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The Essence and Magic of Mindfulness Meditation: What, Why, How and Where

July 6, 2015 by Julie Lusk

What is Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness is defined as the impartial awareness of ones inner and outer experiences practiced moment by moment.

Here is an effective mindfulness meditation exercise from Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief, a book and audio set by Julie Lusk. Try it out and let us know how it goes. Your questions (and answers) are welcome!

B…R…E…A…T…H…E for Mindfulness *

This mindfulness meditation provides seven steps for practicing mindfulness with a twist of meditation. The word “breathe” will help you remember each step. Take your time to fully experience each of the steps before going on to the next.

Process

Breathe fully, slowly.

Release muscular tension.

Engage and Expand your awareness.

Alert to sounds, sights, and smells. Awareness without naming.

Think positive thoughts.

Here and now.

Enjoy the moment.

Why: Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation

Diane Poole-Heller reports that research has shown that the benefits of a mindfulness meditation practice helps develop all 9 functions of the brain’s prefrontal cortex. This happens by practicing 20 minutes daily for only 8 weeks.

ANS Regulation – Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Balance
Attuned Communication – felt sense of other’s experience
Regulation of emotions
Response flexibility
Empathy
Insight – self awareness
Fear extinction – GABA fibers to amygdala
Intuition – deep knowing
Morality

How, When and Where

Mindfulness can be practiced formally by closing your eyes and sitting up straight as in meditation for 20 or so minutes. This builds up your capacity for mindfulness while also developing your brain. It will lift up your energy and lower stress levels. Your productivity will improve, your emotional fuse will lengthen, and your ability to enjoy living is enhanced. Your whole day will go better, even in the midst of stress.

In addition, mindfulness can be practiced informally as well. This is when you practice moment-to-moment awareness during your day-to-day activities. To get started, simply shift your attention to whatever is happening while it happens. For example, impartially check in with sensations from your body (cool/hot, tense/relaxed, etc.), notice how you feel, impartially naming the mood you’re in, and noticing how your emotions are being expressed physically, and by becoming aware of whatever thoughts are taking place. Practically speaking, this is done by taking time, for example, at meals to really look at your food and consciously smell it, taste it, and chew it. Throw in some gratitude if you wish. Or, take a few moments to feel the sunshine, to feel the actual texture of your pets fur or listen to whatever sounds are happening – all in a non-evaluative and nonjudgmental manner. This also goes for noticing however you’re breathing and the level of tension or relaxation that’s present in your shoulders. YogaNidraCF.indd

* Reprinted from Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief by Julie Lusk

Guided Mindfulness Meditations: Practicing Presence & Finding Peace Download

Ease into mindfulness with a clean, user-friendly, body-based, joyful approach. Gain calmer nerves, a brighter outlook, stronger memory, sharper focus, healthier body awareness & more balance. Get a long & short guided experience. Learn informal ways to be more mindful during the day. Available at Hay House https://www.hayhouse.com/guided-mindfulness-meditations-audio-download

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The Inner Eye of Awareness Meditation ©

March 28, 2014 by Julie Lusk

Time: 15-20 minutes

Summary: This meditation opens the door to your inner awareness and to a place of deep inner stillness by focusing your awareness upon the inner pulsation that is seen behind the closed eyes. Yogis have used this practice for thousands of years.

Guided Meditation:

Begin with settling your body/mind in a meditation posture that is comfortable for you. This may be sitting upright on a firm chair, or on the floor with or without a meditation cushion. Choose a position that allows your spine to be upright and erect, respecting your knees, hips, shoulders, and back.

Refine your seat by settling more firmly onto your sitz bones…level your pelvis…circle your shoulders up, back and down…lift your sternum…place your chin so it’s parallel to the floor…and lift the crown of your head gently upwards.

Place your hands either on your lap with one had cradled into the other with your thumbs touching or place one on each knee and touch the pads of your thumbs to the tip of your index fingers. The hands can face up or down.

Speaking from your heart, quietly set an intention by saying something like “I’m going to be still for 15 minutes focusing my breathing. As soon as I notice I’m thinking or distracted, I will let it go of the distraction and return to my breath.”

Take a few moments to get in touch with the sensations present in your body … ask for and receive permission from your body to meditate.

Get in touch with your thinking mind …and your emotions … ask for and receive permission from your mind… and emotions to meditate.

Ask for help and grace from your inner teacher and your connection to the divine (Jesus, Buddha, the Divine Mother, etc.)

Follow your breath for a few minutes, or use whatever method works best for becoming centered.

Take a moment to offer your meditation to be of benefit to all sentient beings.

With your outer eyes closed, become aware of your inner eyes by looking at what you see behind your eyelids …turning your attention inward to your consciousness… simply observe your own inner world with your inner eye so you can become more aware of what you actually see behind your closed eyes…

Perhaps you see a field of gray…or a mosaic of color…something like the night sky… a ruby red…or a bluish-gray light … The shapes and color you see doesn’t matter at all, what’s important is to impartially watch whatever you see as you see it.

You are looking at mind stuff; the inner consciousness…this is the place from which all thoughts, feelings, perceptions and sensations arise and subside. It’s the energetic ground.

If you would like to spark your inner experience, blink your eyes tighter, even though they are already closed and pay attention to what you see…Another way is to rub your eyes through your closed eyelids very softly and tenderly.

Now notice the dynamic quality of this inner consciousness…Notice if what you see constantly shifts and changes, forming new patterns of subtle movement …a kind of dance of images…color…or shapes…vibrating and pulsing… expanding and contracting… …this is your inner consciousness and it’s made of energy… merely watch the pulsation and it’s ongoing nature.

Take as much time as you wish to follow the patterns of the coming and going of the designs that are a part of your inner world of awareness.

When you notice your mind has drifted into thinking, bring your awareness back to looking behind your eyelids.

If you would like to deepen your experience, find a point of inner awareness that captures your attention right now and in this moment…perhaps it’s a darker, or maybe a brighter spot, and focus there…watching and witnessing …and allowing it to take you inward still…and deeper.

It’s time to make the transition back…Bring your attention back to your breath and without changing it, follow along with your mind’s eye…following the inhalation and exhalation and the coming and going of your breath.

Focus your attention on the rest of your body … shift your weight … and stretch a little bit…and return to being still.

Open your eyes just a sliver and then close them, returning inside for a little longer…slowly blink your eyes open, being aware of blending the inner sight with the outer world…Sit a bit longer and gradually open your eyes and stretch more fully. Notice any changes that have happened since your inward journey into the eye of consciousness.

Author’s Note: This practice is one I discovered on my own as a little girl. More recently, I have returned to this form of meditation and it is particularly effective for capturing my attention and holding me in the moment. This rendition was inspired by Sally Kempton and is included in her book named “The Heart of Meditation: Pathways to a Deeper Experience” published by the SYDA Foundation in 2002. Sally shares a wealth of her vast knowledge and experience in her book and it is one of my favorites.

Reprinted with permission from Yoga Meditations: Timeless Mind-Body Practices for Awakening by Julie Lusk.

Sleep Well ~ Yoga Nidra

Why struggle to get to sleep or stay asleep at night when you can sleep well with yoga nidra? Sleep is vital to our health and sleep experts tell us we need an average of eight hours at a shot. Even if there’s time for sleep, many of us have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, interfering with good health and causing frustration.

Find the help you’ve been waiting for in these articles:

Sleep Solutions: Yoga-Style talks about the best yoga postures and breathing techniques for a good night’s sleep.
Yoga Nidra and Sleep explains what yoga nidra is and why it’s more restful than regular sleep.
Not Sleeping Soundly? Here’s help for those nights when you feel you’re half awake and half asleep.

Listen to this specialized yoga nidra practice especially made for going to sleep (CD or digital download). It’s from Julie’s new book, Yoga Nidra Meditations: 24 Scripts for True Relaxation

Clear the deck for a good nights sleep by releasing physical, mental and emotional tension. You’ll love waking up in the morning feeling refreshed.

Enjoy using relaxation skills, specialized breathing techniques, mindfulness, and more. You’ll enjoy the soothing Native American style flute music followed by the calming sound of ocean waves, Mother Nature’s delightful lullaby.

“I never slept better.”
“I love the whole thing.”
“I fall asleep so easily, I haven’t made it through to the end yet.”

Get copies of Sleep Well ~ Yoga Nidra for yourself and your friends and family here.

Digital Download

Amazon
Apple iTunes
Google Play Music & other online outlets

Sleep Well | Yoga Nidra CD

Use deep relaxation, soothing flute music & ocean waves to go to sleep. "I slept like a log." Downloads available. By Julie Lusk, Yoga Nidra Meditations author.

Sweet dreams!

Julie Lusk, MEd, E-RYT 500, has over 35 years of expertise in stress relief, yoga, relaxation training, guided imagery, and meditation as an international author, recording artist, and workshop leader.

Julie is the author of

Yoga Nidra Meditations: 24 Scripts for True Relaxation
Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief
Yoga Meditations,
Two volumes of 30 Scripts for Relaxation, Imagery and Inner Healing
Desktop Yoga®.
Audio recordings include
- Wholesome Relaxation
- Yoga Nidra Essentials
- Power of Presence
- Blue Moon Rising
- and many others.
- Learn more at JulieLusk.com

Shocking News about Sitting Quietly

July 14, 2014 by Julie Lusk

Does it sound appealing to you to have a little time all to yourself? Is some peace and quiet something you yearn for?

What if you were asked to sit still in a room by yourself for 6 to 15 minutes? Could you make it without your smartphone, tablet, a book, something to doodle on or listen to? As it turns out, this is really hard for most people.

In a study published in Science on hundreds of participants in a series of 11 experiments, over half the volunteers reported it as not enjoyable on a 9-point scale. It was hard to concentrate and their minds wandered. It was not fun at all. In fact, one experiment showed that 67% of men and 25% of women chose to give themselves a mild electrical shock instead of being quiet doing nothing. This was even after testing out the shock beforehand with most saying they would pay $5 instead of feeling the shock again. Click on the image for more info.

Really? A lot of folks would rather be shocked than have quiet time? No wonder it’s so hard for people when waiting in line, stuck in traffic, or lying awake at night. Is that why so many people avoid meditation even when knowing how beneficial it is? Does it mean that people don’t value ‘think time’ or daydreaming? Perhaps, so many people don’t like time for aimless thinking because they don’t know how to tame their mind or have forgotten how to be quiet or don’t value it. What are your thoughts on this?

Unstructured ‘think time’ happens throughout the day, doesn’t it. Is that why so many people grab their smartphone as soon as a free minute appears? This even happens while driving. Have you had the urge to check your texts, email or the weather at a stop light rather than look out the window or even listen to the music playing? You’re not ‘alone.’ According to this study, half of us don’t like having quiet “thinking time.”

So now what? I think it’s a good idea to learn how to get used to having free time again by learning some healthy mental habits. This would take the stinging frustration out of waiting, for example. It will even build up your brain power.

Share your thoughts with us in the comment section. I’m curious about what you have to say.

Here are some great ideas for when free time comes about accidentally or on purpose.

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Mouth Yoga

March 4, 2015 by Julie Lusk

According to the yoga tradition, 80% of your problems can be solved with mouth yoga. That is, what you eat and drink and put in your mouth, what you say, and who you kiss makes a big difference.

Wise yogis ask us to consider 3 things before saying something:

Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Is it kind?

Practice smiling, whether you feel like it or not, is the advice given by Thich Nhat Hahn, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by the Rev. Martin Luther King, He said you will feel more positive and at peace. He says in his book, Be Free Where You Are, he gives us the exercise of “Breathing in, I smile. Breathing out, I release.”

If you’re wondering why you should smile when there isn’t joy inside, he answers, “Smiling is a practice. There are over three hundred muscles in your face. When you are angry or fearful, these muscles tense up. The tension in these muscles creates a feeling of hardness. If you know how to breathe in and produce a smile, however, the tension will disappear – it is what I call “mouth yoga.” Make smiling an exercise. Just breath in and smile – the tension will disappear and you will feel much better.”

Belleruth Naparstek calls smiling “affirmations for your face” and promises you’ll start getting smiles back from others. I call it smile-asana. Go ahead… and Smile Now!

Smiling may help you live longer. Wayne State University researchers studied major league baseball card pictures from 1952. They found that smiling players lived an average of 7 years longer than non-smiling players.

Smiling stimulates the brain equivalent to eating up to 2000 chocolate bars or getting up to $25,000 in a study by UK researchers who used electromagnetic brain scans and heart-rate monitors to generate “mood-boosting values.”

Do you have jaw tension? Do you grip your teeth tightly? Try opening your mouth and moving your jaw up and down and sideways to relieve tension. Another method is to rub your scalp around the half-moon circling over the top of your ears. While you’re at it, rub your outer ears with your fingertips and thumbs for a nice energizer. Lowering your caffeine levels may relieve jaw tension too. Come on now, let go … and smile!

Do you know what the yoga police say? “You have the right to remain silent.”

What you see and hear matters too. Habib Sadeghi writes about a phenomenon called the Illusion of Truth Effect. Basically, it says that repetition increases our mental validation of anything we’re exposed to whether or not the information is true or not. Hearing or seeing something consistently is viewed as more valid than messages we’re exposed to only occasionally. A weak message repeated twice becomes more valid than a strong message heard only once, according to research from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Therefore, be careful of the messages you’re being exposed to since repetition matters. Think again about all those political messages and evaluate their accuracy with facts. Sadeghi offers these recommendations in his article:

1. MAKING WORDS WORK. To consciously harness the power of words for your benefit, start with the ones you’re using.

2. NO NAME-CALLING OR SELF-CRITICISM. Everyone is doing the best they can at any moment in time with the consciousness they have to work with, including you. Be kind and offer yourself the same empathy and compassion you’d extend to anyone else.

3. STOP ALL SELF-DEPRECATION. Never make your body, or something you’ve accomplished, or anything else in your life the butt of a joke. Words have power, and quantum energy doesn’t have a sense of humor.

4. RESIST GOSSIPING AND SPEAKING ILL OF OTHERS. It’s impossible for your words to resonate in anyone else’s body but your own.

5. GO ON A NEGATIVITY DIET. Instead of saying that a meal was terrible say, “I’ve had better.” You’ve basically said what you wanted to say without putting negative energy through your body—you even used a positive word to do it!

6. BOOST THE POSITIVE ENERGY OF WORDS. Instead of saying something like you had a good time at a concert, ramp up the positive energy by saying great, terrific, or fantastic, instead. These feel much better and generate a bigger energetic response in the body.

7. IF YOU HAVE SOME NEGATIVE NOAHS OR NANCYS IN YOUR CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, limit the time you spend with them or find better friends. Negative energy has a way of dragging everything surrounding it in, like a big black hole. Avoid it when you can.

8. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE, UPLIFTING WORDS. Put affirmations on sticky notes around your home and office that say wonderful things about you, your family, or your goals. Wear clothes that have positive messages or phrases on them. Imagine the kind of positive energy you’ll be generating for yourself when you’re wearing positivity all day long. As you keep doing these things, you use the power of repetition in a highly effective way for your benefit. You have the power to change your world, and using words consciously is one of the quickest ways to shift the energy you bring into your life.

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