Quick and Easy Meditation Techniques

by Regina Chouza

A quick Google search will yield dozens of reasons to meditate, whether it’s stress relief, bringing your attention to the present moment or finding that elusive Inner Peace that so many of us are after. But how exactly does one go about meditating? If the thought of sitting still for fifteen minutes feels like a challenge, here are ten creative meditation techniques to tame the mind, flex your chakras and enjoy yourself, too.

 

10 Creative Meditation Techniques

Meditation Technique #1 – The Energy Booster

This grounding meditation works best sitting down, whether it’s at work, on a bus or in a waiting room. Relax your eyes and notice the weight of your body against the chair. Take a few deep breaths and turn your attention to the chakras at the soles of your feet. These energy centers connect us to the Earth and all of her warm nourishing energy. Intend for your foot chakras to open up every so slightly, as you turn your attention to the ground beneath your feet. Visualize and feel warm Earth energy flowing through your feet, up your calves and past your thighs to your root chakra at the base of the spine. We energize the physical body through this bright red chakra, before releasing excess or tense energy down the legs into the ground. This strengthens the Energy Body, carving out solid foundations for further energy work. We can also alternate, drawing energy up one leg and down the other.

 

Meditation Technique #2 – The Time Out

We all have days when we want the Earth to stop spinning if only for a moment, so we can hop off. Short of a cosmic timeout, the nearest rest stop is just around the corner. When this happens, take five minutes out of your hectic schedule and run to the ladies’ room (or the gents’) for a quick break.

Close the door behind you and take a deep breath to quiet your mind. Visualize a ball of light over your right palm. We are going to send it over your head in a half-circle, to your left hand, creating a steady stream of energy. Bring your hands together and place them over your heart, sending that light down your core to the center of the Earth. It clears, heals and releases any stress from your physical body in one swoop. See and feel that white light as it grows stronger in your heart chakra. Bring that beam up from the Earth, through your heart to the sky and raise your arms over your head in a V shape. Place a bubble of white light around your body. This meditation was created by London-based Reiki Master and Meditation Teacher, Michael Kaufmann; the perfect choice for a quick time out.

 

Meditation Technique #3 – The Inventory Check

The purpose of this meditation is to increase mindfulness by taking stock of our surroundings. What do you see? How many palm trees, lifeguard towers or surfers at the beach? What color are the tags on your neighbor’s dog? Observing commuters can also be entertaining, but don’t make anyone uncomfortable by staring. And lastly, if your home is cluttered, taking an inventory of the mess will also ground you. Disorganized environments are often the result of absentminded or ungrounded personalities. The moment we start noticing dust on countertops, mission accomplished!

 

Meditation Technique #4 – The Countdown

Close your eyes and count down from one hundred. Thoughts may come and go, let them. Every decade brings a fresh opportunity to focus the mind for 10 seconds. As you increase your powers of concentration, put any thoughts of failure out of your mind.

 

Meditation Technique #5 – The Walkabout

This meditation is inspired by Buddhist Stupas, where monks walk in silence around a centerpiece, prayer beads in hand, reciting mantras. Find a park, a patio or a jogging track and take deliberate steps as you repeat the mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, intending for it to enhance feelings of compassion for yourself and others. We can take it one step further by noticing each of our muscles, joints, and movements.

 

Meditation Technique #6 – The Martial Artisan

For those of us who want to find our groove but have trouble sitting still, Tai Chi offers movement and meditation. To get started, join a local class or watch a tutorial on YouTube. You will learn to ground your energy, find your balance and use slow, deliberate movements to connect with the universal flow of energy, or Chi.

 

Meditation Technique #7 – The Rabbit Hole

This technique involves clairvoyance and a dash of imagination. You will need a tarot deck, so find one that you are comfortable with. Shuffle the cards face up, looking at the images and choose the card that you are most drawn to. Gaze at the image until it is etched in your memory and close your eyes. We are going to step into the card, using our five senses to bring it to life. What do you see and hear? Is there an ocean nearby? Turn your attention to any characters in the picture. What is their story?

We can replicate this technique with Christmas cards, family photographs or works of art. Step into the image and see where it takes you. Write it down to remember.

 

Meditation Technique #8 – The Storyteller

Journaling is a great way to let go of our day when night falls. Light a candle and get yourself a piece of paper. Take a few deep breaths, ground your energy (see #1) and write about your day. Let the words flow from your pen with no concern for spelling, grammar or eloquence. Write in the third person if necessary, to distance yourself from the events of the day. Let your emotional and mental bodies filter through with thoughts, feelings or impressions about your day. Write with no filters, no ego. Channeling your thoughts and feelings will release a tremendous amount of energy.

 

Meditation Technique #9 – The Psychic Housekeeper

This simple meditation can help us develop clairvoyance and visualization skills. Find a place to sit and look at the room around you. Close your eyes and see it in your mind. Ask yourself how many light bulbs, how many windows, doors, rugs? What color are the curtains? Visualize the room in as much detail as possible. When you are done, use your intuition to feel the energy in the room.

Does it need cleaning? If so, use your mind’s eye to open the windows, shake out the curtains and clear the air. Fill the room with fresh flowers, with a shower of light or with music. Take a deep breath and when you are satisfied, open your eyes.

 

Meditation Technique #10 – The Sweeping Breath

Listen to your heartbeat for ten counts before taking a few deep breaths. See and feel your breath as it sweeps through your body from top to toe. Let it empty into the ground, removing any excess or tense energy from your aura. Surround yourself with gold light and replenish your energy by breathing that light into your body.

 

The Bonus Meditation Technique!

Meditation teaches us to eliminate noise and focus on the task at hand. If all else fails, do not underestimate the value of housework. Do the dishes and make a meditative experience of it, with nothing but soap bubbles going through your mind.

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About the Author

Can anyone learn to channel healing and shift his or her life in a new direction? Of course! This startling discovery led Regina Chouza to become an Accredited Healer, blogger and teacher. Her first book A Personal Guide to Self-Healing, Cancer & Love, is available on Amazon. Visit www.diaryofapsychichealer.com for details or tweet a question @reginachouza. www.facebook.com/diaryofapsychichealer