Calm of the Mind and Soul

Are you stressed at work? Are the kids driving you bonkers? Do you want to feel a part of your faith? Meditation is a medically recognized means of decreasing stress as well as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and improving many different medical issues, including managing chronic pain. Furthermore, the more stressed we are the more disconnected we become to the world around us. We lose touch with the little joys in life when we are too overwhelmed with life's issues. One of the most amazing benefits to meditation is pain control. When you suffer from chronic pain, it quite literally consumes your every thought. The pain builds and builds to involve even your skin, until there is not a spot on your body that doesn't hurt. Meditation is a fabulous way of distracting the mind, halting the progression of pain.

There are several steps to meditation that can be very useful in calming the mind and spirit. Depending on the problem you face, there are also different levels that can be beneficial. So, whether you only want to establish a bit more calm, decrease your body functions (like blood pressure), develop a better connection to the world around you, or if you would like better pain management there is a level of meditation that can benefit you.

Step One: Breathing. Learning the power of breathing is the first step. Just focusing on bringing the body plenty of oxygen and focusing your mind on this otherwise mindless act, can calm the mind and body. The reasoning is very simple. If you focus on something so basic as the mechanics of breathing, then your mind won't be focused on physical pain, or paying the bills, or a nagging mother-in-law. It quite effectively blocks the mind from distractions and gives you a time of peace.

The Calming Breath

Pick a time & place where you won't be disturbed - turn off the phone, etc. Sit comfortably in a chair with a straight
back.

Calming Breath 1: Tip your torso over your thighs so your hands can lay flat on the floor. Slowly roll the body up - stacking one vertebrae at a time until you are sitting tall. Repeat 3 times (This helps to alleviate stress stored in the body). Rest your hands on your thighs, palms up. Close your eyes and relax. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth as slowly and evenly (inhale, hold and exhale are all equal - try for a count of 4) as possible - this does get
easier as you continue. Continue this breathing as you relax further. At first this may be as much as you can accomplish prior to the mind starting to wander. The more often you practice the more your mind will stay focused.

Calming Breath 2: Envision yourself surrounded by a soft blue, green mist. You are inhaling the mist and exhaling a grey smoke which represents all the grime / smoke / smog and stress of the day. Try this everyday for a week, more if you are upset or working hard. (NOTE: You might get a little "floaty/ dizzy" feeling after a little bit of this breathing - THIS IS EXCELLENT this is your deep alpha sate - the optimal state to do self-empowerment/self-healing or astral travel. When ready count 5 to one and open your eyes.

Step Two: Grounding & Centering. I always teach this level of meditation as clearing the mind enough to become aware of the world around you. First by clearing and calming internally then by increasing your awareness. Grounding & Centering are still the early stages of meditation. Grounding literally means to feel secure, to root yourself in the planet Earth, to bring nature into yourself, and yourself into nature. It is closing your eyes and feeling connected with the space your body inhabits - the air caressing your skin, the ground under feet, etc. Centering is to find that calm smooth space at the center of your being, that space that is still and quiet and yet extremely powerful - it connects the You in your mind to the You in your Spirit. Close your eyes and be YOU!! Not mom, sister, daughter, boss, etc. - just YOU!!

Kickbuttmama's Grounding & Centering for a calmer mind & spirit:
This is the frame of mind / body necessary to connect with your Spirit. Usually I'm standing, barefoot, with my eyes closed. But, you can also do this sitting comfortably. I just suggest you keep some kind of bare skin contact with the ground. (hands, feet, whatever is comfortable).

Taking 3 deep breaths to help clear my mind and relax the body. I usually like to perform the Calming Breathing exercise 1 as I sit, to slow my mind and body. This exercise is basically a build on the Calming Breathing step 2.
Deep Breathe One: ROOTING. I make sure my feet are pushing solidly into the ground. As I inhale I visualize rooting growing out of my feet connecting me to Earth. I feel the ground pushing against my feet, with the same pressure I push against it. I feel the grass tickle my arch, or the dirt caress my toes. I feel the air on my skin, as I inhale I smell the scents of nature around me. It makes me feel rather small in the grand scheme of things.
Deep Breathe Two: SENDING. I look within myself and see the stress of my life as a grey mist which consumes me, filling me up like a cup. As I exhale I visualize the grey mist exiting through my pores leaving me filled with peace. My stress dissipates into the wide open space of nature, it accepts my stress as insignificant as it does a small bug.
Deep Breathe Three: RECEIVING. After my body has been emptied of the stress, I inhale the green and blue healing mist that is given to me by nature, this mist flushes my body. Cleansing my body and soul of the stress or pain that had consumed me before performing this exercise.
Deep Breath Four: CENTERING. Now that I have cleared the way of the block (stress) that had occupied my mind and body, I can search out the calm center within myself . My focus is in my heart. This is a calming center of the body. The constant thump-thump of the beating of my heart is also calming. This can be a bit difficult at first, but don't get discouraged. I imagine myself as a little particle entering as I inhale and traveling down through my lungs and into my heart. I'm not within that pumping muscle by just outside of it (not really a physical representation of how the body utilized oxygen, but this visual just helps me focus.) Sitting so close to the heart its thump-thump is very loud, all I can hear. Underlying that beat is the soft whoosh of my blood flowing. The colors are all bright reds (even though this isn't really accurate either, again it's just a matter of focus). I can even though I'm so much smaller than this great muscle, I have control of it, I can slow it or speed it at will. I take some time to slow the beats into a calm beat. When I'm ready I again exit the body on an exhale.

(NOTE: This might take more than a single deep breath as you first start. Don't worry just keep at it with total focus until you're grounded and centered. Now I don't need all the time and visualization. I can recognize the feel being grounded & centered and can visualize my heart quite quickly.)

Step 3: Developing Focus and Relaxation through Meditation. After learning to utilize the first two steps (which really only take a few minutes each) you'll want to develop your mind so you can stay focused for at least 15 minutes. Some enjoy doing meditation right before going to sleep at night - releasing the stresses of the day; others find doing meditation that late only makes them fall asleep. You'll have to experiment a bit to find out what time of day is both easier for you to focus and will give you the best in stress management.

Meditative Practices: Developing your own

I am a big believer in meditation - it is that warm fuzzy feeling of power that you get when grounding and centering - just learning to direct that energy. You can use meditation to Astral Travel, to sooth your spirit, to learn to heal others or yourself. Don't be surprised if through meditation, you learn some hard truths about yourself. Meditation is not only about stress relief, it is really about learning to focus your mind on a single point, discarding the excess. Have a notepad and pen right by your bed/chair - try to write before you leave the room.

I had 3 vastly different techniques I have used to focus on depending on what I felt was right at the time, they are:

1) The Beach: Once you are finished with EVERYTHING (Bathroom? check, Water? check, etc) and are in bed for the night or have at least 20 minutes with NO distractions. Close your eyes and take three deep breathes. Imagine you are sucking in a white smoke as you inhale picture the smoke spreading throughout your body. Relax EVERYTHING! Imagine yourself on a long empty beach. Feel the sand beneath your toes. Hear the seagulls, hear the whoosh of the waves, feel the Moonlight tingle on your skin. There is a long stick in your hand. Use the stick to draw a circle. In the center of the circle draw the number 10. Let the waves wash the circle and number away. Draw another circle with the number 9. Let the waves wash it away. Repeat this process until you finish number 1 at this point you should be extremely relaxed and ready for sleep. Keep your breathing deep and even throughout.

2) The Forrest: Close your eyes and take three deep breathes. Imagine you are sucking in a white smoke as you inhale picture the smoke spreading throughout your body. Relax EVERYTHING! Imagine yourself in a forest, next to a rumbling brook. Feel the moisture in the air. Hear the birds and the animals running around, hear the wind rustling through the trees, feel the scattered Sunlight (scattered through the leaves on the trees) tingle on your skin. You have a pouch of small pebbles attached to your waist. Take one of the pebbles and toss it into the brook. Wait for the water rings to vanish. Repeat with the next pebble. Repeat this process until you are out of pebbles (usually anywhere from 10 - 20 pebbles are needed. At this point you should be extremely relaxed and ready for sleep. Keep your breathing deep and even throughout.

3) Eyes Open Visual. Sit on the floor or in a comfy chair facing a blank space of wall. Close your eyes and take three deep breathes. Imagine you are sucking in a white smoke as you inhale picture the smoke spreading throughout your body. Relax EVERYTHING! Slowly open your eyes just enough to see the wall in front of you. Leave your eyes un-focused. Visualize the wall shimmering before you like the water in a lake. Slowly the wall changes color to reflect your image. Keep breathing deeply. Start with your feet - are they crossed at the ankles? Are you wearing shoes? Slowly make your way up your legs to your waist. Try to make the visual almost a 3-D image of a woman seated just as you are, facing you - your identical twin. Once you've reached the top of your head you have reached a deep level of meditation. Slowly work your way from your head back down to your feet, letting the image waiver and disappear as you go. You may not be able to get through visualizing your whole body clearly right away. But, each time you practice this
exercise you should get the image a little clearer.

If you are not going directly to bed, count from 3 to 1 to bring yourself back to reality. With each number become more aware of your surroundings - what do you hear, is it cold or hot, feel your body, etc.

Kickbuttmama's Advanced Focus Practices:

As I've gotten more comfortable with finding that Heart Center within me, and feeling the connection to Mother Earth and the Universe I no longer need to perform the complex grounding above. This frees me to develop my mind in other ways. This will also help in pain and stress management, and is also fantastic for developing the neurons of the brain - thus improving reaction time, memory and the senses. Each of the following steps represent several weeks to master. Don't rush things. You can bounce between them as you like, but you should only work on one at a time. You will find some are easier to master than others.

STEP 1: BREATHING / Focused Energy:
Pick a thought - you want it to be a positive thought though..I will achieve my healthiest physical potential, I will become better at managing my money, I will be a nicer person, whatever. Lie down on a sofa, bed or floor and relax every muscle in your body. I start at my feel and concentrate on the sensation of each muscle relaxing one at a time. Feel all tensions in your body lift, dissipate and evaporate. Concentrate on deep breathes, slow and even. Imagine the air around you charged with this purpose. You inhale it, and exhale it. You feel it soaking into your pours. The earth is charged with the energy to assist you in achieving this goal, and through its energy you too become charged toward this purpose.

STEP 2: FOOD CONSUMPTION / Focused Energy:
Visualize your food being saturated with the single thought. [ie. this food is fuel for my body, not emotionally necessary. I will develop a healthier body, etc. Chew the spoon-full and swallow all the while visualizing the thought soaking into your body internally from the food - spreading from your stomach to your veins and out to your whole body. Repeat with each meal for 2 weeks.

STEP 3: LIQUID CONSUMPTION:
Repeat STEP 2 using a consumable liquid instead of food. Repeat for another 2 weeks.

STEP 4: MENTAL RETENTION:
Gather 5 or 6 household items. Place them on a table in front of you. Sit comfortably as you Calm & Center. Close your eyes and visualize only one of the items in perfect detail, as you continue breathing deeply. Try to visualize it as detailed as possible. Hold the image in your minds eye for up to 5 minutes.Repeat 2 times a day up to 5 minutes a day

STEP 5: VISUAL RETENTION:
This is similar to STEP 4. This time stare into the air above the table, with your eyes open. The goal is to see the image so vividly it hangs in the air in front of you. Repeat several times a day from 1 to 5 minutes. The reason this is so hard is it's always easier to focus on a single item with our eyes closed - there are no visual distractions. Keeping focused on the imaginary object in the air without looking at the table or around the room takes a lot of mental discipline.

STEP 6: SENSORY RETENTION:
A) HEARING: Hear the sound of a siren in your mind, focus to make the sound loud enough to actually be in the room with you. It is easiest to focus on loud sounds at first, but you want to move to quieter ones as well, focusing on the sound of the wind and waves and birds, etc.

B) TOUCH: Focus on a feelings - hot, cold, hunger, thirst, gravity, etc.

C) TASTE: Focus on tastes - focus on tasting the following vividly: Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, Lemon. Start with 1 minute and work up to 5.

D) OLFACTORY: Focus on smells - focus on smelling each of the following distinctly: Roses, Cinnamon, Wet Dog, Furniture Polish. Start with 1 minute and work up to 5.

I advise having a physical example of the item you'll be focusing on. That way you can touch it, taste it, smell it, etc, before trying to re-create the sensation with your mind. Eventually you'll be able to call up the memory and hold it without needing the example. Repeat each several times a day for 1 to 5 minutes. You will start by doing this with your eyes closed. Eventually you want to develop the mental sharpness and control to be able to develop the visual/sensation with your eyes open. You should also progress from things you are familiar with to those you've never seen, touched, etc, before.

STEP 7: WILLPOWER
This step in all about learning to control your mind and body. If you feel hunger - push it from your mind for 5 min - NO thinking about it. If your tired, push any exhaustion from your mind, etc. Repeat several times a day up to 5 minutes. This is easier if you are busy, we;ve all done it when we're busy with work or family. It becomes much harder if you have to go tot the bathroom and you're in the bathroom staring at the running faucet. That is the real challenge. But this technique if what allows you to manage pain and your cholesterol/blood pressure, indeed any bodily function, more effectively.

Obviously, meditation should never replace treatment from a physician. But, utilizing mental sharpness can improve virtually all aspects of one's life.