Gratitude Meditation

Gratitude is feeling thankful.

Gratitude is an emotion of connectedness, which reminds us we are part of a larger universe with all living things.

The habit of gratitude can greatly help with feelings of inner peace, increase mindfulness, and attract more good into our lives.

Gratitude connects us to the present moment.

Gratitude uplifts our spirits and feeds our hearts.

Gratitude opens the heart and activates positive emotion centers in the brain.  Regular practice of gratitude can change the way our brain neurons fire into more positive automatic patterns.

Gratitude habits and rituals of giving thanks have been passed down through cultures all over the world.

Gratitude can help during times of stress or panic- thinking of all the hard times you have already overcome and all the good you already have in your life can be reassuring.

How to develop an attitude of gratitude

*Start a daily Gratitude Journal of things you are thankful for. This could be items, experiences, life changes, emotions, people, anything you wish.

At the start of every day think about 3 things that you are thankful for, this encourages a positive start to the day and invites in the good things you are grateful for.

At the end of every day write down 3 things you are thankful for receiving/happening that day.

*Gratitude Affirmations: Keep a box of gratitude affirmations and pull one every day.

*Gratitude Mindfulness: Be aware throughout the day of all the things you are thankful for, especially the things you might take for granted. Even your bills- be thankful that you have been entrusted to receive bills. 

Gratitude Meditation Script

Here is the script I used for the Gratitude Meditation Session on 4th December.

The credit for inspiring this script goes to http://www.chopra.com/community/online-library/guided-meditations/gratitude-meditation

**Think about something in your life you are very grateful for, think about where you can feel that in your body**

I will be bringing your awareness to things in your life that you are thankful for.

Just give gratitude the chance to come up naturally. And when it comes up just let yourself sink into the feeling, surrender to it. Notice how it feels in your body, how your energy feels. And if it doesn’t come up that’s ok, you don’t need to try to make yourself feel it. Just surrender to your heart not your head.

So lets flash through all aspects of your life that you might be grateful for.

Firstly bring your awareness to your breath, as you inhale and as you exhale and the fact that each of these breaths gives you life.

Then, be aware of your heart beating, pulsing, filling with love and compassion and peace, and flowing that back out.

Bring your awareness to your eyes, that let you see colour, faces, smiles, nature, the sunrise, the sunset, the rainbow, the moon and the stars, yourself in the mirror.

Bring your awareness to your ears, that beam in sound, music, laughter, the voices of those you love, the silence, the beautiful sounds of life.

Bring your awareness to your nose, that smells the ocean breeze, the aroma of sweet perfume, the flowers, the trees, newly cut grass, the wafting smells that come from the kitchen, cupcakes in the oven.

Bring your awareness to your lips and mouth, that tastes and savours and nourishes, kisses and speaks, that whispers, and sings.

Bring your awareness to your hands that hold and touch, and caress, and open and close, and applaud, and squeeze, the arms and shoulders that carry and hug and lift and stretch.

Our feet, our toes, the gift to wiggle them, transport you, walk, run, dangle, dance, kick, fold, leap and point.

What about your tears, your sorrows, in the strength that you seem to be able to muster, to make it through each day.

Bring your awareness to your abundance, your expansion, your evolution, your perspective shifts, the affluence and flow and empathy and love and light, and your ability to see growth, and potential in every moment.

Now just breathe and feel more grace, and ease.

And now experience the warmth, love and compassion that gratitude brings into your heart.

Drift your awareness to nurturing relationships in your life, the new ones and the older ones.

Material things that came to you unexpectedly, things that flow to you with great effort and commitment, hard work.

Think of love in your life, and your connection to those things that are sweet, and loving and honourable, and just feel right.

When we no longer take life for granted, we become grateful for everything that we have.

Just breathe and feel this flow. 

New Year Meditation

“Happy New Year”

The New Year is traditionally a time when we make resolutions- ie setting goals and making wishes and intentions. It is a good opportunity to carry out a Life Review, to evaluate where we have been and the lessons we have learned, to think about where we are at now and bring ourselves back to the present, and to set the intentions for the future.

We usually associate the New Year with bringing about new beginnings as we move towards welcoming in the spring and the fresh renewal and hope it brings. However new beginnings and life reviews do not have to be relegated to the new year. The actions within the wheel of the year can be carried on every month through following the moon cycles. This is a beautiful way to make life changes in flow with the natural rhythm of the universe. Our bodies are made up of 70% water, therefore the energy of the moon affects us greatly in the same way as it affects the oceans and tides.

Moon Phases:

New Moon (dark moon): is a time of rest and a starting point for new beginnings, setting goals.

Waxing Moon (increasing in size): is a time to lay the foundations for change, gathering resources 7 information needed for your goals.

Full Moon: Illuminates, a productive time, seeing results, highly intuitive time. Not good for making major decisions.

Waning Moon (decreasing in size): is a time for release, breaking habits, time to review and to correct mistakes. Decision-making is good at this time.

Call on:

*Archangel Jeremiel- this is the life review archangel. One of Jeremiel`s purposes is to help newly crossed-over souls review their lives. He also helps those who are still living to make life reviews. Ask Jeremiel to help you review where you`ve been, what you`ve learned, what patterns you`re ready to release, and what you`re grateful for in your life. ~Doreen Virtue~

*Celtic Goddess Eostre- Goddess of new beginnings.

*Hindu God Ganesha- the god of new beginnings and remover of obstacles.

*Within the traditional Celtic calendar, the time for new beginnings happens on `Imbolc` on 1^st Feb, also known as Candlemas or St Brigits day.

*The Chinese New Year is on 31^st January.

*Animal Spirit Guide: Butterfly signifies transformation. Kangaroo for moving forward.

*Hindu Goddess Kali: has unwavering judgement, strong willpower and penetrative insight. She characterises how we feel about our attachments to people and possessions, and how we react when we are threatened with losing them. Don't be afraid to shed - Kali offers you the strength to rid your life of excess baggage, to confront the forces that threaten you, to destroy the elements of destruction in your life. Once this is done, you can celebrate new life! Kali is related to our root chakra and when our root chakra is in balance, we feel secure, alert, stable - our lives are full of active and positive energy. If you are not feeling like this, then you need to sit and connect with the earth.

“Every moment is a new beginning point”     ~Louise L Hay~

New Year Meditation Script

Here is the meditation script I used for the New Year Meditation Session, that was passed on to me by a dear friend.

Imagine yourself in a forest, it is still and bright with the winter sun…you have been drawn here inexplicably, feeling an urge for an unknown reason, to enter this forest.  The trees are heavy with snow, their boughs hanging down around you; the warm February sun melts it a little around the edges, cool water dripping down into the earth around you, bringing up rich fragrance of earth, of life growing secretly underground…you are warm with the sun, your nose chilly and your body warm, your heart glowing… 

You make your way down a path that only you can see- somehow this path is for you alone, and you feel as if it is simply opening before you, and closing behind you as you go, knowing that on your return, it will again open before you and close behind you, bringing you back exactly where you need to be.  You feel safe and you feel loved, for this path is being created especially for you. 

As you walk, you can feel yourself being drawn toward someone, someone who lives deep in the forest, someone who has invited you for a special visit, who has special gifts for you.  Your excitement and anticipation grows as you can feel this person more clearly as you approach.  This is an old friend, though perhaps you have never met!  You feel lucky, you feel loved…and you can feel that what you will gain from this meeting will change your life…  

As you round a bend in the path, the path suddenly opens into a clearing.  In the center of the clearing is a cottage, surrounded by beds of early spring flowers, snowdrops, crocuses, narcissus hugging the home in abundant, delicate rainbow display.  Smoke curls from the chimney, and even as you approach the door, it swings open, and you are greeted by your special Guide.  Your Guide welcomes you with open arms, excited to see you, having prepared gifts of wisdom and love and packages which hold exactly what you will need to flourish in the coming year. 

“Welcome to your New Year”, says your Guide, and you feel the old year as it slips away…the wisdom and strength you've gained are part of you now, and you feel anything which has not served you well during the past year sliding out of you, shimmering into nothingness, taken back into the arms of the Divine. 

You sit down by the fire, having a warm drink, and feeling like a treasure yourself, for you know that your Guide is here only for you.  You feel an excited anticipation about seeing what this New Year holds for you, and excited to be receiving the wisdom, the capabilities, the nurturing with which you will create the year to come. 

Your Guide lays three packages before you.  Each is wrapped exquisitely, and each glows with an angelic Light!  You feel awed that these gifts have been prepared especially for you… 

Your Guide points to the first package. This is the Gift of Enlightened Dreams.  It holds the perfect dream of the next step which you wish to take in your life.  Look at it and feel that you truly do not know what it contains, not yet.  Feel how perfect the next step is, underneath the wrapping.  Feel what a gift the next step will be in your life. 

Open the first gift…make a note of this gift, in detail.  What is your soul's dream for this year?  Take as much time as you need, to take it in, to feel it, to ask whatever questions you wish of your Guide, to feel it and understand it fully. 

When this is complete, your Guide points to the second Gift.  This is the Gift of Tools.  Within this package lie all of the tools, emotional, mental, and spiritual- which you will need to make your Dream a reality this year. 

Open the second gift…take out your tools, one by one.  Hold each one, bring it into your heart, and understand that this is yours; it has been given to you.  Feel and know that whenever you need this tool, you can simply feel inside yourself to find it.  Spirit has given it to you, it cannot be taken away.  Take as much time as you need to experience each tool, to ask any questions you wish about why it was given, how it is to be used, until you understand these fully and know them to be yours. 

When this is complete, your Guide points to the third gift.  This is the Gift of the Plan.  Inside is your roadmap for the coming year.  It lays out the events and accomplishments to come, which create your Soul's desires for you in reality, in your life.  Understand that you are fully capable, that you are primed to put this plan into action.  This is the natural next step for you in your life.  There is nothing within this plan which you need fear is impossible- your Soul has planned perfectly, and all that you need to set it into motion has been given to you already.  

Open the third Gift.  See the plan!  There will be a first goal.  See this goal, and see when it is planned for accomplishment.  See which tools you will use.  See what you will need to put into action to make it so.  Ask any questions of your Guide to understand it clearly.  Then, see the next goal, and so on, until your year's plan is seen and understood in its entirety, from the beginning to the end of the year.  Take as much time as you need to do this. 

When this is complete, Thank your Guide for their love and the gift of this New Year- for the gift of feeling your Dream deeply, for the gift of the Tools you need to make it reality, and for the gift of the Plan with which you will put it all into place.  Know that you can return to your Guide in the Forest whenever you wish for clarification, support and assistance as you create this New Year.  Your Guide will be here, always ready to help. 

And now, bid your Guide goodbye for now, carrying your gifts with you as you make your way out of the cottage and back through the forest, into the New Year. 

Metta Meditation

About Loving-Kindness

Christmas is a time of `goodwill` that reminds us to be kind and compassionate to others, and also reminds us that we should try to make kindness a habit in our everyday lives. Gift-giving is a lovely tradition to show each other care, but rather than swapping obligatory store-bought presents, perhaps we could show appreciation and kindness towards one another in more alternative, meaningful ways. Instead of the yearly gifts and donations to charities, perhaps we could be more mindful throughout the year of how our actions affect the lives of others. 

We are the creators of our own realities, yet we are also co-creators of a shared reality here on earth.

It is vital to cultivate love and compassion for ourselves, as we cannot truly love another or allow another to love us unless we love ourselves first. When we become responsible for nurtuing ourselves with loving-kindness, then we can assume the responsibility we have to be kind to each other, the environment around us, and all other life forms. When we make personal responsibility and social responsibility a habit, a positive way of living, we are automatically sharing love and compassion out into the world.

 “Every action has a reaction”

The Ripple Effect

The Ripple Effect is based on the understanding that we are all connected. These connections stretch like an incredibly interwoven and complicated tapestry. Each of us exists within this tapestry. Thoughts and actions are like stones dropped in a pond and they create ripples that travel outward.

Everything we do and think affects the people in our lives and their reactions in turn affect others. The choices you make have far-reaching consequences. Each of us carries within us the capacity to change the world in small ways for better or worse. We can use the Principles of the Ripple Effect to magnify our actions and their effects.

(http://humanityhealing.org/who-we-are/the-ripple-effect)

 

Why Kindness Is Good For You by Dr David Hamilton

Dr David Hamilton explains how one act of kindness to a person will create another act of kindness. He discusses how kindness has a positive side-effect in that it makes you feel happier, and recommends picking a kindness day of the week eg, Friday.. so for the next 6 Fridays try to carry out 5 small acts of kindness.

He explains how evolution has shown us that we are naturally wired to be kind as opposed to being selfish, and that we have evolved through helping each other- forming groups and communities throughout history, and how being kind forms strong bonds within a group.

He talks about how kindness alters brain chemistry and the science behind it. Oxytocin is the hormone that is produced with warm contact- hugging, breast-feeding, falling in love etc. Research shows that Oxytocin has positive effects including lowering blood pressure, and anti-inflammatory effects.

(http://drdavidhamilton.com)

Compassion Meditation changes the brain.

There are many current studies that show how the brain circuits respond to our emotions and vice versa. Tibetan monks undertook a study that showed how practicing loving-kindness meditation and employing it as a philosophy and mission stimulates activity in the insula- the region of the brain responsible for emotions and for mapping the bodily responses to emotions such as heart rate and blood pressure. The area of the brain linked with processing empathy- the temporal parietal juncture- was also shown to be activated.

(http://www.news.wisc.edu/14944)

About Metta by the buddhistcentre.com:

The original name of this practice is metta bhavana, which comes from the Pali language. Metta means `love` (in a non-romantic sense), friendliness, or kindness: hence `loving-kindness` for short. It is an emotion, something you feel in your heart. Bhavana means development or cultivation. The commonest form of the practice is in five stages, each of which should last about five minutes for a beginner.

1    1)  In the first stage, you feel metta for yourself. You start by becoming aware of yourself, and focusing on feelings of peace, calm and tranquillity. Then you let these grow in to feelings of strength and confidence, and then develop into love within your heart. You can use an image, like a golden light flooding your body, or a phrase such as `may I be well and happy`, which you can repeat to yourself. These are ways of stimulating the feeling of metta for yourself.

2      2)In the second stage think of a good friend. Bring them to mind as vividly as you can, and think of their good qualities. Feel your connection with your friend, and your liking for them, and encourage these to grow by repeating `may they be well; may they be happy` quietly to yourself. You can also use an image, such as a shining light from your heart into theirs. You can use these techniques- a phrase or an image in the next two stages as well.

3     3)Then think of someone you do not particularly like or dislike. Your feelings are `neutral`. This may be someone who you do not know well but see around. You reflect on their humanity, and include them in your feelings of metta.

4     4) Think of someone you actually dislike- an enemy. Trying not to get caught up in any feelings of hatred, you think of them positively and send your metta to them as well.

5      5) In the final stage, first of all you think of all four people together- yourself, the friend, the neutral person, and the enemy. Then extend your feelings further- to everyone around you, and to everyone in your neighbourhood, in your town, your country and so on throughout the world. Have a sense of waves of loving-kindness spreading from your heart to everyone, to all beings everywhere. (https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/loving-kindness-meditation)

My Metta Meditation Script: 

***********Carry out the basic prep breathing meditation here****************

We will start with connecting to ourselves.

Try to connect with your inner energy, what is inside of you. Your spirit or life force. You might feel it as a buzz or tingle, or just a knowing. How does the connection to yourself feel? Is it hard or soft? Warm or cold? Loving or criticising?

Allow yourself to soften the connection, to open your heart centre, to give yourself love. Soften your heart and allow it to open. Let it be calm.

Feel the sense of caring, healing and soothing. Let it wash over you and through you while you gently repeat to yourself:

May I be filled with loving-kindness

May I be healthy and strong

May I be peaceful and at ease

May I be happy, loved and cared for

May I be free of suffering

Wish yourself joy, appreciation, freedom, wisdom, compassion and kindness

Now I want you to think about the web of energy connecting you to others- how does it feel? Think about each strand of connection to your close friends, your family, colleagues, strangers. Do they feel loving, kind, appreciating? Do others feel hard, awkward, angry?

Try to soften that whole web of connection, sending out a little pink light of love from your heart centre, and letting it travel through the web of energy connections to wherever it needs to go.

Bring into your mind someone who is important to you, someone you like and respect. Think about all their good qualities. Engulf them with warmth and caring. See them happy and smiling. Wish them all the good you would wish for yourself.

In your mind, repeat to them

May you be filled with loving-kindness

May you be healthy and strong

May you be peaceful and at ease

May you be happy, loved and cared for

May you be free of suffering

Now, bring to mind someone you do not particularly like or dislike. Your feelings are `neutral`. This may be someone who you do not know well but see around. Think of the connection to them, and imagine softening the connection with a pink light from the heart centre. In your mind, repeat to them

May you be filled with loving-kindness

May you be healthy and strong

May you be peaceful and at ease

May you be happy, loved and cared for

May you be free of suffering

Now, think of someone you actually dislike- an enemy. Trying not to get caught up in any feelings of hatred, think about how the connection to them feels. Try to soften the connection by sending out a pink light from the heart centre into the energy web.

 In your mind, repeat to them

May you be filled with loving-kindness

May you be healthy and strong

May you be peaceful and at ease

May you be happy, loved and cared for

May you be free of suffering

Now, think of all four people together- yourself, the friend, the neutral person, and the enemy. Then extend your feelings further- out into the larger web of connections around  you, to the people you work with, socialise with, strangers passing by on the street, to everyone in your neighbourhood, in your town, your country and further out into the world. Have a sense of waves of loving-kindness spreading from your heart to everyone, to all beings everywhere.  Repeat to them

May you be filled with loving-kindness

May you be healthy and strong

May you be peaceful and at ease

May you be happy, loved and cared for

May you be free of suffering

Breathing in love, breathing out kindness. (Repeat several times)

*******************Give some space to be quiet****************

**carry out closing meditation script and bringing back to the present**

Positive Affirmations

About Positive Affirmations  

What is a Positive Affirmation?

      A positive affirmation is a statement that you tell to yourself. It is a form of positive self-talk that can make you feel better through association of the words, thus creating a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA).  Positive affirmations are quite powerful (from a holistic point of view, ie Mind, Body & Spirit) and they have many benefits. Positive affirmations work on every level- physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  When a positive affirmation is said over and over again, it will train the mind to believe what it is being told. The subconscious mind holds many belief systems that we have acquired throughout the lifespan. We don’t always re-examine and evaluate our belief systems but to do so is vital for growth and learning. Some of our beliefs serve us very well while others are self-limiting. Some beliefs change and flow as we move through life while others stay fixed. Sometimes we change our beliefs naturally without much effort, while others are harder to change because of the time or intensity it has taken to form the belief. The mind will generally believe what is told if it is being told often enough, and especially if it is not in the habit of questioning everything it is told.

What influences the mind?

    It is a good idea to get into the habit of discernment, ie question everything you are told. Become more aware of what your mind is being told in everyday life, what you are observing, the conversations you have with others etc. It is most important though to be aware of what it is that you are telling yourself.  A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself “would I employ someone to be with me 24hrs a day repeating to me what I am telling myself?” Have a think about the beliefs you hold, what statements do you think about yourself and life? Do they sound like “I really deserve good things.” “I love myself so much.” Or do they sound more like “Im not good enough” “Bad things always happen to me.” How self-aware are you? What statements should you be telling yourself? What kind of beliefs are you affirming to yourself on a continuous basis? You are the biggest influence on yourself and your thoughts are the one thing that you can take control of with some practice.

              Think of the mind as being a computer system that takes in information, processes it, stores it and believes what it is told. Think of the spirit or life-force being the driving force behind the mind. Think of every cell within the body as having its own memory that sends information to the mind. Think of your emotions as being the messengers to tell you what you are thinking about. Think of the mind sending signals to the body to do its job. Think of your memories as being old movies that rerun.    

            Mainstream medicine and society have recently realised the importance of minding our minds, looking after our mental health, and developing a PMA (positive mental attitude). It is important to note though that we should not be pressurising ourselves to become positive about everything in life. Negative thoughts and emotions are part of who we are and are an important guidance tool to help us work with ourselves and the world in general. Awareness is the key.

Reprogramming the mind

           There are numerous therapies and tools to change something within the subconscious mind and thought patterns, like Hypnotherapy, Integrated Energy Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. However using positive affirmations can be a powerful way to reprogramme the mind if used correctly. Scientists have proven that our DNA can be reprogrammed using words and frequencies. Our minds are constantly busy, working and `talking`, either processing the boundless information and data being brought in continuously throughout the day or it is telling ourselves what has happened, what might happen in the future, what we think of ourselves and others, what others think of us, the list goes on.. Meditation is one of the most powerful ways to train the `monkey mind` and using positive affirmations within meditation while the brainwaves are at their most receptive is a sure way to change the thought processes.

             A simple example of a positive affirmation is, if a person is lacking in self-confidence, and they use the affirmation “I love and approve of myself” their mind will eventually start to believe it and self-confidence will increase. A term for this is `self-fulfilling prophecy`, or more generally known as brain-washing!

        When the mind is told something over and again (by a child or parent or others or self) then it will eventually believe it. A child who is consistently told by a parent  “You always do that wrong” will grow up to believe that they always do that particular thing wrong. And likewise if they are told “You are good at learning new things” and encouraged to try again or do it differently or practice, then they will be able to do it right, and the child will grow to have more confidence in their own abilities. This is the foundation for `positive parenting`, however it is just as important to give a child the skill of creating  their own positive affirmations in order that they can learn how to independently influence their own minds in a positive way. 

The mind and body working together.

       Our thoughts are energy waves that can be measured- (beta, alpha, theta and delta brainwaves). Physiologically, a positive affirmation will make changes to the neurological pathways and change the memory at cellular/DNA level. There is plenty of research for this. The cells that make up the whole body are continuously communicating with each other and receiving `instructions` at a neurological/hormonal level from the `computer` brain. Every cell also has a memory and stored info. The body runs itself holistically like a well-oiled engine as long as the person feeds it with the right fuel, exercise, loving emotions and thoughts & words.

       Researchers, Doctors and Health-care workers are now agreeing with complimentary therapists that physical dis-ease in the body is not only caused by poor diet, lack of exercise, free radicals etc, but also by mental and emotional factors, all under the term `stress`. There has also been an increase in chronic conditions  including undiagnosed chronic pain that are a result of chronic stress and unhealthy lifestyles. Pain Management Clinics run by the Southern Trust are now promoting the use of Meditation, Mindfulness and Positive Mental Attitude alongside healthy diet and exercise. One of the main recent discoveries around chronic pain is that it is caused by a neurological pathway malfunction or pain memory, as opposed to pain continuous inflammatory response from an injury.

         There is no doubting the power of the mind over the body, the placebo effect alone gives weight to this. Many therapists and spiritual gurus will advocate that if you heal the mind then the body will heal. Louise L. Hay is a respected practitioner who recommends positive affirmations for healing physical dis-ease. Louise has helped thousands of people to heal from every type of dis-ease including cancer and Aids through positive affirmations combined with a healthy diet and exercise. In her bestselling book “You Can Heal Your Life” Louise L Hay maintains that 90 to 95% of physical dis-ease can be traced to a particular emotional state or mental thought pattern. Louise also highlights the particular emotional/mental state that has caused a particular physical dis-ease in the body. For example, the ears represent the capacity to hear. Ear problems would indicate that there is something going on that the person does not want to hear, or they have unreleased anger about hearing something. Repeating the positive affirmation “I listen with love to the pleasant and the good” will counteract the ear problem mentally, emotionally and physiologically.

         

        

How to use positive affirmations

The most important aspect of saying an affirmation is repetition. Repeating them over and over as often as possible is vital in changing the neural imprint.  

There are different ways of repeating affirmations, including: saying them inside your head, saying them out loud (more powerful), saying them into a mirror (even more power), writing them down (where traditional school lines originated), reading them, writing one out and sticking it on the wall or beside a mirror for the mind to take in subliminally. Recording an affirmation and then playing it back (especially while sleeping during the Delta sleep stage) is an excellent way, however always replace “I” or “me” with “you” during a recording. Using an affirmation during meditation is extremely powerful, as this is when the brainwaves enter the Alpha and Theta stage of deep relaxation. It is advisable to stick to one or two affirmations at a time, and to repeat them at least one hundred times a day! The results are always worth it. The more difficult an affirmation is to say, the more it is needed!

           The spiritual aspect of positive affirmations is where the magic is. When a person closes their eyes and asks a box of random affirmations to tell them what they need to know, they will pull out the exact right affirmation that they need to say at that time. Within energy science and quantum physics, like attracts like, therefore this is the magical power of a persons energy working at its best!

There is no such thing as coincidence, and picking an affirmation at random is excellent for gaining self-awareness, and is especially useful for parents to gain insight into anything troubling a child.

Further Reading:

www.freeaffirmations.org

www.cellularmemory.org

www.meditationsuk.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/meditation-and-brainwaves

http://drdavidhamilton.com/?p=1052 

http://wakeup-world.com/2011/07/12/scientist-prove-dna-can-be-reprogrammed-by-words-frequencies/

Meditation- Letting Go & Forgiveness

Letting Go & Forgiveness

You may need to let go of/forgive:

- a particular situation or event.

- something you have done that you feel bad about.

- something that someone else has done to hurt you.

- or perhaps all three..

 It can be something from the past, or the present or a future worry.

The Aura & Energy System

    The Aura is the energy field that emanated out from us and surrounds us. It stores information about the persons health, emotions, spiritual connection, and the past and future events. The Aura is how we perceive the world around us other than through our 5 senses, so it is our sixth sense as such. Within the aura there are many energy centres called Chakras that spin and pull in or send out information. they all have a specific purpose, name and colour. This is called our energy system. This energy system `stores` our personal information, and can have blockages and imbalances that manifests as illness or emotional difficulties, especially if we cant let go of something and hold it within our energy system.

   Einstein described the Universal Energy System as E=Mc2 which means Energy=Everything. From the air we breathe to the chair we sit on, to our bodies and our thoughts. The Universe is a big soup of energy all formed into different people and things. Everything is made up from scientific elements (the periodic table you might remember from school), which is broken down into molecules then quarks then pure energy. All energy has a specific frequency or vibration. People are light energy beings or spirits/souls/consciousness, within a heavy energy physical body, and energy cannot be destroyed, it can only change form. Spirituality and science can essentially be described as one and the same thing.

Energy Cords & Connection with Others

We are all generally connected to each other and to everything in the world, hence the spiritual saying `we are all one`.

 When two people are in close proximity they can pick up on each others aura, and `read` each other on an energetic level. Lots of other information about the world can be perceived through the energy system.. any time that you get a bad or good feeling about someone or something this is your aura telling you what is happening. Trust it, it is also known as your intuition or instincts. You may also be able to sense through the aura if you are on the same or different wavelength as someone. When you are on a different wavelength to someone, it doesn’t disconnect you or necessarily make you alien to each other. Most times it just means that you are on a different level. Your level is right for you and their level is right for them. However if the hairs on your neck and arms begin to stand you can be sure that you are sensing that the person is different in a way that might threaten your well-being. Trust it.

      When we have an energy connection to something or someone it can be either empowering or draining. You will know of someone who lifts your energy or spirits when you spend time with them, and you will also know of someone who drains your energy when you are near, we often nickname these people `energy vampires`. So when we are interacting with others on a normal level, we are also interacting on an energy level that can be very subtle.

      There are little energy cords (usually not seen) that run from your Solar Plexus Chakra and are attached to other people, things and situations. These cords have been described by anyone who can see them as fine, silvery, shimmery, grey, wire-like. Many people who have experienced NDE (near death experience) have seen these cords and have explained that they are formed when we have interactions with others. There is a saying that a relationship is formed with every single person we meet- even if it is only a momentary interaction such as a quick chat at the bus stop. Every interaction with another causes an effect to take place. People with NDE have described seeing the cords connecting between themselves and the doctors and nurses as they float out of the body and observe events as spirit/light energy.

     Therapists that work with the energy of the body (such as Reiki) can often sense the cord connections around the Solar Plexus Chakra. There are many descriptions & sayings for this cord that you may recognise but never really thought about before- a bond/strengthening the bond, the ties that connect you, feeling tied, feeling attached to someone etc. When a bond is formed, the strength of the cord and the connection is dependent on the person(s) involved. A brief interaction that isn’t so meaningful will dissolve upon leaving each others space. If someone has had some kind of an impact on you, positively or negatively, the bond may stay longer until you `let it go`.  The cord can be very strong if it is connected with someone you have regular connection with, eg your family and close friends will have strong bonds. Children are very good at draining us of our energies! Sometimes we have bonds with people that we don’t see that often and as soon as we meet up the cord is strengthened once again.

     We also have bonds with situations, issues, events, places, memories and objects. Buddhists practice a way of living known as `Detachment` . They do not attach their happiness and well-being to other people, objects, events etc. We often place conditions on our happiness, that we will only be happy when a particular event happens, or when we receive something we have need. The problem with attachment is that we are never done, when we are satisfied with one thing we place our happiness on the next condition that we attach to. Being attached to a particular outcome can often leave us feeling disappointed or unsatisfied.

 All attachments can also be empowering or draining. It is therefore very useful to let go of those attachments that are not good for you, whether it is a past event, or someone in your life that has hurt you.

Therefore, we forgive and let go for ourselves and our own inner peace, and to become detached from the problem. It is much like an energy detox!

Forgiveness

Forgiveness does not mean condoning the behaviour of ourselves or others, it just means letting go and allowing inner peace. “Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to ide” ~Buddha. Everyone has a different perspective on life depending on personal life experience and beliefs. We are all on our own journey here on earth, with our own intended purposes making our own mistakes, and learning or not from them. We are sharing the path with each other along the way and affecting each others journey both directly and indirectly. Sometimes another person`s actions can affect us in a way that leaves us hurt or angry. It can be hard in situations like this to remain objective and detached, yet practicing detachment from the actions of someone else can help us to overcome what has happened and not take it so personally. After all, their actions are their own journey and problem. We can only take responsibility for our own actions and responses. It is essential though that we recognise our emotional response and allow ourselves to feel our emotions deeply and work through them. When we suppress an emotion or continue to ruminate over an issue for a long time, it can have a detrimental effect on our well-being. We should feel the emotion, look at all the underlying reasons and emotions that surround it, then learn from the experience in order to let it go and move on. A memory usually has a particular emotion attached to it. Just as a smell can trigger a memory, a memory can trigger an emotion. It can be very useful to try and change the emotion attached to the memory. Try replacing the negative emotion with a more positive, healing one. For example, if it makes you feel angry that someone disrespected you, replace it with feeling pity for the person to be that way and wishing them to be more respectful to others in future. Another example, If you are feeling guilty about something that you did, replace the emotion with feeling okay that you made a mistake, we are all human, and you have learned from it and wouldn’t repeat it.  

Cord-Cutting Exercise

Sometimes all that is needed to detach is to make the decision to do so. Other times, it is much more difficult to let go. A powerful way to detach is through cutting the cord.

Ensure you have no distractions. Find a quiet area and get comfortable, the same way as if you were to meditate. Relax yourself in any way that suits, through a meditation or some soothing music. Picture in your mind what it is that you wish to detach from- a person or situation, or even an emotion that you are trying to let go of. Visualise it right in front of you and `see` the energy cord that connects you. Imagine that you lift up a big pair of golden scissors and cut through the cord. Sometimes it takes more than one attempt if the bond is strong, and sometimes it can take a stronger visual than just scissors! Use whatever gives you the feeling of power and control- it is your (energetic) intention of dissolving the cord that will dissolve it in reality. The stronger your decision to detach for your own worth and well-being, the easier it will be to dissolve. Once the disconnection has been made, surround the person, situation etc in healing light (blue, green or white). Bless them/it with love and wave goodbye and watch them turn and walk away. Bless yourself with love now and surround yourself with healing and protective light (dark blue). If the issue was from the past especially in childhood, it is a great idea to visualise yourself as you were back then and imagining that you as you are now, giving yourself a big hug and telling yourself that you are going to be ok, you are loved.

  People have often commented after the exercise that they physically felt a sensation or pull around the Solar Plexus area. The situation or person should now automatically begin to fade from your life. You need do nothing more, it will work itself out now.  Allow yourself to feel the release and enjoy the inner peace.

Positive Affirmations for Forgiveness

“I easily forgive myself and others”

“I lovingly forgive myself. They are free and I am free. All is well in my heart now.”

“I release the past with love. I easily forgive. The past is over. They are free and I am free.”

Usual indicators of guilt:   Pain, Middle back pain, Injuries/cuts, Insomnia, Neuralgia, Anal Itching or pain, Bug Bites. (Louise L Hay- You Can Heal Your Life)

Usual indicators of unforgiveness:  Kidney/urinary problems, Abscesses, Bad Breath, Growths. (Louise L Hay – You Can Heal Your Life)                

                                                                          

 ©Copyright- Debbie Freebird (Guiding Light)