Meditation Techniques
Watching Your Breath
This is the easiest way to connect to your body. All you have to do is examine your body for any tension first. Ask yourself if you are fighting or resisting something in your mind. We usually are, and this resistance often manifests as physical tension. We either think about something that has already happened or might happen. Now just take a few breaths and allow your body to gradually soften and your mind to settle…
You can start watching the pauses between your inhalation and exhalation and vice versa. Just breathe naturally. Let yourself feel all the sensations in the body and dwell in the present moment. You can practice this meditation anywhere and in any comfortable position. Enjoy!
Watching Your Thoughts
Become a watcher of your thoughts. Have you noticed that your thoughts generate emotional and physical responses in your body? Good news – you can actively choose how you want to feel by changing your thoughts. You will notice your mind keeps churning on past or future events. It criticizes and teaches you how you should or should not live your life. When you notice this, stop for a moment. Acknowledge what feelings are arising in response to your inner chatter? How does it affect your body, breath, behaviour? Are you here or in some imaginary world? Just allow yourself to feel the effects fully…
Depending on your findings, you can create positive affirmations that will help you to arrive at your desired emotive outcome.
Eating Meditation
Firstly, pick or cook a food that you know you are going to enjoy. Sit somewhere quietly where no one can disturb you, switch off your phone, clear the space of any books or papers. Cut your chosen food into small pieces, as you would for a child. Centre yourself, take a few deep breaths and allow your body to soften. Now you are ready to enjoy your favorite food. As you put a small piece in your mouth, close your eyes and explore its texture, aroma and flavour. Engage your senses and take your time. Chew your food slowly, savoring it without rushing.
Taste is one of our major senses but we often don’t know what we are putting into ourselves when we are simply chatting with someone at a dinner table, checking our phones, reading books or papers, working, typing, etc. We are masterful at disconnecting from our bodies and allowing our heads to rule our lives. This meditation is helpful in redirecting your attention back to your body, it’s needs and simple pleasures. Coming back to the body means that you are allowing yourself to feel alive by gathering energy and restoring natural balance, giving your body the love and appreciation it deserves. As a result, you will be more relaxed and joyful and, therefore, become more susceptible to conception. If agreed upon, this meditation can be shared with your partner. It’s good fun!
Enjoy this self-love meditation!
Self-Expression Meditation
What are your talents and passions? Is it singing, dancing, acting, playing instruments, poetry, painting, cooking, being in nature or gardening? What makes your heart feel free, powerful and sing? What are your hobbies? How do you express yourself?
If you are too busy and have lost touch with the gift of self-expression then try out something new, or think of what you enjoyed doing when you were a child. Connect to that innate creative power.
Whichever activity you decide to engage in, make sure that you are fully present in your body and breath, and you allow yourself to be receptive to the creative flow inside you. This adventure is about going into the unknown and feeling what is. Dive fully into your activity. Be totally present in it. Be your own non-judgmental observer. Feel what is happening to your body and emotions when you are passionate about what you are doing. How empowering is that?!
Choose your environment, where there is no external judge, so you can express yourself fully without any fears of being observed. If you enjoy it more when you share your creativity with others than express yourself in their presence but be totally immersed in your creativity.
Meditation At Work
If you feel stressed and out of control at work, say “stop” aloud and freeze in the position you are in. Stay in that position like a statue and observe what is going on without any movement for 1-2 minutes. This pause can help you reconnect to your body, which is an amazing anchor to the present moment. Realise the body and the space you are in. The mind is running it’s own show so observe it without trying to change anything. The more you forget about your body and the space you are in, the more you get lost in the turmoils of the mind and, if you think about it, often these paradigms don’t match. So try your best to stay present.
Awareness of your body and nature are great anchors because they are real. They exist and run themselves according to their own program. The mind takes you away into recycled stories of your past which are often projected onto your future causing anxiety, worry, fear and panic amongst other negative emotions. Often, these stories have nothing to do with your actual reality. It is important to remember that. Just stop and reboot. Once you’ve anchored yourself to the present moment and achieved clarity, it will bring kindness, relaxation and a different order of priorities in your life like a breath of fresh air. You suddenly become more important than your tasks or problems and gather your energy inward to restore and heal yourself from the stresses of life. It’s all about focus and where the focus is. That is where your energy goes. If your attention is mainly focused on outside tasks and problems, sooner or later you will feel fatigued or exhausted. A common example of this is to allow your stress to dictate how you attempt to get pregnant as you are still focusing on outside tasks. Just stop and feel. It’s not in your control and even though that might be scary it is important to let go of these pressures and obsessive thoughts. This way you can de-stress, appreciate yourself, appreciate your partner, and gather the trust and energy needed for conception. Be kind to yourself and enjoy your precious life.
You can guide your energy easily by diverting your attention. Yes, we have to work and complete certain tasks every day but we can also find a balance in order to help ourselves enjoy life and appreciate ourselves and our loved ones.
Movement Meditation
Heart Chakra Meditation
One magical way to relax in this busy life is to immerse yourself into a space of healing music, breath and movement which can be created by this simple active Heart Chakra meditation. You will be able to balance your energy, state of mind, mood and quality of life with this amazing tool.
There are 5 stages to this meditation.
Before you begin, stand still with both hands on the middle of your chest near your heart and start paying attention to your breath. While doing this, feel the sensation of your feet on the floor, then your legs, torso, arms, face and finally your head. Allow your breath to fill your whole body. Now you are ready to begin.
Stage 1. Maintaining both hands on your heart, step forward with your right leg. At the same time, move your right arm in the same direction. As you do this, make a long “sh” sound as you exhale. Return to the starting position. Now move forward with the left leg and left arm and repeat this action. Allow yourself to use your whole body as you repeat these movements again and again. Move with your eyes open, feel all the sensations you have in your body and breathe. Follow the rhythm of the music when performing these movements as it will slow down as you progress to each stage. When the music stops, just stand with your hands relaxed and feel the flow of your body.
Stage 2. Start stepping with your right leg and reaching with your right arm to the right. Turn your body in the direction of movement, exhaling with the same “sh“ sound. After you have done this, return to the starting position and place your right hand on your chest. Then repeat the motion to your left using your left arm and leg. Continue alternating left and right until the music stops and feel the sensations in your body. Enjoy the feelings.
Stage 3. Pivot 180 degrees to your right by moving your right leg and right arm towards the back. Try to keep your left leg in the same spot but allow your it to flow with the movement as well. Exhale with the “sh” sound and come back to starting position. Repeat with your left leg and left arm. Keep alternating sides until the music stops and just feel any sensations you have.
Stage 4. This stage will combine all the movements of stages 1-3 in the same order they were introduced. First move forward, then to the right, to the left and finally to the back. Repeat this sequence until the music stops again and just feel and enjoy.
Stage 5. Sit somewhere comfortably keeping your back straight, preferably without any back support. Sitting in the lotus pose would be the best position but don’t worry if you are not capable. Sit quietly, feel your body and listen to the beautiful sounds. Enjoy. If your mind becomes active don’t fight it. Instead, try to stay connected to the sensations and your breath.