October 7, 2020
Meditation is an ancient wellness practice that helps to reduce stress and anxiety, increase feelings of calm and relaxation, and improves focus and clarity of mind. There are virtually unlimited ways to meditate. A few of my favorites are:
Malas: an ancient meditation tool that uses beads to help guide you as you repeat mantras and/or focus on your breath;
Mantras: a word, sound, or phrase that you repeat;
Breathwork: a form of meditation in which your focus is completely on your breath, or can be incorporated in combination with another form of meditation;
Yoga: a form of meditation that incorporates movement, breath and mindfulness; and
Guided Meditation: someone verbally guides you through the meditation process.
The first time I had what I would consider a “successful” meditation session was when I learned how to use the Mala as a tool to guide me through the process. I enjoy using a Mala for meditation so much that I learned how to make them! You can learn more about Malas here: https://www.bridgetobalancellc.com/malas.
Success is relative, so there is no one way to measure success with anything. Starting a meditation and continuing all the way through to an end point without getting distracted or falling asleep made it a success for me! Meditating on a regular basis has allowed me to reap the full benefits of the practice- peeling away unnecessary layers to allow me see the bigger picture, connect with my Higher Self, attain peace and clarity in many situations, and offers me a great deal of relief from a lifetime of anxiety. I can now tell when I’m too much in my head - that’s my cue to meditate more and get back to what’s in my heart.
Before giving Reiki to a client, I offer a brief guided meditation to get them into a deeply relaxed state which is crucial to them receiving the most healing benefits of the session.
I created some mantras and affirmations during my own self-healing journey that you may find helpful as well:
“My immune system is intelligent and healthy, my joints are repairing themselves, my heart is healing, my thyroid is functioning properly. I am strong and able to handle anything that comes my way with grace and love. I am compassionate. I know how to give and receive unconditional love. My neck and jaw are relaxed. My shoulders are down and back. My posture aligns my chakra system. My energy flows freely throughout my entire being. My body absorbs and correctly and efficiently utilizes all the vital nutrients it gets from food, and dispels anything it doesn’t need or that could cause it harm.”
When I was at my lowest, this helped to pull me through: “I am loved. I am protected and supported. I am connected to the universe.” Mantras can be very powerful. <3
When you meditate regularly and get comfortable being in silence with yourself and are able to be honest, compassionate and non-judgmental with your own thoughts (forgiving yourself for the unpleasant ones), you are going ‘within' and reaching your Higher Self- the soul part of you that is without Ego. Make going ‘within’ your happy place, and then you’ll never have to seek happiness outside of yourself - it’s always within reach no matter where you are or who you’re with (or without).
Deepak Chopra, M.D. is well-known as a meditation and mindfulness guru who advocates the mind/body/spirit connection, and is someone I’ve so enjoyed learning from since 1989. I have great respect for his methods, consistency and wisdom in this practice, and highly recommend him if you’re looking for guided meditations.
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