How to Relax with Meditation & Movement
There are so many ways to use meditation to relax and I have a few favorites. My number 1 go to meditation is to use mantra as a way to quiet my mind and relax my body. My personal favorite mantra is Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, which means Peace, Peace, Peace. I will practice this meditation for as long as I need to feel myself settle into the present moment. Usually it take about five minutes.
I used this for the first time when I moved across the country and drove by myself. I was taking a leap of faith and going on a solo adventure. It was terrifying! My mind was running wild with fear based scenarios all designed to take me down and keep me from exploring. The day of my move I staying in bed for 20 minutes repeating this mantra. That’s how long it took to feel my body relax and my mind shift into a peaceful state. I kept up the practice on my roadtrip through California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. When I arrived and wasn’t prepared for my new job, I took out my beads, repeated the mantra and watched as peace took the place of fear—every time. It is a powerful practice!
My second favorite way to relax with meditation is to write. This might not sound like meditation and if you're someone who hates writing, it might sound awful, but hear me out. Meditative writing has no rules. It is a free space to let all of your thoughts flood the paper and get them out of your head. I love to do this practice at night when my mind is spiraling. I get a journal and a pen, lay down, put the pen to the paper and write down every thought following wherever it goes. By the end I feel rested and ready to sleep. Another way to practice writing is first thing in the morning. This practice is called Morning Pages, I learned it from Julia Cameron’s book, The Artists Way, which is a 12 step program for creative people. It is a life changing book and I highly recommend it.
I was first introduced to this book my senior year of high school. I filled up journal after journal of meaningless thoughts. I wrote when my nose was itchy, that I was tired, that I didn’t want to go to school, and blah. At first I didn’t see the point, but at the end of each week I kept track of how many days I wrote morning pages. I was diligent with my morning pages, most of the time and I wrote 6 or 7 days out of the week, but I began to see a pattern. Anytime I partied with my friends I would only do 3 or 4 days of morning pages for the week. This was a consistent pattern. I also noticed I wouldn’t do the other exercises she recommended in the book. At the time I didn’t realize I was working through a 12 step program, and I definitely wouldn’t have admitted to anyone that I had a problem, but drugs were a way I escaped. I told myself because I didn’t do them as often as other people around me, it wasn’t a problem. Once I saw how I kept giving up on my dream to write, to be an artist, and to live a sober life, I couldn’t look away. Here’s a short video about morning pages.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CcPLLbSOxH1/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=
The third way I use meditation to relax is by listening to a guided meditation. I have a few favorites that I have added to a love yourself playlist on YouTube that you can find here. I use these meditations anytime my mind is stressing me out, causing anxiety, or stirring depression. I also created a loving-kindness meditation that is part of my monthly membership for Managing & Relieve Head & Neck Pain.
For ten years I practiced yoga by comparing my body to others and being down on myself for not being able to do what other people could. Then in the middle of my second 200 hour yoga training I was taught to hold the intention of ahimsa, which is non-violence toward self and others. This practice changed the course of my life. I’d spent nearly a decade beating myself up and feeling behind everyone else, but that day it changed. I stopped practicing downward dog, because my shoulder was injured. I sat and observed fifty or more people holding the pose and for the first time in my life I realized that holding any yoga posture had nothing to do with my self worth. I also saw people holding the pose who I knew had shoulder injuries flaring up. Being kind to yourself is an act of deviance in a world where the social norm is to compare, compete, perfect, neglect, and abuse.
That’s why I created this short 5 minute loving-kindness meditation to share with as many people as I can.
Using Movement as Meditation
Take a walk around the block, at a park, or somewhere else in nature. Turn your phone on silent and make it a moving meditation. Pay attention to your feet, feel each step. Come back to your breathing as often as possible. Notice the colors and sounds around you. Take breaks when you need to and allow each thought to pass by. When you notice you’re caught up in a storyline say, “I release this story.” Say this on repeat in your mind as many times as you need to. Then get back to enjoying the walk.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CY2DBwzpIqA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
If you’re struggling with a traumatic event or something has happened that is triggering old trauma, reach out for support from a friend or therapist. If that feels too hard and scary, I know this might sound crazy, but get outside and rest your back into a tree. If you don’t have trees around or it’s too cold, use a wall in your house. Then feel the supportive roots of the tree or the supportive structure of the wall holding you up. Breathe into your pain and breathe out support. Sometimes pushing away the story can make it worse.
Another way to use movement as a way to relax is to practice Yoga. There are so many types of yoga available, so if you immediately thought of the sweaty flowing hard postures, that’s not what I’m talking about. I suggest Therapeutic Yoga, Restorative Yoga, or Yoga Nidra.
Therapeutic Yoga is my favorite because it opens up the joints in the body, increases mobility and stability. If you’ve experienced trauma, Therapeutic Yoga is a great place to begin to befriend your body again. It’s a safe way to learn about your joints and how to move with more ease.
Restorative Yoga or Yoga Nidra can be more relaxing because the body is still. In Restorative yoga you use props to set up your body in a way that feels supportive and comfortable. One example is to bring a bolster or pillows between your legs when practicing childs pose. This is a great place to meditate and relax, as long as it’s comfortable. This pose won’t help all body types relax, it’s just one of many options.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CYu-1bGJEXf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In a Yoga Nidra practice you rest on your back in savanna pose. It’s best practiced with props under your knees, a blanket to stay warm, and an eye pillow over your eyes. This is a guided practice that will take you through relaxing every part of your body from the top of your head down to your toes and back to the top of your head. Full Yoga Nidra sessions are 1 hour long, but many people experience relieve from a 10-30 minute practice.
How do you determine which practice to choose?
Don’t practice the one that sounds most appealing at first. Most people will go toward what they are used to. If you’re someone who moves a lot you’ll want to try the walking meditation or a faster flowing yoga practice, but I encourage you to practice one of the slower yoga practices. If you are someone who leans into restorative poses and resting I’d recommend moving your body more with Therapeutic Yoga, a Walking Meditation, or move your body through a stronger yoga practice that asks you to relax into the discomfort of more challenging poses.
Choose one of the options above and practice it for 5-10 minutes. See how you feel during and after. Was it effective? Do you feel more relaxed? If not, try another. Let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear about it.
If you can’t decide and some or all of the options sound like something you’d like to explore, check out my book, Empowered Choices: A Guide to Healing Head & Neck Pain(Link to pre-order book) or reach out to me. The book will give you the tools you need to practice on your own and if you’d like extra support I can work with you monthly, weekly, or biweekly. Check out those options here.
To meditate means to go home to yourself. Then you know how to take care of the things that are happening inside you, and you know how to take care of the things that happen around you.
– THICH NHAT HAN
