The Complete Idiot's Guide to 2012 - Dr. Synthia Andrews Nd [135]
When you think of meditation, you probably see someone sitting silently in cross-legged position. While this is a great way to meditate, it can also be done sitting, standing, moving, or lying down. The point is to bring your mind into your body and into the present moment.
Here’s a simple centering meditation. Continue doing whatever you’re doing. While you’re driving, walking, working, or whatever, pay attention to your breath. Breathe deeply and evenly, letting your belly expand as you breathe in and contract as you breathe out. As you breathe in, imagine light being pulled into your body and collecting in your center, perhaps your heart region. As you do this, say the word “calm” in your head. Then relax and exhale, releasing muscle tension with the exhalation as you say the word “now.” Continue breathing in and out while saying “calm, now.”
Codex Cues
For a comprehensive website with user-friendly meditation “rooms” and a really great energy, check out www.meditationcenter.com/center/index.html.
More Ways to Center
Moving with awareness can be a great way to center. Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong are forms of moving meditation, as is mindful walking. Try this for yourself: use the breathing and meditation practice above while you take a walk, stretch, or dance with the wind.
Sound is also a powerful tool to induce a centered state. Sound affects brain waves and calms the mind. Music has been used this way for centuries. You can use sound to help produce a centered state. Hit a chime and focus your awareness on the sound entering your ear and moving inside your body. Every time your attention goes back outside, hit the chime again.
Essential oils stimulate the limbic area of the brain and also induce changes in awareness. Put a very small drop of essential oil on the area above your lip and under your nose. Vanilla and lavender are both calming and can be used alone or with centering exercises.
Keep Your Feet on the Ground
Here’s another abstract concept involving the placement of your attention. When you hear the expressions “his feet are on the ground,” and “she’s a real down-to-earth sort of person,” you know exactly what’s being described. People who are grounded are connected to their strength. They have their wits about them. Grounding is being completely in your body, aware of your physical sensations, being present mentally and emotionally, with your attention focused on the earth. Connection to the earth fortifies your inner core of strength.
Grounding is something we all do with different levels of success at different times. When we’re ungrounded, we’re unfocused and our attention is scattered. Can you imagine trying to find your strength when scattered and unfocused? Once you learn grounding techniques such as the exercise we present in a moment, you can apply them instantaneously.
Responding vs. Reacting
You’ve certainly experienced the difference between responding versus reacting. When you react, it’s a reflex, an impulsive response without thought. When you react, you don’t take onboard all the available information and you rarely create a positive solution. A response is different. When you respond, you pause and consider all aspects of a situation. When you respond, you’re taking the best possible course and acting out of choice. When you react, you are not in control of the direction you are going.
You may not always know when you’re in reaction mode, but your body does. When you’re in a situation that requires action, take a moment to check in with your body. If you’re relaxed but alert and ready to go, able to think through problems, you are responding. If you’re breathing shallowly, stressed out, and highly emotional, you’re reacting.
The most important step to shifting from reaction to response is awareness. Once you’ve checked in with your body, you’ve created the awareness to take control. At that moment it becomes