Meditation has been a saving grace for me. Anytime I feel overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, or even when I’m just sitting in a quiet place, I turn to meditation to practice to calm my mind. Below is one of my favorite visualizations that I have developed. Maybe it can help you too. You can do this visualization anywhere, for any amount of time. Even a few minutes is enough to give me a sense of calm.
I close my eyes and take several deep breaths. I let my limbs relax and settle into whatever position is comfortable. Maybe I am sitting in a chair or laying down. I let my mind drift away from my physical surroundings and find my center.
Here is what I see.
I am sitting on a rock overlooking a flowing stream. I am about 5 feet above the water, gazing down. I am sitting in a perfect lotus position, feet turned up to the sky. Sometimes, I even levitate a few inches off the ground, floating like I am on a soft cloud.
The stream below me contains the thoughts that are ping-ponging in my head. I channel the thoughts away from me down to the sparkling blue water and let them flow with the current. I watch them from my perch, not interacting with them, but seeing and acknowledging that they are there. If they try to splash back up to me, I gently brush them back into the flowing stream. I allow the calm to settle over me like a cloak.
Often when I finish this visualization, I reach for my journal and let myself write. I let the thoughts pour out as I relieve the stress on my mind. It doesn’t have to make sense or be profound. It just needs to be a release.
Focus on the thoughts that trouble your mind. Once you are done, look at the topics that you wrote about. Is anything surprising? Does anything stand out? Can you make order out of the chaos?
This time is for you. No judgment and no need to share with others unless you want to.
Namaste