Chicago Massagerie

Guys, I found this excellent article on relaxation and because it is so deeply related to massage therapy I had to share it with you here. I truly hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Here are a few easy meditation techniques that you can quickly and simply integrate into your day to day life. These techniques have been taught to people all over the world in practical courses and were instrumental in assisting me to shift into a far more focused state. I am an actor, writer and, after much trepidation and hesitating, a healer and teacher.

When I was introduced to this work on a course about ten years ago I went, hey this is what I have been looking for all along, but no one knew how to tell me. So I hope these little techniques will assist you, as they have me, in finding the joy, adventure and wonder that is life.

Seven easy Meditation Techniques

1. The first is to ensure nobody and no thing can disturb you. Make sure all possible forms of distraction are miles away. There is nothing worse than reaching a deeply calm state only to have your cellular phone go off and startle you back into tension and anxiety. Or even worse, being half-way through a guided meditation when a cat jumps through the window and promptly jumps on your face. Not cool at all.

2. Next is the question of sitting or lying. In terms of your basic requirements for meditation it is best to either sit in a chair with a good back support, or to sit in the lotus position on a comfortable cushion. Most people are not flexible enough to sit in the lotus position so rather just find a comfortable chair with good back support. If you are sitting, avoid sitting in a normal cross legged position as this affects the natural energy flow of the body. Alternatively you can just lie down. However I would recommend that you create a particular place where you lie down, do not use the bed you sleep in. The reason being you have programmed your mind to fall into a very particular state when lying in bed and falling asleep. If you use your bed it is highly likely that you will just fall asleep and this will defeat the objective of meditation.

3. The next technique is around the question of posture. Ensure that if you are sitting that you hold what is called the magnetic posture. This means that the spine is lengthened, relaxed and straight. The best way to find this is to imagine stretching the top of your head towards the roof, whilst keeping your bum firmly on your chair. Then also ensure that your feet are not touching, and your hands are also not touching each other. Place your feet in such a way that the souls of your feet are in full contact with the ground, and as best you can ensure that your legs create a 90 degree angle, creating a square between your legs, the floor and the chair. If you are lying down, again do the best to feel your back and spine lengthening and relaxing along the floor or sofa. Again make sure that you legs are no touching each other and that your hands are just gently lying by your side.

4. Now for your eyes and your breath. Most beginners to meditation have a tendency to snap their eyes shut. This is counter productive. Before shutting your eyes, first gently gaze at an area in front of you on the wall or ceiling. Of all the easy meditation techniques that can be learnt this is the most important. Do not stare at a fixed point, as this takes you into a hypnotic state. But rather gently gaze at an area in front of you. Now, whilst keeping your eyes open bring your attention to your breath. Do the best you can to engage what is know as the three part breath. This means breathing in first with your diaphragm. To practice this is easy; just breathe focusing on your tummy. When the diaphragm is drawing in breath your tummy pushes outwards. Then breathe into the lower part of your chest and finally up to the top of your chest. This becomes easier with practice. Then you breathe out with your diaphragm first, allowing your tummy to deflate, then the mid-chest and finally the upper chest. Do this as slowly, deeply and easily as you can. When you have found the rhythm of breath turn your attention to your eyes. Over three to four deep breathes allow your eyes to gently close. Do it slowly and smoothly, as if your eyelids were blinds slowly dropping down over your eyes. When you first practice this your eyes may flutter a bit, but with practice the fluttering will stop.

5. Now with your eyes closed you are going to begin a very particular sequence of relaxation. And added to this is another very important and easy meditation technique: pretend that you are a child. Do not focus on being childish. I know a lot of adults who are childish and petulant. This makes it very difficult for them to access that wonderful state of childlikeness. As the saying goes: many grow old without growing up. One of the objectives of a metaphysician is to grow up as quickly as possible. When this is achieved, growing old physically is an option, one that most metaphysicians rarely take. So enter that special state of curiosity and wonderment. The childlike state. And from this space reach for the big toe on your right foot. And as you reach remember how as a child you used to talk to your body. Say hello to that big toe and then casually ask it to relax. Now go through each toe on you right foot and then start with the big toe on you left foot. And then allow the relaxation to move all the way up your feet, shins, knees and up to your thighs.

6. The next of these seven easy meditation techniques is to make a special effort to relax the long bones of the body. What this does is takes you into a deep alpha state, verging on the theta state. From this space your body is deeply relaxed and your mind becomes incredibly clear. This was discovered in relaxation research at U.C.L.A. If a person makes a special effort to relax the marrow of the thighs it is far easier to reach deep states of physical relaxation accompanied by profound mental clarity. So as you move up to your thighs make a special effort to relax the very marrow of the bones.

7. From here move up into your hip joints, the pelvic girdle, your anus and your genitals. When you pass over the anus and genitals again make a special effort to relax these organs as there is a lot of emotional tension and blockages placed in these areas due to social programming. From there move up the lower back, then the abdomen, then the upper back followed by the ribcage and chest. Then start with the hands, arms, elbows, upper arms into the shoulder joints. Move up your throat into the jaw, the facial muscles, the eyes and eyelids, over the scalp and right round to the nap of your neck.

And that is that. Once you have relaxed the whole body you can then take a few minutes to be present in that deeply relaxed state. You can, if you wish, ponder on the solution for things that you are addressing in your daily affairs. From this space it is far easier to see solutions as you are removed from the situation and you are not being interrupted. Most geniuses have done their greatest work or been most inspired during alpha and theta states. At first this exercise will take you roughly 30 minutes as a full process. But as you practice you can do this in 15 minutes or less.

When you are ready to come back from that space once again do not just snap your eyes open. Rather imagine yourself gently, casually settling back into your body and become aware of your surroundings before opening your eyes. Once you feel yourself back and present in your room and body, then casually and easily open your eyes.

Happy meditating and relaxing

Simply Love John Gamble

If you consider yourself to be a citizen of the universe, like myself, why not pop by the site http://www.adventure-learning-initiatives.com/ they have great stories and lessons about the adventure that is life. Not only that but they welcome submissions from people who consider themselves to be mentors. The Pay it forward program is focused on paying forward the greatest human assets of all: knowledge and time.