This meditation is for those of us who are seeking to release bad habits.
I invite you to use this meditation as many times as you need to until you feel you have released this habit.
When we use outside sources to cope with our internal state,
Sometimes that can lead us in the wrong direction.
Habits that we deem as bad can come in many different forms.
Overworking,
Overspending,
Overscrolling.
Whatever it is that you're reaching for,
Whatever it is that you're using to cope that you are seeing may be getting in the way,
May be blocking your blessings,
Or simply may just be stopping you from moving forward.
Whatever habit or pattern that you're bringing to this meditation today really isn't the point.
What we want to focus on is everything that we carry in relation to that habit.
When we subconsciously pick something to make us feel better and then consciously know that thing is causing some destruction in our lives,
It then creates a cycle of shame,
A cycle of repetition,
A cycle of procrastination,
Whatever lands for you.
And so the thing we're doing is not the problem.
It's everything our mind creates about that very thing that gets in the way.
And this meditation will guide us through a series of techniques,
Mindful awareness to bring us down into our bodies and just really notice.
You see,
The only time I've ever been able to really release a habit or pattern is when I actually acknowledge it.
When we suppress,
Stuff it down,
Ignore it,
Push it away,
Push it away,
Is when it actually becomes bigger.
It becomes harder to escape.
Keep in mind that some of our habits are lifelong.
And so one meditation will not lift you out of that state,
Out of that cycle.
And again,
I remind you that we use this time and space as many opportunities as we can in order to release the habit.
With all that being said,
Come into a comfortable position.
You can practice this meditation laying down or sitting.
If you haven't already,
Close the eyes down here.
Really take a moment to tune within.
Notice the darkness slain behind the eyes as they're closed and begin to draw your attention to your natural breath.
Just noticing your breath.
I always start any meditation with either a technique or techniques designed to regulate our nervous system.
This one in particular promotes and encourages the breaking of habits.
We call it left nostril breathing.
And this is how we practice.
Using your right thumb,
Block off the right nostril and breathing in only through the left nostril.
Only through the left side.
We're going to practice left nostril breathing.
Breathing in through the left,
Fill the belly.
Exhale through the left.
Breathing in through the left.
Breathe in and out.
In through the left and out.
Breathe in and let it go.
Five more.
Breathe.
Last four.
Last three.
Last two.
And last one.
You can drop the hand down,
Keeping the eyes closed,
Keeping your practice inward.
Just come back to your natural breath.
Outside of this meditation,
You can use this technique anywhere from three to ten minutes at the start or end of your day.
Use this technique every day until you feel you have released this habit or pattern.
Our habits and patterns that we carry require attention.
They require awareness.
And so what we practice here is deeply noticing this habit.
At this time,
I would like you to bring whatever habit you have at the top of your mind right to your third eye center.
Right between the brows,
At the top of the nose.
Just bring that habit or pattern to the top of your mind.
Maybe you imagine yourself doing this thing,
Creating the image of you acting out this pattern.
And now I want you to drop down into the physical body and notice wherever you feel any reaction,
Emotion,
Awareness attached to this habit.
Really notice in your body where you're carrying any attachment,
Anxiety,
Or attention connected to this habit.
And now that you have a basic awareness where you feel it in your body,
Really deeply pay attention and just focus on that area or areas in the body.
This may feel incredibly uncomfortable.
It may feel incredibly confronting.
And still just notice compassionate awareness.
Really just focus deeply.
If any emotions arise for you,
Please allow them to free flow.
If you need to breathe through any anxiety or emotion,
Breathe deeply into that area.
You may notice that as we sit and acknowledge physical response in our body,
That it seems to lessen.
Even if it's just a little edge off,
Just notice.
You see,
We need attention in order to release.
We need space to really deeply acknowledge what arises,
What comes up,
What surfaces from really noticing.
Almost as though we are peeling an onion layer by layer.
We use this acknowledgement as shedding a layer in our tie to this pattern.
If this is a long-standing pattern for you,
Acknowledge yourself with loving awareness.
Allow yourself grace in the noticing.
Forgive yourself.
Remind yourself that sometimes we've been doing something so long that we don't see another way.
And instead of wondering if we can ever break the habit,
If it will ever truly be released,
For now let's just notice.
And now I want you to come back to noticing your natural breath.
Maybe the belly filling in and then contracting.
Just notice.
Placing your right hand at your heart center,
Left hand at the belly.
Again,
Forgiving yourself as many times as you need to.
Reminding yourself that you are simply having a human experience.
Breathing in,
Fill the belly,
And let it go.
Breathe in through the nose,
Exhale through the mouth.
Breathe in,
And out.
Last two.
Last one.
We begin to change the patterns and habits in our life when we acknowledge them,
Bring them in,
Allow them to be seen.
