meditation

I know, I know. Shocking. 

As much as I knew the benefits of meditation for YEARS, the idea of sitting and doing nothing would be the last, or first, thing I wanted to do. 

Knowing something intellectually is one thing and to embody a practice is a whole new world. 

When I started to make meditation a practice, was when I really started to KNOW the benefits. It became a part of my daily life’s experience. 

Truth be told, meditation is not bound by a segment of your day to sitting with your eyes closed.

For me, meditation is an ALL day affair.

It is a state of awareness, seeing your life from the 3rd person, if you will.  

For the sake of this post, let’s talk about some forms of meditation. 

TYPES OF MEDITATIONS

Focus Meditations, spiritual meditations, walking meditations, movement/somatic meditations, and visualization meditations.

We also have breathwork, Yoga Nidra practices, guided meditations, meditations using a mantra, and sound bath meditations.

And in today’s world, we have apps to strengthen our habits of meditation. 

My favorite is Insight Timer. They have guided meditations, classes, workshops, and of course a personalized timer you could use. Plus Insight Timer can track the amount of time you put into your practice. 

LET IT BECOME A DAILY PRACTICE

If you are new to meditation and want to make meditation a daily practice, I highly suggest finding a form of meditation that resonates with you, then build the habit from there.

Take 3, 5, 10, or 20 minutes of your day to devote to turning inwards. 

You can always break it up into 2-3 times a day.

2 things to remember:

You cannot shut off your thoughts.

You CAN break free from the stream of thinking. 

QUESTIONS…

How will you make meditation a primary part of your daily life?

What new types of meditations will you explore?

EXERCISE

The universe is always moving.

Time continues to tick.

And you are meant to move with space in time. 

Movement helped me to FEEL better. I grew confidence, experienced more happiness, and developed an unshakable mindset. In 2017, I explored boxing, which shifted the course of my life.

I found something I LOVED and so, getting healthy and strong became EASY.

Much like finding a meditation practice that resonates with you, the very same goes for a form of movement. 

An exercise that aligns with WHO you are will make working out something to look forward to rather than something you HAVE to do.

Side note: Notice if you apply any pressure onto your goals. Witness any guilt that comes up when you don’t do the things you had set out to do. Become aware of how often you may beat yourself up over not following through your intentions. Wash away the guilt because guilt will stand in the way of love. 

TYPES OF EXERCISES…

We have martial arts, combat sports, yoga, pilates, weight training, HIIT, Crossfit, dance, animal flow, zumba, cycling, and much much more.

In a world of unlimited forms of movement, now offered virtually, there has to be something that lights you up from the inside out. There has to be. 

SOME QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON…

Have you found something you love?

If not…

Make a list of 5 classes in your area or online you want to try. 

Set a time and day for the class or form of exercise.

After each class and/or exercise, write down what you liked about your experience and write down what you didn’t like. 

At the end of  your journey, reflect back to which one stood out for you most. 

Which one lit you up from within?

Which one reflects back to you the unique qualities that make you, you?

If yes…

How much time out of your day and week do you workout?

Is there a particular form of movement you love? If yes, how long have you been doing this particular form of exercise?

How have you changed as a person since you started?

What is the next step on your journey? Would you perhaps want to teach this form of movement to others? 

How can you share this love with others?

JOURNALING

I spent the first 3 years of my inward journey word-vomiting onto my macbook.  

Whenever I was moving through something, instead of calling someone, I would sit there and write with zero intention and without an end goal.

I allowed myself to think, write. 

Write and think.

Through this allowing, I began to realize that a lot of the answers I was seeking were beginning to show up on the pages. I began connecting the dots, making sense of things, and most importantly, allowing my emotions to come up to the surface. 

Also, I did not seek therapy right away. This is something I have been public about. 

My journey of healing was a do it alone manual and although I have discovered deep insights within myself, I DO NOT recommend this to anyone. 

You don’t have to do this alone.

Nevertheless, journaling helped me heal. 

I was able to see the narrative that was on repeat within my mind and through that process, I broke the unconscious patterns that were holding me back.

From there, I worked on becoming more present with life and channeled the eternal I am. 

Have you ever journaled before? 

Maybe in the past or more recently?

How often do you journal?

I have found that a major part of changing my life started with changing my thoughts and releasing my emotions. I wouldn’t be where I am today unless I got honest with myself. 

Whether you are a long-time journaling superhero or if you are new to journaling, take some time to reflect on the following questions the next time you write:

REFLECTION QUESTIONS…

What thoughts keep me from flying?

What emotions keep me from channeling my heart?

What parts of who I am are buried in fear of being judged?

FINAL LOVING THOUGHTS

The journey inwards is the key to freedom. 

Freedom from the noise and the chaos.

Freedom to find stillness amongst the noise. 

These tools are more than tools.

I believe these tools are access points to energy portals within, which in turn shift the course of what and how we experience the external world, individually and collectively.

I believe the true reality is the inner world and the outer world is a reflection of what goes on inside of us.

FINAL REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS:

What do you believe to be true about the journey inwards?

How have you changed since the beginning of your awakening?

What tools have you explored that have held your hand through the process?

I want to know. 

Comment below. 

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