Lightness Meditation (free download!)
This amazing thing happened over the last few weeks. I feel LIGHT.I don't mean in pounds or kilos - I mean the haze burned off. The resistance around the little things shifted into acceptance. The stuck-ness got all shook up and out.The first half of the year was... heavy. Losing a loved one is dark sh*t. Losing two is worse. A couple months after my Grandma got her wings, my Grandpa followed her. After frequent emergency trips to Northern California and bad news after bad news, I just felt tired. All the time. Tired and hermit-like. I was feeling it for so long that it started to feel like a new normal.While the grief and emotional exhaustion I was experiencing wasn't depression, it reminded me of the insidiousness of the disease. The darkness creeps in a little bit a time: a thought here, a canceled dinner there. Then, all of a sudden, you're isolating, digging yourself deeper into a hole that's hard to climb back out of. After months of feeling like this, the Lightness was a welcome surprise. One that I wanted to honor consciously as much as possible.I often bring an intention into my morning meditation to set the mood at the beginning of the day. It's usually a word or short phrase that calls in the way I want to feel throughout the day. Since I returned from Europe, I shifted things around a little bit to focus in on the experience of Lightness, express gratitude for it, and allow more of it in.
I started to notice that the more I focused in on this Lightness in an open, un-forced way, the more able I was to tap into it at a moment's notice.
The more easily I was able to release any resistance that wasn't serving me or reactions from other people that I had no control over (something I struggle with sometimes). Because it's been helping me so much, I couldn't help but share it with you, too.The glorious thing about this Lightness Meditation is that you can do it no matter whether you feel Light or Heavy or anywhere in between at the start. The purpose of this meditation is to reconnect you with the Lightness that always exists within you, and to gently release any darkness that's weighing you down. Before you jump into it, though, let's set some expectations.Lightness does not always mean that you are 100% free of darkness. Lightness is a multi-faceted spectrum, not two points that exist alone on either side of it. If you end up vibing higher one day than you did the day before after doing this meditation, it doesn't mean anything about how "well" you're doing it. Just wanted to throw that out there to you perfectionists reading. You know who you are. ;)Ok, get to the meditation already, Amy! I'm goin', I'm goin'!
Here's how to do the Lightness Meditation:
Sit in a quiet, safe space in a comfortable position. Chairs, cushions, floors, grass: all are welcome so long as you feel good wherever you are.
Take a deep breath in and close your eyes.
Spend a few deep breaths just checking in with yourself. What are you feeling right now? Anything in your body? Any emotions? Any thoughts? Acknowledge it all without trying to change it.
Bring your attention to any darkness in the form of resistance, pain, constriction, heaviness, struggle or fear. Ask yourself if you feel it anywhere specifically in your body. Take a few deep breaths to center in on those spots.If you're not aware of any darkness, focus in on the Lightness you feel instead, letting it expand through you.
Focus your mind onto the word, "Lightness." Chances are that words inspires feelings within you. Don't try to analyze them. Just let them come with the word as you repeat it with every breath.
As you repeat the word, "Lightness," with each inhale, envision Light entering your body, swirling through you, lighting up those areas where you feel darkness. Breathe into these spots. With each exhale, envision the Lightness carrying the darkness out of your body along with it, leaving you free and clear. Lightness expands through your entire body, through your mind, through your heart. Light clears all. Keep breathing into this until you feel complete for the day (reminder: perfection isn't the goal. Stop whenever you feel you are ready).
When you feel complete with that part of the practice, take a moment to bring your hands over your heart and express heartfelt gratitude for any Lightness you currently feel AND Lightness you DESIRE to feel.
Take a few deep breaths into this closing thought: "I commit to seeking out Lightness today, to remembering this Lightness is always within me waiting to be called up, and releasing the darkness that doesn't serve me."
When you're ready, open your eyes and go have a Light day.
Let me talk you through it
As helpful as written instructions for meditations are ( ;) ), I bet it would be a lot easier for you to just listen to me guide you through this process. Lucky for you, I recorded one for you!The Lightness Meditation mp3 is totally free. All you have to do is sign up for our Weekly Motivational newsletter! It's Strong Inside Out's brand new weekly email chock full of - you guessed it - motivation to build your individual health: mind, body and spirit. It's not just blog posts, either. This new newsletter contains special little love letters that I'm writing each week just for you. I'm sharing my favorite finds that help me stay healthy and balanced as well as unique tidbits that you'll only find in the email.I'm not trying to sell you (I mean, it's free). I just really, honestly am so excited about the new changes that are happening here at Strong Inside Out and I want to share them with you. You'll miss out on one of the most exciting parts - The Weekly Motivational - if you don't join the email list.
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[gravityform id="20" title="false" description="false"]And if now's not the time for you, I understand. You're still welcome here with us. However you choose to show up, you're a part of our family.Wishing you so much Light.Love,Amy