Meditation In Times of Pandemic and Beyond
By Charlie Adams
It has been said that praying is talking to God and meditation is listening to God. At the very least, it is a practice to try to achieve a mentally clear and an emotionally calm, stable state. There are any number of ways to pursue meditation, from reciting a mantra, to focusing your attention on an object like the flame of a candle. I prefer to focus on our energy portals, called chakras (wheels in Sanskrit), because it has always worked for me, but also because of the connection with these centers of energy and our acupuncture meridians or channels. Universal life force moves through our meridians and through our chakras and optimal physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health can be facilitated by keeping the chakras open and these acupuncture meridians balanced.
Regardless of the method or motivation for exploring mediation, the result is the same, finding a quiet place of non-attachment. If even for a brief while, this quietness can help to recalibrate and connect with our higher selves. This process can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, the key in my experience, is actually keeping it simple. It is also important to understand that this process can take some time before it feels natural. In the beginning our “Monkey Mind” can conjure up all kinds of things; not to worry, when this happens, just let the thoughts flow through without attachment and focus again on breathing. Whatever it is that is clambering for attention will still be there later.
For starters, turn off all possible distractions. Find a quiet and comfortable place to sit with your spine straight and your arms supported and resting. Take in a deep breath through your nose, while expanding your abdomen. Hold it briefly, then slowly, exhaling through your mouth, pull your abdomen back in. That’s it. Some refer to this as diaphragmatic breathing or “belly breathing”. If you have the opportunity to hold an infant in your arms, observe its abdomen with inhalation, it goes up. Somehow, as time passes, and we engage in busy lives, this pattern of proper breathing can get turned around. Diaphragmatic breathing allows the diaphragm (hence the term) below our lungs to drop down, allowing the lower lobes to fill with oxygen which means there is more getting into our blood stream. Even if a person tends to breathe “correctly” most of the time, when feeling stressed, we all tend to “hold our breath or to breathe more shallowly. Once “belly breathing” begins to feel natural and the sensation of quietness begins to set in, then it is time to overlay the chakra system as a form of meditation.
Chakra’s are openings of energy along our spine that correspond to the Governing Vessel running along our back and the Conception Vessel, running along our front. There are 7 chakras in total and when used in the practice of meditation, we begin with the Root Chakra (shown on the chart in red) which is located at the very base of our spine or the Coccyx. While inhaling deeply through your nose and filling out your abdomen, also focus on pulling breath into this area and feel it expand (In the beginning, some people find it helpful to place a hand over the area of focus). With very slow exhalation through the mouth, and while pulling your abdomen in, also direct breath down, down, down through your hips, thighs, calves and out the soles of your feet. There is no hurry, but once the Root Chakra feels open it can be time to move up to the next chakra.
The second Chakra (orange), which is called the Sacral Chakra (or Dantian in Chinese Qi Gong) is located just below the umbilicus (about the breadth of 2 thumbs). Once the first Chakra feels open and expanded you move up to this area. The process is the same. While inhaling through the nose, also draw breath into this region and with exhalation pull breath down through to the soles of your feet. Continue breathing through this area until it feels open or expanded.
The third Chakra, which is called the Solar Plexus Chakra (yellow) is located between the ribs and the umbilicus. Once expansiveness is felt in the 2nd Chakra below the navel, move up to the 3rd Chakra and begin filling out this area with breath and drawing down to the level of the Dantian. Hold briefly, and then exhale very slowly down through the legs to the soles of your feet. Continue this pattern of breathing until it feels open.
The fourth Chakra, which is called the Heart Chakra (green) is in the center of the chest. Once expansiveness is felt in the Solar Plexus area it is time to move up to the 4th or Heart Chakra. Continue with the pattern of inhaling through your nose while pushing out your abdomen and also drawing breath into this area. Pull the breath down to the level of the Dantian and hold briefly. Then, exhaling through the mouth slowly, pull the breath further down though the legs and out the soles of your feet. Continue breathing through this area until it too feels open.
The Fifth Chakra, which is called the Throat Chakra (blue) is located at the level of the throat. Follow the same pattern of while inhaling through the nose, also inhale through the throat area. Pull the breath down to the Dantian; hold briefly, then exhale slowly down through the legs and out through the soles of your feet. Repeat this process until the throat area feels open.
The Sixth Chakra, which is called the Third Eye Chakra (indigo) is located between the eyebrows. Don’t be in a hurry, but once expansiveness is felt in the throat area, it is time to move up to this area. Breathe in through the Third Eye Chakra, pull the breath down to the Dantian; hold briefly, and then exhale slowly down through the soles of your feet. Continue in this fashion until this area feels open.
The Seventh and last Chakra is called the Crown Chakra (violet). It is located at the top of the head, where if a line were drawn between the tips of the ears and intersected at the midline. Once expansiveness is felt between the brows, move up the Crown Chakra and begin drawing breath through this area. Draw the breath down to the level of the Dantian; hold briefly, and then exhale slowly down through the legs to the soles of your feet. Continue this inhalation and exhalation pattern until this area feels open, but also allow yourself to just sit with the quietness. This is a place of non-attachment; you are aware of your environment, but you don’t have to do anything about it…..just for the moment.