Weekly Insights, August 4

Hi everyone,

Here is a roundup of the topics I have covered this week. They have all been explored in recent online meditation classes in The Meditation Course. Subscribe with a zero-commitment free month by clicking on the green button.

Contents

• The Monkey Mind
• Meditating in a Crisis
• Hypnagogic Meditation
• Meditation, Insight and Intuition
• Pranayama and Ocean breathing

The term "monkey mind" comes from Buddhist teachings and refers to a restless, unsettled state of mind, jumping from thought to thought like a monkey swinging from branch to branch.

The Indian wisdom traditions learned that calming the monkey mind comes about through meditation practices that cultivate mindfulness, focus, and insight. This involves training the mind to focus on the present moment, observing thoughts and emotions without judgment, and developing a deeper understanding of the nature of the mind.

Regular meditation helps us become familiar and comfortable with the monkey mind, which leads to greater mental clarity and emotional well-being.

I often hear online about meditation as a tool for crisis management. I hear that meditation will help you to feel calmer and more focused when life gets difficult. I agree. But, it's unlikely that mindfulness meditations, like breath-following and body scans, are useful for most people to learn in a crisis.

After a few years of meditation, you will be able to meditate and step out of your internal narrative, the narratives of others, and your stress and anxiety for a while. It would probably take about 18 months to build the experience to use meditation effectively in a crisis. Learning to meditate during a crisis doesn't make sense for new meditators. This doesn't seem to be mentioned.

PRANAYAMA IN A CRISIS AND THE NATURE OF PRANAYAMA

If you want to build a practice and you are in a crisis, the single most useful thing is Pranayama, which involves extending the breath. There are very few other meditative practices you can learn and use that quickly that will help as much.

Pranayama is a conscious activation of a regular unconscious action: sighing. Pranayama is extended out-breaths, essentially a sigh. Research tells us that we sigh about every five minutes, usually unconsciously. Sighing resets our autonomic nervous system which manages our stress levels. When you extend your out-breath, you release some stress. The body then moves from stress to relaxation. This is something that everyone can learn, no matter what their situation is.

First responders often use Pranayama in crisis situations. It is often called diaphragmatic breathing.

ADVICE FOR NEW MEDITATORS

My advice to new meditators experiencing a crisis is to focus on Pranayama. It is a powerful introduction to meditation and a foundation for other meditation practices. When you focus on the breath during Pranayama, you will notice your internal narrative drop into the background. You will be learning a technique to intervene in your adversity-related stress. You will also learn to intervene quickly and efficiently in unhelpful internal narratives and anxiety.

Message me if you have any questions.

Below are a couple of articles I have added to the blog this week

Pranayama and Ocean Breathing

Ocean breathing is a powerful yogic breathing technique that can help reduce stress and promote relaxation. It is a foundational technique of Pranayama. Pranayama is Sanskrit, meaning breath (or spirit) extension. Prana = breath/spirit, and Ayama = extend. This technique involves a long, extended out-breath extending the breath wish a shushing sound like a wave receding. This is why the technique has been named ocean breathing.

HOW TO PERFORM EXTENDED OCEAN BREATHING

1. Note that this practice is not suitable for everyone. See below.
2. Inhale: Sit comfortably and begin by inhaling through your nostrils, filling your belly to almost full. Focus on breathing into your belly/abdomen rather than your chest.
3. Exhale: As you exhale, purse your lips and/or teeth to create a quiet, high-pitched hissing sound. The quieter the sound, the more slowly you will breathe out. Aim for the quietest, most comfortable sound. Making the bread audible this way will extend the duration of your out-breath without causing discomfort. Continue exhaling until you need to inhale again, stopping before the sensation becomes uncomfortable.
4. Repeat: Perform this breathing pattern for three cycles.

BENEFITS

Extending the out-breath has a significant beneficial impact on stress. Measuring your heart rate before and after practising this technique will often show a decrease as the practice ratchets down your stress levels.

The long exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system. It triggers the body's 'relaxation' response. This helps counteract the effects of the sympathetic nervous system, which is activated during times of stress.

PRECAUTIONS

Note that this practice is not suitable for people with certain heart or respiratory issues. If you are in any way unsure about practising this technique, consult your healthcare professional before trying it.

CONCLUSION

Adding this practice breath to your stress management routine can help. It's a simple, effective way to relax and reduce stress. By extending your out-breath audibly, you can tap into your body's natural relaxation response.

Link in my profile to practice with us.

I hope you found this resource useful.