Meditation Suggestions

It is better in prayer to have a heart without words

than words without a heart. – Mahatma Gandhi

Presence

Presence is the most important suggestion for meditation. Meditation is not about nothingness. It is about staying present. No thoughts about what has come before your practice and no thoughts about you are going to do when you are done meditating. Be kind to yourself. Try not to become frustrated if your mind starts to think about something that happened earlier in the day/week. Just guide your mind back to the present. If your mind starts to think about what you need to do later in the day, just gently guide your thoughts back to the here and now.

Mind-Body Control

On the inhale scan the body and then exhale. Repeat a few times until you discover where your body needs healing. This can be an old injury or surgical scar or a current soreness in the body. This could be an emotional scar that needs healing or a busy mind that needs to relax. On the in-breath, focus on this part of you that needs healing. On the exhale, release this part of you that isn’t serving you. Continue this meditation until you feel clearing in the body.

Notice the Breath

Breath using both the upper and lower lungs. The upper lobes are associated with the sympathetic nervous system. This is the “fight or flight” nervous system. The lower lobes are associated with the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the “rest and digest” nervous system. Therefore if we breath shallow filling only the upper lobes of the lungs we produce Cortisol (hormone associated with anxiety) in the body. Let the belly be soft and on the inhale fill the upper and lower lobes of the lungs and expand the belly. On the exhale bring the naval in towards the spine and empty the lungs completely.

Align the 7 Chakras

Start with the thought about the energy from the Earth. You can feel the great gravitational pull to the Earth. The Earth has healing properties in the water, soil, and air. The Earth has an energy vibration that can be brought into the body at the base of the seven major energy centers in the body called chakras. If you take some time to learn about the seven major chakras, this meditation will have more meaning for you. Start with the first chakra called the Root Chakra at the pelvic floor then mentally move the Earth’s energy up to the second chakra called the Sacral Chakra below the naval. Continue to flow the energy up to the Solar Plexus Chakra below the rib cage; then the Heart Chakra; then the Throat Chakra; then the Brow Chakra and then the Energy can leave the body off the top of the head at the Crown Chakra. This meditation can also be done in the reverse order.

Scan your body from head to toes

On the inhale notice your toes. How are they feeling? Do you have any old injuries or phantom pain? If so, then inhale notice what you are feeling and then exhale with the thought of release. Next inhale and notice your ankles. Continue to scan the body from toes to the top of your head. At the head take time to notice if you need to release anything emotional or mental. Remember to just notice the body without any judgement.

Witness Meditation

Use visualization to picture yourself as if you are looking down and observing yourself. See yourself in a state of meditation. You can stay with this visualization or expand your vision and see yourself from further away. Maybe you visualize yourself inside a building and you look smaller and peaceful. From this viewpoint, observe yourself. Observe your body, emotions, behaviors, mental thinking without any judgement. Just observe these parts of you.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This meditation is best done in a supine position on your back. Close your eyes and then squeeze your eyes shut and tighten the facial muscles. Count to 3. Then relax your facial muscles. Open your mouth and wiggle your jaw and then relax your mouth, face, eyes. Allowing the whole body to relax. Next tighten your hands into a fist. Squeeze your fists and bring this tightness to your arms. Count to 3. Then relax hands and wiggle your fingers. Allowing the whole body to relax. Next tighten the gluteal muscles and hamstrings. Count to 3. Relax. Wiggle your toes and then scrunch up your toes without pointing your feet. Count to 3. Relax. Wiggle your toes and let your feet flop. Relax your entire body. Feel yourself melt down.

Gratitude Meditations

When we have thoughts of gratitude the body will produce dopamine (the happy hormone). Meditation should not be filled with many thoughts but you can take one thought of gratitude and concentrate on just that one thought. Here are some suggestions for thoughts of gratitude:

People: A Family Member, A Friend, An Ancestor, Someone in the community

Places: Your favorite spot, The Ocean, The Mountains, The Lake

Animals: A Pet, An Experience like swimming with dolphins, Appreciate the honey bee

Seasons: The thought of rain and the life it brings

Self-acceptance Meditation

Close your eyes and picture yourself in meditation. Imagine you are floating above yourself and can look down and see your physical body. Scan from the top of your head down to your feet. Observe each part of your physical body without judgement. If you come across a physical feature that you have trouble accepting then just observe this feature. Remind yourself that God (creator/universe-your individual practice) made this feature to be just how it is. Accept each part of you. If you have time then dive deeper into the body and observe your emotional body, mental body, and/or spiritual body. Observe. No judgment. Accept.

Leave your baggage behind

Close your eyes and scan the body for any heaviness. Using visual meditation we are going to collect all heaviness in the body and put it in an imaginary suitcase or backpack. Does your heart feel heavy? Are you holding on to an emotion that needs to be released? Gather up any anxiety, depression, or anger and put it in the bag. Is your mind racing? Gather up your worries and put them in the bag. Do you feel a lump in your throat? If you have not been able to speak your needs to others or you have spoken negatively without thinking about another’s feelings then you will create this heavy energy in the throat. Imagine scooping any thickness in your body with your hands and put them in your bag. Are you holding on to a burden from your living situation or work life? Is there a weight on your shoulders or hips? Scan your digestive and reproductive systems. Do your legs and/or feet feel heavy? When you feel that you are done collecting, take a moment to notice the heaviness of this bag. Seal the bag and walk away from it or imagine burying the bag. Take time to notice how light your mind, body and spirit feel with this heaviness gone. Spend time in meditation enjoying this new you.

Prayer

Taking time to be in a relationship with the Creator is a state of meditation.

Tibetan monk prayer: “Grant that I might have enough suffering to awaken in the deepest possible compassion and wisdom.”