Energy for Spiritual Health

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Energy is defined as the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental health and activity.

Most of us have an awareness that food and mental stimulation are required sources of energy to be physically and mentally healthy. But how often do we take a step back to examine the energy required to sustain spiritual health? Or the source(s) we’ve allowed to provide this energy?

>>> Overall wellness includes body and soul <<<

As with the physical body, our spiritual body requires energy to be healthy. And like the physical body, there are sources of energy that are better suited to maintain the spiritual body than others. Let’s relate spirituality to food. It’s safe to say that most fast food is not healthy for you. It may be quick and convenient, but the nutrition level is extremely low…much like negativity/judgment/hate…all quick and easy to feel. The most nutritional food you can have tends to be food you make for yourself. Although it may be more difficult and take a bit longer, the preparation yields more nutritional and healthier results…much like love/patience/kindness.

When we take the time and connect directly to the source that is infinite love for us (whatever that source might be), we are preparing our own spiritual food, which will generate a stronger yield of love. We are all our own beautiful connection to love and love energy can naturally flow through us if we allow it. The energy then has an opportunity to flow from us and build love energy blended with love energy, until we’re all in a reality filled with love/patience/kindness.

Take the time to consider what you leverage as energy sources in spiritual aspects of your life. Do you tend to place your sources in others versus yourself? How can you begin to prepare your own personal connection, allowing that love to flow forward?

Be Aware – Become Relaxed

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Body Awareness Meditation

Have you ever found yourself getting ready for bed at the end of a given day and noticed there is tension in your shoulders and neck? You don’t know how it got there, but somehow the stress of the day ended up in your body and now you feel every ounce of it!

>>> Body awareness meditation is a practice of bringing our focus onto our body and mindfully releasing the stress that crept in <<<

By feeling into the tension and allowing it to release, we not only become more physically relaxed, but we also increase our ability to mentally relax. How? When we are physically tense, we engage our sympathetic nervous system. Our brain believes our body is tense because there is potential danger present and it is preparing to protect itself. But, when we take the time to relax our body, we allow the parasympathetic nervous system to regain function and our body returns to a balanced state.

Below are a few tips to begin this meditation practice. As with all practices, it may not flow perfectly the first few times. You may have difficulty relaxing every muscle in the body, that is fine! If this is the case, focus on the muscles that create the most tension and stress for you. Another common complexity faced at the onset of the practice is that there isn’t a great deal of release the first few times through. Don’t become discouraged. It may take a few times through the practice for your body to understand what you are asking of it. But once you have it, relaxation is yours anywhere.

Step-by-Step Guidance
  1. Find a quiet space to lay down for 5 to 10 minutes
  2. Begin with 3 deep breaths in through the nose – breath down into the abdomen, relaxing the stomach and allowing the breath to sink deep down. Exhale fully and slowly through the nose.
  3. After completing 3 deep breaths, bring your awareness to your feet. Feel your feet fully – any sensations that are in your feet, any stress in the toes, arches or heels. Begin to imagine a warm sensation flowing into your feet, relaxing and releasing any sensation that feels stressful or tense.
  4. Once your feet are warm and relaxed, begin to move the warm sensation up over the ankles and into the calves and shins. Feel any tension or stress in these muscles begin to fade away as the warmth fills them.
  5. Feel the flow continue up the leg into the knees. As you feel the sensation enter the area of focus, allow all tension to fade and the body to fall heavier against the surface you are on.
  6. From the knees, continue the movement of warmth and relaxation up into the thighs and so on, until eventually the entire body is warm and relaxed
  7. If tension does remain, return your focus to the tense area and allow the warmth to flow into the muscle until it releases.
  8. After you have navigated through the body, take a few moments to allow the sensation of relaxation.

Communication: Listening

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“Are you listening to what I’m saying?”

Have you ever been asked or have you ever said, “Are you listening to what I’m saying?” What are we communicating when we ask this question?

You may feel that listening and hearing are different, but in essence, they are both auditory responses. We hear a sound and we take in the information associated with it. What can be different is the action taken…whether we react or respond. The best way to look at this is to not worry about semantics, but to focus on what is truly being asked: “Are you understanding what I’m saying? Are you here with me now? Are you in this present moment?”

>>> When we actively engage, we are able to fully understand and process the information <<<

When we are not in the present moment, the information is not able to be fully processed and can lead to many things like miscommunication, misunderstanding, judgement, preconceived outcomes/evaluations, etc. due to energy of past experiences and/or future fears. The most common issue from this is reacting versus responding.

Many times, when we are not listening, we choose to react to a situation because we didn’t take the time to allow the information to resonate. When we react, it usually is brash, quick, and can be aggressive in nature. When we listen and allow all information to resonate, we can take the time to feel out a situation and respond accordingly. Even if we don’t fully understand what is being communicated, responding by saying that can give us further clarity, rather than reacting and brushing it off with no intention to understand further. The more we focus on responding versus reacting, the more we are able to not jump to conclusions, get emotional, judge or blow things out of proportion.

Even when you are the communicator, take the time to feel whether or not your words are being listened to or heard. Take the time to feel out the situation and see if the person you are communicating to is listening. If not, seek to understand why that individual is not in the present moment and/or why that person is reacting versus responding. By showing that you’re listening and that you care will command their attention and bring them to the present, allowing your words to resonate, creating the opportunity for solid communication.

Furthermore, being present and attentive is a sign of respect – to our family, our friends, our co-workers, strangers and our loved ones. When we actively engage, we show that we are genuinely interested in what is being communicated. This allows the person who is communicating to feel valued, which in return, can give the communicator the opportunity to express what they are saying with more clarity. We may not agree with what is being said and that is okay, but we must continue to allow ourselves the opportunity to listen intently, because what is being said may provide growth and expansion.

Communication is the key to all relationships (romantic, friends, family, work, social, etc.). Taking the time to truly connect does take effort, but not as much effort as it takes to repair a miscommunication. So, put the effort in up front and it will save you both time and energy in the long run…in addition to strengthening your relationship(s) all around.

Active Meditation – Get Moving…Get Meditating!

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When we say meditation, often thoughts immediately go to sitting in a low light room with candles flickering, music playing, sitting cross legged with our eyes closed and mind blank. But if you are like many, starting here in meditation would drive you absolutely mad!

We spend so much of our time in activity, that to begin meditating by abruptly stopping all activity and dropping into non-activity doesn’t calm the thoughts in the mind. It may actually do the opposite, giving time to feed the thoughts and agitating us more.

So what do we do if we desire to begin meditating but fall into this category? We can begin with Active Meditation.

In active meditation, we use movement to calm the mind, gradually bringing us into a space where we can sit in that quiet state without feeling we are going to crawl out of our skin. These activities slowly bring us out of our normal routine, connecting us with our environment, our bodies and eventually ourselves.

One example of Active Meditation is walking meditation. Here is how this might flow:
  • Find a quiet place in nature where you can spend anywhere from a few minutes to as long as you desire walking slowly – a park, your yard, anywhere that has some type of natural setting and isn’t overpowered by cars and noise
  • Begin to walk slowly and observe your environment – the colors of the trees and flowers, the feel of the wind against your skin, the smell in the air…bring all of your focus on what surrounds you.
  • Begin to bring your awareness onto your breath, as you continue to walk and observe. Deepen your breath by relaxing your stomach and expanding it as you breath in. Use each breath in to relax the stomach and deepen the breath just a bit more, until you feel your body begin to relax.
  • Take a moment to sit quietly and allow any feelings or emotions to present themselves once you feel relaxed. Don’t linger on any one of them. Simply allow them to present themselves and pass.
  • Gently return to your normal activity, when you feel ready, with the refreshed and renewed feeling.
>>> There is no single way to meditate <<<

…it is meant to command your awareness and become present. Whether you like to play music, paint, engage in good conversation with a friend, play a sport…. The key is to find the path that leads you to calming your thoughts and connecting with self. From here, the gates will open and meditation won’t seem like an endless struggle of fighting thoughts.

How Can Meditation Benefit Me?

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How Meditation Benefits You…

is solely based on how much you want it to. It can simply be a tool for relaxation and stress relief, or it can be the way you find out who you truly are and what your purpose is in life. For those who are beginners and just starting to understand what it means to meditate and how to meditate, finding out who you are and what your purpose in life is may seem like a lofty goal. And that may be true…but remember, you are your only limitation.

The more you take time to appreciate the message of meditation (being present), the more you will recognize how much it can benefit you. Start with the simple things: focus on your breathing, which will help alleviate built up stress that causes your mind to race and, subsequently, affects your moods, sleep and over all quality of life. Allow yourself to embrace the now. Breathing will also help teach you to focus on what you are doing, versus the norm of focusing on what you need to do or what you’ve already done.

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Being present, in the now, is not easy. It takes dedication to unlearn what we have engrained in our daily lives. Once you have learned to be present, you will start to recognize that your days will go slower. Not in a bad way, it will just seem slightly slower because when you are present, you are able to think more clearly and respond versus react to situations. Many of us don’t live in the present because we are too busy worrying about what we did in the past or what may happen in the future.

>>> Regret only exists in the past and fear only exists in the future <<<

If you are constantly worried, your body builds up stress and automatically places you in the “fight or flight” mode. In this mode, we naturally rely on instinct and quick reactions. This is an issue because this doesn’t allow us to take the time to truly think about a situation. Many people make bad decisions and/or overreact because they are in this state. In addition, in this state, emotions can get the better of us and truly affect our behavior irrationally and negatively. Furthermore, living in this accelerated state of being and high level of stress can be extremely taxing on your body, leading to poor health.

If you are present, you have the time to respond to a situation versus react. Because you are responding, you will be able to make logical, clear and more succinct decisions. Also, you will be in a calmer and more relaxed natural state, leading to these benefits:

  • Provides a Sense of Peace and Balance 
  • Reduces Feelings of Anxiety and Anger 
  • Reduces Pain 
  • Increases Blood Flow 
  • Increases Energy 
  • Helps Reverse Heart Disease 
  • Helps Control Thoughts  (No, not other people’s thoughts, just your own.)
  • Reduces Stress

Taking time to meditate every day sounds tough, but in reality, all you need is two minutes! Two minutes per day can make all the difference in the world for you. If you haven’t tried meditating yet or if you have and you feel like you don’t know what you are doing…don’t worry, that’s normal!

To get yourself started on meditation, read Meditation: 10 Tips for Beginners To Get You Started.

MEDITATION: 10 TIPS FOR BEGINNERS TO GET YOU STARTED

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WHAT EXACTLY IS MEDITATION?

Meditation is the art of focusing your complete, undivided attention to one thing (usually yourself). It is a way for you to quiet your mind and your body – to get away from the daily stresses of life. Many of us are caught up worrying about our future or regretting the past. Meditation is designed to help you understand what it truly means to live in the “NOW.” Being present isn’t easy, and it takes time.

You may be more familiar with the term “visualization,” and you might be asking, “What’s the difference?” Visualization is very similar and an exceptional tool – a tool to help you visually understand and know what you desire to become. Meditation is a tool to help you understand who and what you already are.

 

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10 TIPS TO GET YOU STARTED

  1. Find Time. Find time for your meditation. It can be as simple as just a couple of minutes out of the day. Figure out the time that is best for you whether that’s in the early morning when your mind is fresh, mid-day to take a break from the hectic day or in the evening to recap and finish off the day on a healthy and good note.
  2. Find a comfortable place in your home, outside, wherever – all that matters is that that place is quiet, safe and meaningful to you.
  3. Sit or lie down. You may meditate however you feel called to do so, but make sure however you meditate, you are comfortable. It is recommended that you either lie down on your back or sit up straight so that your spine is in line, creating an even energy flow.
  4. Use Incense. Incense is not a necessity, but it does help unlock and heighten your senses. Any incense can work, Nag Champa is recommended.
  5. Use a soft light. While meditating, it helps to have a soft light near you. A Himalayan Salt Lamp is recommended.
  6. Music. Music is not a necessity, but definitely helps. Youtube has great meditation music. Make sure it is meditation music with either Delta Waves or Theta Waves. Play this music lightly in the background – it will help balance your brain waves.
  7. Breathe. Start with focusing on your breath. The simplicity of deep breathing in and breathing out will command your awareness. You may breathe with your eyes open, but generally with your eyes closed helps.
  8. Notice your body. While breathing, start to focus on your energy. Follow that energy as it moves from the top of your head, through your arms, down your body, all the way to your legs and feet.
  9. Do not stress. Meditation is designed to get rid of your stress. Stress, worrying, anxiety and fear all exist only in the future. The first couple times you meditate may be difficult. Many of us have gotten into the habit of constantly having to be doing something. Remember, you are DOING, so focus on that, and that alone.
  10. Be Grateful. After your meditation, take a few moments to recognize what you just experienced and the love that you will feel for yourself and the world. Take that love and light and share it with others.


MANY WHO START MEDITATION, DON’T STICK WITH IT…

Something very important to understand about meditation is that it doesn’t happen over night. There is a reason why they call it the “practice” of meditation, because you must practice, practice, practice. You only need a few minutes out of the day to meditate. Instead of watching that extra five minutes of TV or instead of surfing on the web that extra five minutes, take the time to meditate as this is a gift by you, for you. You will notice that time will start to slow down, you will start to think more clearly and, most importantly, you will learn how to be your true self.