Meditation is a huge part of my personal practice.
If you are new to the practice I’ve got a couple of blogs already on the topic here and here.
Most frequently, I practice guided mediation. I have an app called Stop, Breath, Think that I love to use to help me relax before bed time. And I use a number of chakra meditations on Youtube depending on the energy I’m trying to cultivate.
Especially as a teacher and a business owner, I find it really important to be able to sit and restore when I can, so that I can continue to offer my best to you all.
For our Yoga is for Lovers this year, I included 4 guided meditations that I practice and teach rather frequently. I love each and every one of them for a variety of reasons, but most importantly for the love and care they help me cultivate in my life.
Heart Chakra Meditation
This guided Meditation is a great way to tune in and listen to your body and become a little better acquainted with your heart center.
Heart Chakra Awareness Meditation
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Find a comfortable seat or reclined position. Relax your arms and legs while finding length in your torso then bring your attention to your breath.
Step 2
Start to draw your focus to your heart center or chest and upper back. Notice any feelings or sensations as you send your breath to this area.
Step 3
Begin to imagine a subtle radiating light at your heart center. Breath gently and sense your breath flowing in and out of your heart. Notice what that does to the light. Do this for as long as you like.
Step 4
Ask your heart what it needs to say or express. This is not an order or demand, but simple an intention. After asking a few times, allow your self to listen. Let your mind wander from thought to thought taking stock of what might pop up or emerge. Notice any wishes, fears, dreams, wanderings and honor each and every one. Follow these thoughts or feelings for as long as you see fit.
Step 5
Break your mind back to your inhale and exhale breath. And then back to the sensations of your body.
Step 6
Deepen your breath right at your belly and maybe find a little movement in your fingers or toes. Expand your awareness to the sounds of the room or space around you and gently open your eyes.
Step 7
Maybe find a moment to journal or jot down your thoughts and feelings. Anything that came up as you sat or how you are feeling now.
Loving Kindness Meditation
Use this meditation to create compassion and ease in our hearts and minds. Together we can create an energy of love to send out to the world so that it can multiply and spread!
Loving Kindness Meditation
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Find a comfortable seat or reclined position. Relax your arms and legs while finding length in your torso then bring your attention to your breath.
Step 2
Start to draw your focus to your heart center or chest and upper back. Notice any feelings or sensations as you send your breath to this area. Feel the sense of calm that is always within you to draw from. Allow your breath to deepen and slow.
Step 3
Visualize someone you love or care a great deal for. Begin to repeat these phrases and intentions either mentally or verbally.
*May you be healthy and well.
*May your happiness increase each day
*May you have all the wealth you need
*May you be free from negativity and suffering
Fell the warmth and love growing in your heart. Perhaps you see a beautiful white lotus of flower radiating from your own heart.
Step 4
Hold onto that feeling or image as you begin to visualize someone you are neutral towards.
Begin to repeat these phrases and intentions either mentally or verbally.
*May you be healthy and well.
*May your happiness increase each day
*May you have all the wealth you need
*May you be free from negativity and suffering
Feel the light or energy growing inside your heart and allow it to extend throughout your body, beginning to wrap you up.
Step 5
Hold onto that feeling or image as you begin to visualize someone you have a negative connection to.
Begin to repeat these phrases and intentions either mentally or verbally.
*May you be healthy and well.
*May your happiness increase each day
*May you have all the wealth you need
*May you be free from negativity and suffering
Know that this may be difficult, give your self space and time to repeat each phrase.
Begin to feel your own light radiating outward and expanding to space.
Step 6
Hold onto that feeling or image as you begin to visualize yourself
Begin to repeat these phrases and intentions either mentally or verbally.
*May you be healthy and well.
*May your happiness increase each day
*May you have all the wealth you need
*May you be free from negativity and suffering
Know that this might be the hardest of all. Honor what comes up and maintain your breath.
Step 7
Bring your attention back to your body and your breath. Notice how it flows in and out, moving throughout your body. Maybe find a gentle movement in your fingers and toes and flutter your eyes open slowly.
Step 8
Maybe find a moment to journal or jot down your thoughts and feelings. Anything that came up as you sat or how you are feeling now.
Forgiveness Meditation
Developing a capacity for forgiveness is a fundamental facet of the journey of learning to meditate and important part of the process of spiritual maturation.
It is through forgiving that we loosen our burdens. By releasing resentment and guilt, we can then enter our practice with a lightness of heart. This will do more to move us deeply into rest than any mantra or breathing exercise.
Forgiveness Meditation
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Find a comfortable seat or reclined position. Relax your arms and legs while finding length in your torso then bring your attention to your breath.
Step 2
Start to draw your focus to your heart center or chest and upper back. Notice any feelings or sensations as you send your breath to this area.
Step 3
Call to mind something or someone you would like to offer a little forgiveness. This can be a person, a situation, a thing, maybe even yourself. Visualize that person, thing, or idea. Really hold then in your heart for a few rounds of breath.
Step 4
Repeat either in your mind or out loud
“I become capable of love and forgiveness by giving love and forgiveness.”
Follow this mantra with your breath for as long as you like. Imagine it flowing in and out of you, swirling around in your brain and your body until the repetition becomes natural and easy.
Step 5
Begin to imagine your body being filled up with love, compassion, and forgiveness. Allow it to radiate through your cells until you feel as though you are glowing. With every inhale breath feel this becoming more and more intense. Then on your exhales imagine yourself offering that same love, compassion, and forgiveness to the world around you.
Find this balance on your breath. Inhaling to receive and exhaling to give.
Again, continue this visualization for as long as you like.
Step 6
Bring your mind back to the sensations of your body. Deepen your breath right at your belly and maybe find a little movement in your fingers or toes. Expand your awareness to the sounds of the room or space around you and gently open your eyes.
Step 7
Maybe find a moment to journal or jot down your thoughts and feelings. Anything that came up as you sat or how you are feeling now.
Connection to All Things
This guided Meditation is a great way to strengthen your sense of peace and calmness while recognizing the common ground you share with those around you.
Connection to all things Meditation
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Find a comfortable seat or reclined position. Relax your arms and legs while finding length in your torso then bring your attention to your breath.
Step 2
Feel your breath become slow and deep as you inhale and exhale using your diaphragm.
Step 3
Call to mind the phrase “Great Compassion” – What does that mean to you?
Now the phrase “Others are equally as important as myself.” – How does this statement make you feel?
Step 4
Look to find the common ground between yourself and others. These can be relatives, acquaintances, strangers, what do you all have in common? Remember that everyone wants happiness in their life and works hard to create this for themselves.
What would it be like to work for the happiness of others as dedicate-ly as you work for the happiness of yourself?
Step 5
Come back to your breath. Imagine that with every inhale you are receiving love and support from the world around you. Notice how this feels in your body, heart, and mind. Now imagine that on your exhale you send out that love, happiness, and positive energy to those near and far. Continue this breath, allowing yourself to give and receive love.
Step 6
Deepen your breath right at your belly and maybe find a little movement in your fingers or toes. Expand your awareness to the sounds of the room or space around you and gently open your eyes.
Step 7
Maybe find a moment to journal or jot down your thoughts and feelings. Anything that came up as you sat or how you are feeling now.
Please feel free to to come back to these meditations whenever you need to open up a little more space in your heart to give and receive.
And stay tuned for next week’s Yoga is for lovers round up!
Melody Butler Yoga 