Personally, I was always one of those kids in school constantly getting told off for daydreaming and not concentrating on the lesson. I looked at it as my little escapes from reality as my childhood was not easy, living with a narcissistic parent. Life was tough, daydreaming was easy, and I could be a top ballerina, an astronaut, floating in space. I could be anything I wanted in a daydream and no-one could enter it unless I wanted them too, the only people who truly disturbed it, were the teachers, with a “Claire! Are you listening to me?” The reply was always the “Yes, of course.” then drifted back into my personal space.
One day, when I was at prenatal class with my first child, the lady taking it announced how we were going to learn relaxation and meditation. A heavy sigh from all the expectant mothers filled the air but slowly we listened to her, within minutes were all walking along our own personal beaches, listening to the waves, as our toes wiggled in the golden sand of our minds. It was bliss, perfect bliss. The perfect escape for a cold, wintry day in Yorkshire in England.
The secret no-one really tells you, is that you can’t mess it up, really! There’s no-one there to tell you what you are doing wrong, doing right. It’s all yours and no-one can enter your space within in it. You hold the rights to it all.
How To Relax and Meditate.
Relaxation and meditation a simple technique, involving three main parts – breath, body and mind. Through our meditative breathing, we bring together our mind and body.
First, find a comfortable, peaceful, calm place for yourself to relax. Make sure there are no disturbances while doing your meditation, nothing that can interfere with your “me time.”
Next thing is to find a seat for you. Use a pillow or a chair or whatever you feel comfortable in. Sit straight but not rigid. Being comfortable is the key.
If life is very hectic and the only time you get to relax is in the tub, then run a warm, relaxing bath. I like this as I can lock the door, put on relaxing music and drift into meditation. Just make sure you don’t fall asleep!
Now you can close your eyes if that helps you in meditating or you can let your attention drift up to the ceiling. Relax your eyes so you can’t focus on anything. Slowly, become aware of your breathing and the movement of your body as you breathe. Do not try to control or regulate your breathing, just let it flow naturally and become aware of its flow.
If you have difficulty slowly count one slowly for an intake of breath and two, again very slowly as you exhale. The repetition will help you melt into relaxation. Feel your body relax becoming quietly aware of your feet slowly relaxing, as your mind drifts up through your body, you can, if you’re struggling tense and relax your muscles as you work up to the top of your head.
After body and breath, the next thing is your thoughts. These thoughts come and go, hopping from one to another. Become aware of them. Look at them, feel them coming and then disappearing. You may find your mind has wandered way off to something gently bring it back to the present. Let the thoughts follow their natural flow.
PHF Magazine January 2017
7
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13