Mindfulness with the Senses

One of the simple meditation types I have been working on is mindfulness. Daily mindfulness is about turning yourself off of Auto-pilot and being part of the moment. I shared some detail on this in my other post from a few days ago but wanted to talk about it a bit more today.

We experience the world through our physical senses: Sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. Yet, being the very conscious beings we are, we typically do not focus on the senses unless we think they’re impaired. In cases where one is losing their hearing, or ability to taste, we give those senses full attention to find cures. Typically we use our senses without focusing on them, alternatively caught up in our minds contemplating the inputs we receive. We may think, “What does that sound mean?”, or, “I don’t like that taste because…”, or,”this blanket is so soft and I want to buy it but it’s 40 dollars which makes me sad”. I’m not denying it’s a good thing that we have instinctual quick-thinking. Humans choose to take action when they smell the odor of something burning. It’s good that we don’t just sit back and choose to let something burn just so we can smell it. No sane people anyway…….
Thanks to our instincts, we get up and take action when we need to. But it is too often that we go about our days without taking a moment to be aware of our environment. We receive sensory inputs from the environment constantly so it’s understandable that in order for us to think straight, we are able to ignore most of them.

However, a great way to meditate is to take a moment to turn yourself off of autopilot, while you are doing a simple daily chore for example, or if you are just sitting and relaxing, to help clear the mind of worries and emotions. Choose two or three senses to focus on that are appropriate for the task at hand. When you do this, food tastes so much better, warm water is so much more soothing, textures feel 3 times more… “feely”. It’s like you turn the volume up on this small moment and get rid of all the background noise that is your usual thoughts and worries.

I did this today while doing the dishes. Even though I was hungry–as I had just made dinner but had not yet eaten–I told myself I would do the dishes and not worry about being hungry or wanting to rush through them. Slowing down, I saw the colors that were in the sink, I saw the shapes of the pans and utensils. I felt the warmth of the water flowing from the faucet, the weight of a dish, the suds from the sponge. Even in this small moment I was able to think about the physical objects in my hands and nothing else. It was very calming. I forgot that I was hungry and just focused on how pleasant doing the dishes could be with focus.

Autopilot is Blindness

​Many people do not realize how simple incorporating meditation into daily life can be.

Today, I will not get a chance to sit in my sacred space and meditate because I have a holiday party to go to straight after work. During this time of year it is often difficult to find quiet time because time is absorbed by family outings and gatherings, or swept up by the surge of holiday shopping deals. This holiday season, try to do some of the following things in order to be more mindful throughout everyday activities. This time of year we are reminded to be grateful for family, our health, and the endless awesome world that surrounds us. Even a quick, on the go meditation during daily activities can help ground you when all the world around you seems to be pulling you a bit too thin.

You can meditate while you are eating, drinking, walking, brushing your teeth, washing your hands…the list goes on. Meditation is about focusing fully on something of your choice. To often we put ourselves on autopilot during these simple daily activities. Instead of living in the moment, we become distracted by thoughts of what happened at work yesterday, who you need to contact today, what the plans are for this weekend, what Facebook has to share with you. So often, we go through our lives not paying attention to the here and now. 

The other day I went out to lunch by myself. I do this every so often when I want to get away from my desk to eat my lunch and give my mind a break from the day. When I put my phome down while eating and looke around me, all the people who were sitting alone or even eating in groups, were on their phones. They were just unconsciously shoveling food into their mouths, chewing and putting another bite in their mouths before completely swallowing the bite they took prior. WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME. I do it too! We are on our phones or watching TV and we are more focused on the often-false media coming out of these electric boxes than we are the food that is sustaining our bodies. It’s just depressing. 

For a change of pace, I encourage you to try living in the moment. Put the phone down, stop reading this blog after this paragraph and observe. Observe what the task at hand looks like. Look at the shapes, the curves, the colors. Do that for a minute. Then if you’re eating food, or drinking coffee or tea, observe the aromas that surround you. Then slowly take a bite. Taste the food, feel the food, chew it completely. Before taking the next bite, allow yourself to swallow completely and finish that bite before taking the next. Doing this allows you to be grounded in the moment. See all the things you have been missing. Don’t worry about it, but know that the future is so full of opportunities for you to taste your food!

This is relevant for any activity that you do. When you are brushing your teeth, feel the brush against your teeth and gums, removing the dirt and refreshing your mouth. Taste the toothpaste. Feel the temperature of the water you are using. Feel the strength in your hands.

If you are driving, feel the steering wheel in your hands, feel the immense power of the car that you are driving within your grasp.

 

Try not to be on autopilot this holiday season and instead see all the love, possibilities, and positive energy that is all around you.

3. The Solar Chakra

Manipura–also known as the Solar, Yellow, or Power Chakra–is located just above the bellybutton, at the base of the chest. It is directly linked to the Solar Plexus (wow…that’s weird) as well as the digestive system. This Chakra is often associated with the element of fire, the sun, the musical note “E”, and the sacred sound “Ram”.
While beginning our journey of learning the chakras from the Root to the Sacral and now here at the Solar Chakra, there has been a steady advancement in a distinct direction. Have you noticed it yet?
While all the chakras are associated with part of the physical body–like the Solar Chakra is to the Solar Plexus and digestive system–we do, in fact, see a shift in mental focus as we move through the list of chakras. Root Chakra topics relate to survival and are rooted (pun-intended) in human survival. The Sacral Chakra moves it’s focus to personal creativity and self-actualizing topics linked heavily to survival situations in life. And now, with the Solar Plexus, we learn that this is the Chakra of personal power and control. We move away from the necessary comforts of surviving, and towards improving the self. Moving towards self-improvement, personal faith, and one could suppose…Enlightenment.

If at this point you are slightly confused you should go read this blog: Intro to the Chakras.
Then follow it by reading about the Root Chakra, then the Sacral.
This may help. I promise the blogs are short so it’s not a huge commitment, I know you can do it 🙂 Or you can simply continue reading. You do you Boo.

So. Let’s talk about the Solar Chakra.
This Chakra is all about you. Well, I guess they all are really, but at the same time, they all aren’t. They’re about you in your environment, and body and mind and surroundings. Ugh, okay, move on Evelyn.

Warmth in your personality. Healthy self-esteem. Freedom to interpret the world without fear of consequences. A perception of yourself and who you are, and how you can contribute to this world. Making the conscious choice to contribute to this world. Being able to find the right path to make your contribution, to make a difference, to be a proactive leader and drive forward with good ambitions. All of these things are associated with the Solar Chakra. When the Chakra is healthy and aligned, these topics focused on improving your personal self, ideas, and intentions, will come to fruition. However, when the Solar Chakra is out of balance, you may feel you do not have control over your life, or you are being over-controlling and over-authoritative. You may not be able to turn your ideas into actions. Additionally, if this Chakra is imbalanced you could be having trouble with your digestive system, and may be more prone to getting sick.

To keep this chakra in balance, you can use the following crystals to help energy flow smoothly through the wheel of power. Of course there are not the only crystals you can use but I am giving you a short list to start. Thank you to Judy Hall’s Encyclopedia of Crystals for much of the crystal information that follows.

1. Citrine. I love Citrine! It is an orange, yellow, and clear stone that is very cleansing. In fact, if you leave citrine in a bowl with other crystals, it will charge and cleanse your other crystals for you! Citrine is said to carry the energy of the sun and promotes creativity and joy in anyone who beholds it. It also is said to open the mind to constructive criticism and improves self-confidence, self-expression, digestion, and protects the environment. It is said to cleanse and re-energize all chakras but I think it’s perfect for the Solar Chakra because of it’s link to the energy of the sun.

2. Desert Rose. This beautiful crystal can be found often in gift shops throughout the southwestern U.S. because Native American lore says they were carved by Native American warriors returning from the spirit world and were scattered on the land to keep spirit homes sacred. While this stone is beautiful and linked to Southwestern culture, it is also said to strengthen affirmations of purpose, keeping one driven towards their goals. It also heightens one’s ability to interpret and express thought-whether it’s their own or someone else’s–and confronting issues to settle grievances.

3. Snow Quartz/Milk Quartz/Quartzite goes by many names but supports those who are learning important life lessons. This stone enhances cooperation and helps you filter thoughts before speaking. With this stone in your possession, keeping the Solar Chakra balanced, you can definitely become a more powerful and driven individual, as all the skills Snow Quartz assists with are noted skills of some of the most successful individuals in the world today.

And there you have it!
Come back tomorrow for more information on the next Chakra: The Heart Chakra.

An Introduction to the Chakras

Today I performed a breathing meditation and listened to “Chakra Suite: Music for Meditation, Healing and Inner Peace” by Steven Halpern. Halpern creates each track on his album with focus on a particular Chakra. This prompted me to ask, “What exactly are all the chakras, and how do they work?”I decided to find out.

So, what is a Chakra?
A Chakra (Shaw-cruh) is a spiritual point in the human body where energy continually flows. There are seven standard Chakras that flow through the human body. The literal word Chakra is Sanskrit for “circle” or “wheel”. A Chakra should be visualized as a point of energy flowing constantly in a small circular pattern around an origin. This energy is often referred to as Prana, Mana, or the vital life force. Chopra Center author Michelle Fondin explains that Chakras are where Matter and Consciousness meet, and most lay on the spine where crucial nerve centers are located. According to Google–I know, not super reliable, but I thought it was interesting–the use of the word Chakra was adopted by western civilization in the 1950’s, skyrocketed up to the 2000’s, fell for a few years, but is again on the rise.

Each chakra has a specific location and represents certain things. The Root Chakra, for example, is located at the tailbone. It represents being grounded as an individual, and effects our sense of security and survival. Each chakra has a different purpose and depending on how one feels with certain aspects of life, a chakra may warrant some healing.

It is thought that you can heal chakras through meditation, crystal healing, or other healing exercises to help get rid of inhibitions, improve physical or mental well-being and create a clear, steady equilibrium within your emotional, mental, and physical states.

So there you have it! Now you have a general understanding of what a chakra is, and why they are commonly referenced in meditation practices. Check back tomorrow to go deeper into the first of seven standard Chakras.

 

You may be asking yourself, “if there are seven standard chakras does that mean there are non-standard chakras?” YES. …. More to come 🙂

Day 3: Meditation and The 2016 Presidential Election

I’m sitting on my couch in Arizona flip flopping between news channels, awaiting the final results of the 2016 presidential election. I feel stressed, worried, anxious, and even scared for what we have collectively decided for the direction of our country.

This is the first presidential election that I have voted in and I wasn’t expecting to ever be so stressed about politics.

I’m glad I’ve started meditating 🙂

**I had to turn off the TV at this point because I found it to be less stressful with open tabs on my computer to bounce through as I saw fit instead of inviting heated news banter into my living room.

I feel especially bogged down by the atmosphere that has been created around me. That’s not to say that it is all negative-although MOST of it is-it is all just so…heavy. Very important decisions are being made, and everyone is eager to know the results. Once this election is over I hope people take time to detoxify and rejuvenate from all the “bleh” that’s been splattered all over one another.

***Now at this point I was constantly refreshing the ABC website to see if updates were being made to the electoral vote counts for each nominee. Then I suddenly found myself trapped in Facebook feeding the powerful meme presence while drinking a double shot. Cuban Screwdriver (thats a screwdriver but with rum instead of tequila).

You didn’t think that I was a drinker did you?! Being that I’m starting this very cleansing meditation practice and all, you’d probably assume I’m into vegan foods, and organic living before alcoholism.
“Balance is key”.
Meditation (and at times drinking) helps when you want to be engaged in your country’s politics. Remember to take care of your mental and psychological state by letting your mind rest once in a while instead of constantly being overrun by the topics in the news. Get rest. It can be a practical type of rest, like having a nice bath and listening to relaxing sounds of nature, or getting a liberal…. I mean literal nap in during your day! Ahh, I love naps 🙂

And remember, no matter how uncertain you feel about the election and whoever wins, the one thing you are most in control of is yourself. Your mind and your body are the true home that your soul has, so treat them well. Allow your body to heal when needed, and rest when it tells you it needs rest. It’s the one home that is guaranteed to be yours forever.

Peace with you.

Day 2: It’s Personal

I didn’t understand the idea of Meditation being personal until my meditation today. I’ve thought of meditation as the act of focusing yourself. An act involving setting goals to meet, and  improving yourself just like going to the gym, or reading non-fiction books, or trying your best to not eat ALL the chocolate cake….so that there is still some left over for breakfast tomorrow. Today at work I mentioned to a coworker that I was starting to meditate everyday, and he replied that he tried to meditate a few times but it’s so personal. And when he struggled, it was difficult to find assistance with his private goals. I had his story stuck in my head for the rest of my workday because I just didn’t get it. Not until my meditation.

Today I listened to almost all of Deepak Chopra and Adam Plack’s “The Secret of Healing: Meditations For Transformation And Higher Consciousness” which was available to stream with Amazon Prime. During this 30-minute session I listened to many metaphorical concepts that resonated on a very personal level. It explained the transcendence to enlightenment, no longer fearing death, and understanding that being busy means nothing if you aren’t fully aware of the single, omnipotent consciousness around you.There was a lot more to it and the CD was beautiful to listen to. Very calming. I will definitely listen to this one many many more times so I can ponder these ideas more. I sat for a while just listening, focusing on my heartbeat while burning leaves of dried sage. Later I felt it would be best to lay down on my yoga mat and let a stick of incense burn so I could watch the smoke rise up to the ceiling in peaceful, swirling waves.

Pairing music with meditation is much easier than meditating with no sound at all. It gives something simple to focus on while clearing everything else from the mind. I will probably work with music in the background from now on because it gives me a sense of moving from the normal space at home to a spiritual, more….almost tribal space? It’s hard to explain.

The most personal bit of the MP3 was the explaining of healing. Healing means you are becoming whole again, or becoming Holy, which is becoming your whole self free from negative or limiting energies, beliefs, or conditioning. That right there is where it gets personal. You are making yourself holy when you meditate. You are healing your soul. You are healing your mind so that it may maintain your consciousness.

I didn’t realize how deep this was all going to get, but it pleases me to my core. 

Day 1: An Eye-Opener

Giving credit where credit is due: In my last post on creating a sacred space, I referenced a book by Madonna Gauding called “The Mediation Bible”. As I am starting out I will be working through some of the meditations in her book. The book is a nice pocket size and has a great introductory section for before you begin, as well as easy to follow sections on different types of meditations. If you find that you enjoy the meditations I work through, I highly recommend that you pick up this book as a comprehensive and welcoming place to start.

For my first meditation, I chose a breathing meditation where you count your breaths on the exhale up to 10 and then start over. You do this for 10 minutes. The following explains my thoughts throughout the exercise:

• I want to try and sit the fancy way-cross-legged with my feet on top of my knees. Oh… Ow ow ow!  Foot cramp!! Don’t move it…nope that doesn’t help, stretch it out. Ah… better. Nice start Evelyn.
• Okay I’m just going to sit normal cross-legged. Starts stopwatch.
• 1, 2, 3,… I can’t wait to write this blog…SHH! 4, 5, 6, I’m gonna write in the blog that I couldn’t stop thinking about writing the blog… STOP IT! That’s meta and cool but STOP! SHH. 7, 8, 9, 10.  …repeat…
• 10, 11, 12, oh no! I’m not supposed to be counting past 10, I’m supposed to start at 1 again. Come on, focus. (This happened about 5 times)

For about a minute or so I did fall into a nice rhythm and was completely focused on my breathing. I counted my exhales successfully from 1 to 10 four or five times without going past 10 or thinking about the blog, or my fancy new crystals, or how my back was hurting from sitting straight for so long. I noticed that my vision changed when I inhaled versus exhaled. Things got darker and lighter and darker and lighter, and then my focus broke because I began to think:

• Oh no, am I not getting enough oxygen to my brain? Am I getting too much? I don’t want to hyperventilate right now. Shh, your getting anxious, don’t worry so much. Just breathe normally, close your eyes instead.

Eventually I did get through the meditation. I only adjusted my posture one time because I wanted to stretch my back, and I only scratched one itch. 🙂

As my first meditation, it turned out to be what I was expecting: Gained 1 minute of meditation, and 9 minutes of trying to bring myself back to focus. I realize now how fast our brains move. It isn’t until I try to clear my mind that I realize how much is going on in there.

I can’t wait to try again tomorrow 🙂

 

Featured image from: USA Today

The Sacred Space

Before initiating this daily meditation practice, I wanted to set up a sacred space. This space will only be used for my meditation and spiritual activities. Meditation does not have to be linked to any sort of religion but I’ve been wanting to set up an altar for myself in my new home since we moved in and found this opportunity perfect to finally do that. According to Madonna Gauding’s book “The Meditation Bible” having a “sacred space” for meditation marks a space where you will grow as an individual. A place where you will learn to focus, find peace, and explore a world outside of what you ordinarily see. You will always walk into this space knowing consciously and subconsciously that it is time for growth, empowerment, and answers to life’s questions.

So I created a thrifty altar! And you know what the best part is? There is no right or wrong way of creating that space and/or altar. So, I went into the guest bedroom/office/storage space….(we’re working on this room a bit)… and straightened it up a bit. It’s important that the space you are in is tidy so that you don’t feel distracted by anything out of place. Next, I literally took the empty box that our new vacuum came in, covered it with a thin blanket, and then topped it off with a pretty handkerchief. Then I took items that meant something special to me to help me achieve my meditation goals and placed them on top of this fancy-fied vacuum cleaner box. I chose items to represent the elements. I have a couple of shells to represent Water, a feather to represent Air, and an incense burner for burning incense. I also have a blue candle to represent Fire, with blue as the chosen color since it is said to aid meditation. And finally, I have a bowl to represent Earth which is filled with 2 inches of dirt, then an inch of salt, and topped with a variety of crystals which will come in handy later on in my practice. After transforming a box that I meant to recycle weeks ago into a fabulous little altar, I placed an exercise mat on the floor in front of it and voila! Sacred space created! Oh I also placed a small fan right next to the altar in case it ever gets warm. It’s good to be practical, am I right?

I’m sure my altar with alter (see what I did there?) as I change my goals for meditation, but this set up felt right for starting. Eventually I may write a quote a day that is meant to inspire me, and place it on the altar. I may also add some photos of important role models in my life to help me maintain focus on improving myself as an individual, or a business person, or a family member…it all depends on the goals for the day. Someone else may have a statue of Jesus, or Buddha, or Mother Mary, as I said before, there is no right or wrong way. There is only your way.

Time to begin!