I have to admit, I had a bit of an issue with this exercise. But we'll get to that in a moment:)
I have managed to successfully find a good time and place to do my exercises, right after I put my son on the bus and my husband has gone out the door to work- it's just the cat and I so I feel pretty comfortable. I decided to just sit smack in the middle of the living room floor and use a colorful gecko I have hanging on my wall as a focal point. The gecko belonged to my little brother who was lost in a freak accident so it brings me peace in a strange sort of way.
I found the exercise to be very easy to follow and did not have any difficulty with the breathing technique or the setting up of the mental state during the beginning of the exercise. What I did have an issue with was the in and out breaths.
I have always done just the opposite with my breathing exercises, in with the good and out with the bad. in through the nose, out through the mouth. There are a number of reasons for this, but mainly becuase I was taught when I breath in the body is being filled with light and visualizing breathing in a rainbow can help with this. When I breath out, the body is purging the negative thoughts and emotions and allowing more room for the light. Visualizing exhaling black smoke is my personal choice for this part. So when the book said to breath in the negative thoughts and to allow them to dissolve in your heart and then to exhale the good ideals and emotions to help the one you are thinking of, it threw me for a loop. I did attempt the exercise the way it was presented but I felt very uncomfortable doing so as I have been breathing in the good and out the bad for so many years now. Oddly enough, after I did the exercise the way the book had it, I felt like I "had" to go back and do it the way that I have always done it- I know, I'm weird >,>
Jen
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Hello Jen,
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you had the opportunity to use the gecko as your focal point. As you said, it belonged to your brother who you lost in a freak accident, but it brings you peace in some sort of way, and that is very wonderful to know. I too have loved ones that have moved on in a similar way. Their beautiful memories will always linger in my heart.
I am glad that you found the exercise easy to follow. I did too. It was extremely relaxing for me. I do understand your situation with the breathing and that you have always done the opposite, in with the good through the nose and out with the bad through the mouth. There are some principles that were taught to me earlier in life that I have had problems with. I have to be very careful trying to adjust to a different way. If it is better and will cause me to grow, I adjust my life accordingly.
If visualizing exhaling black smoke is your personal choice for that part, then do what is your choice then you have to do what makes you comfortable. I did not pay attention to it that deep. I saw it as a mind, body, and spirit relaxation. The idea of breathing in the negative and allowing it to dissolve in my heart is new for me too. If an exercise is uncomfortable for me I get background information to the meaning of it. It is important that you are comfortable with what you do, it is not weird. It is being honest and open. I appreciate reading how the exercise affected you.
There are other relaxation exercises you can try that may not impact you the way this one did. I wish you luck in everything you do. Blessings....
Hi Jen!
ReplyDeleteI was taught the same way you were about the breathing, however I was determined that I was going to do it "exactly like by the book." It worked for me because I used the imagry of the Holy Spirit blowing life (much like one blows life into a person when doing CPR) and I pictured the out-breath as the "breath of life". If I hadn't done that, then I think I would have had problems with the breathing exercises in meditation as well.
Hi Jen,
ReplyDeleteI had the same problems with the breathing as well. The exercise is intended to be helpful. I think you should be able to personalize it so it can be more helpful to you. Did you notice a difference when you repeated the exercise with your breathing techniques?