Calming The Mind

We are always rushing through life, but it is important to take time to yourself and allow your body and mind to unwind and regenerate. This is a calming meditation with the simple goal of helping you to get some much-needed rest and relaxation. It is an energy meditation using Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and acupuncture points and incorporating concepts of mindfulness to promote equanimity and manage stress. Dedicte time out of your day for self-healing.

Transcript

Hi,

This is Brett.

Life can be chaotic and incredibly fast-paced.

We are always rushing from one event to the next.

Hurrying to get the kids.

Hurrying to go to work.

Hurrying to meet a deadline.

Hurry hurry hurry.

We have so many different obligations.

We may feel as if we are being pulled in multiple directions,

Being yanked from one commitment to the next,

Tending to our responsibilities.

It is draining.

It is exhausting.

After managing all aspects of our lives,

We may notice that there is no time left for us.

There is not time for our health and our healing practice.

Our personal healing and our well-being matters.

And it is alright for us to take some time to ourselves.

In fact,

We owe it to our family,

Our friends,

And our work to take some time out for ourselves.

It allows us to revive mentally and emotionally so we can go out into the world and face our challenges as our best selves.

This is a meditation with a simple goal,

To help you to relax because you've earned it.

We work hard and we deserve to unwind.

To accomplish this,

We will be focusing on energy coursing throughout the body at various acupuncture points.

For this meditation,

We will begin at the bottoms of our feet.

We will move to the inside of the ankle,

Which is the side with your big toe.

The area we will focus on is just below the ankle bone.

Next we will move a hand breath above the ankle bone on the inside of the leg.

Then we will move to the belly button.

And finally,

End on the forehead at the anterior hairline,

Which is a hand breath above the third eye.

Take this time to settle your body into a relaxed and comfortable position.

While you are welcome to assume any posture,

To further the visualization journey of this meditation practice,

I recommend laying on your back or sitting with your feet together in front of you.

Cross-legged is not ideal for this meditation.

Start by feeling your body in contact with the surface beneath you.

We will use the next few moments to perform deep breathing.

Feel free to close your eyes.

Breathing can help relax the body and prepare you mentally for meditation.

Let's begin by taking a deep breath in through our nose and holding it for a count of three,

And then breathing out through your mouth.

Breathe in through your nose,

Count to three,

And exhale out your mouth.

Breathe in through your nose,

Count to three,

And exhale out your mouth.

Breathe in through your nose,

Count to three,

And exhale out your mouth.

Continue to breathe in this manner.

The count of three represents the three treasures in Chinese medicine.

The three treasures are qi,

Shen,

And essence.

Qi represents energy,

Shen represents our spirit,

And the essence is our life force.

Now you may resume your normal breathing pattern.

How do you feel?

Recognize at this moment you have nothing to do,

You have nowhere to go.

You are free to be at peace and at ease.

Let's bring our attention to our feet.

Notice how your feet feel.

If you have a difficult time feeling your feet,

You can wiggle your toes to enhance the sensation.

Specifically concentrate on the bottoms of your feet.

The purpose of this meditation is to relax.

As a result,

You may fall asleep or become lost in thought.

That's perfectly alright.

Use your feet as your anchor.

If you lose track at any time during this meditation,

Concentrate on your feet and pick up when you're ready.

Simply begin again.

While sensing the bottoms of your feet,

Visualize the qi or energy of your body.

Does your energy have a shape?

Does it shine bright or have a soft glow?

Is it warm or cool?

What color is it?

Does it have a texture?

Whatever it may be,

Visualize your energy at the center of the bottoms of your feet.

Begin to move your energy from the bottoms of your feet to the insides of your feet.

This is the side with your big toe.

Allow your energy to glide along the insides of your feet,

Moving towards your ankle.

Let your energy rest just below your ankle bones.

In this area is the 6th point of the kidney channel.

Kidney 6 is used to calm the spirit and reinforce the yin energy.

In Chinese medicine,

We have two types of energy,

Yin and yang.

Yin energy is associated with rest and relaxation.

Yang energy is associated with activity.

However,

Too much yang energy can cause us to be restless.

Too much yang energy can be created by stress.

It can rise to the head and disrupt the mind,

Resulting in agitation.

This point is used to strengthen yin energy,

Bringing the body back into balance and creating a sense of equanimity in the mind.

As the body comes back into balance,

The yang energy should begin to descend.

Feel the yang energy from your head and your face begin to descend,

And allow your forehead to soften.

Allow your jaw to soften.

Allow the muscles in your face to soften.

Feel the downward pull of energy towards your feet,

And feel the stress melt away.

Return your focus to the insides of your feet,

Below your ankle bones.

Begin to move your energy to your heel.

Allow your energy to ascend along your Achilles tendons.

Let the energy rest a hand breath above the inside of your ankle bones.

The 6th point of the spleen channel is located in this area.

This point is one of the strongest points for promoting blood flow throughout the body,

Especially to the brain.

Life is demanding and often overwhelming.

This point can be used to soothe the mind,

Diminish stress,

And promote easeful sleep.

As you concentrate your energy at this point,

Feel the energy spread throughout your body.

As the energy spreads throughout your body,

Feel the weight of your body lighten.

Feel the burdens of the day begin to lift,

Leaving you in a state of tranquility.

As you concentrate on this point,

Notice how you feel.

Has your energy changed in brightness,

Size,

Or temperature?

Does it feel heavy or light?

Has the color changed?

Perhaps there are no changes at all,

And that's perfectly alright.

Allow your energy to roll up the insides of your lower legs,

Over your knees,

Up your thighs and hips,

And onto your abdomen.

Allow your energy to converge in the center of your body,

And move your energy up to your belly button.

The belly button is a sacred place,

And it is called the spirit gateway,

As this is the link between our physical body and the heavenly energy acquired from our parents.

It is a nurturing point,

Used for the revitalization and rejuvenation of the body.

Think of a time when you felt cared for.

How did you feel when someone was caring for you?

Feel the energy drip into your belly button,

Like warm drops of water over your navel.

Allow the energy to spread through your body,

Reinforcing and supporting your essence.

Bring your attention back to your belly button.

Gently and slowly,

Allow your energy to ascend your abdomen,

Chest,

And neck,

And roll onto your chin.

Move your energy over your mouth,

In the tip of your nose,

Along the bridge of your nose,

Up to your forehead,

And let it rest on your forehead,

A hand breath above your third eye.

This point is known as Governing Vessel 23,

And is called the Courtyard of the Spirit.

As the Courtyard of the Spirit,

It has a strong calming effect on the mind.

Feel the energy at your forehead.

Allow the energy to trickle into your brain and pacify your mind,

Creating a settled and reassured mental state.

As your mind and your body relax,

Feel your body begin to soften.

Feel your mind lighten.

We need to show ourselves some self-compassion.

Repeat the following phrases.

I deserve time to myself.

I deserve time to relax.

I deserve peace of mind.

I deserve time to myself.

I deserve time to relax.

I deserve peace of mind.

I deserve time to myself.

I deserve time to relax.

I deserve peace of mind.

How do you feel in this moment?

As we come to a close,

Take a deep breath in,

Hold for a count of three,

And exhale.

Take a deep breath in,

Hold for a count of three,

And exhale.

Take a deep breath in,

Hold for a count of three,

And exhale.

Return to your normal breathing pattern.

These deep,

Relaxing breaths represent the healing and replenishment of your energy,

Spirit,

And essence that was obtained through this practice.

It's important to take time to allow our body and mind to unwind and be restored.

You deserve some time to yourself.

You've earned it.

Begin to feel your body in contact with the surface beneath you.

When you are ready,

You may open your eyes and rejoin the world around you.

Thank you for your practice.

Reviews

Easy to relax and visualize without the usual music, 🙏

Such a relaxing meditation. I felt calm and at ease the entire time. Absolutely beautiful!