How to be your own healer
Yoga and Meditation
This is the first in a series of self-healing blogs I am creating with the intention of providing a practical, simple and useful resources to help you create your own self-care practices and rituals, empowering you to be your own healer and wellness warrior.
Whilst there is a wealth of amazing wellness and healing practitioners out there offering services to help release or manage anxiety, depression stress and trauma, it’s really important to be aware that we all actually have the ability within ourselves to self-heal and self-support and that by becoming conscious of these resources and connecting to different techniques and practices, we can become our own empowered wellbeing warriors.
Anyone who’s ever come to see me for a session, will know that I am a big champion of encouraging people to connect to their own inner resources to activate, promote and support self-healing, growth and empowerment.
Within a holistic Hypnotherapy session, one of the first techniques I facilitate is called Soul Voice.
The intention of Soul Voice is to facilitate connection to True Self or soul state and activate the awareness of the unlimited resources within them, including unconditional love, guidance, support and higher wisdom.
Typically, during a Hypnotherapy session, you would also connect to an Inner Child or even an aspect of yourself from the future who provides a wealth of wisdom, comfort, love and support of an older more experienced and mature self.
There is often a reciprocated healing or exchange of wisdom which for most people is a profound and powerful experience. Equally powerful is the insight clients gain that they are never actually on their own in life; that they have within them the unconditional love, guidance, support and wisdom of themselves.
During the energy release work within a session, a client is provided the opportunity to create their own self-healed energy. This becomes another inner resource they can connect with after the session as a focus for meditation and further healing.
Part of my approach whilst working with a client involves creating awareness around the importance of self-care practices and strategies to assist them to care for themselves and be their own empowered healers beyond the sessions they experience with me.
There are an endless array of practices, tools and techniques out there to help you obtain and maintain peace and wellbeing in your life.
In subsequent blogs, I’ll be sharing other practices and techniques to promote and support your Inner-Healer.
Here, in my first of the series, is my introduction to Yoga and Meditation. I consider both practices to be essential to my own daily self-care practice. I believe developing a sound, supportive ritual of self-care practices is key to holistic health and wellbeing.
WHAT IS MEDITATION?
Meditation is a precise technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of consciousness that is completely different from the normal waking state.
Meditation techniques generally encourage and help develop concentration, mental clarity, emotional positivity, and a calm seeing of the true nature of things.
Meditation also facilitates connection to a higher level of consciousness; to True Self, spirit world and the true nature of the universe.
During meditation, the mind is clear, relaxed and inwardly focused. When you meditate, you are fully awake and alert, but your mind is not focused on the external world or events taking place around you. The meditative state is the same state and space that is accessed through the process of hypnosis.
Meditation requires an inner state that is still and focused so that the mind becomes silent. When the mind is silent and no longer distracts you, meditation deepens. (Yoga International)
Regular meditation has been shown to increase relaxation, revitalisation, communication, compassion for self and others, improve interpersonal relationships, sleep quality, clarity of thought, memory and learning. Meditation helps to cultivate a new, more positive way of being.
Meditation also helps to ground and centre. It helps you respond to life challenges in a calmer, more measured way.
Of course, like all new skills, developing a sound, regular mediation practice does actually take commitment and practice!
Getting started
I recommend those new to the meditation to start gently and slowly. For beginners try starting at 5 minutes twice a day, morning and night, then gradually build to 10, 15 and then 20 minutes.
I suggest you choose a specific space within your home for your meditation practice. A calm, relaxing, uncluttered. comfortable and warm room is ideal. You can sit cross legged, in a straight back chair, on a meditation stool, propped up or lying down in bed or on the floor on a mat or cushions.
Light a candle or some incense and play some relaxing meditative music if you feel drawn to do so.
Meditation outdoors is a beautiful and powerful experience too, whether you’re just in your own backyard or immersed in nature in the great outdoors.
If sitting, pay attention to your posture, ensuring you sit up straight and tall. Relax your shoulders, your mouth and jaw. Bring you awareness slowly into the body and allow all the muscles in the body to relax and enjoy the process of letting go all the tension in the body.
There are many hand gestures or mudras you can use during meditation. ‘Mudra’ is a Sanskrit word meaning symbolic hand gesture. These hand gestures carry specific intentions for channelling your body’s energy flow, helping to improve mental clarity, energy and overall health.
For the beginner meditator however, I recommend you rest your hands on your lap, palms faced upwards. When you have mastered the fundamentals of mediation, you may be inspired to explore mudras more.
Breathing
Breath is very important in meditation. You want to aim for slow, deep, quiet breaths. Relax your mouth and jaw. It’s important not to force the breathing.
Inhale, through the nostrils, drawing your breath down towards the lower abdomen, just below the navel, pause a little before you exhale throughout the body. A subtle smile during meditation, will help you relax into your practice.
WANDERING mind
It is very common for the mind to wander during meditation and this is true for both the beginner meditator as well as for more experienced meditators. When thoughts appear, notice them briefly and then support your practice and the mind by bringing your awareness back to the breath and any other focal point of your meditation (mantra, visualisation etc .)
You may also like to acknowledge the thoughts by silently saying ‘ thank you, I love you’ or imagine the thought turning into a pebble and lovingly toss the pebble into a body of water and watch the rippling effect of this before bringing you awareness back to the focus of your meditation.
Simple meditation techniques
There are many different schools and techniques of meditation. Here are just a few suitable for beginners to the more advanced. I recommend you have a read and then try the techniques that resonate with you the most. You can also experiment and create your own blend of techniques.
Healing Energy meditation
1. Sit in a comfortable position. Bring your awareness into your body and consciously relax your muscles, releasing any tension. Relax your shoulders, mouth and jaw. Focus next on your breathing, taking slow, quiet, deep breaths down towards the lower belly, pause momentarily before exhaling throughout the body.
Imagine a white or golden healing light energy all around you. Inhale this healing energy through the nostrils down towards your lower belly pause here momentarily before exhaling and expanding the energy throughout your body slowly. Continue to focus on inhaling and expanding/exhaling the healing light energy.
2. Another variation is to commence your meditative breathing and then visualise the white or gold energy in your feet, legs, hands, arms, torso etc and then expand this energy throughout the body and into the room.
Meditation with words
Bring your awareness into your body and consciously relax your muscles, releasing any tension. Relax your shoulders, mouth and jaw.
Bring your awareness to your breath, commencing meditative breathing – slow, quiet, deep breaths through the nose and down towards the lower belly and then repeat each instruction 3 times silently to yourself before moving to the next one.
This meditation is a good one for times when you feel a sense of overwhelm. It will also help you relax before sleep or before or during any situation that you know may cause you stress or anxiety.
1. Breathe in and breathe out
2. Slow down
3. Soften muscles
4. Be Still
Walking in nature meditation
1. Take yourself on a slow meditative walk in a natural space or park. Feel into your body and bring attention to your breathing. Consciously notice the natural features of your environment - trees. plants, flowers, trees, birds, animals etc. Stop from time to time to more consciously notice and connect with trees, flowers leaves, noticing their features, colour, texture etc
2. Regenerate your energy physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually by drawing on the energy of Mother Earth – place both feet on the ground and consciously breathe in and out, drawing the energy of the earth up into your body through the soles of your feet. Send loving energy back down to the Earth with each exhalation.
Moving meditation – to music
Firstly, source some meditation or spiritual music to accompany your moving meditation. There is a lot out there so if you’d like some suggestions please get in touch.
One of my favourite spiritual artists is Deva Premal and I would highly recommend her music as a starting point.
Sitting or standing in your meditation space, close your eyes and bring your awareness into your body, relax the muscles, relax your shoulders, mouth and jaw. Then start to focus on the breath. Bring your awareness into the inner energy field of your body; breathing into the body, connecting through a gold or white energy visualisation and then intuitively move to the music. Feel into the vibration of the music and allow yourself to surrender to the beat. Eyes open or closed.
Sacred space meditation
Close your eyes, relax your shoulders, mouth and jaw. Bring awareness into the body, relaxing the muscles and focus on releasing any tension. Focus next on your breath and consciously clear the mind and think of a place that makes you feel calm and happy.
Allow yourself to see, hear and feel that moment then brighten and embolden the colours you see and then slowly and deeply inhale that energy down into the centre of your body and around your body.
Immerse yourself in the scene, feeling your feet firmly planted on the ground. Notice everything you are aware of – what you can see, hear, touch and smell. Stay in this sacred space for as long as you need to. Then open your eyes with renewed perspective and sense of calm.
Mantras
Mantra is the ancient practice of repeating a word, sound or phrase multiple times. Mantras provides an internal focus allowing the mind to quieten and become still.
AUM OR OM is the universal vibration, with each sound (Aaa-Uoo-Mmm) said to represent creation, manifestation and destruction. OM or AUM is a sacred and spiritual symbol in Hinduism.
OM is so powerful in that it can produce powerful and positive vibrations which allows you to feel the whole universe.
Consider what you are sending out into the world on the waves of your OM and focus on intention. You can dedicate OM to your own wellbeing, to your loved ones, to your community, or to the world. Just like a pebble dropped into a still pond ripples out, allow your OM to do the same.
Practice suggestions
Chant one to 3 times before or after seated mediation
· Chant anywhere any time
· Chant one to 3 times before and or after your yoga practice
· Chant one to 3 times at bedtime to support sleep
There are many other mantras. Check out Chopra.com for more information, including the 7 Mantras to Create the Life you want.
Guided Meditation
There is a huge range of guided audio recordings and live streams available now.
My favourite App is called Buddhify. This App offers a very comprehensive menu of meditations of varying lengths for different purposes. Buddhify features a range of different male and female mediation hosts from the U.K and U.S.A. For problem sleepers, I highly recommend their meditations for better sleep.
YOGA
Yoga (meaning ‘to join’, ‘yoke’ or unite),
Is generally recognised as an ancient system of philosophies, principles and practices derived from the Vedic tradition of India and the Himalayas more than 2500 year ago. (Yoga Australia)
There are several different styles of Yoga - Hatha, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Bikram, Hot Yoga and Yin Yoga. Each offers it’s own intentions and goals. For the beginner, I recommend Hatha Yoga as it offers slower movements and a more meditative practice.
Yoga is a system that recognises the multidimensional nature of humans and primarily relates to the nature and workings of the mind based on experiential practice and self-enquiry.
In Yoga, the body, breath and mind are seen as a union of these multi-dimensional aspects of each and every human being. The system and various techniques of yoga cultivate the experience of that union, leading to greater integration of being, internal peacefulness, and clarity of the mind.
It is a system that that is designed to cultivate health and happiness, and a greater sense of self-awareness and higher consciousness. Yoga encourages balance and harmony within self and others.
Yoga cultivates health and wellbeing (physical, emotional, mental and social and spiritual) through the regular practice of many different techniques, including postures and movement, breath and awareness and breathing exercises, relaxation and concentration, self-inquiry and meditation.
Yoga helps to reduce stress, anxiety, insomnia and depression. Even as little as 10 to 15 minutes per day or even a few days a week will provide noticeable results.
If you’re a beginner, and you are able to, I’d recommend some face to face lessons to start with. If you already have some yoga experience but would like to practice regularly at home, there are many YouTube lessons available. Personally, I prefer to use the App Yoga Studio. I highly recommend this App.
Yoga Studio offers a very comprehensive range of sessions to suit the very beginner up to the very advanced yogi. Sessions range from 15 minutes to 90 minutes. All you need is a mat, your phone and your leggings.
Meditation Classes
If you’d like any further information about mediation or yoga or you’re interested in private and small group meditation classes with me, or would like a referral to other meditation teachers, please get in touch via phone or email.
Ph: 0408 055 593
E: kirsty@essentialisthypnotherapy.com
References:
Yoga Australia
Yoga International
The Buddhist Society of Australia
Chopra.com
