Summer Meditation

Happy almost summer everyone!! I don’t know about you all but I am SOOO ready! While I’m looking forward to not having to say “get dressed! put your shoes on! eat your breakfast!” 8,000 times every morning in the chaotic attempt to get my kids off to school on time, I know everyone has their different dynamics and situations and summer can be a stressful time for those who struggle to figure out childcare outside of school. All the more reason to hone in on your Ayurvedic and Adaptogenic routines to help your mind and body handle the added stress without wreaking havoc on your endocrine (hormonal) systems. 

I’ve talked a lot about the consumable side of Ayurveda so this time I’m going to touch a little more on the spiritual side, specifically MEDITATION. 

“Meditation” comes from the Latin word “Meditatum” which means “to ponder”. This makes perfect sense to me since the purpose of meditation is (in a nutshell) to engage in a focused concentration for the goal of connecting the mind and the body. To reduce the crazy fluctuation of our minds and bring focus to one point, form, or idea. We want to increase both our physical and mental peace and calm so we can live more fully in the present. I say “in a nutshell” because meditation is kind of like the Universe. The options and variations are quite infinite, there’s no right or wrong way to do it as long as you reach your goal. Concentrating on your breathing and/or repeating a mantra or affirmation are a great place to start. Find a quiet place, a comfortable position and close your eyes and just breathe. Deep purposeful breaths that fill and lift your lungs, in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, out through your mouth, repeat. I find it to be such a calming and grounding practice. Sitting cross-legged with your hands together or your thumbs and fingers looped while not the most relaxed position you can be in, serves the purpose of creating a circuit for the good energy you’re creating to flow through your body instead of traveling out through your finger tips. While I do practice this pose sometimes, my favorite way to meditate is to lay on the floor completely limp and not using a muscle (other than to breathe of course). I also like to meditate while on my inversion table. This is a little tougher because it’s hard to get a deep filling breath while inverted but I look at it as a good work out for my lungs. 

Sometimes we settle in for a good meditation session and we just can’t seem to quiet our mind. This is ok, just let it run, don’t fight it, just start focusing on those breaths and you will find that your mind will settle down on its own as you continue to breathe. I also appreciate a guided meditation and there are lots of apps out there that you can use to listen to someone with a calming voice guiding you along, it can be quite helpful. I like an app called “10 Percent Happier” and while it’s a subscription app, they have a set of 10 free guided meditations that I use quite often. I’m a fan of the creator of the app Dan Harris and I like the voice of the man that does the meditations. It’s really that simple, don’t over think it like I always did.  Calming nature sounds and music are great too.  

Meditation can be done anywhere, any time. Whether you do it at home or in a quiet place while on a break at work or outdoors somewhere you find peaceful. Whether you like to meditate first thing in the morning to start your day feeling calm and grounded or at the end of your day to help you release all your stress and tension before bed, it doesn’t matter, JUST DO IT! :-). I actually stop in the middle of the day sometimes if I’m feeling particularly anxious or stressed and just close my eyes right where I stand and do 5-10 of those 4 second breaths and I feel instantly more calm and peaceful. Give it a try!! 5-10 minutes a day is all you really need to make a difference but there’s no limit so knock yourself out! 

Happy breathing everyone!

Namaste – (a Hindu expression of gratitude and a respectful way to say hello or goodbye),

Amber