 Some days, I sit to meditate and my thoughts immediately wander off to plan the next 30+ years of my life. We all have this experience from time to time, and if this has been your ONLY experience in meditation, go easy on yourself. Part of mindfulness is learning to be comfortable with the good, the bad and the ugly- including the chatter of your mind. My favorite techniques for these busy-minded days include mantra meditation to focus the mind, counting the breath to stay present, brahmari (humming bee) to soothe the mind and diaphragmatic breath to calm the nervous system. Brahmari soothes an emotionally overwhelmed mind. Here's how to practice it: Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Take a deep breath and as you exhale, make an '"mmmm" sound like you just ate something delicious. Take another deep breath and this time, make the same sound but at a slightly higher pitch. Continue taking deep breaths in and humming on the breath out. Work towards extending the hum for 7 counts. The longer you sustain your breath, the more relaxing it becomes. But breathe mindfully because over-extending creates the opposite effect. Once you've got the breathing down, you're ready to enhance your vibratory experience. Plug your ear canals by placing your thumbs over the cartilage of your ears. Position the other 8 fingers on the sides of your head, above your temples. Start with 10 breaths and slowly work your way up to 7 minutes.
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Photo used under Creative Commons from Marius Muscalu