Meditation & Techniquesfeatured

Happy September folks! I hope you’re wrapping up the summer fun and working on your transition into Fall. Although we’re not quite there yet temperature wise, this upcoming season seems to have its own unique beauty and transformation in tow. In case you’re really keeping track out there, we’re only 17 days away from the Fall equinox and the first day of Fall. A time of change is coming!

For the month of September, instead of poems, I’m going to focus a smidge more on posts dedicated to self-care & self-love. I don’t know about you, but the fall & winter months are sometimes harder for me, especially with the lack of blinding sunshine emanating from the sky. The Fall season always reminds me that it’s a period of introspection while Spring & Summer are times focused on rebirth and blooming into the Universe around you. No matter the time of year, anything that helps you to connect and learn more about yourself is always a good thing.

Previously, I wrote a post dedicated to the topic of Meditation. I explained the pros & cons of doing it along with a few helpful tips to consider when giving it a try. Meditation is a really great tool to use in order to destress from the things around you and allows you to have a few minutes of quiet time for yourself. Ten to fifteen minutes a day at minimum is all you really need to in order to center yourself.

Something that might be helpful, would be to see what types of guided meditations, music, and techniques are available for those looking to dive in a little further. Although the info below is not all encompassing, it’s a good piece to help you to get started on your journey.

Guided Meditations

The best part about guided meditations is that you’re not alone trying to meditate by yourself. Each of the following links below has someone walking you through each part of the process as you learn to listen with your eyes closed and relax. Let someone else take you away from your present space and on to a journey deep within!

I absolutely love this meditation. Each time I’ve used it, I’ve either come close to falling asleep or nodding off due to being so relaxed. It pairs nicely with some incense and candles.

For those who aren’t already aware there’s a whole history behind the Hemi-Sync platform. From my perspective it’s widely known for its content towards relaxation and meditation. But it does support other areas of life i.e – wellness, etc. What makes this platform so unique is the signals that it uses to stimulate various brain waves. The above link is a free guided meditation, but it’s worth checking out their website to see more.

Here is another one of my favorite meditations. Each time I listen to it, I feel like a battery that’s been recharged. It’s an hour long, but it’s great to listen to whether you have 15 minutes or more. This specific meditation in an OM Meditation, which helps maintain mental and emotional calmness. It is sometimes used as a part of yoga through different movements.

This guided meditation through the Chopra Center is very peaceful and easy to follow. This one is great for being on the go and only having a limited time to yourself. Their website is also resourceful for other things and include information on meditation retreats!

Not to sound like a total creeper, but the sound of this guy’s voice is perfect for this meditation. If you’re not familiar with chakra’s and how to balance or heal them, then I encourage you to do some research to find out more. This meditation has worked really well for me when I’m feeling down or needed to jolt my senses. It’s very relaxing!

Meditation Music

In those instances when guided meditations are too noisy for me and I need to hear myself think, I will gravitate towards meditation music. There’s a lot of instrumental music out in the world and as you search for what you like you don’t have to specifically look for music that falls into that category. You’re bound to find so many great artists it’ll be hard to keep track.

Here are a few artists I’ve found to be exceptional for meditating:
– Deuter – Any of his collections, but my favorite album is Koyasan:Reiki Sound Healing.
– Akim Bliss – Tibetan Monk Chants
– Sound Healing Center – Any of their collections
– Ryan Stewart – Equanimity
– Dean Evenson – Prayers on the Wind, Healing Sanctuary, Stillness, and Eagle River
– Liquid Mind – Relaxing Rain & Ocean Mixes and Spirit

Techniques

I have often found this part of meditation to be the most unique part of the process as there are several ways to meditate. Depending upon your preference, space around you, length of time available and reason/need to meditate, it will determine what works best for you. I once belonged to a meditation group where we met up every Sunday inside a wellness center. We had a ‘teacher’ who led the initial piece of the prayer and meditation but allowed us to space out in various areas of the room. Everyone had their own creative style of what they felt worked best for them in order to relax. Make sure you research and try different techniques a FEW times to see what you like.

My personal preference is to burn incense and light a few candles, while playing Koyasan: Reiki Sound Healing in the background. I usually sit cross legged on the floor either on a meditation pillow or back against the wall. Depending on the amount of time I have or want to spend, I’ll at least close my eyes for 20-30 minutes in a secluded part of the house where no one has access to me. This includes friends, family, and even my pets. My focus then goes on being mindful of the space around me and the feelings I sense. From there, I am able to relax and mellow out.

I read this next technique from a book. Unfortunately, I can’t recall from which book or who the author was, so I can’t provide them credit for it. But just know I didn’t create this.

If you’re sitting cross legged on the floor or laying down on your back, you’ll want to start at the Third Eye Chakra and count to 10. Once you hit 10, you’ll drawn an imaginary line from your Third Eye Chakra to your Crown Chakra. You’ll want to focus on that chakra specifically and count to 10. Once you’re finished counting then you will follow the imaginary line back to your Third Eye Chakra and count to 10 again.

Make sure you repeat this pattern each time you follow the imaginary line to another chakra. By the time you do this for each chakra and finish, you will find yourself to be very relaxed. It might seem different from the traditional approach to focus on your breathing, but it has worked each time I’ve tried it. Even when I’ve had trouble sleeping this has helped me stay fully relaxed and silence my thoughts.

I have not personally tried this way of meditation, but it is quite a popular technique. Mantra Chanting involves silently repeating a certain sound, letter, a word, or phrase to help quiet the mind. This is slightly similar to the ‘So Hum’ guided meditation above, but ultimately is very different. Here’s an example of what I mean.

Notice how the same sound is being chanted every few minutes based on the color (chakra) it is. Those who enjoy this technique find that it helps them to focus on the meditation instead of letting their thoughts and emotions control them.

Meditation has a lot of great benefits that help the body become less anxious and more relaxed. It’s easy to get wrapped up in situations and be energetically charged by what’s going on around us. But it’s more important that we find ways to let go of our stressors and find peace within. When we hold on to a lot of chaos it starts to affect different parts of our lives and how we handle situations. This could also trickle over into our relationships with others.

As you’re aware, there’s a big difference in how you respond to things when you’re relaxed versus when you’re aggravated. Meditating regularly can help you make sure you’re centered when you’re faced with addressing different situations. If you don’t believe me, just try it for 30 days and see how things change!

Thanks for taking the time to read through this. If you have any feedback or techniques that work for you feel free to share them!

Light & Love,
– H ♥