READY TO RELAX?

What is meditation?

There are many different forms but the common thread is their experiential nature. To really know what meditation is, you have to do it.

That said, it can also be useful to have a general sense of what meditation is prior to embarking on your own journey.

Simply put, meditation is a practice for knowing, shaping, and liberating your own mind.

In the same way that cardio or weight-training helps you cultivate a healthy, strong, and flexible body, meditation practice helps you cultivate a healthy, stable and flexible mind.

It also gives you access to a subtle level of awareness (your own inner wisdom), from which you’re able to perceive reality directly and with great clarity.

So, for instance, imagine two identical and beautiful diamonds, sitting side by side in the bright sunlight. One shimmers and glistens in the light, and one is covered in mud, and does not shine at all.

Yet, both are diamonds, but one is not reflecting the light. To reveal the splendour of the diamond covered in mud, and enjoy all of its brilliance, you need to wash away the mud.

Meditation practice is the way we wash the mud off ourselves, so we can fully reflect our own beauty, wisdom and peace.

The diamond is your true self. It’s already present inside you, but it is currently obscured by old mental and emotional habits (the mud).

Meditation helps reveal the diamond nature of your own mind, so your appreciation of it can be more direct and intimate, and not covered up with all the stuff that keeps it from shining. Meditation has both receptive and active aspects.

This is mindfulness in action.

A Meditation for Calming Yourself

This breathing meditation can help you settle your emotions and find a calm, centered place in your mind. You can use this technique whenever you feel emotionally overwhelmed. You can do for as little as 5 minutes.

This meditation will help you in the following ways:

• Reveal which emotions dominate your mind

• Help you free yourself from negative emotions

• Promote the ability to focus and concentrate in moments of emotional stress

• Promote physical and mental groundingImprove mindfulness

• Develop patience and tolerance

How to prepare:

If possible, find a place that is quiet and without distractions. Read though the simple instructions once before you begin. You can sit on a chair, on a fusion on the floor or even on your bed or couch. Sit comfortably in an upright position, keeping your spine straight. You may want to place a cushion behind your lower back for support. You can see a few examples below.

• You may want to have a journal and a pen handy so that you can jot down the feelings you notice after your practice.

Step One

Close your eyes and begin to take slow deep breaths in and out of your nose. Feel yourself softening and settling into the place you are sitting.

You can also practice lying down if you like, but the best practice will be sitting.

Next, bring your awareness to whatever emotions you are feeling in this moment. Are you angry, sad, fearful, hurt, confused, or ashamed?

Become aware of what comes up.

See if you can watch your primary emotional state as if you are an observer, doing your best to not identify with the emotion.

Stay right there with it even if it is unpleasant. Don’t repress it or push it away. Allow yourself to accept this emotion without any judgment as you simply observe the emotion itself.

Now, notice where in your body you are feeling your anger or fear, or whatever emotion you’re experiencing. Are there any images? Look into your emotions and really see how it is that they affect you.

Remind yourself that you are not your emotions; that they are simply energy in motion. They are like clouds in the sky - they come and go. When you feel some calming as you settle into your emotions, shift your awareness back to your breathing.

Step two

Breathe normally in and out through your nose and use your breath to relax any part of your body that feels tension. Breath slowly and in a relaxed manner

As you inhale, silently say just
As you exhale, silently say one

As you inhale, silently say just
As you exhale, silently say two

As you inhale, silently say just
As you exhale, silently say three

Do this to a count of 10,

Then -
inhale and silently say just
then exhale and silently say this

Do this for as long as you like. Notice if you find yourself being distracted by any thoughts, sensations, or emotions in your meditation. Label the thought or the emotion, for example…

thinking or fear or boredom.

Then simply return to focusing on your breath and the words

Notice how using the mantra “Just This” to anchor you back in the present moment enables you to return to a calm, centered place in your mind where you can once again ground yourself in the here and now.

With practice, you learn to calm your emotions and focus your mind regardless of what is going on around you. Give it a try and see what happens.

David

As a coach, I understand that everyone's path is unique, and that each of us have different obstacles and challenges to overcome.   My job is to see through the beliefs and habits that keep you struggling, and to inspire you to discover your own path forward. Want to try a free coaching session?