In this month’s meditation we will be looking at spiritual union with god using a Sufi practice, this meditation is taken from Madonna Goulding’s “The Meditation Bible”.  Many are aware of the Sufi Poet Rumi, but Sufism is the inner, mystical dimension of Islam in which Muslims seek to find the truth of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God.  The mind is seen as “the slayer of the real” which separates us from the spiritual truth that is found in the heart. This truth is taken as moving beyond the duality of the mind and obtaining oneness with god. This meditation quietens the mind, and like a lover seeking their beloved, focus on god.

In preparation for this meditation you should think about what surrendering to god means for you, it should be practiced early in the morning.

Sit on a cushion or chair and breathe deeply for a few minutes to allow yourself to relax and prepare to meditate.

Bring your attention to your heart and the heart chakra and focus on someone who you love (family member, lover or friend). Give yourself permission to feel whatever feelings emerge: Warmth, sweetness, tenderness, Peace or Silence or even heartache, pain and loss. Immerse yourself in these feelings and place all of yourself in the love within your heart.

Memories may be triggered, thoughts may intrude, mental images appear. Take all these and merge them into your feelings of love and with practise these thoughts will disappear and you will be immersed in your feelings of love.

Eventually use god as the object of Love: Approaching God  as a lover longing for their beloved.

Talking to Spirit/God/Buddha

It would be nice if we could all be enlightened beings, in touch with our feelings and living from them rather than from toxic emotions. But life, for the majority of us, is rarely like that. This month’s meditation is looking at calming the raging emotions when you feel controlled by anger or jealousy. In all likelyhood, if you are feeling angry, then underneath this are feelings of hurt, confusion or defensiveness. Developing compassion and patience with both yourself and the person with whom you are angry provides a solution to this. One of the most powerful ways of doing this is to invoke a higher power, or being, which for you epitomises this compassion and will provide you with the space to assess the situation in a more balanced and caring way.

This meditation can be performed in any situation where you are caught in the throes of anger and jealousy. You will need to find a quiet space away from the person or situation that caused the anger and where you will not be disturbed for at least 15 minutes.

Sit comfortably, spine straight or if necessary lie down. Take a few deep breaths to begin to calm yourself and then begin to breathe normally.

Begin to focus on the emotions you are feeling, do not try to analyse or attach to them. Just concentrate on feeling them.

Imagine the face of the most compassionate and caring being that you know: it could be a religious figure such as Buddha, the Virgin Mary or God depending on your beliefs. It could be a teacher or a manifestation of spirit or simply a compassionate being.

Spend time with this being, talk to them about your anger, your emotions and your feelings. You can talk silently or aloud.

Simply offer your emotions to this being to be healed and transformed. Sit quietly for a few minutes and end your meditation.

The Body Scan

This month’s meditation is a “Classic” mindful meditation taken from the book Mindfulness: a practical guide to finding peace in a Frantic world (Williams and Penman). The Body Scan Practice provides a simple means of re-integrating your body and mind, it develops the ability to pay sustained attention characterised by a sense of gentleness and curiosity. Find a place where you will not be disturbed where you can lie on your back and allocate at least 15 minutes for this meditation. Your eyes can be open or closed.

Take a few moments to bring your awareness to the physical sensations within your body. On each out-breath allow yourself to sink a little deeper into the surface.

Be fully aware in this practice, do not allow yourself to fall asleep. Do not attempt to change the way you are feeling, you are simply bringing awareness to any and all sensations as you focus systematically on all parts of the body. If there are no sensations, simply acknowledge this.

Bring your awareness to the sensations in your abdomen. Become aware of the changes as the breath moves in and out of your body. Take a few minutes to feel these sensations.

Focus your attention like a spotlight5 and bring it down your body and into your legs, into your feet and all the way out to your toes. Focus on each of your toes, bringing a gentle interested attention to them. Feel the quality of the sensations. Simply allow to sensations to be.

On an in-breath, feel the breath enter the lungs and pass all the way down the body, into the body and into the toes. On the out-breath feel it flowing out of the toes, feet, legs, torso and out through the nose. Continue for a few breaths.

On an out-breath, let go of toes and bring awareness to bottom of feet:  From soles, then in-step  of each foot, then the heel. Experiment with breathing into any of the sensations. Allow your awareness to expand to the rest of the feet, the top of the feet, the ankle, the bones and joints. With a deeper, conscious in-breath direct it down into both feet, on out-breath, let go and shift your attention to the lower legs.

Continue scanning the whole body in the same way: lower legs, knees, thighs, pelvic area, lower back, buttocks, abdomen, upper back, chest and shoulders. With the hands, first direct your attention to the tips of the fingers and thumbs, then the palm of the hand and the back. Then the wrists, lower arms, elbows, upper arms, shoulders and armpits. Move your awareness to your neck, face before holding your entire head in full awareness.

Hold each part for approximately 20-30 seconds. If there are any intense sensations, use the in-breath to bring awareness and see if they change when you breathe out of them. If your attention wanders, bring your awareness back to the body part you were focussed on. After you have scanned the whole body, become aware of the body as a whole.

Humming

The ability to vocalise is an important part of Tantra: It enables you to express what you feel and the vibrations experienced set up new levels of arousal throughout the body. This month’s meditation explores the healing potential of your voice by releasing tension, uplifting the spirit and connecting to the vibrations within the body. We will explore sustained vocalized tones to stimulate the entire physical system, regulate blood flow, increases oxygenation and heal the nervous system, glands and organs.

For this meditation, find a place where you can be alone, out of earshot of others and will not be disturbed.

Stand with your feet firmly planted and imagine yourself well grounded, with your shoulders and arms relaxed. Begin to hum into your lower abdomen or heart centre. Imagine the hum expanding throughout your entire body. Hum into your bones, muscles and organs. Continue to allow the hum to increase until it is a full-voiced sound or tone. Give yourself permission to feel it resonating throughout your whole body.

Ask what needs to be healed, visualise poisons being released through your feet.  Tone into any area of your body that needs releasing or healing. Let the sounds be spontaneous and in any form but imagine that your toning is connected to the harmonics of the universe. When you are ready allow the toning to come to a natural stillness and stand quietly, affirming the healing and rejuvenation that has occurred within your body.

Grounding the Energy

Some people spend a large amount of their time in their head. While the brain is excellent for transforming energy, it is not so good at storing it. The movement of energy in the body can appear to be quite strange to beginners. If you notice that you are having a little difficulty sleeping or are feeling “wired”, just like having a little too much coffee, it is best to bring the energy down. Below is a Taoist technique taken Mantak Chia’s, “The Multi-Orgasmic Couple”:

• Place your hands on your abdomen and Touch your tongue to the front of your palate, (see also the article on the microcosmic orbit).
• Smile, allowing your lips to gently curve upwards and smiling with the corners of your eyes. Relax your body, look for tension and blockages and allow them to be released. Bring your attention down to your navel (energy will follow your focus).
• Imagine the energy descending down the front of your body like a waterfall and pooling in your abdomen. Cup your left hand with your right hand just below your belly button, as if you were catching the waterfall of energy. As an alternative, you can imagine that the energy is like molasses or honey being drawn down and wound around a spiral in your belly button. If you swallow your saliva as well, this can also help your energy come down.

If you are still having difficulties bringing energy down, an alternative technique, Venting, taken from the same source book, is described here:

Sit on a chair or lie down on your back. If lying on your back elevate your knees with a pillow if you feel any type of pain in the lumbar area. Place your hands in front of your mouth so that the tips of your fingers touch and your palms are facing towards your feet.

Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Feel your chest and stomach expand slightly. Then smile and exhale quietly, make the sound “heeeee” as you do so. As you are exhaling, push your hands towards your feet. Picture your body as a hollow tube of blue light that you are emptying with your hands from your head and down through your chest, abdomen, legs and out of the soles of your feet. Repeat the sequence three, six or nine times.

Meditation of Self Love

In keeping with this month’s theme of self-esteem, this month’s meditation is from Madonna Gauding’s The Meditation Bible.  You may also wish to combine this with the meditation from November 2013: The Chakra Talk. If you do, the focus of your meditation should be the Third Chakra, located at the Solar Plexus.

This Month’s meditation is designed to allow you to counteract feelings of shame, low self-esteem and Self-hatred by encouraging positive self-regard and developing love and compassion for others.

This meditation should be attempted when you become aware of self hatred. In preparation, become aware and record any self-talk and be particularly aware of how much of your self-talk is negative.

Sit on a cushion or chair in a quiet place. Visualise your higher power.

Imagine your higher power smiling at you with great love and compassion accepting you as you are. Understand that this higher power does not demand that you “fix” yourself to deserve their love. Know that they want you to accept yourself exactly as you are, and treat yourself with kindness and respect as they already do.

Thank your higher power for reminding you to be kind towards yourself. Tell them that with their help and encouragement, you will refrain from hating yourself and will encourage yourself to accept yourself exactly as you are. Promise that you will try to live your life with complete self-acceptance and self-love.

Meditation of Liberation

This Month’s meditation is taken from Kavida Rei’s book, Tantric sex: The Path to Sexual Bliss. It is a partnered exercise and is ideal to energizing and leave you with a renewed sense of balance. Enjoy experiencing moments of rest and activity so close together, and make breath, dance or rest your focus, depending on your energy level.

1.    Stand opposite each other, and visualise a spiral of energy coiling from your head down to your genitals.

2.    Begin to dance wildly, feeling energy flooding up and down the spiral, waking up every cell in your body. With Snake-like movements, let your body free itself. Make whatever sounds express your inner feelings.

3.    Sit facing each other with knees touching. Breathe in through your base chakra, allowing your breath to rise up in and out of your second chakra. Imagine your breath fusing with your partner’s, so that it becomes the shape of a helix.

4.    Still sitting, sway and move your body, until you feel fully loosened. Breathe deeply, allowing your breath to expand and open your body and mind.

5.    Breathe in through the second chakra and out through the third. Focus on your partner, let  your breaths merge. Move through each of these chakras, breathing this way.

6.    Feel the gathered energy at the crown of your heads. Allow it to expand throughout your body, flooding the chakra system all the way to your roots.

7.    As you breathe out again, imagine the breath flowing down the front of your body, making a heart shape between you both. Expand the heart breath to fill the room, then the building, country, planet and universe.

8.    Lie down together. Continue softly with your breathing and let your bodies dissipate into bliss.

Honouring your body

This month’s meditation, in keeping with the blog post, is a simple ritual designed to bring you into a closer relationship with your body. For this you will need between 20-40 minutes, a full length mirror and paper and a pen.

Standing fully clothed in front of the mirror, commence by bringing the hands to the heart and bowing to yourself and say “Namaste”: Honouring both Yourself and your intention to love your body more.

Begin by looking at Yourself fully from head to feet and notice what thoughts, feelings, judgements and appreciation arises in you. Look yourself in the eyes and receive yourself with your gaze. Simply spend time ( a few minutes) simply gazing and being with yourself.

Breathing comfortably and fully, and with being aware of what thoughts and feelings are coming up for you, begin to remove your clothes one at a time. Take your time and continue to gaze and receive the gaze. Continue until you are naked, or until you have removed as much clothing as is comfortable for you to do.

Look at your body and write down what you don’t like about it and why.

Look at your body and write down what you Do like about it. Notice what emotions arise when you see parts of yourself you like, look at what you find beautiful or moving. What you are proud of and why.

Look again: Is there anything that you have forgotten physically to appreciate or that could be seen in a different light. For example: marks due to pregnancy, how could they be viewed differently?

Take time to honour and celebrate your body, , by having a slow bath or gentle shower in honour of all aspects of you. Rub and nourish the skin, gently caress it and notice how you feel. Record this in your notebook what your thoughts, feelings, sensations and realisations have occurred for you. Honour yourself with a Namaste.

(Such recording of thoughts and feelings with this ritual enable you to, over time, become aware of how you think and treat yourself and areas where you are hard or judgemental on yourself.  Over time, this ritual will alter how you relate to yourself and provide insights into healing body image

The OSHO 21 day Dynamic Meditation Challenge

For some apparently insane reason both myself and Karen decided to do this, it started out when Karen said she would like to do it and I said I would join her in it. A friend on Facebook said “Why don’t you post it up on and get a group going” and it happened. The 21 day Dynamic Meditation began with updates from all those who did it.

It is not called the challenge for nothing, the meditation itself is active and quite strenuous consisting of five stages detailed here:

http://oshomeditationstudio.com/portfolio/dynamic-meditation/

Every morning between 7am and 8 am we cajoled, persuaded and grumbled our way into the meditation. Always, Always we felt so much better having completed it. The support from the group was fantastic and their experiences from the intense to the sublime. I am not going to detail all of what happened for me here day-by-day, but summarise what happened (I recorded it on word).

The first 6 days were clearing days: a lot of surface emotions were coming up and being released, anger, fear frustration. Seems to me it was stuff that I had been living in and at times there were thoughts attached to them or specific events. It was interesting to note how the mind tried to rationalise and force myself into a regular pattern when challenged. It was a big insight into how my mind tries to intrude and my security issues. Up until Day 11, there was resistance and tiredness, though I was getting physically fitter and I could feel energy moving from my base and all through my body.

After day 11 things were in “the zone” for want of a better word: I had scoured and cleared out the emotional crap and entered the witness and observer state. Thoughts had no emotions, emotions turned to feelings. Perhaps it is best described in the final entry:

Day 21: Like wow! From the first breath in the chaotic breathing my sexual energy was tapped. I feel that yesterday I shifted something deeply buried. My whole body began shaking and the energy rose: it was most definitely of Kundalini all the way through the meditation and until the dancing. What I hadn’t realised was that my hands had covered my sex and heart and the energy was going between the two. There was a deep arousal in my core: while not exactly making love to the universe it was certainly expansive enough!

All I can say at this point is: If starting this seemed insane, finishing it I felt completely and totally sane. This remains the most powerful experience in meditation for me. If you fancy  a little insanity come and join us next time.

Mark Sutton   July 2014

Ecstatic Dance

Many Cultures use ecstatic dance as a means to access states of higher consciousness. In Dublin, there are nights and groups for ecstatic dancing: Body Song Ecstatic Dance Night would be an example of one we attend. But why do we do these?

From a Tantric Perspective ecstatic and sensual dancing awakens our “kundalini” energy at the base of our spines, firing us up and stimulating our senses. Our bodies are also designed to be sexy and dancing can awaken this in us and dancing also allows us to free up our hips and pelvis allowing energy to flow. But not everyone can attend specific Dance nights, or wish too. Dancing alone though can be done when you desire: dancing for the lover in you and awakening and exploring the ecstasy it creates in a deeper and more intimate fashion.

For this meditation find a space where you will not be disturbed,  wear loose but sensual clothing and put on music you find sexy or sensual, begin to breathe into the heart space, close your eyes  and visualise your lover real or imagined.

If it feels comfortable for you, begin to slowly and sensually remove your clothing for your lover, imagine them drinking you in, every curve, becoming more and more enthralled as you slowly reveal yourself.  (if you do not wish to remove clothes, as an alternative allow your hands to travel, revealing and exposing through your clothes).

When you are naked, dance fully, allowing every part of your body to move, free the hips and allow the energy at the base to begin to move. Imagine it as fire moving upwards as your body curls and your spine undulates, don’t put thought into it, let it happen. Allow the energy to rise up the central channel in your body, through each chakra. Simply allow the dancing to run its course and trust your body.

Lie down and imagine your lover blowing warm breath all over your body, begin to caress your body as if it was your lover touching you with desire. Give yourself permission to touch and lovingly caress every part of yourself: head, hair, your genitals, anywhere you desire: simply surrendering to the caress of your imaginary lover. Allow yourself the space and acceptance to go where you wish to, to the heights of bliss and ecstacy, to gentler places, simply fully experiencing the sensations in your body and the energy created.

When your body comes to stillness after riding the waves of bliss, simply lie quietly and peacefully.

One with the Universe

Summer is nearly here and this is a good time to begin to re-establish the connection with nature. You will need a blindfold, a garden or outdoor space where you will not be disturbed and a suitable day for this meditation. This meditation also requires a partner and is designed to establish trust as well as heighten the senses within nature.

Before commencing this meditation decide who will be the blindfolded partner and sit opposite each other, in a position that is comfortable for both and bring your hand to your chest in prayer position, breathe into your heart space and allow your gazes to gently connect. Witness what is happening for you and keep your breathing centered. Bow to each other and say “Namaste” to finish.

The person guiding should blindfold their partner and lead them into the garden or quiet space. Do this slowly and with care, you are nurturing the blindfolded person in this meditation: Allowing them to open and be intimate with nature safely.

Guide them to a flower, plant, bush or tree. Place their hands on the bark, leaves, stems or buds. Allow your partner to feel, smell, taste if they choose to. Support them gently in this. Remove the blindfold and let your partner see what they have been feeling and experiencing. Both take time to look at the object with a soft, receptive gaze. Blindfold your partner again and repeat one or more times.

Switch roles with the person who was blindfolded now supporting and guiding the other. There is no limit to the length of time you can perform this meditation for. Finally though, return to where you started and repeat the simple honouring ceremony you performed at the beginning of this meditation.

Releasing fear of love

This month’s meditation is taken from the Meditation Bible by Madonna Gauding. For many people who come to us, fear of being hurt or fear of abandonment are holding them back from taking the risk to love again. Yet love is our natural state of being. This meditation is a heart chakra meditation which will help you to move past fears, heal old wounds, opens the heart and allows you to take the risk of opening to others.

In preparation for this meditation, write three pages about why you are afraid to love.

Find a place where you will not be disturbed and sit on a cushion or chair. Begin to breathe deeply for a few minutes, clearing your mind and energising your body. Focus your awareness on your heart chakra located in the centre of your chest.

Imagine you are surrounded by an emerald green light. Breathe in this light, letting it fill your body. Imagine it entering the heart cleansing and releasing any fears you may have about being hurt, manipulated, abandoned or rejected.

As you continue to breathe this emerald light, add to the list of fears that you are letting go of: lies, betrayal, control or abuse. Imagine all of these fears evaporating, feel the heart opening, relaxing, expanding. Recall those in the past who have hurt you. Forgive them and wish them well.

Imagine you are strong, aware of and trusting your needs and intuition. Acknowledge that you are capable of making good decisions, of choosing people who you are compatible with and who are worthy of your love. Affirm to yourself that you will know when to leave a relationship if it feels right to do so. Put both hands on your heart  and allow the beautiful emerald light to recede and finish your meditation.

We received feedback as regards the Pelvis from last month’s newsletter. It was concerned with an effective means of increasing flexibility, sensitivity, the awareness of the pelvic area and enhancing pleasurable sensations.

With that in mind, this Month we will be exploring two meditations from Margot Anand’s “Art of Sexual Ecstasy”: The downward and upward pelvic curls. These can be done with a partner or alone in front of a mirror (it is important to maintain the gaze of the other and yourself during this process. The upward curl is more dynamic than the downward curl and the exercise last approximately 45 minutes and a dynamic, rhythmic tribal dance style music is ideal. It is very important that you are not disturbed during this process.

Warm up by stamping and shouting to the music for between 5 and 10 minutes, then stand in front of the mirror (or in front of your partner), about 2 feet away, feet flat on the floor, parallel and shoulder width apart. Bend your knees, let your arms hanging loosely, keep your head,  spine and body straight.

Close your eyes and focus on the internal feelings, be aware of roots going from your feet into the earth and you sense of balance deriving from this. Breathe through the mouth and into the belly, letting the belly and jaw hang loose and the genital and anal muscles relax. Imagine the breath moving down through your stomach and into the sex centre. After about 5 minutes, open your eyes and allow you gaze to connect with yourself (or your partner).

We next begin to move into the Downward Curl. Keeping the chest and spine relaxed and straight begin a forward and backward rocking motion that comes only from the pelvis. As you inhale, thrust forwards gently tightening the buttocks without tensing the pelvic muscles. Move at a pace that is good for you but allow your body to be dynamic on the forward movement. As you exhale, let your pelvis fall back, relax the inner thighs, buttocks and pelvic muscles and cultivate a feeling of letting go. Make the movements strong as you are pulling and releasing the muscles, give voice to these movements with Sighs or other noises. Continue for five minutes.

Begin to quicken the pace increasing the movement, the sound and breathing for about three minutes and then slow down allowing the movements to soften and the breath and sound to move into the belly for about three minutes.

Repeat these cycles of charge and discharge for about 15 minutes and this time allow the whole body to begin moving (imagine the body is a wave) before finally coming to stillness, totally relaxed, closing your eyes and focussing inwards towards your pelvis and genitals. Simply experience what is happening in the body.

The forward pelvic curl is next and is essentially an inversion of the previous practice. Curl the pelvis back on the inhale and let it fall forward on the exhale with the pelvic, genital and buttock muscles becoming relaxed. Allow your back to arch on the inhale and as you exhale bear down and exclaim or sigh. The pelvis should swing back and forth while being horizontal. Once this becomes natural, intensify the movements and sounds, imagine too you are taking in energy on the inhale through the pelvis. Allow this to be come as vigorous as you wish it too and do this for 15 minutes before coming to rest. Close your eyes and feel what is happening within yourself.

After completing the meditation ground and settle, feeling yourself rooted securely to the earth, it is a good idea to do this or any other exercise designed to draw energy back into yourself.

Did you notice the difference between the two curls? What did you feel? Was one curl easier to do than another? It helps to be dynamic about this (but not so much that you hurt yourself!) and let you body move to its own rhythm and speed while you be total in your vocalisation and practice. It may help to enhance sensitivity in the pelvis if you place on hand on your pubic area cupping the genitals and the other at the base of your spine. In cupping like this create support, containment and grounding.

Sometimes we are in denial, we do not like to face things or accept responsibility: emotional, physical, spiritual, relationships or work related, burying our head may seem like a good idea but doesn’t really work. This month’s meditation is aimed at overcoming denial, face your problems and promote honesty and self-acceptance. This meditation requires the use of a mirror that you are able to stand in front of: A bathroom or bedroom mirror would be ideal.

Choose a time when you will be alone and able to stand in front of the mirror.

Begin by closing your eyes and breathing into your heart, allowing time for you to centre and ground. Open your eyes and allow yourself to connect with your reflection in the mirror. Give yourself permission to verbalise and say out loud to your reflection three things that you like about yourself and look upon the person in the mirror with love. Acknowledge that at this point you are finding things difficult and that you are struggling. Acknowledge too that the problem should be admitted too otherwise it will continue to drag you down.

To admit to the problem, clearly and strongly tell yourself the problem you have been avoiding. Repeat this to your image three times. Be clear in what you say and why you need to deal with the problem. For example, if you are overweight you may need to lose it for reasons of health and wellbeing. Tell your image both the problem and the reasons why it needs to be dealt with.

Be honest and clear with yourself and your commitment to resolving the issue. Commit to one step to overcome the problem that you will undertake within the next 24 hours (as in the example above one step could be to enrol at a slimming class). Repeat this commitment to yourself a further three times.

Finally close your meditation by congratulating yourself on your courage and honesty.

While many in Tantra believe that the ability to have full body orgasms through lovemaking or breathing is the ultimate in experiences and that the involuntary muscle twitches are an end product of this, these twitches are known as Kriyas and result when tension in the body is released. They can be very pleasurable and indeed orgasmic, but there is the potential for much more. When the body is in a relaxed state, the energy can move freely and deeply throughout the body, when our focus is not on the fully body orgasm but we allow ourselves to completely relax, the experience is potentially much more transformative.

However, many of us carry tensions and this can lead not only in the limitation of our ecstatic potential and receptiveness, but also experience premature ejaculation, impotence, high blood pressure and an inability to sleep. When awareness comes into play, many of our clients realise just how much tension they have been subconsciously carrying and the rigidity within the body. So this month’s meditation is a simple technique for releasing tension from within the body. It is suitable if you are beginning your exploration of Tantra, are more experienced, or indeed do not practice Tantra at all, but instead feel stressed and tense in everyday life. The technique is called Progressive Muscle Relaxation and requires only 5 minutes. It should be practiced daily or when you are aware of tension or stress within yourself.

Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed to practice progressive muscle relaxation, sit or lie down and make yourself comfortable.

First tense all the muscles in your face. Make a tight grimace, close your eyes as tightly as possible, clench your teeth. Hold this for the count of seven as you inhale. Now exhale and relax completely. Let your face go completely lax, as though you were sleeping. Take time to feel the difference once you have released the tension. Simply observe the whole process without judgment but giving yourself permission to feel what is happening.

Next, completely tense your neck and shoulders, again inhaling and counting to seven. Then exhale and relax, once again give yourself permission to observe and note what is happening. Continue the process down your body, repeating the procedure with the following muscle groups: chest, abdomen, your entire right arm, right forearm, your right hand (making a fist). Your entire left arm, left forearm and your hand (again, making a fist). Continue with your buttocks, your entire right leg, your lower right leg and finally your right foot. Repeat with your left leg, lower leg and foot.

If you do not have time or are in a situation where you need to release tension quickly then you can tense and relax the following four main muscle groups: face, neck, shoulders and arms, abdomen and chest, buttocks, legs and feet.

With practice this can reduce stress and tension within the body and bring about physical, emotional and spiritual benefits.

To top of the page

This month, as the weather changes and we have returned from the wilds of Wicklow, we are going outside with this meditation to renew our contact with the earth and natural world, to remove ourselves from purposeful activity and move into the moment. This meditation takes about one hour and in preparation should think about a favourite spot in nature, dress appropriately and leave all communication devices, books etc. behind. Just bring yourself with no distractions.

Initially, commence walking slowly, breathing deeply in time with your walking. Pay attention to your body: the joints, the muscles, the alignment of backbone and pelvis. Keep your knees loose and soft and each step should spring off the earth and you should walk with full consciousness. Walk until you establish a natural flowing rhythm. Simply allow any thoughts to go without attaching to them and open yourself to all that is around you: sights, sounds, touch, smell and what you breathe. Drink it all in, become it and experience it.

Focus totally on what you see around you, be receptive to everything you see, be nourished by it as you breathe deeply. Every sight: plants and wildlife, the quality of the light and shade, the panorama: experience everything.

Now focus totally on what you hear, listen with open ears to every sound around you, be receptive and give the sounds your complete attention. Birds, the sound of leaves, of trees in the wind, sea or water, animals: hear everything with full awareness.

Next, on each inhalation, become aware of all the smells and scents around you. Experience them, absorb them, become part of them. Pick up a leaf, some earth, sand and smell it: Immerse in the scent of flowers, the resin from trees, the smell of woodsmoke or salt spray or whatever smells are around you.

Continue doing this for 15 minutes or more allowing yourself to be immersed in nature using your attention. Feel yourself being renewed by this experience with every inhalation, feeling your spirit lift, your body revitalise. On each exhalation simple let go of thoughts and tensions as you move step by step gradually coming to a place of stillness and of relaxation.

After you have focussed your attention on nature around you, focus on something creative for yourself or something that needs answering and as you are walking look for messages or insights, it may be a word or connection, a feeling or emotion, a thought or image. Whatever it is, simply allow it to happen.

If you get tired while walking give yourself permission to simply rest and take in the view. If you have a persistent or nagging problem, simply sit by moving water and fill yourself with the sound of the water moving: imagine it being washed away as the water flows through you.

When you have finished and are ready to go home, simply take the experience with you for the rest of the day, feel it inside you and feel the effects it has upon you.

To top of the page

In Tantra we talk about the energy centres within the body, also known as Chakra’s. These centres can be open or closed/blocked and govern many aspects of our Physical, Emotional and Spiritual wellbeing. A lot of information is available on Chakra’s and I invite you to look for further information. This month’s meditation specifically involves connecting to these energy centres and is the “Chakra Talk” meditation found in Margot Anand’s book “The Art of Everyday Ecstasy”. This meditation is simple to do and enables us to receive clear messages from the energy centres and heal energy blocks and enhance your daily creativity.

It is important to note that all you are doing is giving voice to the feelings that are present in the energy centres and relaxing deeply is the key to allowing these inner messages to arise. So if you are feeling stressed, use a relaxation technique to allow your state to become calm.

This meditation will take approximately 20 minutes and focuses on one energy centre only, you can focus on a chakra you feel needs healing or start at the base and over a period of seven days move from energy centre to energy centre. It can be useful to record the session or have a partner take notes, but this can be done alone and/or silently if you prefer. If you are with a partner you may wish to alternate speaker and witness.

Ensure you will not be disturbed and that all phones are off.

Begin by bringing the hands together at the heart and directing a heart salutation to the energy centre you are working with.

Sit or lie comfortably and allow your breathing to become conscious, imagine yourself letting go and relaxing on the exhale. Allow all tensions to leave the body on the exhale, and all thoughts drifting away with the breath. If your attention wanders, bring it back to the breath.

Place your hands on the chakra you are listening to and bring your attention and your breath into that area of the body. Visualise or name the organs, speak softly and gently to the energy centre for a few minutes until you feel received. Internally speak the name of the chakra and say “I connect with you now. I give you my voice. I welcome you. Let me receive you. Speak through me.”

Lend your voice to that energy centre, speak in the first person “I” aloud if with a partner or using a recorder. If you use the words “my” it is possible that the mind will be in control and the true voice of the energy centre will not be expressed.

Tune in for 5-7 minutes, there may be long pauses, allow then to be present and the process to take its course. Simply be present, do not analyze what is happening, simply allow yourself to go deeper. Trust your intuition, you will know when the exercise is over. Breathe deeply and exhale fully. Give thanks to the energy centre and once again end with a heart salutation.

After you have done this, take a break. When reviewing the notes, the message or your own thoughts, look for the core meaning, the central message and create an affirmation around that with which you can remind yourself daily.

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Root or Base Chakra - Muladhara (Vam)

Endocrine glands: Adrenals (Childhood issues)

Body systems/organs: Intestines, spinal column, kidneys

Issues: Physical sensation, the body, vitality, earth connection, survival, security

Blocked:       Life is a struggle/difficult. Family obligations come before the individual = Fear, insecurity, anxiety, restlessness, frustration, alienation, separation

Affirmation: ‘’I am safe and secure at all times. The energy from the earth heals and nourishes me. I love my body and give it what it needs.’’

Sacral Chakra - Svadishthana (Lam)  Creative/sexual

Endocrine glands: Ovaries, Testes

Body systems/organs: Reproductive system, lymphatic system, body fluids.

Issues: Emotions, sexuality, pleasure, physical creativity.

Blocked:       I am not sufficient, I am not enough. I am inadequate. I am a failure. Love and pleasure are blocked out = Gives self away to prove worth, or through fear of rejection. Manipulation to get wants. Does not trust the sweetness of life.

Activated:     Feels good about self, harmony, peace, vitality. Honours and cares for self = Does not over extend. Feels self worth. Self respect. Rest. Relaxation. Good diet

Open:            Looks after needs. What is best for us. Allows pleasure. Expresses feelings.

Affirmation: ‘’I enjoy the miracle of life in each moment. I release everything that blocks my experience of pleasure. I enjoy my sexuality fully. I am enough. Who I am and what I do is enough.’’

Solar Plexus Chakra - Manipura (Ram)  Personal power/decision making

Endocrine glands: Pancreas

Body systems/organs: Stomach, liver, gall bladder, spleen, some aspects of the nervous system

Issues: Thoughts and opinions, 'digesting' of experience, confidence, self-worth, personal power.

Blocked:       Needs status, power, achievement, validation, to prove worth, adequacy and confidence = Sense of unworthiness, fear, giving away power, feat of failure, victimhood.

Activated:     I am whole as I am (without success, status, achievement) = Others can't make decisions for me. I can take my own life in my hands,                            can break away from dependencies. Will seek people who help us to know  our inner worth. Can go against acceptable. . .

Open:             We choose who and what we want in life. . .We choose experience which  enhance our well being and self esteem. We do not depend on external  factors for self worth. We can say 'yes' or 'no' boundaries. We are confident about ourselves, have self worth, respect. We know what is good for us and go for it.   

Affirmation: ‘’I release judgment and let my life flow. I live my strength and power naturally. I love and respect myself at all times.’’

Heart Chakra - Anahata (Yam)

Endocrine glands: Thymus

Body systems/organs: Heart, lungs, circulatory system.

Issues: Unconditional love, compassion, sharing, willingness to change.

Blocked:         We put conditions on love . . .if. . We have negative patterns = Resentment, hatred, guilt, fear, unforgiving, undeserving, suspicious.

Activated:       Energy holds joy, bliss, love, compassion, serenity, peace.  We give and receive love unconditionally. We transcend small minded judgments, criticisms.  We let go of vengeance, grievances, self sabotage. We are open to love. Surrender to the healing power of love. Experience self love.

Open:             Strong feelings of acceptance and lightness. No need to perform or be someone. There is joy in the moment. Feels worthy of love and acceptance. People blossom and true giftedness emerge. Deeply felt compassion for others.  Relationships - life- work take on true lightness.

Affirmation: ‘’I say 'yes' to all my feelings. I open myself to the healing power of love. Love is the purpose of my life. I follow the path of the heart’’

Throat Chakra - Visuddha (Ham)

Endocrine glands: Thyroid

Body systems/organs: Bronchial and vocal apparatus, alimentary canal, joints.

Issues: Communication, creative self-expression, speaking your own truth, speaking things into being.

Blocked:       Suppressed emotions (anger, sadness). Vital energy is posited. Created energy is destroyed = Gossip, criticizing, boasting, lies, nothing worth saying.

Activated:      Enhances development of will power. We express our personal truths. Express creativity - song, poetry, painting. Accepts validity of feelings and take responsibility for them.

Open:             We reach for and touch realms of the spirit. Energy passes freely through our bodies and enlivens sensations and  feelings. Creative expression allowed freely.  We express who we are and reach out to others. We express needs and speak up for self 

Affirmation: ‘’I am free to express my feelings, thoughts and inner knowing as appropriate. I release the fear and doubts which block the way to my creative expression.’’

Third Eye Chakra - Anja (Om)

Endocrine glands: Pineal

Body systems/organs: Lower brain, nervous system, sinus, ears, nose, left eye.

Issues: Balancing the higher and lower selves, trusting inner guidance, intuition, visual consciousness, clarity on an intuitive level

Blocked:       Reflect, ideas, theories, ideologies. Fear and doubt overactive. Attitude can block the goodness we long for = Coldness, intellectualism, unfeeling, mean, tight, ungracious.

Affirmation: ‘’I open myself to my intuition and my deepest knowing. I trust whatever comes to me is for my greatest joy and highest good. I accept that I am an unlimited being and I can create anything I want.’’

Crown Chakra - Sahasrara

Endocrine glands: Pituitary

Body systems/organs: Upper brain, right eye

Issues: Cosmic consciousness, pure knowing, connection with the divine.

Open:             We receive Universal energy which guides us on our path and allows our  true destiny to unfold. We surrender our small limited egos to a protective  and guiding force which moves us through life. Move to a lighter, freer place, more energized within ourselves. Vibrant, radiant, happy. We radiate love which nourishes our self esteem, inner peace, well being. We're receptive. We accept and surrender.  We embrace life passionately.

Affirmation: ‘’I am open to the goodness and the abundance of the universe. I am one with all there is. I allow the creative source to express itself through me.’’

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