Welcome to a new week! If you were like me, you had a pretty packed weekend, and it is actually impossible to try and think about the whole week. But that’s okay. We’re going to put to into practice what we were talking bout last blog entry, meditation. Now, Breathe.
Every moment, one thing remains constant. Your breath.
In my spiritual tradition, we use the breath as the carrier of a mantra. We are in control of how we want to take this breath, and it can affect our whole emotional and physical body. In the next couple of paragraphs, I am going to be guiding you on techniques for taking mindful breaths, and how you can use it to ground good thoughts.
First, you need to get comfortable. Your instinct to lie down can be followed, but you may not be able to finish this exercise before succumbing to unconsciousness. 😉
I usually sit crossed legged if I’m on the floor, or sit on a chair with my feet flat on the ground. To clear your head and prepare for meditation, take your next breath through your left nostril. Hold, and exhale through your right nostril. Ideally, you will follow a pace of 1-3-2– One beat for the inhale, three beats for the holding of the breath, two beats on the exhale. There is always room to grow; do not take on too many new aspects that make you uncomfortable.
Once you have taken three deep breaths, you may be ready to begin repeating a mantra or affirmation with each breath. If that is unnatural, you can count. I wanted to share on what the Hay House says about affirmations:
“An affirmation opens the door. It’s a beginning point on the path to change. Every thought you think and every word you speak is an affirmation. Use daily affirmations and create joyful, abundant life experiences with every word and thought.”
As you sit, it’s important to come back to an empty mind. One technique I use is to imagine sitting on the edge of river, swiftly flowing. There is your thought!- there in the water- and it flows downstream. No need to berate yourself or the thought for existing, just let it float on, while you sit here peacefully.
Another way to keep you focused on your breath is to imagine your breath starting from behind your naval, and as you breathe in, it travels up to your heart, and flows back down on the exhale. Nice and slow.
Aim to give yourself 10 minutes of silence a day. This meditative breath exercise will help you remember the breath you have with you always. It’s a starting point to more mindfulness in all your actions. When I went through the 10-Day Cleanse, I was given the chance to examine all my habits, from the way I started my day, to how I interacted with my food and other people. The first step is sometimes the hardest, but the process of deepening your connection to yourself and your healing is always open when you begin a foundational practice like mindful breath.
Living Waters Wellness Center 