Walk through Meditation

Hello beautiful people! As I was meditating the other morning on my patio, I realized that I need to share more specifics about meditation. Meditation and yoga are two things that have always been a de-stresser in my life. I know it’s cliché, but whenever I feel stressed, taking a few deep breaths helps to shift my mind into a calmer place. When I feel like my whole world is upside down, meditation is there to bring me back to a place of peace. When you are already stressed, it is important to not go into a spiral of all of the things that are going wrong in your life. Unfortunately, I tend to do this. This is where meditation comes in. I can stop everything I am doing and thinking about, and simply breathe. Refocus. Recenter.

Many people have asked me, “how do I meditate?” The thing is, there is no special trick to it. You can be sitting up straight, laying down, it could even be a walking meditation. The world is your oyster with meditation which is why it’s so special. 

Meditation allows one to enter a state of relaxation and tranquility. It allows you to sort through your battles with the help of the breath, slowing down, and remaining in the present moment. I always used to think that the purpose of meditation was to stop thinking. However, this is not true. To be able to meditate you don’t need to stop your thoughts, you need to become aware of them and be mindful. 

 In this post I want to explain how I meditate and then walk you all through a meditation.

How I meditate:

Every time I meditate is different, because there is no special sequence or rhythm you have to follow. Meditation is completely up to you. However, anytime I begin meditating, I start with a few big deep breaths, releasing any negativity. Sometimes I will then do a “ladder breath”, starting by inhaling to the count of four and exhaling to the count of four, inhaling to the count of five and exhaling to the count of five, working my way up to ten.  Next, I will just breathe and allow my mind to wander, but not too far. I use meditation to de-stress, and this can often mean that I need to confront whatever is happening in my mind. In order to get to the place of stillness, I give myself a couple minutes to work out overwhelming feelings.

One of my favorite breathing techniques is breathing in for four counts, holding for seven, and breathing out for eight. This is the 4-7-8 breathing sequence and is used to release anxiety. I am serious when I say that this sequence is magic. As soon as I begin it, a wave of serenity comes over me. If you are about to take a test, you can practice this breath to put yourself in the right headspace in order to tackle your challenge.

I will then inhale positive words, and exhale any negative words. For example, inhale strength, exhale weakness. Inhale relaxation, exhale anxiety. I visualize each word that I want to embody coming in through my nose and swirling through each part of myself, as the negativity leaves out through my nose and dissipates. 

Lastly, I practice affirmations. I am healthy, I am beautiful, I am strong, I am proud of myself, etc. This is for anything that I feel I need to remind myself, and give an extra boost of confidence to myself. 

Walk through meditation:

As you join this moment, find a comfortable position. Bring your hands face up as a symbol of receiving. You are receiving good energy as you let all the negativity flow out of your body. Close your eyes, visualize your highest self in your happiest place. Sit here. Breathe this energy in. Think of the qualities that embody your highest self and breathe them in as you breathe out any of the qualities that do not serve you. 

Do not force out incoming thoughts. If they must stay, let them stay. Figure them out. Imagine whatever is bothering you. Is the thought of going back to school daunting? Are you friends getting on your nerves? Breathe in this challenge. You are capable of facing anything. You have survived all the challenges that have come up thus far, who is to say you won’t survive this one? Any anxiety is nowhere near as scary as it sounds in your head. Have trust in yourself. You can handle it. Know that you are ok. 

Now that your anxiety has been calmed, it is time to let it go. Picture your stress in a balloon. You release the balloon and your thoughts go with it. You see this balloon go up and up and get farther and farther away until suddenly, it is no longer present. 

You return to a place of contentment. You are confident. You are worthy. You are beautiful. You are loved. You are here in this moment. Just sitting and breathing. That is all.

Any distractions that come up while meditating are welcome. Whether it be a dog barking or the doorbell ringing, life happens and we typically can’t control it. However, we can control our reactions. As you end this meditation, remember to think before you act. Try to put a space between the input and your reaction, then you allow yourself to be in control. This doesn’t just apply to reacting to someone else, this also applies to reacting to your own thoughts. Before you freak out, think. Remind yourself that you can do it. 

A consistent practice is ideal, but you don’t need to stress out over it. It should be a respite, not something that causes more stress. However, the more you do it, the more you will want to do it. 

Check out Insight Timer! It has tons of great guided meditations as well as sounds you can listen to.