The beauty of these meditations is that you can mix and match them at any given time depending on your mood and needs. For example, when we feel unfocused and agitated we need to integrate mindfulness to refocus and help calm any scattered thinking; if we are feeling in a more reflective mood and have been mulling over a personal issue, we can use our inherent visualization ability to start to work through the problem. The meditations are all designed within a 5–10 minute time frame. The beauty of the shorter time frames is that they allow the practice of meditation to be accessible to all, no matter how busy or pressed for time. Of course, there will be those days when a mere ten minutes seems like an enviable chunk of the day, however, it is likely that a 5–10 minute meditation can be worked into your daily schedule most of the time.

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Visualization for meditation

In the following meditations, our visualization ability is brought to the forefront. The following exercise will illustrate how we can easily paint a picture in our minds and bring it to life in our own unique way—so, if you think you lack the imagination to visualize, think again.

I have practiced this visualization exercise alone and also in group sessions, and I have to say it works every time.

Assume a comfortable position at a time and place where you won’t be disturbed.

Now imagine that you have just entered your kitchen and are reaching for a piece of fruit in your larder or bowl. Visualize yourself picking up a citrus fruit such as a lime or lemon.

In your mind, take a moment to smell the fruit, feel the waxy, dimpled skin, and enjoy its fresh, clean scent.

Take a knife and cut the fruit in half...See the spray burst from the fruit as it is sliced in two. Then take a piece of the fruit and bite into it, experiencing the tart, sweet juice.

 

In this visual, you may find that your taste buds are positively tingling and your mouth is salivating, as if you had actually experienced the eating of the fruit. It just goes to show how effective visualization can be and how very simply we can bring a thought to life with color, texture, and, in this case, flavor.

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The self-healing meditations

Though the whole idea of “self-healing” can sound a little new age, and doesn’t quite fit in with the mood of the modern time—we are all meant to be so fiercely competitive for success, surely this introspection will make us all soft and stop us doing what we need to get to the top?

The fact is that we require greater

self-love

self-worth

self-appreciation

or however else you want to term it, now more than ever before. We are exposed to such a multitude of technologies and have access to a far greater online and digital presence, but what about our actual, real-life presence? Sometimes our realities can become a little blurred, so while we all need to continually adapt to our fast-moving society, we also need to remember who we are at the core, allowing our sense of self to remain strong and intact.

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"JUST AS YOU ARE” MEDITATION

This meditation is simple, unfussy, and can be carried out easily wherever you happen to be.

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1.) In a comfortable seated position, bring your attention to your breath and follow the gentle rhythm of your breathing. To begin, have your hands nestled in your lap or resting on your knees.

2.) Next, put your hand on your chest and notice how it rises and falls as you inhale and exhale. Finally, gently close your eyes.

3.) Think about how your skin feels under the palm of your hand, is it warm or cool to the touch? Get a sense of how this simple hand gesture has now changed the course of your meditation as you become more aware of the present moment.

4.) You can choose to keep your hand on your chest; however, you may want to bring your hand back to its initial placement, whether nestled in your lap or placed on your knee.

5.) Focus now on how your clothes feel against your skin: are they soft and loose, allowing greater freedom in the meditation, or do they feel more restrictive? Are you wearing jewelry? Or a watch? Think about the weight of them and how they feel against your skin; really narrow your awareness to how your body is feeling in this very moment.

6.) Now get a sense of how you currently feel in the space you occupy: have you chosen a comfortable spot? Are you in a corner or in a more central part of the room? Are you warm or have you noticed a draft? Begin to expand your awareness to the room around you and your presence within the space.

7.) For the next step, expand your awareness to what is happening outside the room: can you hear sounds beyond the room? Can you discern family/friends in the home? Can you detect the footsteps and chatter from passersby?

8.) If at any point during your meditation you feel your mind wandering, simply bring yourself back to awareness of your breath. If you notice a thought pop up has entered your mind, acknowledge it: “I am aware that you are there.” This can be more useful than simply shutting down the thought and, once you have made this stance, you dissolve any internal struggle.

9.) Your breath is a great way of bringing your thoughts back to the present moment, however, if you feel an action is required you can choose a hand gesture, such as placing a hand on the chest (as in the earlier step), which instantly brings you back to the meditation.

10.) As you continue through the meditation, become aware of your emotions. Simply acknowledge whatever feelings occur and resist the temptation to react to them or analyze them. Allow yourself to be in the moment.

11.) Focus your attention back to the rise and fall of your chest and the rhythm of your breathing. Once you feel ready to finish your meditation, gently open your eyes.

To conclude: This meditation is all about a willingness to be in the moment and experience whatever comes your way. Make sure you have a glass of water at the ready to ensure you stay hydrated.

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“COUNT THE BREATH” MEDITATION

This is another classic “go to” exercise to add to your repertoire. This meditation always comes up in classes or on courses because of its simplicity and its ability to create a sense of calm by narrowing the focus to counting the breath.

Follow the counts to help create a relaxing meditation session:

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1.) Allow yourself to settle into a comfortable seated position. I would suggest closing your eyes for this exercise so you can narrow your focus even further.

2.) At this point, it is not necessary to include the counting step, just keep your focus on your breathing. Allow yourself this level of focus until you start to feel calm and settled. If at any point you feel distracted, just allow whatever you pick up to integrate gently into your meditation—do your best not to feel unsettled by this.

3.) As soon as you reach the moment where you feel calm and connected—and by this I mean you have put yourself first—“you” have become the central focus, progress to the “counting” step.

... be guided by what you feel is right. Put yourself first ...

4.) As you exhale, count the number “one” in your head. You can communicate the number audibly if you so choose. If you decide to do it this way, allow the word to be soft, calm, and spoken in time and rhythm with your exhalation. As soon as you have counted the first number, continue all the way through to the number ten. Once you have reached this number, simply go back to number one and begin the process again.

5.) The repetitive nature of this meditation is the key to this exercise. Once we focus on the “count” we narrow our attention even further, as we not only have the sensation of the breath as a focus, but the number does double duty for our concentration.

To conclude: This meditation need not be any longer in length than any of the other meditations I suggest. Be guided by what you feel is right and always keep in mind that it is not about the quantity—the quality of the meditation is of utmost importance.

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“SELF-APPRECIATION” MEDITATION

This meditation can be used when we need a little more self-appreciation, but it is also a powerful declaration of acceptance and a nurturing exercise. Our self-inflicted criticisms can have adverse effects on our confidence, leaving us with a negative and wholly inaccurate self-image. We always tend to affirm what we consider to be our worst attributes and little if any attention is given to the positive aspects of who we are. Work this meditation in when you feel an unnatural balance in your self-acceptance.

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1.) Arrange yourself into your preferred meditation position so you feel comfortable and relaxed. You can sit on the floor, propped up by cushions, or you may feel more supported in a chair or on the sofa.

2.) Imagine you are sat opposite an image of yourself—aligning with the wiser, more thoughtful aspect of who you are—that is not to say you are not that person already, it’s just that so much of our time is spent on self-criticism that we have to remember to see ourselves with greater empathy.

3.) Visualize yourself being watched with compassion and acceptance. There is no judgment here or criticism of any kind, just a simple acknowledgment of the person you are.

4.) Think about your qualities and what you most appreciate and value. Affirm to yourself that you are perfect as you are, requiring no changes, adjustments, or tweaks; you are the best version of you. Be firm and strong on this point—of course we all have our inner list of things we would like to alter, we are human after all—but we must learn to love who we are in the now.

... see yourself being watched with compassion, and acceptance ...

5.) Once you have made your positive affirmation, spend a few moments focusing on your breath.

6.) End the meditation by accepting to take small steps to integrate a more compassionate attitude into your day-to-day life. If a friend or colleague pays you a compliment, for instance, don’t dismiss it with a self-deprecating remark; simply thank them and acknowledge the compliment.

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“BODY SCAN” MEDITATION

The following meditation brings the body into clear focus as you quite literally “scan” it to become directly aware of what you are experiencing.

The most common position for this meditation is to lie flat on the floor, with the support of a yoga mat. I would advise using a cushion under your knees to take any pressure off your back and one to support your neck gently. Also, you should keep a blanket nearby as lying still for ten minutes or so, you might get a little cold.

If you don’t feel comfortable lying on your back, this meditation can be carried out in the comfort of a chair or couch, just as long as your feet are flat on the ground.

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1.) Spend the first few moments getting comfortable. Arms should be by either side of your body, with your hands touching the floor.

2.) Quietly settle by just becoming aware of the natural rhythm of your breathing.

3.) Ensure you are relaxing every part of your body. To do this we use a “clench and release” method by tensing the muscles in the body: clench your hands in fists, clench your toes, stomach, buttocks, and all areas of your body, then release, allowing your entire body to relax into the floor.

4.) Just spend a few minutes becoming aware of your body softening so that every part is relaxed and stress-free. Observe how your newfound relaxed state makes you feel: perhaps this is the first time you have felt truly calm all day? Or it might prompt you to realize how much tension you were carrying in your body.

5.) Start at the tip of your toes and begin to work through the various points in your body: how do your feet and ankles feel? Notice any sensations that immediately spring to mind, gently working up through your calves, knees, and upper thighs; spend a moment here to relax the legs and feet deeply.

6.) Working your way up further still, until you reach your pelvic area, bring your focus here to ensure you are not tensing or holding any stress. As you work your way up to your stomach allow the belly to feel soft.

7.) Bring your attention to your arms and hands; you may want to give your fingers a little wriggle just as a way of helping you connect with the meditation and to anchor your focus.

8.) As you bring your awareness to your chest area, notice how it rises and falls with the rhythm of your breathing. Has it become softer over the course of the meditation? Are you comfortable as you lie on the floor? If at any point you do notice any discomfort, simply adjust your position accordingly.

9.) Observe your head and neck, and remember to relax your shoulders, too. Spend a few moments focusing on the whole of your body, being fully mindful and present in your experience.

To conclude: This meditation is an opportunity to think about the body in a more observant way, and to remind ourselves to be continually mindful of our well-being.

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“INNER SMILE” MEDITATION

This meditation stems from an ancient Taoist practice; it is a joyful exercise with the power to uplift and create an inner and outer smile.

I imagine we have all experienced those days where some random passerby feels the need to inject a “cheer up” or “smile, it’s not that bad” comment as you cross paths. If we lose our smile, our whole demeanor can often come across as slightly unapproachable. If you carry yourself with a sense of joy, it is infectious to those around you, because you are not only reflecting a demonstrable smile but an inner smile, which radiates from within. It may sound a little odd at first but it actually works in practice; when we feel a sense of happiness and joy we carry ourselves with confidence. We gravitate to people who radiate this smile and we try and avoid those who don’t. A genuine smile can resonate from a place deep within.

The great thing about this meditation is that we are guided by the visualization and also by the act of smiling, so we come out of the meditation with a feeling of joy and well-being.

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1.) Find a comfortable, upright position and gently center yourself by breathing in your own time, and draw your focus inwards so you become aware of your breath, allowing the rest of the world to fade into the background, if only for a short while.

2.) Focus now on your stomach area, which can hold so much of our stress, tension, and anxiety. Allow your stomach to relax and soften. You will be in your own meditative space so you can exhale in every sense of the word and just allow any tension to dissolve.

3.) As you relax, start to visualize a beautiful, golden light emanating from the stomach area; imagine this light as your healing smile, traveling through your body. Take time to create this visual and, if at first you have difficulty, simply focus on your stomach and accept whatever you receive.

4.) As you visualize the light, imagine yourself as content and peaceful. See this warm glow travel up through your heart center, further filling your upper body until it reaches the top of your crown.

5.) Allow the warm glow to soothe your head and face, and if you feel you are holding any tension here, just allow your jaw to relax. As you release the tension, your lips should be slightly apart.

6.) Allow yourself to smile gently; the smile should feel natural and come from a place deep within. The smile doesn’t have to be over-exaggerated; it is simply a smile to yourself, you are not smiling to make another person happy, this is for you. If you are finding a smile difficult, it can help to recall a time when you have felt the warm glow from meeting up with a loved one, a surprise phone call that made your day, or a message from a friend; we all get that warm, happy feeling naturally through our interaction with the people we love, but occasionally we need to integrate a visual as a reminder.

7.) Sit in this meditative moment for as long as you wish and try and carry this feeling with you for the rest of the day.

To conclude: This is a useful meditation to return to when you need to give yourself a little inner comfort.

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“CANDLE-GAZING” MEDITATION

The candle in this meditation acts as the focal point, which can help create a relaxing, contemplative experience. In preparation, ensure that the candle is in an appropriate holder and placed on a flat, uncluttered surface.

This meditation is best for the early evening or towards the end of the day when you are in a calmer, more reflective mood. Just ensure you keep your eyes open and stay present with the candle at all times.

 

1.) Begin the meditation by lighting your candle and sit opposite at a safe distance—approximately one meter away—facing it at eye level. I have found that a seated position on the floor works well, with the candle placed securely on a table. As an alternative, you could also sit on a chair and place the candle on a table. Ensure that the lighting is dimmed in the room so that the candlelight is the prominent focus and all other distractions in the room simply fall away.

2.) Direct your gaze to the candle’s flame and simply take a moment to watch as it flickers. Notice how the flame changes shape; observe how the light in the room has softened thanks to the candle’s glow.

3.) As you move deeper into the meditation, allow yourself to integrate your breath work more prominently by focusing on the rise and fall of your chest. As you inhale, imagine you are breathing in the warmth of the candlelight and, as you exhale, visualize the word “calm.” You can also say the word out loud if you prefer. You may want to substitute the word “calm” for another word that more closely resonates with you.

4.) Continue to allow the candle to act as your focal point for the meditation and keep going for as long as you wish; this meditation can be a very relaxing exercise to carry out at the end of the day.

5.) When you have come to the end of the meditation, carefully blow out the candle. This meditation is particularly helpful when you need to unwind and relax at the end of a busy day.

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“I CAN'T DO THIS ALONE” MEDITATION

How many of us feel the burden of having too many things on the go and not enough hands on deck? Sometimes it can feel like we are carrying the load all by ourselves. This meditation can be carried out when you feel “full to the brim” and need to share the burden.

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1.) Find your meditation spot and assume a comfortable position. Spend a few seconds adjusting to the moment and gently bring your awareness to your breath. For this meditation, you can close your eyes or softly gaze just ahead of you, whatever you feel comfortable with.

2.) Bring to light the issue that is causing you concern—perhaps it is something that is keeping you awake at night, leaving you feeling agitated and stressed—try not to get worked up over it, just bring the concern to the forefront in an objective, mindful way as you are taking the first steps to actually deal with this issue, which is no mean feat!

3.) Imagine now that you are speaking with a loving partner, family member, friend, or perhaps even visualize yourself in this role; the most important part is that you envisage a warm, loving presence. Tell them (either aloud or in your mind) what it is that you need help with and what is troubling you most; allow yourself the opportunity to be totally honest.

4.) Visualize your companion gently offering you advice and support: what would they tell you? How would they support you? What steps can they make to help you in your time of need? Just visualize the conversation so that you start to glean what you want out of a real–life discussion.

5.) Imagine now that your companion is helping you make the changes you want to see in your life: imagine how much better you feel as the burden is lifted off your shoulders.

6.) Gently bring your focus back to your breathing and allow yourself a few moments. You may want to bring your hand gently to your chest, which can offer comfort but also bring you back to full awareness.

To conclude: Far too often we show the people closest to us only the best part of ourselves; we plaster a smile and give “I’m fine“ as a response no matter what we feel or may be going through.

...we need to open up and give our family and friends the opportunity to be there, and if we become more honest about ourselves, we are more likely to get the help we need, when we need it...

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