A R T I C L E S
Tense up your whole body, hold your breath for a few seconds and release. Stay with the sensation.
Sit leaning forward, palm of hand holding forehead lightly, elbow resting on leg.
1. Slowly count to ten, visualizing each number clearly. This activates both the left and right hemispheres of the brain, taking a little energy off your overactive emotions. Breathe abdominally. (20 seconds)
2. Sit back, hands resting on lap. Do an inventory of the physical sensations going on in your body right now. Imagine you are scanning your body starting with the top of the head and going all the way down to your toes, slowly sweeping back and forth moving your eyes with this back and forth scan. (This eye movement stimulates your brain’s informational processing system) (5 – 6 full breaths)
3. Relax all muscles which are now willing to relax. Let go as much as possible in that pause between the exhale and the inhale. Yield your body weight to the pull of gravity and the support of your chair and the floor. Imagine that any heavy thoughts and emotions that you are carrying are also subject to the pull of gravity and let them fall away. Dump them off into the earth. Empty out. ( 5 – 6 breaths)
4. Become contemplative and curious now. Ask yourself, “what do I need more of – what have I been lacking – in terms of quality of character and spirit, that would enable me to deal with my struggle the way I’d ideally want to?” (eg. Patience, courage, wisdom, love, compassion, confidence, self worth, belief in your infinite capacity to grow and improve in your areas of responsibility…) Breathe, relax and just wait…for an answer to come.
5. Become prayerful. Ask for these qualities. Imagine that there is a vast storehouse filled with these brilliant qualities, symbolized by shimmering vibrant golden liquid light. See the storehouse open up and let this light pour on into you, filling the “temple” of your mind, heart and body. ( 5 breaths plus)
6. Relax more deeply, maintaining your receptive mode. Be completely open-minded and open-hearted to just sit and receive these wonderful attributes. (5 breaths)
7. Think about re-entering your life and facing the challenge ahead. Notice if you feel a twang of reactivity in your body with that thought and gently breathe into it. Slowly gather up this jangled energy as you inhale and then yield it up into the pure light flowing into you from your source. Let that light absorb and purify it. Sit and enjoy feeling alive. (1 – 5 minutes or 10 if you have the time)