my home serve a purpose and are closely associated with the activity that I do within it. For example, my yoga space is always the same – on my bedroom floor looking out the window whether night or day. My meditation space is in or on my bed where it is warm and comfy and quiet and private from disturbance. My study and blogging space wanders around the house – living areas or on my bed (I tend to follow the sun if I can!) – so long as I can spread out my books and papers and computer I’m happy providing it’s warm and comfortable. 

What each of these spaces also have in common is that every time I walk past them I feel a call and commitment to the activity and ritual that I associate it with.

And sometimes...these spaces all need a good shake up and for the energy within them moved around. I have a few yet simple rituals I like to do that achieve this:

• Opening the doors and windows and let in the sunlight and fresh air
• Clean all surfaces of dust
• Giving the room a spritz of fresh essential oil (homemade air spray using oils such as lavender, geranium, lemon) or burn some nag champa incense.
• Set out fresh flowers in a vase
• Shake rugs and blankets
• Turn on a few table lamps on dim days or in the evenings (especially my Himalayan salt lamp that gives out a lovely warm glow)
• Put on some music
• Clearing any clutter or those little bits and pieces that get tucked away in corners of the kitchen bench or table top.

What favourite spaces do you seek out when you need a bit of recharge time?

Need to breathe and take a pause on life?

  

I have written before about how to bring meaningful little rituals into your daily life in ways that work with the lifestyle that you have, the time you have, and the situation you are currently in. One activity that I like to make a part of my daily routine even if I’m short on time or not really in the mood for it is a little bit of yoga. And because I don't often have a large amount of time to dedicate to both yoga and mediation, I tend to bring some meditation into my yoga to get mindful yoga.

I might not get the same benefits as if I were to do a one hour session with a larger range of poses, but this is my version of taking a little pause on life and giving myself 10 minutes of attention and self-care. My mind can rest and my body can stretch and ease any tension. I will do it either at the end of a day or the start of the day – either works for me. If I do it in the morning the focus I put on the sequence is one of stretching, warming, and invigorating myself for the day ahead with positive active affirmations and words if gratitude to set me up for a wonderful day ahead – the sequence is carried out with a little more pep and speed. If I do this sequence before bed it is one of slowing down and really taking my time to breathe, restore my body and mind, easing the aches of the day, and resting my mind and turning into my body and bringing it back to the present moment ready for sleep.

The routine that I have always loved right from the moment that I learned it almost 20 years ago is the Sun Salutation / Surya Namaskar. This sequence is a great set of flowing poses that align and stretch and strengthen your body. I have even done this routine on my stand up paddle board  and it’s particularly nice on a late summer evening when the sun is actually going down!

I tend to only do three repetitions on an ordinary day. Because I tend to take my time to move through the poses, and take between 3 and 5 deep, slow breaths in each pose it can take me 10 minutes to get through. I also find 7 repetitions a good number, but really it’s up to you. It’s your choice on what mindset or intention you want to bring to your practice and how long, slow, or fast you do it. There are benefits for all approaches. There are also many versions of this routine, so if you want to add other poses such as lunges there are lots of options.

This simple version of the classic Sun Salutation is made up of the following poses:

1 – Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

2 – Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)

3 – Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

4 – Ardha Uttanasana (Half Standing Forward Bend)

5 – Chaturanga Dandasana (Four Limbed Staff pose)

6 – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog)

7 – Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)

8 – Ardha Uttanasana (Half Standing Forward Bend)

9 – Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

10 – Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)

11 – Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

How do you take a pause on life and give yourself a bit of self-care?