Daily Meditations

 

 Take a deep cleansing breath and hold it for a few seconds then slowly exhale.

Taking a deep breath to refresh and refocus is a natural meditation most of us do already. We can get further the benefits by doing it more often as a stress preventative.

 
Close your eyes and slowly count down 3, 2, 1, and relax the muscles in your neck and shoulders. Repeat this three times.

We tend to tense up our shoulders and neck when we feel stressed or anxious. Purposely relaxing those muscles releases tension and stress or anxiety that caused us to tense up. Counting down slowly slows the mind, making it easier to relax.

Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth like you were going to make a “T” sound and remain aware of the feeling of the tongue on the roof of your mouth for 10-15 seconds. Then notice how quiet your mind is.

This works sort of like a switch, putting our dialog on pause, which also pauses our internal dialog. You may notice that as soon as you release your tongue from the roof of your mouth that your internal dialog resumes.

Look around you and notice the space in the room and be the space.

Notice how the space is there no matter what furniture and other items might be in it…the space is still there, unaffected. Be the space.

You are the space and our thoughts are like items in the space. They exist, but don’t effect the space which goes endlessly beyond the room in all directions. Be the space.

Count 1,2,3 very quickly 10 times, counting on your fingers. Then count down 3,2,1 very very slowly 3 times. Notice how your mind has slowed and calmed.

This works by using principals of subconscious awareness where the mind going from fast to slow energizes and calms down leaving us with a calm energetic mind. It’s the same process we often use with walking meditation to achieve a calm energized mind.

Gently and quickly shake or tremble all the fingers on both hands for a count of 10, then suddenly stop. Notice your calm mind.

This is a simple form of somatic shaking or therapeutic shaking that involves intentionally inducing and allowing the body to shake or tremble as a way to release stored tension and trauma from the nervous system. For best results shake/vibrate your whole body.

Expand your visual focus to include peripheral  vision on both left and right sides and maintain your awareness over the full 180 degrees for 10 seconds. Stop and notice how calm your mind is.

This works by saturating our awareness and eliminating distraction, including thinking.

Quickly breathe in, taking a deep breath. Hold it for 5 seconds, then slowly exhale for a count of 10. Notice how your mind has slowed and calmed.

This works by using principals of subconscious awareness where the mind going from fast to slow energizes and then calms down leaving us with a calm energetic mind. It’s the same process we often use with walking meditation to achieve a calm energized mind.

For 30 seconds listen very carefully to everything you can hear without focusing on any one sound. Notice your calm mind.

This works by taking up your full attention and temporarily distracting you from your auto-pilot mental habits.

Wash your hands, feel the temperature and wetness on your hands. Feel the texture and slipperiness of the soap, let your fingers dangle in the water for a second after rinsing. Notice how calm your mind is.

This works by taking up your full attention and temporarily distracting you from your auto-pilot mental habits.