Meditation Guide for Beginners: How to Create Your Own Practice

Meditation can mean so many different things to so many different people. My initial image of mediation was of a divine yogi in full lotus pose rising above the earth in some sort of trance. And while this image isn’t entirely far-fetched, it was an intimidating endeavor for me to actually sit down and expect to be lifted off the ground…even if not physically, but spiritually.

I didn’t seriously start considering a meditation practice until I was asked,
“We shower every day to cleanse our bodies, but what do we do to cleanse our minds?” Good question. I didn’t even realize that was something to consider. When quite honestly, how could you not afford to refresh the nooks and crannies in the place we spend so much time, our own heads?

Although my fears of beginning a mediation practice were valid in their own right, they were in no way going to stop me at least from trying. It’s a silly thing, how could sitting still be so tricky? And yet, it was. As an avid fidget-er and constant go-getter, doing nothing not only seemed unproductive, but impossible. Close to it, at least. But that’s the thing about mediation…as soon as I started to create these expectations for myself (such as not twitching my toes or clearing my mind entirely), I had already created hurdles for myself instead of merely accepting these moments and letting them go.

As soon as we cling to our shortcomings, we prevent ourselves from moving past them.

Ultimately, the purpose of meditation is not to be still, it is to take awareness away from petty everyday concerns we create in our minds and lift away from ourselves in order to view the world experience outside of our bodies. Um, what? Real talk, we’re creating space between our bodies and our existence which allow ourselves to be free of mental disturbance. In doing so, we can finally view our existence as a separate identity than our thoughts. After all, how many of your thoughts are not actually rooted in actual life? Fear and worries that you’ve completely made up in your mind? No, not me, never. Ha. Meditation allows us to seek what exists in actuality while accepting that, although we will have thoughts and continue to have a range of thoughts forevermore (a sign that we’re human after all), we can learn to control them in a manner that is productive and healthy.

As we sit still, specifically cross-legged to allow for a flow of energy (more on this later) we are better able to separate from the self. The more we resist temptation to scratch, wiggle or move, the more we build up tolerance for these annoyances. Fast forward to real life, we are then able to notice annoyances in our daily lives but not need to act on them. AKA, you can’t stand your coworker whistling every morning at 7am, but you’ve controlled your thoughts to overlook this annoyance and not have it interrupt your otherwise pleasant day.

So we know why we meditate, but how, exactly, does one get started?

Schedule a Time
Determine what time you’d like to practice and schedule it every day thereafter. While I know many people find meditation to be energizing and a uplifting start to the day, I prefer to meditate at night when my to-do list is complete so I have less anxieties floating around. Whether you prefer morning, noon, or night, take a moment before hand to jot down any left-over items that are still hanging around. Releasing these concerns, to-dos, or expectation before your practice allows you to physically empty of these ideas and bring a clean space into your meditation.

Choose a Method
While I fully encourage the use of a meditation guide to lead you through your meditation, it’s really up to you what you prefer. I initially began using Headspace and Buddhify, I’ve found that I prefer to just listen to the sounds of the ocean rather than getting caught up in the tone of someone’s voice, or hearing someone else’s breath going in and out. Set a timer for how long you’d like to sit, ideally aiming for 20-30 minutes (or longer), but allowing yourself to begin where you feel comfortable. 10 minutes? Awesome. 5 minutes? You rock.

Designate an Area
Find a comfy spot where you can sit up straight with your legs crossed, or legs extended long and crossed at the ankles. It’s important to maintain this posture to allow for deep breathing and keeping the energy circulating through the body. To prevent open circuits at your hands, touch your index finger underneath your thumb and rest them on your knees, or create a circle with your hands and rest them on your lap.

Find Stillness
Because we are human beings, thoughts are a natural occurrence. Meditating allows us to react to these thoughts without attachment. I’ve used many imagery strategies to acknowledge these thoughts and then send them on their way. First, imagine each thought is a cloud that slowly drifts into your mind and then you watch it drift on, out of your sight. Recognize the clouds are there, but do not hang onto them as clouds must keep their movement. Another image, a personal favorite, is to view your thoughts like the dishes at a revolving sushi bar. Really. Imagine each thought as if it is a unique sushi roll that we occasionally pull of the revolving bar in front of us. Notice that you’ve taken the dish (thought) off the bar, and then gently set it back on and let it go on its way. both of these images let us view thoughts as their own entities, in no way a part of us. By viewing them through an outside lens, the more we can accept them and move beyond their limitations.

…And Kindness
While we want to resist the urge to move to not break our higher existence, be kind to yourself and forgive yourself for disruptions. A skill not only for meditation, but life as well. Instead of dwelling on an imperfection (you just had to move that hair away from your eyes), acknowledge it existed, then let it pass through.

Breathe
As you begin to close your meditation, come back to your breath and bring slow movement to your body. It’s important to be gentle with yourself so you can then extend that gentleness outwards to the world around you. Make time to revisit this practice each way, working to extend the amount of time and expanding to various location to practice. (I’ve even managed a 20 minute practice on an airplane that was glorious).

Have you tried mediation? If so, what helped you stick to it? If not, what’s stopping you?

xx,
Juliette

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10 Minute Yoga Sequence For Stress Relief

As we talked about earlier, yoga is more than asanas, the physical poses. While building strength in warrior I and defying gravity in headstand is awesome, it’s not the only reason people keep coming back for more. The empowerment and inner-peace you carry off of your yoga mat is what matters most. As always, consult with your doctor before participating in a new workout. While I’m a certified yoga teacher, respect your body and don’t push into positions that feel sharp or painful beyond the level of discomfort.

Now it’s time for the juicy stuff. Here are my top five poses to not only help you handle the stress you have, but prevent it from coming back. Ever.

Child’s Pose

Oh yeah. Right into the good stuff. Child’s pose is golden on its own or in the middle of a sequence. In addition to being awesome for the nervous and lymphatic systems, child’s pose is a calming posture that helps quiet the mind, which in turn eases stress and gently releases pressure in the back. My favorite way is to keep the knees wide, let your belly drop down as you push your butt towards your heels. Your arms can be extended long with the elbows for a more active pose, or hand can lay down next to your heels to rest the shoulders.

Puppy Pose

Extended Puppy Pose is a great follow-up to child’s pose. Often times when too much is on our plate, we unknowingly tense our shoulders and totally abandon our posture. Not only does this crunch our midsection making it more difficult to breath, It also lower our confidence and strains our necks. Puppy pose reverses this damage. It releases the shoulders, where we hold our tension and our stress and lengthens our core to stretch the abdomen, helping us to keep this position when sitting upright. Push up into table top from child’s pose, keep your hips high as you lower your chest and chin down to the mat and walk your arms our straight ahead of you. Having your chin on the mat allows for a deeper shoulder stretch, but you can modify by placing your forehead on the ground instead for a less intense version.

Rabbit Pose

The first time I did rabbit pose, I hated it. Knees pushed into my chest, top of my head crunched, difficulty getting air. The things that dreams are made of, right? No. But that’s the point. Rabbit pose teaches you to breath in tight spaces, to find comfort in being uncomfortable, which ultimately builds up your endurance in handling anxiety-causing situations. The longer you’re able to stay in the posture which brings on feelings of stress, the more you’re able to recognize it and turn inward to bring your anxiety back down. So the next time you’re boss is reaming you out and you feel like you’re suffocating, find ease in knowing that you’ve already practiced how to breath in distressing situations like this. From puppy pose, make your way back to child’s pose and reach your hands around to grab your heels. Place the top of your head on the mat with your forehead touching, or close to touching you knees. Gripping firmly to your feet, lift your hips up towards the sky. Hold for five to eight breaths, lower, and then repeat.

Eagle Pose

Eagle pose dependent on one’s concentration and balance, eagle pose forces us to focus on a single object, such as a point on the wall, in order to stay upright. This pose lends itself for when we are boggled down with a million things on our minds, in turn causing us to treat each task individually rather than drowning in to-dos. It teaches us to appreciate the single moment and not to plan for those ahead or worry about those behind. In addition, it also opens up the shoulders, upper back and hips, which can all carry tension unknowingly. To get started, plant down your left foot into the earth and slightly bend both your knees. Bring your right knee up over your left knee. You can double bind with the right ankle around the left calf, but it’s not necessary for the benefits. Right elbow comes underneath left elbow, palms of your hands together. Square your hips to the front of your mat and engage your core to prevent your butt from sticking out. Gaze to a spot in front of you to keep your balance. There’s also the option to take eagle post on your back as a modification.

Savasana

Savasana, perhaps surprisingly one of the more difficult poses, considering we’re so used to being go go go that we can’t just be. By placing one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest, you connect to your breath and recognize the control you have over it. When we’re worried or overwhelmed, we’re like to shorten our inhales and exhales. With a hand over your belly, you can be sure to breath in deeply, hold, and then release. By altering the physical response (hyperventilating), we can change our emotional one (stressed). To get into savasana, lay on your back and let you feet fall to the sides. Scan your body from head to toe, surrendering to the position and letting go of any tension you feel (I often unknowingly flex my quads or neck instead of letting them hang heavy). And then, thank your body for carrying you through this practice and promise to come back to your mat the next time you feel your stress rising. Inhale peace, and exhale gratitude. Namaste.

YOGA UPDATES! Are you in the Washington, D.C. area? Do you have a pre-teen or teen that could benefit from practicing mindfulness and yoga (aka all of them!)? I’m offering a pre-teen to teen yoga summer camp at Your Life Energy that will focus on building strength, balance, flexibility and healthy habits for when kids need it most! Find out more info here.

Are you convinced yet? How has yoga improved your stress and overall well-being?

xx,
Juliette

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Does Yoga Actually Reduce Stress? The Facts.

One of my favorite sayings about yoga is how it’s funny how outsiders think yogis are all calm people when, in fact, we’re all here because we’re all nuts. Ain’t it the truth! As my anxiety and stress levels only increased with my age, I realized I wasn’t utilizing the proper, or any, coping mechanisms to deal with the pressures of *adulting*. The shallow breathing, consistently feeling overwhelmed, unregulated emotions, ya know, the good stuff when you can’t get a grip on life. And while I’ve seen many friends turn to medication as a solution (all the more power to them), I wasn’t yet willing to give up this fight to modern medicine. I wanted to address my issues holistically, identifying the root of these emotions and develop strategies to handle them in any and all environments.

So, I had no choice but to finally get serious about my yoga and meditation practice. While my occasional Sunday evening classes were enjoyable, they weren’t enough for me to change my thought patterns. Yet, driving to the studio and rolling out my mat for 75 minutes every day just wasn’t feasible with a full-time job (and my addiction to watching Friends reruns). I needed my practice to meet me where I was, literally, at my house. Although I was initially shaky and unsure of my yoga sequencing, a few vinyasas followed by a series of slow stretching and meditation allowed me to recreate my nightly routine. By taking my mat out each night, I also picked up some other habits, like keeping my phone in another room, turning the tv off and shutting down my busy mind in order to focus on my movement..ridding all the usual suspects known for causing stress.

And, shocking to no one, it worked. I learned to control my breathing, to recognize the signs of anxiety and stop them before they drowned me. Ultimately, I made major life decisions that altered my entire way of life. Instead of concerning myself with how I thought my life should look, I got rid of all the fluff. Ya know, the expectations ingrained in me, both from internal or external factors, that didn’t entirely match my interests or passions. Can you relate? Now, I finally had a clear vision to determine what direction I truly wanted to go in. So, I changed my entire social circle, altered how I viewed my day job, and, most importantly, registered for my own 200 hour yoga certification, giving me the ability to share this revelation with others.

It’s important to note that yoga doesn’t avoid uncomfortable positions. I mean if you’ve ever seen someone in revolved half moon, then you know this is true. Ugh, that pose it TOUGH. I digress. Yoga doesn’t shield away from tight, suffocating spaces. Instead, yoga puts you in these places to teach you how to respond to them in a positive way. It *changes* how your body reacts to frustrating moments in a healthy manner so that your body will start to react that way on its own.

Still not buying it? Totally get it. I, too, am a “show me the data or I’m believin’ nothing” type gal. So here you go. Check out this study here that states that yoga can be considered as a possible adjunctive therapy for those dealing with stress and anxiety. Because it has no lasting side effect (only good ones..) or conflicts with any other form of treatment, yoga is shown to encourage overall quality of life. Or this one, where prisoners who completed a yoga or meditation program while incarcerated showed increases in their psychological well-being.
Even more so, in as little as nine days, another study suggests that “lifestyle modifications and stress management programs lead to favorable metabolic effects”.

Sold? Good. Now it’s time to put this into action. Tune in later this week for a simple ten minute sequence that will release tension, reduce stress, and empower your soul wherever you might be. For real. See ya then!

YOGA UPDATES! Are you in the Washington, D.C. area? Do you have a pre-teen or teen that could benefit from practicing mindfulness and yoga (aka all of them!)? I’m offering a pre-teen to teen yoga summer camp at Your Life Energy that will focus on building strength, balance, flexibility and healthy habits for when kids need it most! Find out more info here.

How do you handle stress? If at all?

xx,
Juliette

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Why You Need To Set an Intention For Your Life

While we’re used to setting our intentions at the beginning of our yoga practice, it’s not often that we take this strategy outside of the lavender scented studio. Yet, intentions can do so much more than simply help you achieve balance in tree pose, or give you strength in chaturanga. If you’re not into the yoga lingo, you’re in luck. It’s time to view our intentions through the context of the real world, not the zen one we escape to twice a week.

Unlike goal setting, where we aim to reach a specific target, creating an intention is more about how you lead your life on daily basis, rather than focusing solely on where it ends up. Intentions have been shown to increase your overall success, as they cause you to establish your value and prevent you from wasting your emotional energy on areas that are not needed.

Real talk, I’m often inclined to feel overwhelmed and anxious about every.little.thing, causing me to constantly view the world in an stress-inducing state. My train is late? Melt down. My schedule at work was changed last minute? The day can not go on. Yet, when I began to give myself a brief pep talk in the mirror each morning, repeating the intention to “be calm” over and over again, I started to identify the peace in the moments that used to drive me crazy. Train late? I can use the extra minutes to read my favorite article. Schedule busted? I get time to see coworkers I don’t normally run into. Am I perfect at it? Well, no. But the world is portraying itself to be a less tense planet than I had previously been living on. Life, altered.

Why You Need an Intention
We see exactly what we’re looking for. If you’re feeling empty and lonely, then you’re more likely to recognize the moments that cause you to exasperate that emotion, only building upon the negative truth you’ve built for yourself. A friend not returning a text will send you into a downward spiral. However, if you tell yourself your intention is to be kind to others, you’re more likely to notice when others do the same. While you initially might have overlooked your barista memorizing your coffee order, you might now take a moment to see the generosity in this easily forgotten action.

Shift in Perspective
The more we compel ourselves to see the good in our world, the more good will be revealed to us. As humans, we generate our own energy that runs through our bodies like ocean waves, influencing how we think, act and, in turn, treat those around us. When we send positive vibes through our minds, even if we have to force them to start, it comes out in our thoughts, words and actions. If we tell ourselves it’s a beautiful day, finding peace in the rain or coziness in the blizzard, we’re more likely to share that thought with those around us, ultimately enlightening them to also see the bright side. While this makes our world a better place, it also, selfishly, allows us to view the reflection of all the goodness back onto us.

You Are Larger Than Your Body
Goals are often very intricate end points we strive to meet as an individual. An intention, however, allows us to come out of our heads and take in the world from another vantage point. We are able to alter our intentions based on the present status of our lives, requiring us to take notice of the people and places around us. If we see the world needs more empathy, we make it our intention to show compassion to friends and strangers alike. If the world needs to change, we can shape our intention to be proactive.

Creating Your Own Intention
While our intentions can change quickly and often, and should, it’s helpful to create an underlying intention until you feel as though it is your natural state. If you tend to be a pessimist, you might set your intention to limit your complaining and only spread words that add positivity to others. If you’ve lessened your complaining and feel as though your overall mental state has reflected this change, then considering altering your intention to what your world now craves.

We tend to restrict the abilities of our mind to the inside of our heads, not realizing that what we see in our minds ultimately shapes the lives that we lead. Good things and bad things will continue to occur out of our control, (looking at you, flat tire) yet how we respond is within our power. It is with purposeful intentions that we can regulate our reactions. The only way we can make a more peaceful and kind world is to view and act as though it already is.

What is your intention for today?

xx,
Juliette

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