Dance Meditation

We can all dance! Dance meditation is not about what we look like but how we feel, dance will bring a feel-good energy into the body. It lets us express ourselves, build confidence, let go of expectations and improves creativity. It will help you create a deeper understanding of yourself and harmonise body, mind and spirt. To do this meditation you will need music that makes you feel good and a clear space where you can move around. This meditation can be done with a group (friends or family) or on your own. If you are with others it is important there is no judgment, you must feel comfortable and able to move naturally and freely.

Stand in a relaxed Mountain pose “Tadasana”. Feet parallel, hip width apart or together. Stand tall lifting and lengthening through your body. Relax your shoulders and rest your arms at your side. In mountain pose you should feel tall and strong. Close your eyes and connect with your body, notice how you feel. Take some deeper breaths using the exhale to let go of tension and judgment. You are in a safe and comfortable space. Start with small movements to warm the body. Nod your head, roll your shoulders, shake your wrists and ankles, lift your knees to the front into a high knee march and then shake off your whole body. Start playing on your chosen music, feel yourself becoming one with the music, visualise the music surrounding you, creating a bubble. Remember it’s doesn’t matter how you look; it’s about feeling. Allow the music to take you on a journey, to tell you a story. Stay here for a few moments connecting with the sounds, then let the music begin to move your body. Allow your body feel free, let the music lead you, try not to think about how to move, but just allow it to happen. This may take a few practices. Notice how your body moves. The beauty of this practice is it will never be the same. Now change the music to a slower piece and again move with the music, gently allowing your body to cool down. When you feel it’s time to stop moving, turn off the music, stay still and notice your breath. Is there a change in your heart rate or body temperature? Enjoy the silence and stillness. Allow your mind to clear.

Colour Meditation

This Meditation will bring out your creative side. Using colour to relax and bring positive energy into the body. We will start with a meditation noticing the colours we see, creating a healing experience. According to Eastern healing systems, colours link to a specific chakra which are wheels of energy in the body, when you see colour you are connecting with that chakra and healing that area in the body. For this meditation you will need coloured pencils and a colouring book or blank piece of paper.

Put some relaxing music on and sit in a comfortable position, you may sit on a chair or pillow, lift and lengthen through your spine, relax your shoulders, take a moment to connect with your breath and body.  How are you feeling physically? Take a deep inhale and as you exhale let go of any tension and allow yourself to be in that moment. Notice any thoughts or emotions that come up. Take as long as you need, before allowing your breath flow naturally. Follow the beauty of breath neutrally flowing in through your nose and out through your nose, every breath is unique. Visualise a white light shining over your whole body, blessing you with love and peace. Bring your awareness to your 3rd eye (space between your eyebrows), noticing any colours that appear. If the mind begins to wonder, notice the thoughts that are coming in and why, then bring your focus back to your 3rd eye and breath. Open your eyes and pick up a pencil, or pencils that are closest in colour to what came to you in your meditation, if you did not see any colours, pick up colours that you are most drawn to, try not to over think. Being to draw and colour, it’s okay to go outside of the lines. If you have a blank sheet of paper look at the table below, choose a colour that connects with you and write down one of the Daily Affirmations. You’re free to doodle as much as you like, just allowing the colours to guide you. When you have finished, display your colouring somewhere you can see it so it can bring you joy.

Happy Meditation and Yoga

The idea of this practice is to make you feel happy by tuning into our happy energy. We all have happy energy, but sometimes life gets too much and we bury our happiness down and forget how bring that energy back. Happy meditation will help us let go of negativity, focus and calm the mind. Happy Yoga will help to de-stress, relax and make you smile. Connecting with the mind, body and spirt will help bring control of our mood.

Legs up the wall pose

Start in legs up the wall pose. Legs up the wall has many benefits including boosting energy, releasing stress, soothes menstrual cramps, relieves lower-back pain, reduces inflammation in the legs, feet or ankles and helps relive headaches or migraines. Lay on your back resting your legs up a wall or on a chair, make sure you feel comfortable. You can place a pillow under your head or lower back for more comfort. Bring your awareness to your body. Scan your body. How does your physical body feel?  Notice areas of tension, tenderness or discomfort. Allow those areas to soften and adjust your position if needed. Take some deeper breaths on every inhale smile inwardly and use the exhale to let go of any tension. Stay here as long as you need. Then allow your breath to flow naturally. Visualise the word ‘happy’ in-front of you and see it turn into a colour. As you inhale, breathe in this colour, starting to fill the body with happy energy, on your exhale, visualise a dark grey colour leaving the body. When you feel ready, take a moment to think of a happy memory, start to add details to this memory, adding colour and sound. Why does this memory make you feel happy? Now picture the people in your life that make you happy and place them in this memory, let go of the people that make you unhappy. When you feel ready bring the awareness back to your breath on every inhale smile outwardly allowing the body to fill with this happy energy. Embrace this happy energy. When ready, slowly hug your legs into your chest and rock side to side, if you are able come into the happy baby pose, taking hold of both feet, knees bent and feet to the sky, rock side to side as a happy baby would.

Happy baby pose

“Happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.“

Denis Waitley