What do we all have in common? What is it that we all are striving for? We are all very very different individuals, but we all share the desire to feel comfortable and happy, avoid pain and difficulties. You can find comfort, in any situation, through your breath. Breath is like a big ole hug to your mind body spirit.
Okay, I KNOW your first thought when you see the word “Meditation” is sitting twisted like a pretzel with your hands making fancy shapes staying reealllly still for hours wondering when this “enlightenment” will start kicking in. Hey, is this thing working?!?!
Well, first off, remove ALL expectations.
The truth is, meditation can look like, feel like -BE like anything at all. My favorite is a nature walk, breathing and watching the individual leaves dance on trees. It helps me build connection with Mother Gia-making me feel more grounded.
It can be painting, dancing, reading, running, walking, gardening, ANYTHING. It’s crazy, you really can find stillness in motion.
A moving body or still body, both are good. The body benefits from movement and the mind benefits from stillness.
So, if you’re ready and willing to try meditation, let’s do it!
Meditation in Motion.
We all have that something that brings us joy, and if you don’t have an activity or hobby that brings you peace and happiness, I highly suggest you do some soul searching, it’s really important to have things that make your insides bloom and fill you with so much joy!
Do something you love. Find the thing that fills you with happiness and excitement. For me, it’s dance, but like I said it could be ANYTHING.
It is here that you will find a sense of effortless ease; “flow.”. A way of being, doing or moving that requires minimal to no conscious awareness.
You will often find this feeling while being creative; writing for example, drawing, painting, or a puzzle. Or perhaps running, DANCING, hiking or riding a bike?
You know the feeling… The feeling where hours could pass and you haven’t had a single thought. You are so immersed in the art, the song, the moment.
That my friend, is CONNECTION between you and your soul.
HEYO! This too, is a kind of meditation -the act of being so immersed in what you're doing, removing your ego and thoughts from your body- it’s enabling a few moments of liberation and freedom from the self.
So, as I was saying, Meditation isn’t necessarily going to be what you expected.
The chances are it will be messy and confusing and hard! At first it will be difficult, then it will become unpredictable.. And then it will become somewhat maybe even enjoyable and then when you are able to let go of all these emotions, thoughts and feelings, good AND bad, here you will find yourself meditating without even really trying at all. Personally, even after a few years, I still struggle to get in that zone every now and then.. But do not give up on yourself. This practice will overflow into every other aspect of your life.
Meditation is that ease of mind and connection with your truth.
It could be hours at a time, or a couple of minutes as you wait for your coffee in the morning.
Whatever meditation looks like for you, embrace it.
Let the practice be whatever it wants to be.
You want to be a Yogi?.. sometimes the most advanced practice is the one where you surrender to the breath & Universe,embracing unpredictability whole-heartedly!
Moment of Stillness.
Just be still. How often to you intentionally sit still?
Sit, Lay, be in whatever position you find comfortable. Grab some pillows if you’d like.
Allow your hands rest on your thighs or knees. Open hands indicate receiving, and closed hands offer a grounding experience. Perhaps you’d rather prefer to cradle your hands in one another, or maybe pressing your thumb and index finger into one another, creating the mudra “Jnana”.
Now, breathe. Really feel these breaths enter your body and flow down to your belly. Let this breath fill you.
Close your eyes.
Open your heart. Open your mind. Connect to your breath.
Thoughts will inevitably flow in and out-but let them flow.. Like waves on a beach.
A wave rolls up, kissing the shore on the inhale.
And then slowly melts back in to the ocean on the exhale.
Bring awareness to the cool air as it enters your nose, then feel the gentle warming as the breath fills your body; your chest, lungs and belly.
Rid yourself any tension, guilt, shame, fear- releasing stress and concern with every out breath.
Inhale deeply for a count of three. Expand the ribcage with your Prana (breath), filling your entire body with energy and vitality.
Hold your breath at the top, feel that life force awakening every cell. Feels good, right?
Then exhale for a count of four. Slow, steady, controlled.
Hold at the bottom. Enjoy these moments of quietness and space. Then fill your lungs again.
Allow your thoughts to wander. Don’t try suppress them. Notice the way they roam in and out of your mind. To and fro. Mental ebbs and flows.
It’s really important not to judge yourself for these thoughts.
Just as you watched those thoughts enter your mind, watch them leave again. Not attaching to anything that pops up in that pretty little head. When you have trouble doing this, bring your focus back to your breath. In and Out.
Find comfort in the knowledge that your body knows how to breathe all on its own. It is not something you need to concentrate on or try hard to do. Our bodies will inhale and exhale even without our knowledge, just like a reflex. But turning our attention to the breath is where the magic lives!
There is much to be learned in the rise and fall of our lungs.
Notice the way your body melts, and your nerves quieten just from a few moments of breath observation and awareness.
Know that you can come back to this place, this feeling, whenever you need to.
Trust that your breath- your Prana-is so incredibly powerful beyond both measure and comprehension. Meditation is a step in the right direction for learning how to harness that force and use it consciously and with intention to better shape your life.
Namaste,
Amalia May
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