guest post: resting in awareness

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As a reminder, I'm on a business trip (oh what fun!) until January 18th. In the meantime, I have some great guest posts to share with you... Today's guest post was written by Steven, creator of The Emotion Machine, a great and insightful site you should definitely check out if you haven't already. I've always been curious about how to relax more (relaxing is not my strong suit!) and this post is really great for learning more about how to relax and meditate. There's even mention of lucid dreaming, something I've found fascinating ever since I saw Vanilla Sky. Thank you, Steven, for writing this great post and for helping me work on relaxing! 

 

At this moment, take a few deep breaths. As you inhale, pay attention to the sensations in your nose, as the cool air fills, and then sits at the bottom of your lungs. Recognize the slight pause before the inhale becomes an exhale. Then, let the air slowly exit through your mouth, feeling the subtle pressures between your lips and noting how the air is a bit warmer then when it had first entered.

This is all that is needed for any meditative practice, but with consistency, this awareness can change your world. The breath shows itself to you. It makes you take a step back, center yourself, and relax those demanding tensions of our earthly existence. For these reasons the breath is a great object to rest your awareness, not just in times of meditation, but also times when we become upset, anxious, or frustrated.

Resting in your awareness is a skill. This means the more you practice the better you become. At first, you may only be able to cultivate a light sense of relaxation, but eventually you will find deeper and deeper realms, including states of pure tranquility and bliss. It is important not to confuse thoughts of relaxation with the relaxation itself. You can make progress by imaging yourself resting in the sun at the beach, or being a light feather as it is swept away by a summer’s breeze, but it is the feelings present inside your body that require your utmost concentration; and this always begins with the movements of the breath.

 

Focus on the sensations of resting, this keeps the mind bright and awake as the body falls into a state of deep relaxation or light sleep. Don’t be alarmed if you begin to fall into a deeper trance. With practice, you can learn to transcend these states of relaxation and experience wake-initiated lucid dreams (WILD). But the key element here is to focus on the sensations of relaxation. Just how good can your body feel?

 

Remain still and restful. Keep the breath as your object of meditation. This is the center of your awareness, the locus of control whenever you are cultivating states of rest and relaxation. Practice meditating on the breath and see just how tranquil you can become, if you let yourself. Practice daily and you will get better and better. Always remember, relaxation is a process of letting go, and not something that can be built upon by force or resistance.

 

Steven is a recent graduate with a degree in Psychology. He is well-versed in the practices of self-hypnosis and mindfulness meditation and he has recently begun a life coaching service that focus on stress-reduction, motivation skills, building creativity, and habit changing. Check out his blog over at TheEmotionMachine.com. 

Comments

[Hayden Tompkins]

I have always had a problem with quieting my mind with one MAJOR exception. Music helps me focus my mind and get out of my mind!

I like "music meditations" when I just put on an unfamiliar piece of music and try to keep my mind with it.

I still have a lot of room for improvement when it comes to being still in the moment of breath!

[J.D. Meier]

WILD sounds pretty wild!

[Lance]

Focused breathing really is a great way to get to a place that is more relaxed and calming. Nicely written piece!

[Steven]

I want to first give a big warm thank you to Dani for letting me do a guest post on Positively Present. It is a real honor.

@Hayden - There was a point in my life where I absolutely could not fall asleep without some music buzzing in my ears. Music certainly helps, but it is not something you want to become dependent on for sleep. I have much healthier sleeping habits now that I have begun to practice deep relaxation techniques.

[Rocky]

I know attempting to be aware has definitely made a big difference in how I enjoy my life. great post Steven !

[Sami - Life, Laughs & Lemmings]

I'm with Hayden (and Dani), relaxing and quietening my mind is not something that comes easily to me. I do however, understand the importance of it and love the simple technique you've outlined here. Thanks Steven, great post.

[Kaushik]

Well, you know I love this post! From personal experience, it is all about Awareness. Not positive thinking, not the law of attraction, not talking ourselves into feeling better, but the magic of awareness, which is so freely available to all of us!

Thanks for posting, Hayden and Dani!

k

[Steven]

I agree Kaushik. Awareness is the agent of change for me. If I can see it, if i can feel it - if I am conscious of it - than I can play with that energy.

[Jen]

A very soothing post Steven - I really felt myself letting go as I read it. Great to find you here - I will pop over to your site now.

Jen

ps - I am also a life coach :)