Lot’s of changes during this autumnal season of change during an election year, when change is the mantra of many: bringing resistance and fear. So we invented the easy comfort and sensory meditation to bring us back to our ‘feeling” senses: a way out of our “calculating” senses of our thinking mind whos purpose is to separate and categorize our experiences and back home to our feeling hearts where we remember our connection to each other and all things. Hope you like it as much as I do.
YES Charles did take this picture of my tea today. The final blooms of lavender are expressing themselves in our garden before winter and inspired the tea recipe in this weeks newsletter.
American Yogini’s Meditation for Navigating Change with Grace
Gather what you will need:
ü A mug of hot tea or hot water with honey and lemon
ü A warm blanket
ü A journal and pen
ü A comfortable non-habitual “seat”*
Be sure to turn your cell phone ringer off, and let others know not to disturb you for at least 30 minutes.
Step 1: with the blanket wrapped warmly around you, just sit holding your tea in both hands just enjoy holding and feeling warmth of tea in your hands without drinking it. You can smell the aroma, and feel the warmth of the cup permeate you—move inside of you.
Step 2: sip your tea only once, then count three long slow deep breaths – observing your body move as it takes in as much breath as it can and empty of breath as much as it can. After three such conscious breaths take another sip of your tea. Repeat this for 3 sips of your tea.
Step 3
3a eyes closed and slightly rolled upward as though gazing softly into your forehead, – not enough to cause pain or strain, just very slightly to give you something to put your attention on besides your thoughts.
3b Then “watch” yourself breath – that is –observe yourself inhaling and exhaling without trying to control it, by mentally – not verbally- repeating the sound “Sat” as you are inhaling, and “Nam” as you are exhaling. If you narrow the back of your throat slightly it is easy to audibly hear the sound of your breath. This gives you something to focus on so you can then allow your mind a much needed break from fearful thoughts. Continue for about 3 full minutes, or 80 breaths
Step 4: Do nothing.
Just “be”.
Listen to the sounds of life, be it silence, nature, activity outside your door, as you continue to cup your tea mug. Feel the warmth and goodness of this moment, the safety and comfort and enjoy it fully.
Continue for as long as you wish.
Step 5:
Pick up your journal and make a long list of everything you have which is good. ( do not confuse this time to list that which you are wanting, but keep your list to all of that which you already have right now in your life that is good)
Step 6
Smile
TIPS:
if negative thoughts appear go back to the warmth of the tea and blanket, perceive your heart beat, and just feel.
Hi Andrea…
I could not have found this blog at a better time. I’m preparing for a 5 day meditation retreat in Upstate NY over the New Year. I did this same retreat last year, and it was beyond rewarding. However, I just started getting the Buddhist butterflies at the shock to the system I know I’ll go through again. It ain’t easy to go from a New Yorker working in television everyday, to waking up at 5 am with monks and nuns for a 45 minute meditation session;-)
This entry reminded me of what a difference a few mindful minutes a day can make in your life. And here I am getting to do that for 5 days straight in an amazing environment! Woo hoo, I can do this.
Good stuff here…happy holidays!
-Sarah