When we wake up hungover,
Many of us slip into the habit of beating ourselves up about the state we got into.
The first step in the process of making yourself feel better is to drop any feelings of guilt and shame you might be feeling.
Especially if you're starting to explore meditation and other wellness activities,
A late night binge can feel like you're taking a step backwards.
But rather than portraying it as something terrible,
Just see it as a small bump in the road and stop criticising yourself about it.
Nobody's perfect and one of the prime lessons we learn from meditation is to cultivate compassion towards ourselves.
This means we accept where we're at and move forward from there.
The past is in the past and we only really care about the present and the future.
So let's start by letting go of any negative feelings you have,
Any guilt or shame about being hungover.
Acceptance is the first step.
In terms of location,
You can do this wherever you are,
But it's best to pick somewhere comfortable.
If you're in a chair,
Make sure it's a comfy one and lean back.
We don't need to be sat up totally straight for this and if lying down feels better then go for that.
If you feel sleepy at any point during this,
Don't fight it,
Just let yourself sleep.
Sleep is a great hangover cure in itself.
So close your eyes and take a couple of deep breaths.
Breathe in through your nose,
Nice and deep,
Almost as deep as you can.
Then release a full exhale through your mouth,
Letting all the air out.
When we breathe,
We're taking in fresh oxygen and letting out all the stale air that's built up in our lungs.
So through the nose again,
Take another long deep breath all the way in.
When you're at capacity,
Just hold it for a couple of seconds and then exhale it all out.
These deep breaths may be highlighting some of your aches and pains,
Particularly in your kidney and liver areas,
But don't worry about these for now,
We'll deal with them later.
First we're going to stretch out and put some movement into areas we often hold tension.
So if it doesn't hurt for you,
Roll your head slowly around from the front to the side to the back,
Nice and slowly,
All the way around in a circle and then back the other way.
And how about using your hands to give your neck a quick rub?
Over the next few minutes,
If you start feeling worse,
Try to stick with it as you'll feel a whole lot better after.
We've all been there,
Drinking is such a big part of most people's social lives that it's often hard to avoid.
So the best approach is just to accept where you are and not make things worse by adding any blame to the mix.
We can't change what has happened,
But we can accept it and move forward.
It's natural to want to escape our usual ways of thinking and experience different states of consciousness.
There are many ways to do it,
We just use alcohol because it's easy.
But it's the same urge to reach different conscious states that brings us into meditation.
So rather than beating yourself up,
Instead congratulate yourself for wanting to experience different states.
Meditation lets you do that in a much more sustainable way.
Now is your opportunity to let go of any negative feelings you have about being hung over.
We're going to do that by identifying sensations in the body and accepting them.
So place your awareness in your chest and see if you can identify any feelings or sensations there.
You don't need to name anything,
But see if you can feel any sensations.
Is there a feeling of heat or tightness?
All we want to do is feel the sensations without trying to change them.
Now move on to your stomach.
Can you feel a heaviness there or a slight nausea?
Try to just use a gentle curiosity.
Usually we try to escape our feelings or suppress them or express them inappropriately.
What we want to do instead is just to witness them.
By witnessing them and allowing them to be,
We don't deny them.
Anything we deny or repress,
We give power to.
So just witness and accept whatever you're feeling.
Both the physical sensations and any thoughts you may be having about the feelings.
Again,
You don't need to name them.
Just feel the feelings.
And you may feel the sensations increasing,
But then they will dissipate and you'll be left feeling lighter.
Continue to scan your upper body for sensations.
Is there a feeling of heat or slight burning in your chest?
A feeling of tension or anxiety in your stomach?
Rest your attention on it and allow it to be.
You don't need to change it or rearrange it.
Don't resist it.
Just feel the sensations and when the energy has been used up,
It will naturally subside.
Take a minute to continue this scanning for sensations in your upper body.
Now that we've neutralized any negative feelings in the body,
We're going to add some positive energy.
To do this,
We're going to bring to mind somebody or something you love without reservation.
Maybe it's a child or a niece or nephew,
Or perhaps it's your cat or dog.
Whatever you pick,
Bring them to mind and let yourself fill with the natural love that you have for this personal animal.
Allow your lips to curl up in a smile as you picture them.
See a similar smile like their face.
And brighten the colors of the image in your mind and picture them vividly.
Feel your love for them growing.
Imagine your body being filled by the light of love you have for this person.
Allow yourself to be filled to bursting with this bright light.
Keep filling yourself with love.
Once you are completely full,
Take that love and direct it towards yourself.
Let yourself bathe in that light.
Feel it centering in your heart.
Feel it as a warmth.
And now send this loving warmth around your body.
Send it to anywhere you are feeling pain or discomfort.
Send it to any tender places.
Let it flow up your spine and into your head.
Send the bright light of awareness to your kidneys and your liver in your lower back.
Let it flow through your aching joints and limbs.
And feel it encompassing your entire body.
Feel it wiping away all the pain and discomfort you are feeling.
And once you've let it wash over your body,
Let go of everything.
Let everything go quiet and just sit still for a few moments in silence.
When you are ready,
Open your eyes and return to your day.
It's safe in the awareness that in the wider scheme of things,
Everything is just as it should be.
And everything is going to end up just fine.
