The modern woman is nothing short of a superhero. She’s a mom, hostess with the mostest, chauffeur, partner, cleaning lady, best friend, high level executive, volunteer and so much more. However, too much hustle without self-care is a recipe for self-sabotage and destruction. Women have a history of doing too much for everyone else and feeling guilty for taking time for themselves. However, when we constantly give from ourselves like this, we end up paying for it with our health. Those who go-go-go all the time forget to check in with themselves and are notorious for leaning on sugar, coffee or energy drinks to push past exhaustion. Does this sound familiar? But guess what - self-care is not selfish, it’s necessary. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to show up and serve your purpose and, more importantly, you won’t be able to live life to the fullest. It’s time to carve out some necessary time for self-care and to get to know and love the true you. Here are some meditation tips for the modern day Superwoman: 1) Set Yourself Up for Success If you are anything like me, your Google Calendar dictates the flow of your day. Use that tool to your advantage to make your meditation practice a priority. This means scheduling it in your daily calendar along with all your other responsibilities you have, except this is an appointment with your innermost Self. This strategy gives you the opportunity for some guilt-free self-care. Using blocks, bolsters or some pillows, prop your bum up and sit cross-legged. The goal here is to get your bum up high enough so that you can touch both knees down to the ground, creating a ‘tripod’ with your knees and bum. If, for whatever reason, sitting on the ground just doesn’t work for you, sitting up tall in a chair works just fine too. Just make sure you’re comfortable. Place your hands in your lap or on your knees or thighs, in your position (mudra) of choice. 2) Shift Your Focus Inward Direct your focus to the sensations in your body instead of actively listening to what is going on around you. Feel your sit bones (bum bones) shift down into the Earth and gently pull up your pelvic floor muscles. Starting at the base of your spine, stack up one vertebra at a time over your hips. Feel the chest lift and open and your shoulder blades slip down your back. With your eyes closed all the way or open just a sliver, soften the muscles behind them and let them sink back away from the lids. Lastly, bring your awareness to the crown of your head, and feel it being drawn upward toward the sky, as though there is an invisible string lifting you up. 3) Go Deeper With the body set up and comfortable, you can now begin to shift your awareness inward a little deeper. Start by lengthening and deepening your breath. Just watch it continuously flowing in and out, just like waves in the ocean. Follow it with your focus. When your mind wanders, which it will, bring your focus back to your breath. The practice of meditation is NOT to clear your mind of thoughts. The goal is to observe the mind’s activity without judging it, and to continuously guide yourself back to this neutral place when your awareness wanders off. More tips to calm the Superwoman in all of us: At first, some people like to set a timer on their phones with a gentle chime so they know when they have reached the end of their time. I personally don’t use a timer - I think it takes away from my experience.I end up thinking more about how much time is left and anticipating the ringer going off, but that’s just me! Try it and see if it resonates with you. I really like the Insight Timer app. Give it a try and join my Women in Bloom Group! If you are having trouble calming your mind, try a guided meditation. There are endless options: YouTube videos, Insight Timer, various online meditation challenges, etc. They are great for beginners because they provide something to focus on. As you progress, you can take the training wheels off and practice on your own. Meditation is most effective when it is done daily. Each time you sit quietly and focus on yourself, you are chipping away at the rigid boundary that keeps you from knowing your true self. With consistent effort, this place of peace and stillness is easier to find and access. Think of it like a door that is used regularly versus one that hasn’t been opened in years. The hinges of the unused door would rust, making it harder to open. Therefore, patience and steady effort are required. Here is a video busting the myths of mediation that I shot recently in Bali with my friend Stacy from Irie Soul. Even if you only have 5 minutes to dedicate to yourself to start, it is time well spent. Getting to know yourself from the inside out is arguably the most important appointment in your schedule, so make it a priority and be sure to savour every second! Be well, Gillian
