Spring meditations for everyone
I’m lying on a hospital gurney right now, trying to distract myself and stay calm. One thing I can always do, no matter where I happen to be, is meditate. Springtime brings desire for renewal and growth, with meditation and breathwork as tools to help me along.
This past couple of weeks have been difficult for my body, but perseverating on the negatives won’t help. Sometimes the best distraction is focus. Here are a few meditation-scapes I’ve tried and would like to share:
Flower hands
Sit cross-legged or in lotus/half lotus. Lay your hands palms-up on your knees. Picture a flower in each of your palms. One is tight, like a bud, and the other is in full bloom.
Breathe deeply and slowly. With each breath the bud will expand into full flower, while the bloom in the other hand contracts. The flowers will see-saw between these states in a gentle rhythm as you breathe.
If this seems too hard to keep going, try blooming both flowers at the same time, feeling the weight of each blossom grow heavier with each breath.
Breathing wall
Stand or sit comfortably with both hands against a wall or vertical flat surface. Keep your face close enough that you can feel your breath reach the wall, but far enough away for comfort. Close your eyes. As you breathe out, focus your breath into the wall and picture the wall expanding. Feel your hands get farther apart without actually moving them. As you breathe in, feel the power of your breath pull your hands together as the wall “contracts.” Repeat. With each cycle you connect more to the wall through your breath, and then through your hands, completing a circuit of energy.
Behind the waterfall
Imagine yourself in a little mountainside cove, behind a waterfall. Picture the water coming from above and behind you, and follow it as it cascades in front of you and down below.
Feel the cool spray of water on your face and focus on one single drop on it’s journey down the mountain.
Rolling a grain of sand
Imagine a grain of sand pinched between your thumb and index finger. Roll it without dropping it. Transfer it to the next finger, and each consecutive finger, while keeping it in motion. When you get to the pinky finger, start the journey back towards the index finger.
To increase the challenge, alternate between clockwise and counter-clockwise rolling. Or, try both hands with their own grain of sand at the same time.
Birdsong echo
Sit outside or near an open window, anywhere you can hear birds chirping. If you don’t have access to natural sounds, use a recording, preferably with multiple types of bird calls.
Listen carefully to a birdsong. Replay this call in your mind 3 times, matching the pitch and rhythm carefully. Wait to hear the next distinct bird call and repeat.
Want more meditation-scapes?
These can be good for any season: