Finding Calm in the Storm
“The world would be a much happier place if everyone took 20 minutes out of their day to reset and recharge.”
From the moment we wake up, to when our day is over and we fall back asleep, our brain is constantly working. Meditation is a restart for your brain.
Resting my mind through meditation has been hugely instrumental to my progress and stability. Living in New York City, being a full-time musician, and not having a routine schedule makes it very easy for my mind to wander and run away from me. Meditating has helped to ground me and relieve much of my stress and anxiety. It keeps me present and is a constant reminder that I am much more than this physical shell of a body.
Ziva Meditation
My meditation practice began about 4 years ago when I took a course with Emily Fletcher at Ziva Meditation. To describe it in the most simplistic way, this style of meditation involves sitting down for 20 minutes a day (twice a day if you can), closing your eyes, and slowly repeating a mantra. Whenever your mind begins to wander, you come back to the mantra. If you’re looking to start meditating, I can’t recommend this course enough. It was a beautiful introduction and foundation to my meditation journey.
Santa Monica Healing
After a few years of practicing Ziva off and on, I discovered Santa Monica Healing and had a few sessions with April Pfender. April introduced me to Chakra Meditation and Reiki which have changed my life. These styles of meditation are more of a guided meditation practice - i.e. for chakra meditation you focus on the top energy center above your head (crown chakra) and move your way down to the bottom energy center (root chakra); and for reiki, someone else will guide the meditation through touch and transferring of their energy. These therapeutic styles of meditation have helped me discover and uncover so much about myself and are my go-to whenever I feel off and need some mental cleansing and clarity.
HeadSpace
There is also a beautiful app called HeadSpace that’s a nice and easy introduction to (guided) meditation. The first 10 lessons are free and it’s really cost effective if you decide to continue after that. Definitely worth checking out.
My Meditation Practice
My meditation practice, currently, is custom built taking everything I’ve learned so far and utilizing what has been most effective for me.
Lately I’ve been putting on an album by Kev Thompson called Solfeggio Frequencies and taking 20 minutes after I wake up and 20 minutes about an hour before bed to meditate. Here’s what my 20 minute journey looks like:
I sit with my feet flat on the ground
Hands resting on my lap, palms facing up
I close my eyes and begin to repeat a mantra that follows the breath
On each inhale through my nose I think to myself “so” and on each exhale through my nose I think “hum.” (via Deepak Chopra) About 2-3 minutes
Once my mind has settled here, I bring awareness to the top of my head and consciously release any tension that might be there and work my way down to the soles of my feet. For example, I release any tension that I might be holding in my forehead…then my eyebrows…then my eyes…my nose…my lips…etc. About 2-3 minutes
Once I’ve relaxed my entire body, I bring my attention to my heart center and feel for my heartbeat. About 1-2 minutes
Once I’ve caught on to my pulse, I bring my attention to the tips of my fingers or toes (I like to use my extremities) with the intention of feeling that same pulse in that location. About 1-2 minutes
By this point, my attention is no longer on the outside world or figuring out dinner plans or my to-do list.
I next bring my attention to the crown of my head again. I imagine my skull opening up as a bright white healing light from above enters and floods my entire body. I imagine it touching (and healing) every crevice and fold of me. If there is a particular area of my body that needs extra attention, I like to guide that light to that area and breathe into it. About 3-5 minutes
I then imagine myself (covered in this healing white light) standing behind another version of myself whose back is turned towards me. Note: This next part might feel a bit like The Matrix (the movie) but it’s the most healing part of the meditation. This other version of me is the person I am looking to be or become. So you are standing behind and looking at the ideal you. For example, I might be looking at the version of myself that is free of disease, free of ailments, and free of pain.
I then imagine slowly stepping into the shoes of this ideal self, as if I’m entering this other me, becoming this other me, and truly feeling what it’s like to be this new me. I walk around (in my head) and deeply feel what it’s like to exist in the world free of disease, ailments, and pain. Happiness (and a large smile) usually floods my system immediately following this. About 5-10 minutes
When I feel complete, I’ll bring my hands to heart center in prayer form and give thanks. I give thanks to myself for showing up and being open to receiving this energy. I give thanks to those who have supported me on my journey and give thanks to the teachers who have guided me along the way.
The world would be a much happier place if everyone took 20 minutes out of their day to reset and recharge.
xo
*Note that these time stamps are what work for me, and you should move at a pace that feels good to you!