Guest guest Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 Self-Healing Basics by Cristin Snyder Through this article I would like to explore some very basic methods that can be used to relieve tension, stress, and depression, as well as sharpen intuition, clear the mind, & increase energy. These methods can be used by anyone to help restore a general sense of well-being. As with all material of this nature it is not intended to diagnose or cure any illness. Conditions requiring medical attention should be treated properly through conventional channels. Please use discretion. All beings require equality. There must be a balance between the spiritual, emotional, and physical being. When the balance is off, we are off. We feel the repercussions through physical pain, discomfort, anxiety, anger, and depression. When we go to the doctor to seek pills for physical ailments, typically we are focusing treatment on the symptoms and not the underlying problem. Again, I am not discouraging anyone from going to the doctor, however most doctors would agree that a well-balanced person tends to be a healthier person. Nothing that improves the outlook and helps reduce stress can hurt you. There are various natural methods that can be used by anyone in even the busiest lifestyles, to help restore a sense of balance. I will be touching on the basics of Light Meditation, Visualization, Affirmations, Journaling. Meditation There are many misconceptions about meditation. Many feel it takes a lot of time or that it is a serious religious practice. It definitely does not have to be and is one of the most powerful tools anyone can integrate into their lifestyles. It takes a little effort, but the rewards are immeasurable. The truth is even a moment or two a couple of times a day will allow the mind a chance to regroup. This is particularly helpful for those who suffer from anxiety or problems with short-term memory. Meditation is the practice of stilling the mind, and controlling where ones thoughts flow. Through doing this you can gain a better perspective on situations in your life, as well as become clearer and more focused throughout your daily activities. There are dozens of other benefits to this practice as well, which I cover more in some of my classes. For beginning meditations I recommend sitting in a comfortable position in a location as free from outside noise as possible. Close the eyes and simply focus on clearing your mind of all conscious thought. If this is difficult you can repeat a word that makes you feel comfortable and at ease. My word is " repose " . If you catch your mind starting to wander gently pull it back to your word or to the stillness. When you first start try doing this for only a minute or two, and then as you do it more you can increase the time. This helps to avoid frustration and will help you stick with it. If you are patient and persistent, you will find that the benefits are well worth the effort. Your mind will thank you for the break. Visualizations Next I would like to move on to Visualizations. All of us know how to daydream. The truth is when you daydream you are doing a visualization of sorts. You are removing the conscious mind from all the hustle and bustle of its thoughts and placing it somewhere else. In visualization exercises the purpose is to control where you put your thoughts. It can be used to aid in pain relief, depression, (I am seasonally depressed and use visualization therapy a lot to help me get through winter) and in anxiety reduction. Bring into vision in your minds eye a place that relaxes you, a place that is all your own. It can be an actual place you have been to, or a place you create. This will be your sanctuary. Picture the place in your mind. Now go deeper into the picture. What do you see? Look for the details of your special place. What is the temperature like? If you are outside, how is the weather? What do you hear? What do you smell? Reach out and touch the ground or the floor, what does it feel like? Touch; hear, smell everything here. Spend a minute or two exploring your senses and familiarizing yourself with this special place. Really develop this place to the tiniest details. If it helps you, write a description of it. It is very important to bring it to life in your mind in a way you can always go back to it and see it in its fullest details and unique beauty. This place is the center of your soul, a sanctuary for you where you can relax and be free from everyday worries. Affirmations Next I would like to cover affirmations. Affirmations are brief, positive statements developed to help us to reprogram certain parts of our subconscious. We have all heard that inner critic kick in with " You're not pretty enough, you're not smart enough " etc. This can be a very powerful voice and the more negative thoughts we have the more we feed it. Many people are not aware of just how much negativity they consume, self-inflicted or otherwise. I recommend keeping a pen and paper close to you for one hour. During this hour be conscious of your thoughts, as well as external influences. For every negative statement you take in, make a mark on your paper. Once this exercise is finished multiply the number of marks on your page by at least 16, which will give you a small idea of the amount of negativity you are continually bombarded with. One of the most powerful tools to use against this ingrained negativity is to reprogram our thought patterns. Our subconscious minds don't care what they are programmed with, negative or positive. When you hear something enough you start to believe it and those negative thoughts can become self-fulfilling prophecies. Our goal here is to fight fire with fire so to speak, and come back at the negatives with positives, almost like reprogramming a computer. An affirmation should have the following qualities: Must be brief. Must be concise. Must not have the word no in it or any negative connotations. Must be easy to remember. Must be repeated. An example of a good affirmation would be " I have all I need and I am thankful, " or " I love myself unconditionally. " As a general rule I say to keep the same affirmation going for at least a week. Learn to say it with conviction. Pay attention to what you are saying every time you repeat it. When you have a few minutes to yourself go look in the mirror and say it to yourself and mean it! Yes, you will tell yourself you look silly, that's OK, do it anyway. The more you do the less silly you will feel and the more empowered you become. When we face ourselves we find our true strength! Journaling I cannot say enough how much writing helps. There are many different ways to do this, and the best method is to find your own method - one that is comfortable to you, as this is a very intense, very personal experience. When you first start just write/type whatever comes into your head, no matter how silly it might seem. This is the key to unlock the floodgates. Gradually as you get into it and time progresses you will open many doors of self-discovery, and through this begin to regain your balance. To develop a habit of writing set up a 5 - 15 minute period in your day where you sit and write. You can make this a part of your nighttime ritual, or do it first thing in the morning when all is quiet. With a little self-discipline and practice you can make yourself a happier more balanced person through just a few simple practices. I know from personal experience that taking time for the Self is so vital to personal empowerment and wellness. It is easy to get so involved in our " roles " that we forget to remember our true Spirit. Take some time for yourself and get to know your own best friend, he/She has been right there with you all along. Breathing Exercises (The first couple are in case she is new at mediation) Here are several types of intentional breathing exercises. It is important to be aware of your breathing, and be able to switch in to abdominal breathing for all of them, so I suggest you become comfortable with " relaxing breath " first. While breathing exercises can be learned quickly, it often takes months of practice to realize the full benefits of them, so don't give up! Breathing exercises are important for meditation magick and healing. Breath is used by many mental health professionals as a healing technique for such conditions as anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, depression and stress symptoms such as tension headaches, tight muscles, irritability and fatigue. It is also great for PMS! Basic Natural Breathing Sit, stand or lie comfortably with your back in a good posture. Slumping forward inhibits your ability to breathe deeply and fully. Identify anything that is stressing or worrying you. Only think about this for a few seconds, then let it all go. Imagine the tension taking flight like a flock of doves soaring into the sky. Hear their wings flapping as your worries leave you, lighter, freer. Consciously relax your arms and shoulders. Place one hand on your abdomen. Slowly exhale through your nose, expelling all the air you can without strain. Take a deep breath, filling first your abdomen, then your chest. Feel your abdomen inflate like a soft balloon, but not distend. Exhale slowly through your nose again. Repeat this, being cognizant of each breath until your breathing is steady and natural feeling. Notice how relaxed you have become. You are ready to proceed with grounding and centering, meditation, more advanced breathing exercises (below) or other activities. Tension Release Breathing Do not let yourself think about any worries or anxiety provoking issues while doing this exercise. If the thoughts creep in, stop them by re-focusing on the breathing and counting. Begin breathing deeply, filling your abdomen first, then your chest. Sit quietly, scan your body for tension, and consciously tell any tense muscles to relax (tension often accumulates in shoulders, neck and back). Inhale deeply through your nose, pause, then exhale, count one. Repeat, counting your exhalations to five. Begin again, counting exhalations one to five. Continue this exercise 5-10 minutes. You should be relaxed and the anxiety or tension greatly diminished. Purifying Breath This breathing exercise is used to tone your respiratory system and to send renewed energy to your whole body. If you have been sitting and feeling stagnant, this one will reawaken you. It can be used as part of a pre-ritual cleansing as well. Sit or stand comfortably. Inhale a complete, natural breath through your nose. Hold the breath for a few seconds. Pretend you have a straw in your mouth, and exhale a short burst of air forcefully, through the small opening. Stop, then do it again. With each puff out, visualize an pollutants, negativity and detrimental germs going with the air, and falling harmlessly to the floor. Repeat until you have emptied your lungs via these short, strong puffs. Inhale, visualizing pure, cleansing air entering your body, filling you with purity. Repeat about 6-10 times. Energizing Breath Stand comfortably. Stretch several times, reaching higher each time. Trigger your yawn reflex while stretching. Begin breathing deeply and naturally, as above. Spin your arms backward, all the way around. Switch directions, spinning them forward. This will re-energize you! Healing Breath Lie comfortably. Practice natural breathing for a few minutes. Place your dominant hand on the part of the body that is injured or infected. Place your other hand (receptive) on your abdomen. Visualize energy flowing into you with each inhalation, filling a reservoir in your solar plexus. Imagine this energy flowing into the selected area, washing through it, driving out the pain or infection. Cleansing, purifying, disinfecting energy being drawn from the universe and being channeled into healing light. Continue this until your feel ready to be finished. Place both arms at your sides, palms turned downward and let the excess energy in you hands flow back into the surface/ground beneath you. This exercise may be repeated as needed. Breathing and Meditation - Becoming Conscious of Your Breathing When the mind is kept on the breath, even for a few minutes, the body will relax. Breath is life, life is breath. Breath influences even the microscopic processes of our bodies, such as the activities of our cells. It is also closely linked with the performance of our brains. Respiration is the fuel that burns oxygen and glucose, producing the energy to mobilize every glandular secretion, every muscular contraction, every activity of our brain function. Traditional peoples revered the breath as the life force itself. Nothing in life is more powerful than the breath, yet most of us are unaware of our breathing, simply taking it for granted. Many people assume that because breathing is a semi-automatic function, it is beyond our active control. This is not so. Although breathing is largely an unconscious process, we can take conscious control of the breath at any time. Consequently, the breath becomes a bridge between the conscious and unconscious dimensions of our minds. Becoming conscious of our breath, and our existing breathing patterns, and to be able to use our breath to release blockages and stress, gives us the key to relaxing our body and mind. This also gives us some control over the quality of our lives. And the beauty of the breath is that it is always available to us. Basic mediation practices usually focus on the breath, aiming to calm the mind and reduce distractions, as practices in themselves or before engaging in other forms of meditation. Deep breathing relaxation techniques also can be done separately; whenever needed or used just prior to meditation. Through meditation, the magic that is breathing comes into conscious awareness. We become acquainted with our normal breathing patterns and experience how they affect our bodies and minds. Meditation practice teaches that the breath follows the movement of mind and vice versa. Through purposeful use of your breath you can learn to control your mind. To be able to travel inwards consciously on your breath to discover self-knowledge is simply one of the most powerful things you can do to increase self-awareness. Life is literally dependent on breath. As well as sustaining our lives, more than any other single phenomenon, the breath holds a key to transformation. The breath mirrors our state of being at any given moment. Stop right now, and check your breathing - without changing anything. Immediately after this, check in with yourself and note what you are doing, what you are thinking, what are the sensations in your body and what you are feeling. Don't think about it; don't censor anything; don't change anything. If you do find yourself instantly moved to change something, notice what that 'something' is. Accept whatever comes to your attention. This is a simple but very effective exercise in awareness that can be done anywhere, anytime. Beginning Meditation Relax...Get comfortable. We're about to begin a journey in meditation together. What is meditation, and why should I be interested in it? Two very good questions worth a few words of introduction. Meditation is the conscious effort to stop the internal chatter of the brain. The brain is always on. It has ideas that it explores, and is thinking of tasks that are yet undone, a previous conversation, etc., etc. Meditation is the training of the subconscious to master the conscious areas of the mind. To shut off the incessant chatter, the nonstop activity that most people consider " normal " . If one can master the task, the benefits are far greater than the effort expended. Why you should be interested? The 20 minutes you spend doing a meditation will equal 4 hrs of REM sleep, for one. The reduction of stress, anxiety, high blood pressure, and other life prolonging benefits are noticeable from the very start. It doesn't cost any money, and you don't have to go anywhere to do it. The wardrobe you have now is fine, and best of all - it's free. A Word To The Wise Get comfortable! Take off any shoes, or clothing, even jewelry that you don't want constricting your relaxation and energy flow. Sit in a comfortable place with plenty of support. I like an overstuffed chair or sofa, propped against the wall with several pillows behind my back or on my bed sitting with pillows against the headboard. Use what you have. The one thing you DO NOT want to do is LIE DOWN. You will have a tendency to fall asleep when you are first learning if you take this position. Meditation is not a nap. It is a mental exercise to train you to be master of your destiny. Your mind will try to present you with all kinds of juicy ideas that it would love to explore, imagine the possibilities, and before you know it, you have followed the thoughts away from your path. The brain does NOT want you to master it. If your higher self, the Subconscious, has control over the Conscious, you will be master of your destiny. You will be able to erase old mental programs (habits) and replace them with new ones that will be productive. It opens the flow of Universal Information. The Conscious Mind does not want to relinquish the reins. It has been in the drivers seat so long, it isn't about to move over easily. One of the tricks I have developed to counterattack this is to let the ideas swell up to the forefront of my mind and examine them as they slowly pass away like soap bubbles being released. It's ok to examine them, and images that appear, but don't go down the merry path with them. Beginning - Breathing Breathe as a jug fills with water - from the bottom first. Stretch the air into the lungs filling them as you go up. When you can hold no more, imagine the jug emptying the same way - exhale from the bottom first squeezing the lungs free of the stagnant air. Do so in smooth, easy, continuous breaths getting a rhythm as you do. It is not necessary to continually breath in this fashion, although I know those that do. It is to master breath and get in touch with the body. (If you are to master your mind, you'll have to start with it's slave first - the body!) Let the exhaled air take away stress as you let it out. Imagine the newly " poured-in " air bringing in a freshness that purifies you with each successive breath. Imagine a crisp day, as clean, healthy oxygen fills and repairs the smallest reaches of your organism. Blood taking the cleansing gas to all parts of your body. Relax and Let Go Start with your feet. Let the muscles go loose, feel a warmth grow and slowly move up to your ankles. Feel the muscles in your calves grow warm and relaxed. Move this warm feeling of relaxation up the body slowly enveloping every nerve and fiber. Let the thoughts that pass through your mind, evaporate and continue to relax until every part has been just as loose and relaxed as you can be. When you have reached this blissful state, let the energy of mind concentrate on the Third Eye, or area between your eyebrows and up about an inch. Eventually, you will immediately have your energy focused on this spot as you progress. Keep still the mind, do not struggle with the thoughts that well up, keep your goal in mind, empty your mind, let them pass away, out of your head taking all stresses and built up frustrations over those subjects with them. Enjoy this state for 20 minutes. You may look at the clock in the beginning, but make yourself stick to 20 minutes. You'll find that your mind will keep perfect time for you after it has learned what period of time you want to be under for. It is an amazing fact, but time is a construct of our minds. Slowly bring your mind to a wakeful state. Let the lungs breathe deeply now. Slowly let your arms and legs come back to a waking state. Slowly open your eyes and reacquaint yourself with the world. This may take a few minutes. I usually give myself 5-10 minutes to come out of it. Personal Ritual I set up a little altar with a small glass of water, a candle, an incense tray, incense for what energy I am working towards (love, healing, monetary help), a flower, slices of fruit, or crackers, and a 5X7 framed picture of myself. When I am beginning my meditation, I will light the candle and incense, thinking of how important fire is to my life. It keeps me warm and heats my food. I pay homage to Fire. The incense is the air that I breath. It is the substance my prayers are carried to the fates on. I pay homage to Air. Next I sip a small portion of the water, rolling it in my mouth feeling its liquidity, thinking about how rare liquid water is in the universe and how very fortunate we are to have it. I pay homage to Water. The last item is a picture of myself, and here I pray to be worthy of the Path I have chosen and to bring Honor and Spirit to all that I do. When I am through meditating, I will drink the water and eat the fruit. Extinguish the candle - don't blow it out. It is an affront to Fire to use Air to dismiss it. I thank the Spirit and begin the rest of my day. After One Month By now you should feel pretty comfortable with meditation. Have you noticed a more calm demeanor, and perhaps more restful sleep at night? Do you wake up ready for the day any easier? Your mental alertness has been put on notice and a clearer picture of your spiritual strength should start to emerge. Have you noticed your internal timekeeper is working perfectly? Twenty minutes right on the dot. And you thought you needed a fancy Rolex to keep time with... You will be able to induce this state at will, if you continue to practice meditation. Other chakras can be activated in the same way, and beneficial healing energies raised. When you have a strong feeling that you have mastered the technique, you will be ready for Phase Two, or replacing worn out programs for new efficient ones that work. Yes, you can break the smoking habit, or lose weight, or be whatever you desire to be. Meditation is a tool to open your higher consciousness. It has the capacity to let you begin to project your consciousness to far away places. This is called remote viewing, or closely related - astral projection. As you let your higher centers fire, you'll notice an increase in psychic energy. You may even begin to see " glows " around people, or vibrant colors, auras depending on your sensitivity level. These psychic abilities are inherent in all humans. We have but to develop them. Persistence will pay off in the ability to master the higher courses in Energy Work. Perhaps together we can smooth any rough spots you may have getting your Spiritual Wings strong enough to fly on your own in the Astral Planes. Meditating with Color Color as Phenomena with Varying Levels or Wavelike Frequencies of Vibration Color is not in an object itself - it is due to the light shining onto it ... a beam of light is really a wave-like stream of tiny glowing particles. - Sir Isaac Newton In 1672, the scientist Sir Isaac Newton displayed memorably to the West that when pure white light passes through a prism it breaks up into seven colors - what is now commonly called the rainbow color spectrum. All phenomena are varying levels or 'wave-like' frequencies of vibration. In these terms, the rainbow colors range from red at the 'long wave-length' or 'low-frequency' end of the scale, through to violet at the 'short wave-length' or 'high-frequency' end. Collectively, these spectral or prismatic colors - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet - represent varying vibrational qualities of pure white light. They have many different applications in mediation and healing. Some meditation practices link particular colors of the rainbow spectrum to each of the seven chakras, or subtle energy centers. Variations exist in these color ascriptions; for example, in the West, the color violet is associated with the chakra situated at the crown of the head, the sahasrara. In the East, the color violet is associated with the 'third eye,' or ajna chakra, situated between the eyebrows. Eastern countries also perceive gold and orange to have spiritual significance, which is why monks' and swamis' robes are colored gold/orange. The natural phenomenon of a rainbow is a rapturous sight. The rainbow spectrum itself has come to symbolize a harmonizing of different elements. A mandala is a symbol often used in meditation and in healing. The mandala has many levels of meaning, but overall it has come to signify integration and wholeness. To meditate with awareness upon the rainbow spectrum as a mandala in the body can be a wonderfully nourishing experience. Color perception is very subjective, and is as much an internal visual experience as an external one. However, red, orange and yellow are often seen as vitalizing and heat-producing colors, while blue, indigo and violet are seen as cooler, more calming colors. Green, which is positioned in the center of the color spectrum, and is sometimes associated with the heart chakra, or anahata, is often considered the color of harmony and balance. We can use different colors for healing by, for example, visualizing a specific colored light - such as gold, green, or violet - entering or body with the breath. We all carry around negative thoughts and depleting emotions - which we can visualize as black - that can be released as 'black smoke' on an exhalation. Color breathing visualizations can provide a creative approach to dissipating negativity as well as renewing a positive attitude and overall sense of well-being. With color-breathing techniques, you can select different colors for different problems. Color Breathing Meditation for Healing Choose either white light or a color that symbolizes healing. In your selection, take into account what it is you want to heal. Is it a physical, emotional or mental concern? Check out what different colors generally represent, and check in with yourself to see what color/s feel right for the problem. Sit in a comfortable position with your spine, neck and head aligned. Take a few minutes to relax completely. Breathe naturally, deeply and rhythmically. Close your eyes and visualize the color you have selected, and allow it to grow in your mind's eye (or ajna chakra - between your eyebrows). If the color seems unclear at first, or begins to blend with another color, persist until the color is pure and true in your inner vision. If, after a few minutes, a clear color doesn't emerge, visualize white light. Now imagine your entire body being bathed in the healing balm of that particular color, or in radiant white light. Maintain a pattern of breathing deeply and rhythmically, and image the color being drawn into your solar plexus (or manipura chakra) with each inward breath. Now visualize the healing color spreading throughout your body. If there is a part of your body that particularly requires healing, visualize the color entering this area, transmitting its healing properties to that part. If more than one part needs healing, direct the healing color to each part in turn. Then, with each outward breath, visualize the toxins or dis-ease elements leaving your body. Continue the breathing for at least ten minutes, or until you feel a sense of being cleansed or purified. Complete your visualization with an expression of gratitude, or an affirmation of your positive health and well-being. Practice Note: These exercises need to be practiced regularly for enduring benefits. To visualize regaining health after illness, try picturing the body bathed in green, blue, gold or violet light. There are a range of color-healing exercises available, but if you are ever in any doubt about which color to choose, use white light - as it is the primal source of all color, white is the most universally applied 'color' in visualizations for transformative purposes. “Fortunately art is a community effort - a small but select community living in a spiritualized world endeavoring to interpret the wars and the solitudes of the flesh.” -Allen Ginsberg Everything Natural http://health./ Everything Magick EverythingMagick/ The Pagan Housewife http://paganhousewife.blogspot.com/ Tales of a DIY Queen http://talesofadiyqueen.blogspot.com The Frugal New Yorker http://thefrugalnewyorker.blogspot.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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