Meditation is Revitalizing and Sustaining

[chris ryan]

I love taking the time to Meditate and Enjoy the Present time in Nature whether it be during a walk with a group or inside the home, taking in deep breaths to just feel the essence of the moments, and I love the Yoga program's that are listed on this site and wondered what are your favorite ways to get lost in meditation?

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Love point-to-point relaxation, and working through the chakras. Breathing exercises are good and useful, however I have experienced times where it was nearly impossible to do (cardiac insufficiency with lung oedema, so breathing ability was quite strained ; and then open heart surgery - also not a time where breathing and thoracic movements are easy), so I tend to rely more on other methods.

 

[chris ryan]

I'm 70 and my various meditation practices go way back to when I was 16 in the hippy days. I've long time practiced Yoga, Tai Chi Chuan, Tibetan meditation, Aikido and Zen.

That's Amazing commitment and Perserverance Thinman!
What a well-established variety of meditation practices as well.
Thank You for sharing your time, life experiences and inspiring photo!

 

[chris ryan]

Love point-to-point relaxation, and working through the chakras. Breathing exercises are good and useful, however I have experienced times where it was nearly impossible to do (cardiac insufficiency with lung oedema, so breathing ability was quite strained ; and then open heart surgery - also not a time where breathing and thoracic movements are easy), so I tend to rely more on other methods.

I love your kitty and she/he looks very Zen in this photo as well!
I enjoy working through the chakras and breathing helps me to get through many parts of my day and evening.
Sorry to hear about your open heart surgery and hope all is going well in your recovery with your body and muscles.
I am glad that you are relying on other methods for yourself and please feel free to share any other methods that work so I can learn from you and apply them as well.
Thank you for sharing your time and life experiences!

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

I am also a nature lover. My favourite ways to meditate are forest bathing and sitting by the lakeshore listening to the waves. When I cannot get out to my local Provincial Park for these experiences, I will sit out in my own yard (at least during the warmer weather) under a tree to listen to the birds and gaze up at the canopy of leaves overhead. I also practise yoga and meditate in shavasana at the end of a physical practice.

@chris ryan come join us in the Meditation Room and Yoga Team. Other yogi Bees, meditators, and folks just wanting to learn more about these topics are welcome to join too!

 

[ErgoVoid]

I am also a nature lover. My favourite ways to meditate are forest bathing and sitting by the lakeshore listening to the waves.

I am also a nature lover, and forest bathing sounds cool but it sucks because there's no nature around here to enjoy. The only nature around here seems to be dirt and dry grass (well, not so dry in the winter). Everything outside is always ugly, and in the summer the heat is dangerously hot. It's quite a drive to get somewhere nice.

I like hiking when the nature around you is something that can actually be enjoyed, but I just don't live somewhere where that's the case. (No yard either). Just indoor meditation for me - I can visualize nature while meditating.

 

[ErgoVoid]

I probably shouldn't have been so negative in response to @Laura Rainbow Dragon 's positive post. I've just been really depressed lately about climate change and how hostile the weather is in the summer (and how it's expected to get increasingly unlivable but nothing will be done to fix it because special interests have been so successful in politicizing the environment).

Plus, forests are SO beautiful and amazing, I really wish we had that kind of environment here.

I did appreciate the link to the Meditation room though!

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

@ErgoVoid I'm sorry you are living in an environment so separated from nature.

I have been fortunate to have enjoyed fairly easy access to nature throughout most of my life thus far. I did try to live in a big city once and could not hack it because there was just too much concrete everywhere. I hated it! So I do know where you're coming from on that front.

I feel your stress about anthropogenic climate change too, although I'm not as pessimistic as you on that front. Yes, it's bad, and it will likely get worse before it gets better. We've got a rocky road ahead of us still. But a lot of people want to do better. A lot of people are calling on their governments to do better. And governments are starting to listen. I think we'll get there--hopefully before it's too late for our species, but certainly before it's too late for nature in general. (Humans are far from the hardiest species on Earth. Plenty of species will survive our tenure on this planet.)

I think it's great that you can visualize nature while meditating, in spite of your circumstances! I know it's not the same as being outside in it, but it can still help. I would like to share with you a couple of YouTube playlists I've made. My Monday Meditations list is a series of 1-5 minute videos I shot of natural places near where I live now. It's far from professional footage: just me with a handheld point and shoot camera (or a GoPro strapped to my forehead in the case of the paddling videos). I made the videos so I (and others) could meditate with nature (or at least audio and visuals of it) when I/we am/are not able to physically get outside and into a natural environment at the time. (Except for the final video in the list, which I didn't have anything to do with. It's a song by a musician I know who writes a lot of wonderful songs that resonate with me, including this one.) My Nature Therapy playlist is shorter clips (most under a minute) of wildlife in my area. A couple of those were shot in my parents' living room, and the only audio is my mother talking (and me at one point), but most were shot outdoors and feature bird (and other creatures') songs. I hope some of these can offer you a little nature pick-me-up when you need it most.

 

[MarjorieMarjie]

@ErgoVoid I'm sorry you are living in an environment so separated from nature.

I have been fortunate to have enjoyed fairly easy access to nature throughout most of my life thus far. I did try to live in a big city once and could not hack it because there was just too much concrete everywhere. I hated it! So I do know where you're coming from on that front.

I feel your stress about anthropogenic climate change too, although I'm not as pessimistic as you on that front. Yes, it's bad, and it will likely get worse before it gets better. We've got a rocky road ahead of us still. But a lot of people want to do better. A lot of people are calling on their governments to do better. And governments are starting to listen. I think we'll get there--hopefully before it's too late for our species, but certainly before it's too late for nature in general. (Humans are far from the hardiest species on Earth. Plenty of species will survive our tenure on this planet.)

I think it's great that you can visualize nature while meditating, in spite of your circumstances! I know it's not the same as being outside in it, but it can still help. I would like to share with you a couple of YouTube playlists I've made. My Monday Meditations list is a series of 1-5 minute videos I shot of natural places near where I live now. It's far from professional footage: just me with a handheld point and shoot camera (or a GoPro strapped to my forehead in the case of the paddling videos). I made the videos so I (and others) could meditate with nature (or at least audio and visuals of it) when I/we am/are not able to physically get outside and into a natural environment at the time. (Except for the final video in the list, which I didn't have anything to do with. Unique nature vs nurture essay samples help me understand the role of environment for our development. The essays provide great ideas about nature vs nurture. A couple of those were shot in my parents' living room, and the only audio is my mother talking (and me at one point), but most were shot outdoors and feature bird (and other creatures') songs. I hope some of these can offer you a little nature pick-me-up when you need it most.

I bet it's tough to live in an environment separated from nature, and I sympathize with those who don't have easy access to it. I'm fortunate to have had that connection throughout my life. The concrete jungle of big cities can be overwhelming and stressful, and I understand why some people struggle with it. However, I believe that people are becoming more aware of the importance of nature and are pushing for change, which is a positive step. While it's true that anthropogenic climate change is a major concern, I'm optimistic that we can find solutions if we work together. It's heartening to hear that meditation can help you visualize nature even when you can't physically be in it. I've made some YouTube playlists featuring natural places and wildlife in my area, and I hope they can offer a little bit of solace to those who need it. It's an interesting debate about nature versus nurture and how our environment shapes us, but I believe that both are important and that we need a balance between the two for our overall well-being.

 

[Fitato]

Guided meditation helps me a lot when I'm spiraling. I use YouTube for it. There was one particular meditation that I wish I had bookmarked. A guy kept telling you to breathe deeply, and then to keep holding for longer and longer. I think holding my breath for as long as I possibly can really helps me out. I do it on my own now.

I also listen to Jason Stephenson to help me fall asleep at night. He has a very calming voice with relaxing music.