Circle Meditation - Guided Meditation 5
Here is the next in our Guided Meditation examples - this one I have called - Circle. You will see why as we get into the details of it more. However I want to point out right at the beginning that this can be quite a powerful meditation. What it is doing is in effect combining three separate meditations together as one - so obviously it is going to have greater effect than each of them done separately. I have put it here - in the Guided Meditations section - because it is probably a good idea to start to do it as a guided meditation, but you will very quickly understand how to do it - and from then on you can do it by yourself if you wish. However, as I have just mentioned - it can be very powerful - so don't go 'overboard' and do it many times a day, or for very long periods. I suggest a maximum of twenty minutes twice daily - and would not recommend that you exceed that. As I have mentioned earlier, and tried to emphasize - as regards any kind of meditation - treat it with respect, and remember that overuse can be harmful - more is not always better !
So what are we doing in this meditation ? As I mentioned, it is a combination - where we are combining a Mantra meditation with a Breathing meditation and a Circle meditation all together. The Mantra that we will use is the same one that we came across in the Passive Meditation - Mantras page - remember ? It was AUM - pronounced like "aaaaoooouum."
The Breathing Meditation will be in a way similar to the one we did in the Active Meditation 1 - Yoga page.
And finally the Circle will be like - well - like a circle !!
What happens is that the combined effect of combining all the three of them is greater than 'the sum of its parts' and it can be very powerful. What sometimes can happen with this Circle meditation - especially after you have done it several times on a regular basis - and therefore your system has got more used to it - (on many levels), is the following;-
You may be doing the meditation - using the circle, breathing and the mantra - and you may become aware that you have actually stopped breathing ! Do not worry if this happens to you - it is quite normal-just continue and your breathing will gently start up again all by itself ! In fact what happened was a great thing - it meant that you were in a very deep state of meditation - and therefore you will have got stronger benefits from it.
There is absolutely no danger at all !
How it works like this sometimes, is because everything slows down so much that your oxygen usage is very minimal - and your subconscious mind - recognising this - just slows your respirations accordingly, and may even stop them for a short time - as your body has already got all the oxygen that it needs for the moment. Also often, when we are meditating in a form where we are 'looking at our breathing' - we all tend to breathe too fast and too quickly - so our bodies are getting more than enough oxygen !
Remember too that your body has been breathing completely automatically for you for years - awake and asleep - so don't worry - it's not about to give up now !
However when this happens for the first time - many meditators get concerned. I hope that this clears this up for you. If it happens to you -then great !! - you are obviously doing just fine !
So now let's get on with the Circle Meditation, as we have cleared all that up. As with all of the other meditations - sit comfortably - back straight - warm enough - and we will begin (as I mentioned - do it the first time or two with your Guide/Reader - and then once you are clear on the instructions you can do it by yourself). ***A quick word to the Guide/reader first.....while you are reading this - try to say the 'aaoouum' sounds as the meditator actually is breathing in or out, rather than in between -you will see what I mean after you have read through the instructions. O.K. Ready ? Then....one....two....three....Go !
you can......all over.....go around your body in your mind to find the tense places.......and like we did before.... ..tense them up even further....as much as you can.....as tight as you can....and when you cannot hold that tension any longer then Relax...relax...relax.....let your breathing become slower and deeper.....breathing inwards right down to your belly.....push your belly out as you breathe in.....and pull it in as you breathe out.....go around your body once again and check for any tight musles.....once again tighten them even more....more....more ...amd more....then when you cannot tighten them any more ...then let them..relax...relax.. ...relax...relax....feel your muscles loose and soft, calm and peaceful......breathing even deeper and slower....deeper and slower......and as you breathe....imagine a point of your awareness making a circle going round and around.....starting at your First Chakra (between the genitals and the anus) and then coming upwards just in front of your spine...all the way up through your body...up through your neck...to your head.. ....out the top of your head ...and then in a big circle out in front of you and curving back down and inwards to where it started... and then repeating again....try to imagine the circle going upwards from your First Chakra as you breathe in....and then out the top of your head and back down as you breathe out......round and round....in and out...with each breath.....going up in front of your spine as you breathe in....and out and down again as you breathe out.....breathing slowly and deeply.....round and round with each breath... .....gently and easily ....in breath and circle upwards....out breath and circle out and downwards....round and round....round and round....breathing slowly and deeply in and out at the same time......keep on breathing like this ...round and round... and when you feel comfortable with the rhythm of your breathing in a circle.....then slowly start to mentally say the Mantra (that we learned before), once as you breathe in, and once as you breathe out.....Aum in, and Aum out......in and out.....aaaaoooouum as you breathe in... and aaaaoooouum as you breathe out.....circle still going round and round..... ...aaaooouum and circle and breath going together.....in and out.....circling up the body ..out and down again....round and round and round.......if you like you can slowly make the circle smaller if that is easier......and keep the breathing and the aaooum and the circles going round and round and round.....calm and peaceful and relaxed.....gently focused on the sound of the mantra and the form of the circle and the gentleness of your breathing......keep doing what you are doing....round and round and round.....aaaooouum and..... aaaooouum and aaaooouum......breathing slowly and gently in and out....in and out.....just concentrate on that for a while.. ...if you realise that you are not saying the mantra any more, .....then gently bring your mind back to saying it again..... .....round and round and round.... round and round....and I will be quiet for a while to let you just enjoy the relaxation...... and continue just circling round and round
and then after that start to speak again very softly to begin with, then up to normal strength after a phrase or two ].......
breathing slowly and easily and gently....and peacefully stop saying the mantra to yourself....stop the aaoouum....peaceful and relaxed.... calm and comfortable.... then...very slowly ....allow the circle to gently stop going round and round ....allow it to gently disappear....still breathing easily and calmly.....and your breathing beginning to slowly come back to normal......and your awareness slowly coming to the here and now.....becoming more aware of your surroundings....feeling wonderfully calm and refreshed....refreshed and re-charged.. ....and slowly slowly ...and only when you are ready....very very slowly ..open your eyes....and 'be here now!'
Time for hugs again !
You may well feel that this has been the deepest meditation that you have done so far - if so - congratulations !
I told you that it was a powerful one !
Click to return from the Circle page to the Guided Meditations general page Click to go to Relaxation - Guided meditation 1
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Firstly, close your eyes and just try to relax as much as
