Tag: Meditation

Grounding through meditation: 2 easy techniques.

Places of work can be especially toxic environments for empaths.  Job sites are often fast-paced, noisy places.  Add to it one or two energy vampires and the empath is overloaded often before they even realize it.  Even to those who do not particularly identify as empaths,  job environments can still be stressful and anxiety-provoking.  Many of us are in a less than desirable job when all aspects are considered.  Hopefully, most aspects of our jobs remain satisfying to some degree but some days are harder than others.  These are the days where a little extra help in the self-care department is necessary.

When we become anxious, our thoughts often spiral into a blur of worry.  Under some circumstances, leaving the room and going for a walk may not be appropriate.  If possible though, try to get outside and take a short walk at some point during the day.  If it is not immediately possible what can you do in the meantime?  Try a short grounding meditation.

Here are 2 quick easy-to-remember meditation techniques that you can try separately or even combined together.

1. Deep breathing 

Take a moment or two and pause to just breathe deeply.  When we are under stress our breathing gets a little shallow.  Just stopping and noticing this stops the swirling thoughts a little.  First focus on your normal inhales and exhales.  Once you have observed your breath for a few moments, practice a few rounds of the following breathing pattern:

Inhale for a count of 4

Hold your breath for a count of 4

Exhale for a count of 8

Do this for about 3 to 5 rounds and then return to your usual breathing.  Maybe you will decide to continue on for another few rounds of the breathing pattern with rests of normal breathing in between.

2. Imagine you have roots anchoring yourself to the ground. 

Maybe the roots extend out from the soles of your feet into the floor.  Or maybe they extend from the bottom of your spine through your chair and into the ground or both. The mental image of rooting yourself to the earth can be both calming and empowering.  You can even imagine returning the negative energy to the ground.

Often when we feel anxiety it is because we have become ungrounded and get lost in the stress of the moment.  Simple, short meditations can be a simple and effective tool for re-grounding yourself.  Try practicing these techniques when and while you are calm.  When you need to use them during a stressful time, you will be more prepared.

Photo by Daniel Watson from Pexels

Disclaimer: All articles written on microyogi are opinions and not meant to serve as any kind of instruction for how to move your body. I am merely writing as a means of trying to find my own answers. I am not a medical expert.

May we all be bodhisattva-warriors

When we sit in meditation is it for our own benefit? Yes. Does this seem selfish? On the surface, it may seem so.  However, when we sit in loving kindness for our own self we practice self-love.  When we start to care for our own self and acknowledge that we as individuals deserve kindness and respect, we create an outward ripple effect; a positive ripple effect.  We are all connected. An injustice to one person also has a ripple effect; a negative ripple effect.  Social media and news serve to connect us and let us know when one person is hurting.  It also serves to fuel anger, resentment, and hate.

When I woke up this morning I felt anger and sadness – residual effects from yesterday’s abysmal news of yet another death at the hands of law enforcement.  Other news stories and the current state of our divided communities here in the United States also affected my mood.  This country is a place I currently do not recognize.  I feel anger, fear, sadness, and a little hopeless that we are sinking into chaos and disunity.

I’m a new meditation practicer and with my Calm app, I usually do the daily meditation in the morning upon waking up and then another one before I go to bed in the evening.  I did not feel in the mood for it at all this morning.  And honestly, I wrestled with my mind for most of it.  Why am I sitting here trying to do this when there is so much unrest and suffering?  I learned a new term – Bodhisattva.

The bodhisattva is someone who vows to share the benefits of their meditation practice with all living beings.  The suffering of others is not really separate from our own.  We all know how one person’s rude remark can impact us – perhaps for a day – perhaps it triggers a deep-seated hurt.  In turn, this can make us cranky towards others and so on it goes – a ripple effect of negativity.  So when we choose to sit in meditation and get quiet – take a beat and sit with our emotions we may not feel the peace we desire immediately but it starts to move us there. There is an intention set in us to perhaps go out into the world again and to try and be kinder to those we come into contact with; to try and practice more patience and respect with each other.  If we can help make someone else’s day less painful then they, in turn, will not be as likely to snap at the next person.

The term bodhisattva is rooted in Buddhism and describes an individual who has reached enlightenment and serves to help others also reach enlightenment. An individual who cultivates empathy, awareness, and compassion for all living beings.