Blog Archives

Can't Sleep?

2/26/2018

Instructions for "Can't Sleep?":

When you get into bed for the night, instead of lying down, sit on the heels with the thighs parallel. (If you have problems with your knees, you can place a pillow between your ankles and your butt.)
Fold the upper body forward, allowing a natural curve of the spine, until the forehead gently touches the bed. (The forehead should be centered on the bed.)
Lay the arms down alongside the body, with the palms turned upward, facing the sky.
Relax and breathe. Hold this position for at least 3 minutes, if you can make 11, that would be great!
Give yourself permission to rest deeply over the next 8 hours, so you can be at your best for tomorrow.

I've had several people mention this week that they are having trouble sleeping, maybe there's something in the air? :)
The practice above is called baby pose, and it has many many relaxation qualities. Here are a few:

It's great for calming the mind and soothing the nervous system.
It helps the body rejuvenate and recover.
It's great for relaxation and stress relief.
It is said that 11 minutes of baby pose is equivalent to 4 hours sleep!

Try it at bedtime, and don't forget to give yourself permission to rest. All of us over 30 will know that sleep is essential if we are to meet tomorrow at our best...

"Tired minds don't plan well. Sleep first, plan later." - Walter Reisch

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Breathing in Patience

2/19/2018

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Instructions for "Breathing in Patience":

Stop what you're doing and take a couple of belly breaths to ground you, close your eyes if you can.
Think of something that is upsetting to you right now. It could be someone you are annoyed with, a situation that is out of your control, a disappointment, a trauma.
Become aware of the feelings that arise while you think.
On your next inhale, mentally say "I breathe in patience with 'name of situation'".
On the exhale, visualise the feelings softening.
Repeat the last 2 steps for as long as you can sit.

Life is full of challenges, and the temptation can be to jump in and try to 'fix' things, 'make things right', 'smooth things over'. We can begin to judge ourselves negatively when we can't fix things, or make them right, or smooth them over.
Sometimes we need to let time play it's role, and engage in some patient acceptance of the untidiness of life in the meantime.
If we can learn to sit with uncomfortable feelings, and employ our breath to help us do so, time will shed a new light on our troubles, new perspectives will present themselves, hurt will heal.
Be patient.

"I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature." - Paulo Coelho

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Your Next Thought

2/12/2018

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Instructions for "Your Next Thought":

Set a reminder on your phone for several random times during the day.
When the alarm goes, ask yourself "What my next thought will be?"
Watch what happens...

This super simple exercise helps you interrupt your thinking patterns and give you control over your mind, even if only briefly.
I heard this while listening to a talk on meditation, and I was blown away by the effect it had. It created a bit of space from the usual clamour of thoughts in my mind, it felt a bit like the sun breaking through cloud on the horizon. When I asked myself "What my next thought will be?", I realised it could be whatever I wanted, I could pick and choose, or just not have any at all!
Nice to know I don't always have to listen to the negative things my thoughts sometimes tell me!
Try it for yourself and let me know how you get on. :)

"When the mind is empty, silent, when it is in a state of complete negation - which is not blankness, nor the opposite of being positive, but a totally different state in which all thought has ceased - only then is it possible for that which is unnameable to come into being." - Jiddu Krishnamurti

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Can't Sleep?

Breathing in Patience

Your Next Thought

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