I sincerely hope this is helpful. Feel free to pass this on.
Instructions: First read through each step of the meditation so you can get all you need ready to begin. Please let me know if you have any questions.
1. Sitting Upright
Have a timer with you. It can be on your phone. Set it for a series of alarms with a soft chime, 5 minutes, 10 minutes and then 5 minutes.
Find a space to sit on a bolster or chair.
Sit so you can have your spine lengthened (back of neck long, chest lifted, shoulders soft, hips relaxed). Sitting upright takes practice and strengthening. Over time you will get stronger. Be patient with this. It is worth it.
Use props to support you so you do not feel like you are tipping backwards. For example, sitting near the floor you can try being up on a folded blanket or bolster, and/or the sides of the legs supported with small bolsters or blocks. If sitting in a chair, have something at your back, like a medium size ball or foam block, and/or something under each foot if it feels like the feet are not grounded.
Start the timer. This will be about 5 minutes.
The eyes can be closed, or soft gaze forward and slightly down.
Imagine you are a fountain with the center sturdy and open, and the outer layers of the body are like the water gently falling.
Bring your awareness inside your body along the center channel of the body (center of the fountain or from head to tailbone).
2. Anchoring
After the first chime, bring your awareness to your natural inhale and exhale. When you are inhaling mentally state "SO" and when you are exhaling mentally chant "HUM".
You can add the imagery of the inside of the body so when you are inhaling the energy is coming up your spine and when you are exhaling down the spine.
This will be the next 10 minutes.
3. Thoughts, Habits, Behaviors (Vrittis)
During the 10 minutes of meditating with the anchors, thoughts will come up. This is normal.
Some you can dismiss, like sounds and facts. These would be the ones you do not feel emotionally in your body.
The thoughts or behaviors that you can feel in our body, do not dismiss, but mentally note them and then place them to the side. Use the imagery of placing them in a nest or basket, and then come back to "SO HUM".
These thoughts are the ones that are important to gather when in a calm state. This can lead to insights and repatterning how we respond to them. With practice, this will translate into your day to day well-being.
An example is:
You become restless and agitated, and you feel it emotionally in your body. Label it "impatient" without judging yourself and come back to "SO HUM".
Another example is:
You begin to doubt your abilities to meditate and go into a story of how you do not do certain things well. Label it "doubt" and come back to "SO HUM".
4. Freedom
Thoughts coming up are normal and this practice can support us to get some work done toward helping us become less reactive.
This can greatly help us change some habits or behaviors that are holding us back from our true self!
This takes practice. Be patient and persistent.
This is the purpose of yoga.
Sign-up for Meditation Workshops, Series, or a Weekly Class!
Meditation Support at Dogwood Studio
Meditation Series:
When: 4 Saturdays in March (7th, 17th, 21st, 28th) 10:45 a.m.- 11:45 a.m.
$10 each class or all four for $35
Sign-up in Mindbody under the ‘Workshops’ tab. You will need to log-in or create a new account.
Meditation Workshop to Get You Started
When: March 15th, Saturday 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $25 Early Bird and $40 regular price
Sign-up in Mindbody under the ‘Workshops’ tab. You will need to log-in or create a new account.
Weekly Meditation Class
When: Fridays at 12:30 p.m.
Sign-up in Mindbody under the ‘Classes’ tab. You will need to log-in or create a new account.
