A meditation a day ..

Catch your negative monkey and torture it into telling you the truth.

This is for those times when you monkey mind is in full negative downer mode. It will
help you address and move on from the negative thoughts.

2-5 minutes
anywhere private

Take a pen ,notebook or smartphone, tablet, computer to write with.
Write down one negative thought you are having. Now ask yourself; “Is
this true?” Ask yourself; “Does this thought make me feel good?” and
“Does this thought make me reach my goals?”

Write down 3 positive thoughts that relate to the negative thought. For
example you can write “right now everything is ok,” or “that thought is
not truth it is only opinion.”

Try It Out
Now list a positive emotion related to the 3 positive thoughts. For
example, “happy,” or “hopeful,” or “pleased.”

When you feel as though you have a little more control over your feelings you
can move on. Otherwise try to repeat this exercise and challenge yourself to
be more believable with the positive thoughts and more challenging with the
negative thoughts.

Source : Unwobble.com

Here's another easy one to calm you down:

Whenever you feel overwhelmed, are in a frenzy, are caught up in negative thoughts:

pause for a second and ask yourself: is this relevant to the moment and is it true right now? Or does it have nothing to do with the moment and am I just projecting / imagining things?

If the former is true: is there any action I can take right now that will fix / ameliorate things? If not -> keep calm and carry on. If yes: fix it.

If the latter is true: tell yourself that all that counts is what you have right now, in this very moment. The future can't harm you right now - it's only in your head. The past can't harm you, it's already over.


Just by analysing your current situation, you'll feel a lot calmer. Promise

Its friday! Time for a lovely meditation to wind down and get ready for a fun weekend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbiPepiePyA

Its Monday !
Anti Stress Breathing Techniques to Help You Feel Calm Anywhere !

1. Belly Breathing
Sometimes called abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing, this exercise is a great place to start and ensures that you are cleansing your lungs as well as calming your mind.
Belly breathing is good for releasing anger and upsetting thoughts, it’s also useful for pain relief and relaxation in general.

- Place your right hand over the centre of your chest, and your left hand over the centre of your stomach and take a slow deep breath in. If you notice that the hand on your stomach rises higher than the hand on your chest, you have been successful in drawing that breath deeply into the depths of your lungs. If that isn’t what happened for you take a minute or two to experiment, be sure to empty your lungs fully on your out-breath to encourage the next breath in to deepen and cause your stomach to rise.

- Exhale through your mouth, letting the breath out slowly and completely. When you feel that your lungs are nearly empty, pull your stomach in a little to squeeze the very last air from your lungs.

- Repeat four times, until you have completed five cycles of deep refreshing abdominal breathing.

Once you are comfortable with this breathing technique you can stop using your hands, and you might like to add some words to the exercise to help you feel even more calm and in control.

Some people find it helpful to simply say something like “calm” or “peace” on their out-breath, you can say it in your mind or whisper it with your breath - it’s up to you.


2. Counting Breaths
Counting Breaths is a simple technique that occupies your mind by keeping it focused on counting every time you exhale. As you place your full attention on your outgoing breath you may notice that things start to feel less rushed and more peaceful for you.

- Take a few deep breaths and let tension drain away from your shoulders and concentrate on breathing steadily, slowly and quietly.

- Count "one" to yourself as you exhale, and the next time you exhale, count "two", on the next exhalation count "three" and onwards until you reach the number five.

- Begin a new cycle, starting again with "one" on your next exhalation. Watch your breath and try and breath deeply and steadily until you have counted up to five and then begin again.

- Repeat this cycle five times, or more if you feel comfortable.


3. The Calming Breath
This is a real favourite of mine, it's so quick and simple to do and you can feel the benefits immediately. The power in this particular technique lies in counting out an extended exhalation which feels very calming and also helps slow your heart rate if it's racing away due to stress or anxiety.

Here's how to do it: take a deep breath in for the count of four (count one thousand, two thousand, three thousand, four to set a slow and steady pace), then hold your breath for the count of two, and release slowly through slightly pursed lips for the count of eight.

The calming breath is also useful if you feel angry or irritated, it can quickly calm and cool your mind and help you gain a sense of clarity and control.


4. Cooling Breath
Borrowed from the yoga practice of pranayama, the cooling breath is useful for times when you feel hot and bothered, this breathing exercise has a similar effect to the way dogs cool themselves down by panting, though you'll be glad to know it looks more discreet and you can do it without anyone noticing.

Part your lips slightly and curl your tongue up so it's resting on the roof of your mouth, behind your top teeth (the place you put your tongue to make the sound of the letter "l"). Now breath in slowly through your slightly open mouth, and feel the cool sensation of the incoming air on the underside of your tongue. Hold the breath for a moment or two and then exhale slowly through your nose. You can repeat this until you feel cool, calm and collected.


5. The Single Breath
Walk to a window, look outside, as far into the distance as you can and take one single, slow, deep breath. That's it! If you think it's too simple to bother with, I challenge you to try it for a day or two and feel for yourself just how much it can steady and calm your mind.

You could try this several times a day, using any window you see as a cue to stop for a second or two, drop your shoulders, and breathe. Be fully aware of your breath, feel it enter and leave your lungs and allow yourself to feel how it calms you for that one moment of reflective pause.

Reflection and meditation on the Jedi Codes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt5XEa6W41U

Breathe .....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80kC3deToc0

Agreed

I have some 9 to 10 minute guided ones here as well I have gotten some positive feedback on, if anyone has any specific requests I can record some more as well if needed.

https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/forum/Health-physical-fitness-and-wellbeing/116320-tellahane-s-guided-short-meditations

Wonderful Tella

30 minutes of Serenity Meditation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSBR2f3xbwQ

Good meditation music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE6RYpe9IT0

Reflection

Will-power has been called, by many, the king of all virtues. Because anything we wish to attain, change, or stop, requires some amount of will-power. The more of it we have, the easier life flows.

Will-power is like a muscle - the more you use it, regularly, the stronger it gets. When it is strong, there is a sense of undefeatable confidence, a sense of “I can do anything I set my mind to”, and a resilience that surpasses any challenge.

This muscle is exercised by doing things that are hard for us, and things that require a daily dose of discipline - like waking up without using the snooze button, not missing gym, meditating every morning, cutting down on junk food and sugar, and stopping the habit of complaining or blaming.

Every time you commit to doing something in your life, and follow through - however small it may be - you are strengthening your will-power, and this will have huge benefits in all areas of your life.


Exercise

Commit to doing one hard thing every day. It doesn’t need to be a massive task - actually, simple actions are better.

Rejoice in the feeling of power that you get by accomplishing that. Don’t let a day pass without making a deposit in your will-power bank!

Giovanni Dienstmann

http://liveanddare.com/

Deep breathing is one of the most effective ways to start meditating and can be performed anywhere.

Step 1

Sit down in a chair or on the floor on a folded blanket or cushion. Keep your back straight but still comfortable from the base of your spine to your neck. This creates a straight path for energy to flow up your spine.

Step 2

Place your hands on your thighs with your palms face up or down. Rest your feet flat on the floor if you are sitting in a chair. Cross your ankles or legs if you are seated on the floor.

Step 3

Close your eyes.

Step 4

Breathe normally in and out through your nose for about one minute, observing your breath without judgment. Close your mouth and relax your facial muscles.

Step 5

Allow your breath to slowly deepen as you inhale and fully inflate your lungs, counting silently to four. Feel your ribcage expand forward and to the sides as you breathe in.

Step 6

Exhale to a slow count of four as you pull your navel point toward your spine. Make your in-breath and out-breath the same length. If thoughts or emotions arise, let them go and bring your attention back to your breath.

Step 7

Continue deep breathing meditation for three to five minutes or for as long as you can sit comfortably with a calm, steady breath.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3eRFNihoZo

Things are as they are - we suffer because we imagined different.


- Rachel Wolchin

Reflection

We often hear that we must learn to accept things; that otherwise we suffer. And in a way it is true - when we don’t accept a situation, we suffer it. But does that mean we can never change things, and should just passively accept all things as they are, because “all is cool"?
No. Acceptance is not passivity. It is not meekness. Acceptance simply means that your mind is larger than that situation - and this is actually a position of power and centeredness.
Acceptance means that in your heart you are able to hold the knowledge of what is happening without contracting. That is the key. That contraction is suffering - but acceptance invites you to relax in the knowledge of what is.

From that point onward, you have two choices:

(a) Do something to change it;
(b) Leave this situation to follow it’s own course.
Knowing what to choose, here, is a mater of wisdom. Acceptance doesn’t stop you from acting and transforming reality around you. It just stops you from suffering it. It stops the emotional upset.

Exercise
What is something that right now you are struggling to accept in your life? Observe how your body and mind feel when you think about that situation, person or idea.
Now consciously relax. Let go of the contraction in your heart. You may think you can’t do it - but if you just close your eyes and tell yourself “it’s ok, let go…”, you will see you can do it.
From this more composed space, see and understand how you can experience this situation again, without suffering. This option is always available there for you, anytime, anywhere.


Source : Giovanni Dienstmann www.liveanddare.com

MartaLina wrote: We often hear that we must learn to accept things; that otherwise we suffer. And in a way it is true - when we don’t accept a situation, we suffer it. But does that mean we can never change things, and should just passively accept all things as they are, because “all is cool"?
No. Acceptance is not passivity.

I completely agree - the idea of acceptance, as far as I'm concerned, doesn't pertain to situations where you are in control and can make a positive change. By all means: change what you can and what's worth changing. But accept what you can't change - beating yourself up about things that you can't influence leads to suffering.

Cyan Sarden wrote:

MartaLina wrote: We often hear that we must learn to accept things; that otherwise we suffer. And in a way it is true - when we don’t accept a situation, we suffer it. But does that mean we can never change things, and should just passively accept all things as they are, because “all is cool"?
No. Acceptance is not passivity.

I completely agree - the idea of acceptance, as far as I'm concerned, doesn't pertain to situations where you are in control and can make a positive change. By all means: change what you can and what's worth changing. But accept what you can't change - beating yourself up about things that you can't influence leads to suffering.

Accepting is a Verb

yes!

A completely different meditation , i love how the word meditation stands for thinking of nothing and overthining and musing lol

Descartes

http://selfpace.uconn.edu/class/percep/DescartesMeditations.pdf

Dropping the object and simply be and desolve the object , an emptyness meditation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_nU0iEDQhs

My meditation today is that awareness is like a patch of grass, each blade an iteration of self. The 'ocean of calamity calm' being the plane of the tips of each blade for each blade is either standing upright at some level of momentum and connection upwards, or leaning over into the middle in a rested low energy phase. As environment reflects onto the grass the more successful blades grow roots out which propagate throughout the physical body in preparation for action, until the resultant conduct manifests as a single flower... before it itself becoming the path for new grass to emerge, and repeat. I guess its just a visualization of the decision making process which might represent some basis for awareness, as we are all a bit opinionated even if we choose to keep it to ourselves