Placing your hands on the lower abdomen, either finger tips touching or one
hand over the other.
Drawing awareness to your breath, drawing your breath all the way down to
your low abdomen. Begin to feel your abdomen expand in all directions as
you breath in and soften as you breath out. Stay with your breath,
breathing gently and evenly. Breathing so your inhalation matches your
exhalation.
Stay with your breath for a few minutes.
Bring to mind the color orange. This may be any shade of orange, just as
long as it's a clear and vibrant shade of orange. Imagine this shade of
orange as a liquid or mist.
As you breath in the orange liquid or mist, let
it fill your lungs, moving down into your arms and into your hands. Keep
breathing in orange and as you do bring your awareness to your hands which
are gently placed on your abdomen. Direct and intend this color orange to
flow through your hands and into your lower abdomen, filling your sacral
chakra. Filling your sacral chakra with this beautiful, vibrant orange
liquid or mist.
Spend a few minutes balancing your sacral chakra with your breath and the
color orange. Noting any sensations or thoughts that come up.
Begin to settle your mind and body by sitting in a meditation posture. Use your breath or whatever method works well for you to clear your mind and open your heart...
Bring to mind a loved one and hold him or her in your thoughts while saying...
Bring to mind and acquaintance, such as a coworker or neighbor, and hold him or her in your thoughts while saying...
Bring to mind someone with whom you feel some friction, perhaps someone who you have a conflict with and hold that person in your thoughts while saying...
Bring to mind an animal or a pet...
Finally...
Be still for a few moments and let go of muscular tightness and
tension. Feel your body softening into the comfort of relaxation. Simply,
let go of muscular tension and breathe in a way that is slow, smooth,
and deep. Take your time to breathe all the way in and all the way out.
Doing so, in and of itself, will release tension and replace it with needed
energy.
And now, as you breathe slowly and smoothly, allow your awareness to expand,
making room for your imagination and for positive affirmations, used to
reclaim your health, inner strength, and energy.
Imagine that your life is like a garden. A unique garden. In this garden you
can plant qualities and traits that will help you along your way and give you
the energy and inspiration you need. So, it's a garden of a life that is
worthwhile and one where you know you belong.
Let's explore your garden. Go there now in your minds' eye. Notice what
it's like. How it looks. How it smells and sounds. What shape is it
in?...What's already growing?...What's waiting to be planted?...What's ready
to be weeded away?
Notice that place you've always wanted to cultivate and nurture, perhaps a
place where it's hard for things to grow, where something extra is needed
but you aren't sure what it is.
And, into this place, imagine getting ready to plant those qualities that
can help you along your way. Qualities that encourage and inspire, bringing
you the vitality and confidence to be faithful to your true nature. Perhaps
they're qualities such as health, quiet courage, acceptance, wisdom, joy or
others that are meaningful to you.
Pause.
Imagine planting those qualities now...in just the right amounts and right
where they're needed. Go ahead with your planting...placing each quality with
confidence and trust.
Pause.
Give them what they need to grow and develop.
Pause.
And now feel how they are taking root...notice them growing into your
garden of life and living.
Pause.
Along with what you've already planted, you can now plant your ideas, your
wishes and your dreams.The things you'd like to create and see happen in your
life. Become aware of what it's going to take...the actions, resources and
support needed for your dreams to come true.
Pause.
And now, imagine yourself going forward, jumping ahead into the
future. Experience it happening and watch as your dreams come true.
Another area in your garden needs to be thinned and could use some
weeding. So, spend some time taking away those things, those distractions,
that are slowing you down or causing you to get sidetracked.
Pause.
Imagine removing whatever it is and putting the weeds, the things that are
getting in your way, into the compost heap where they can change and
transform into fertilizer that will help you with your new growth.
Perhaps there's something that needs your attention. Something that it's time
to complete or release so your energy can be freed and you can move on.
There's another place in your garden where there's a fountain. Imagine what
this fountain is like, what it's made of, how it's flowing and how it sounds. As
you gaze at your fountain, you discover, more and more, that it becomes one
that feeds and fills you with energy and inspiration. Enjoy how your
fountain is free to flow and how it is so refreshing...bringing you vitality
and stimulating your inspiration as the water splashes and dances.
Now that you have done some planting and weeding, it's time to step back so
you can watch over your garden...knowing for your garden to grow and
flourish it needs just the right amount of care and attention from inside
yourself as well as from outside influences. Your life, just like a garden,
needs a balance of sunshine, rain, fertilizer, darkness and light. And
somehow, and from somewhere, there is an inner knowing you have, from your
heart of hearts, that gives you just the right balance of effort, letting go
and letting it be, to thrive and succeed.
Each time you return to your garden and listen once again, you can check on
what's been planted. You can do more planting and weeding. Your garden of
life is a place where you want to be. A place where you belong. A garden where
you always feel welcome.
And finally, it's time to use a few affirmations and the power of your mind
and intention to help you move along. Allow the following statements to echo
in your mind, perhaps, repeating them to yourself, silently, or
aloud. Let them move through you, refresh and renew you. Allow them to soak in
deep inside. If an affirmation doesn't seem to fit
you, don't worry, just breathe slowly and softly, and wait for the next
one or change it to suit yourself, as long as it's positive. Or simply
pretend that it's true.
In my garden of life...
Continue on your own, planting qualities and affirmations that are
especially meaningful to you. When you're ready, stretch, open your eyes, and
enjoy feeling refreshed and energized. Remember these qualities throughout
the day and watch as they show up in you and grow.
Then as you breath in, saying silently, “Breathing, I am breathing in.” As you breath
out saying silently, “Breathing, I am breathing out.” Have your mind remain silent during the
natural pauses in-between the breaths. Do not try to control your breath, allow your breath
to breathe you. Continue this for the duration of your meditation.
There isn’t a time limit as to how
long to do this meditation. I like to do this meditation until I begin to feel uncomfortable
and desire to move, then I resist that temptation and go a little longer. This way I build up
the length of time I am able to sit in meditation.
As always, let yourself be your guide
because you are your best teacher if you allow yourself to be still and listen.
Visualize your goal, your future, or your special wish, in all its colors. At the same time,
develop the feeling as if it already were reality. The thought is the procreative power,
the father; the feeling is the form giving power, the mother. Just like large plants need longer
to achieve their full bloom, the same applies to our goals and wishes. It is also obvious that we
must make our own contribution to this process.
I give my best, and I let the rest be given to me.
-- from Yoga for Prosperity by, Siri Kirpal Kaur Khalsa
This meditation will help stop the cycle of self-destructive behavior.
Practicing this meditation should bring a joyful quality to the mind.
Breathe in the following pattern: inhale deeply through the nose, exhale completely through
the mouth. Inhale deeply and smoothly through the mouth, exhale completely
through the nose. Continue for 3-11 minutes.
-- from Yoga for Prosperity by, Siri Kirpal Kaur Khalsa
This is a short, sweet, and easy meditation. It may be done several times a
day.
No mudra [hand position] was specified
for this meditation. [I have done this with the Buddhi Mudra, touch the tip
of the thumb to the tip of the little finger, holding rest of the fingers
straight. This stimulates prosperity, friendship, and effective
communication.]
Inhale deeply, hold the breath and mentally recite: I am
bountiful. I am blissful. I am beautiful. Then exhale completely, hold the
breath out and mentally recite: Excel, excel, fearless. Continue for three
minutes. 2.. Bring your awareness to your belly. Breathing through your
nose as you expand the belly slowly in all directions. Begin to
gradually increase the length of your exhalation until you reach your
comfortable maximum. (Inhale freely, exhale forever).
3.. (Repeat for 5-10 minutes). Let your breath come back to normal.
2.. Bring your focus mentally to the middle of your forehead and
begin to draw a mental triangle between your forehead and the palms
of both hands. See the triangle in your mind and if any part is
difficult to connect (usually the bottom), spend some time there and
then try to reconnect the entire triangle. Take 15 breaths. Release
the triangle and breathe normally.
3.. (Once you can hold the one triangle try for the second).
Mentally connect a second triangle using your navel and the big toes
of both feet. Try holding both triangles for 3-5 minutes. Release
the first triangle, then the second and breathe normally.
2.. Close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths through the nose
and then continue normal breathing through the nose.
3.. First resolve; either mentally or verbally make a sincere
statement about improving your health or your life, while continuing
to breathe normally. (Pause for 10 seconds).
4.. Visualization; as you inhale, visualize the healing rays of
the sun warming and healing your entire body or, specifically, any
injured or affected area. As you exhale, visualize darkness, impurities,
and ill-health leaving your body.
5.. (Repeat for 15 to 30 breaths). Slowly bring your awareness
back to the moment.
6.. Rotation of consciousness; bring your awareness to the bottom
of your feet and begin to relax your toes one at a time, beginning
with the big toes on both feet, then the next toe, the next, and
the little toe. Pause. Release your ankles and then your knees. Go
inside your knees and look around. Visualize tendons and ligaments.
Imagine the kneecaps from underneath. Breathe into your knees and
mentally instruct your knees to relax. Pause. Move your awareness to
your thighs and begin to visualize breathing into your thighs. Deeper,
deeper until you reach the hamstrings underneath. Visualize the
hamstrings releasing, relaxing, letting go. Pause. Now release the
hips into the floor. Pause. Bring your awareness to your lower back.
Think about the connection with your lower back, the floor, and the
earth. Pause. Bring that same connection to the middle and upper back.
7.. Breathe into any tight spots. If you feel any tension, let
it go. Pause. Surrender your shoulders down through the arms, down
through the hands, and out through your finger tips. Pause. Release
the back of your head and all of the tight spots behind the ears.
Pause. Move your awareness to your face, starting with the tight
spot between the eyes. Now relax the muscles around your eyes, the
nose, and the mouth. Release the mouth, the tongue, and the spot
below the tongue. Pause.
8.. Remember the feeling; bring your awareness to your body and
think about how you are feeling right now, in your body and in
your mind. Try to hold this feeling so that you will remember it
later. Wiggle your toes and fingers, bring your arms overhead and
stretch out. Gently roll to your right side and stay there for a
few breaths. When you are ready, gently using your left hand to
push yourself up to a comfortable seated position. While your eyes are
still closed taking a few breaths. When you are ready gently open
your eyes.
This months meditation...
Meta Meditation On Loving-Kindness
Taken from Yoga Meditations Timeless Mind-Body Practices for Awakening by, Julie T. Lusk
This is a guided imaginary meditation and affirmation. This particular one
happens to be one of my students' favorite. This meditation is taken from
the book Yoga Meditations Timeless Mind-Body Practices for Awakening, by
Julie T. Lusk. This meditation is easiest if you tape yourself or have
someone guide you through it. This meditation was recorded on Wholesome
Energizers CD by Julie Lusk with music by Tome Laskey. It's available from, Whole
Person Associates, at 800-247-6789 or on the Web at wholeperson.com.
Stretch comfortably and move around so you can settle down and feel
comfortable. Take a big breath in and sigh it out.
Sitting, spine lengthened, shoulders back. Lightly pressing the eye lids together,
with the same intensity pressing the lips together. Gently focusing your gaze to the spot
in-between the eyes without straining. Draw awareness to your breath, feel the coolness of
your inhalation and the warmth of your exhalation, doing this for a few moments up to a few
minutes.
I would recommend for a
beginner two to three minutes or as long as you can maintain your posture. As you progress
you can do this meditation for longer periods of time.
You can practice the mudra at any time, without the meditation.
Kubera Mudra (dedicated to the god of wealth, Kubera)
To perform the mudra place the tip of your thumb, index finger and middle finger together
lightly. Bend the other two fingers so they rest in the middle of your hand. Do this with
each hand. With this mudra the length of practice is not as important as the intensity you practice. This mudra can be used to put more force behind your projects for the coming year. Whatever goal or wish you want fulfilled for the future try this mudra. To practice this technique, think of your goal or wish very clearly in words, reduce this, if you can, down to one word. Ask whether this is for the highest good. Perform the mudra with each hand, say out loud your wish three times and as you do press the fingers together.
Meditation
Affirmation
Kubera Mudra, the meditation and affirmation are from Mudras Yoga in your
Hands by Gertrud Hirschi, pg. 94
Meditation to Conquer Self-Animosity
Sitting in Easy Pose [legs crossed] with a straight spine, relax the arms
by the sides and bring the hands up to the level of the heart. Make fists of
the hands with the thumbs extended and pointing up. The fists and thumbs
touch each other. Focus on the tip of the nose. Maintain an alert attitude
and keep the torso steady [no rocking back and forth].
[The time may be built up to 22 minutes, but no more.]
Three Minute Meditation for Prosperity and Self-Esteem
Sitting in Easy Pose [legs crossed] with a straight spine, look down
towards the center of the chin with closed eyes, or focus on the tip of the
nose with the eyes one-tenth open.
Stress Buster -- from Yoga Rx, by Larry Pavne and Richard Usatine
1.. Lie in constructive rest pose. Legs about hip-width apart.
Healing Triangles -- from Yoga Rx, by Larry Pavne and Richard Usatine
1.. Take a few deep breaths then settle in to your normal
breathing through your nose.
Yoga Nidra (yoga sleep) -- from Yoga Rx, by Larry Pavne and Richard Usatine
1.. Lie in corpse pose; bring your arms across your chest and hug
yourself. Now let your elbows come down to the floor, and then let
the forearms and the back of your hands flop down to a comfortable
place with palms up. Slowly turn your head from side to side and
then back to the middle.
Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have.
Shanti....
Susan (click to email)