Breathe In and Out
Meditation is not only
a wonderful form of relaxation; it is also a great way to find inspiration within yourself. It calms the mind, the body and
the spirit and chases away whatever stress you are feeling. Writing can often be stressful. For instance, if you are trying
to get your characters from point A to point B and can’t figure out how, sometimes it helps to relax and meditate so
that your mind can be clear enough to figure out a way. The way from point A to point B is often a simple one, which is why
we miss it most of the time.
So meditation is a
good way to relax. It can be as simple as stepping away from your computer or your journal for a minute or two and taking
a few deep breaths. Sometimes, though, more is needed. So a stronger meditation exercise is often your best bet.
That is where Breathing
comes in handy. Try this exercise the next time you are having difficulty writing:
Breathing
Make sure you are sitting comfortably. You don’t
need to be sitting on the floor cross-legged; you can sit in your favorite chair, a sunny spot, outside under a tree. You
can meditate anywhere.
The where doesn’t matter. As long
as you are comfortable. It is also not necessary to sit with your spine completely straight. This isn’t yoga, it’s
meditation. As long as your completely comfortable enough to relax, you’re doing fine.
Close your eyes, breathe deeply and regularly,
and observe your breath as it flows in and out of your body. Give your full attention to the breath as it comes in, and full
attention to the breath as it goes out. Whenever you find your attention wandering away from your breath, gently pull it back
to the rising and falling of the breath.
Inhale through your nose slowly and deeply. It
isn’t necessary to hold your breath as you breath it in, as long as your are conscious of your breath and your breathing.
Exhale deeply, picturing the stress leaving your body in waves. When you breathe in, picture yourself breathing in fresh,
cleansing air.
You will begin to feel a change come over your
entire body. Gradually you will become less aware of your breathing, but not captured in your stream of thoughts. You will
become more centered inward. This is where you can let your thoughts start to flow.
Quite often, the ideas or plot tangles you are
befuddled over will become clear to you after you have had time to relax. After you try meditation a few times, you will become
a pro at it and it will be a wonderful tool to you for relaxation and enabling your mind to focus.
There are many other
kinds of meditation. Take a look in your local library, bookstore to find some different books on meditation techniques. Breathing
may not work for you; but there are other forms of meditation (flower meditation, water meditation) so you can be sure to
find the one that does work for you.