Hello my Friends, as you know there are many ways to quieten the mind and relax the body. From connecting with the Divine in a spiritual setting... To surfing a wave in natures surrounds. Many find different places and ways to reach that point of nirvana. To be honest, one of my favourite quirky ways to empty my mind is by simply doing the ironing... Yup! indeed... So for sure, there are many ways.
So with that in mind.. I would like to share with you, a special way I love to connect with my quiet self.
I call it Mind In Neutral Time.. or MINT meditation and you can try it out through the steps below.
The breath and mind react intimately with each other. The breath instantly responds to different mental and emotional states. As the breath flows, so does the mind. By focusing on the breath, the mind becomes calmer. This is the Mind In Neutral Time (MINT) technique... of state of calm concentration and breath flow.
Being In The Moment For You
Depart from the thoughts of any daily have-to-do tasks and leave any concerns behind for now. Turn all your attention to the Self and decide that its OK for you to dedicate this simple practice to a moment in your day. As you affirm, feel a peaceful acceptance of this moment, wash over you and allow this vibration to support you throughout this new practice. Give yourself permission to bask in the presence of your beautiful self.
Are You Sitting Comfortably?
One of the most important aspects of a sitting meditation is to be able to sit comfortably, without suffering an aching back, legs that hurt or go to sleep. If you are in pain or great discomfort, the only thing you will be mediating on is that! The options are for sitting are in a chair, on a meditation bench or on a pillow on the floor. Most westerners are not trained from birth to sit comfortably on a hard floor. So a chair is probably best for most of us, beginners or otherwise. It is not a sign of lack of meditative ability if you are unable to sit in the lotus posture (crossed legs) or any other floor sitting position.
Get a fairly straight- backed chair and sit forward in the chair so that both feet are flat on the floor. If your feet do not touch the floor, get a shorter chair or place a pillow or two under your feet to raise them so that you thighs are parallel to the floor. Do not lean against the back of the chair. The idea is to sit with an upright, supported spine. However, if you are not used to sitting this way, or if you have weak neck/back muscles or injuries, there are ways to overcome this challenge. Get a firm pillow of some sort and put it between your back and the back of the chair. The feeling you want is that of support but not leaning into it. Move the pillow around until you achieve this feeling. If you want to place a pillow in the seat of the chair, to cushion a too hard surface, this is fine.
Step-By-Step MINT Guide
1. If you have time, exercise a little before meditation. Stretching is an excellent recommendation. Remember that the exercises you do before meditation should calm, not excite the nervous system.
A prayer to your God or having a moment of gratitude should follow... however there are no rules, MINT may be done at any time and in any place.
2. Inhale and tense the whole body. Exhale and relax. Repeat three times. Then inhale slowly to a count of 6 to 10, hold the breath to that same count. Repeat 6 to 10 times. Please remember that these are preliminary breathing exercises, not the technique itself.
3. Now, without counting or tension, take a long, slow, deep breath. When the breath begins to flow again, begin to observe its movement, without any attempt to control it. Notice the place at which you can observe the breath in your body whether in the lungs, in the nostrils or belly. Be an impartial observer, not caring whether it flows in or out or remains stationary. Simply remain attentive to whatever the breath does by itself, naturally. Placing your hands on the belly may you become more in tune with your breath.
4. As your practice deepens, begin to enjoy the pauses between the inhalations and the exhalations, when the breath is not flowing. Do not actively hold the breath in or out. And if your mind wanders away, bring it back gently to the technique.
5. After a period of practicing this technique (5 to 10 minutes is fine for beginners, gradually increasing the time as you go) inhale and exhale three times and then leave the breath out for as long as it feels comfortable for you. Then begin breathing normally once again.
6. Throughout the practice, keep your eyes closed and looking upwards towards the point between the eyebrows, don't strain your eyes - let them relax.
7. After completing your practice of MINT meditation, with a natural breathing rhythm, be sure to sit in silence and stillness for at least as long as you practiced the technique. End with some devotional singing, a gratitude mantra or simply sit and ponder on thought that makes your heart fill up with joy. Following this, embrace yourself.. with a gentle hug.. stay calm and relaxed, and slowly bring your awareness back into the light of your day (or night)
8. May this MINT meditation technique, bring you ever closer to the self and to your highest potential.
I truly hope this can help you form a practice of your own and if you would like more information or guidance please feel free to contact me here Peace.. Love and abundant light, KK