Week 1
MINDFUL BREATHING. 5
MINUTES/DAILY. Sit in a quiet, comfortable place. Turn your phone off
and anything else that might cause noise (no tv, no music). Close your
eyes and take in a breath through nose. As you are breathing in just
think "I'm breathing in." Next breathe out, while thinking "I'm
breathing out." Relax. Don't worry if your mind is racing. Just let the
thoughts come, but then go back to breathing. Pay attention to the
entire length of your breathing in, and the entire length of your
breathing out. Forget the past, don't worry about the future, just
breathe for 5 minutes ; )
Week 2
WARM-UP EXERCISES TO HONE IN ON OUR SENSES
The following exercises should be done after you do some mindful breathing (5 mins)
Color/objects: Sit comfortably in a chair (both feet on the floor) or on the floor. They can also lie down as well. Have them identify the color and names of objects in the room out loud. Do this for about 2-3 minutes or until you sense they have calmed down.
Sound: Continuing to sit comfortably, with eyes closed, listen very closely to all the sounds in your immediate surrounding. You can do this quietly. After a minute or so, start to listen for the sounds outside the room you are in. After another minute, return to listening to your immediate surroundings, then open your eyes.
Mind's eye: Take a minute to think of a loved one. With your eyes closed, imagine the very top of the person's head, the shape, the hair, texture, smell etc. Go through every aspect of the face in whatever order comes to mind- forehead, eyebrows, eyelids, all the way to the chin, and then a final overall look. You should both be very relaxed at this point and take a 5-10 minute break if you wish.
GIVING AND RECEIVING AN INTUITIVE READING
Reading eye to eye: This will be the hardest part of the reading process. Sit face to face with your partner and taking turns, take a few minutes each 'reading' each other's eyes. First, ask for permission from your partner to begin the reading by asking: "May I read your eyes?" The partner can respond yes or no. You can start by describing the physical shape of their eyes, and then, as you did in class, start to go a little deeper; voicing the feelings that are coming up for you, any other images that might come to mind. When you feel like you're done. Stop. Get feedback from your partner and then have you partner read you. Starting from "May I read you eyes?"
Reading the chakras: Chakras are energy points in our body. There are 7 total, and for the purposes of our readings, they are great focal points to zero in on, and see what symbols lie within. Since we just read the eyes, start with the throat chakra which is the chakra symbolizing how we express ourselves. After asking for permission, with eyes closed begin your reading. Wrong and strong! Don't doubt yourself, just let whatever comes up- images, sounds, temperature, etc. After reading, get feedback from your partner and then switch.
Try to read at least 2-3 chakras. 1st chakra (a.k.a. the root chakra) is at the bottom of your spine, almost by your tail bone and relates to our sense of survival (career, money) and family. The 2nd chakra is in the area of a reproductive organs and relates not only to sexuality but creativity. The3rd chakra is in the area of our stomach/solar plexus and relates to self esteem. The 4th chakra is the heart chakra and relates to how we give and receive love. The 5th chakra is the throat chakra which relates to how we express ourselves. The 6th chakra is in the area of the "third eye" in our forehead and relates to how we see the world. Finally the 7th chakra is at the top of your head and relates to your connection with the 'divine'- whatever your higher power may be.
Reading overall: As we did in class, after reading a few chakras, you may do an "overall" reading for the person. Like a parting gift!!
CLOSING THE READING. Once you are done with your readings and sharing feedback, take a moment to express gratitude for all the good work that went on. And then taking your hand, slide it down the middle of yourself, from the top of your head all the way down to the 1st chakra- symbolically 'closing the chakras.'
Drink lots of water after!
Week 3
CHAKRA BALANCE ASSESSMENT
In your journals list all 7 chakras according to theChakra/Energy chart that was handed out in class. Next to each heading, list everything that you do in your life that corresponds to that chakra. For example, the 7th chakra is your connection to the divine, your spirituality. So list everything that you do in your current life that connects you to your higher power- maybe you pray, maybe you run, etc. If there is nothing to list that is ok as well. Go through each chakra- 6th chakra- your vision- what do you do in your life that is in accordance, or helps you express the way you see the world. 5th chakra is your voice, 4th is your heart, 3rd is self-esteem/personal power, 2nd is creativity and sexuality and the 1st is your root chakra, family/'tribe' and your sense of security. Next take a note of which chakras seem to have long lists of corresponding actions, and which lists might have few or very little (some of you may have even lists for everything in which case there is balance). Start to think and write down what actions you could take to increase the activity in chakra areas that have very little activity. Then give each chakra a score from a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being very little activity in that chakra and 5 being lots of activity) and take a look at the balance or lack there of you have in your chakras. The idea is that you when you run on all 7 cylinders, you run smoothly, you are in balance, and you are in good health. ALTERNATIVELY some of you may just want to give yourself intuitive readings on your own chakras. In this case, take note of what images, words, sounds, may come up for you as you focus on each chakra and pay attention to how they connect with what each chakra stands for.
Week 9
WALKING MEDITATION
Week 4
THE WALK IN THE WOODS & ISLAND PERSONALITY TEST
The questions and answers can be found at: http://www.lifedestiny.com/person/person06.html
A pdf of the test can be downloaded here.
FREE ASSOCIATION This is a wonderful exercise to do if you ever feel a little stuck or short on ideas. It is a form of brainstorming. Pick a word to begin- this may be the subject that you're stuck about. Think of the first word and from there think of the first thing that comes to mind and say/write it. Then think of the first thing that comes to mind after you've said this word, and so on and so forth. The key is to go quickly. Don't worry about trying to be smart or cool. Keep going for about 2-3 minutes. Once you're done, take a look at what you've written down- you will have an interesting poem/structure!!
READING CARDS First decide whether you would like to read yourself or another person. Next think of a question you'd like to ask and shuffle the playing cards while you think of this question. Just set an intention that the reading that you give is in the highest and best interest for all parties involved. Keep shuffling until you feel you're done. Next draw as many cards necessary for the spread that you are doing. Use the sheet that was handed out in class or download the pdf here (it is 2 pages). As you all know from our intuitive readings in Week 2, we all have intuition/gutt instinct. So the cards are just tools/aids that help us focus that intuition. The ability to be able to make connections and interpret seemingly disconnected information is a valuable skill to have as artists!
AUTOMATIC WRITING
Week 5
Automatic writing is considered writing where the writer writes from the subconscious or in some cases an external source (channeling). Automatic writing mostly happens without conscious awareness of the content of what it is being written. In class, we did a "light" version of this where we were still somewhat conscious of what was being written. WHAT TO DO: Write on paper or in a notebook for 10 minutes straight WITHOUT stopping. Write whatever you like, it can even be "I don't know what to write?" it can even be scribbles or jibberish, but the idea is to keep writing nonstop, without thinking, without trying to be clever or thoughtful, and just write. Stop after 10 minutes. Look over what transpired on paper!
100 QUESTIONS/100 ANSWERS
Write down 100 questions. Any questions that you may have, but 100 of them. The questions can also repeat. Don't stop, just keep going until you have a 100 questions. Circle questions that repeated and circle questions that seem to stand out for you. Take notice. Now answer all 100 questions in the same speedy manner.
Week 9
WALKING MEDITATION
This meditation is taken from the book Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everday Life by the Vietnamese Buddhist monk and teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. You can do this for about 20 minutes, eventually an hour.
Start out walking a little faster than usual, and gradually slow down to a normal walking speed, then continue to keep slowing down until you start to feel off balance and artificial.
Now speed up to a comfortable speed (comfortable to your body and mind). The goal is that as you continue the practice, you will feel more and more comfortable and calm walking at a slower speed. Be mindful of your breathing. Taking note of your in breath and out breath; eventually allowing your breath to become a circular, smooth, breath.
Walk with your eyes relaxed, allowing it to focus on nothing. Smile softly with your eyes. Gradually allow the smile to spread from your eyes, throughout your body, until you are smiling with every cell in your body! Let all worries, stress, sadness, fall and float away as you continue to walk. Walk in silence, both internally and externally. Be mindful of your walking; you are moving in a state of grace, taking calm, slow, graceful, and balanced steps. After a while, once your breathing and walking have slipped into a natural calm rhythm, become aware of how many footsteps you are taking per breath. Don't change anything with the length of your breathing, but either speed up, or slow down your walking so that you are taking 2-3-or-4 steps per in breath, and 2-3-or-4 steps per out breath. Once you have discovered your natural rhythm, lock into it, and keep walking in your state of relaxation and meditation.
Week 10
HEALING MEDITATION
Start out walking a little faster than usual, and gradually slow down to a normal walking speed, then continue to keep slowing down until you start to feel off balance and artificial.
Now speed up to a comfortable speed (comfortable to your body and mind). The goal is that as you continue the practice, you will feel more and more comfortable and calm walking at a slower speed. Be mindful of your breathing. Taking note of your in breath and out breath; eventually allowing your breath to become a circular, smooth, breath.
Walk with your eyes relaxed, allowing it to focus on nothing. Smile softly with your eyes. Gradually allow the smile to spread from your eyes, throughout your body, until you are smiling with every cell in your body! Let all worries, stress, sadness, fall and float away as you continue to walk. Walk in silence, both internally and externally. Be mindful of your walking; you are moving in a state of grace, taking calm, slow, graceful, and balanced steps. After a while, once your breathing and walking have slipped into a natural calm rhythm, become aware of how many footsteps you are taking per breath. Don't change anything with the length of your breathing, but either speed up, or slow down your walking so that you are taking 2-3-or-4 steps per in breath, and 2-3-or-4 steps per out breath. Once you have discovered your natural rhythm, lock into it, and keep walking in your state of relaxation and meditation.
Week 10
HEALING MEDITATION
We help ourselves when we help others! Sit comfortably with your eyes closed. Imagine a tiny opening the size of the tip of a pencil at the top of your head. Now imagine beautiful white light from above flowing into you through this tiny opening. See this white light flow through your skull, behind your eyelids, etc. Imagine any kinks or aches being swept away by this white light. Have the light flow through the neck, down the shoulders, arms, wrists, fingers, chest, stomach, pelvic area, thighs, knees, calves, shins, ankles, and feet. When you get to the feet, imagine 2 small openings at the bottom of each foot and see the light flow through these holes. Imagine the light going through the floor of where you are, deep, deep, deep, until the center of the earth, and there, imagine the white light wrapping itself around an anchor or rock 1, 2, 3 times. Now the white light is turned into a pink, healing light by the earth and comes back into the body through the 2 small holes in the feet. See the pink healing light flow all through your body through the feet, ankles, shins, calves, knees, etc. all the way up to the head. Now imagine a window opening in your forehead and from there, like a film projector, you project pink light into the center of the space you and your partner are occupying. From there, raise the pink light up 8 ft above you, and then expanding out around and below you both 8ft; create a giant pink bubble that encompasses you both.
Now imagine a person that you know or have heard about who is in a state of discomfort and dis-ease (financial, emotional, physical). This person may also be yourself. See them come in from your LEFT and into the CENTER of your bubble. Now imagine them receiving whatever healing they are willing to accept (don't force anything on them) and start to see them transform into a state of well-being. Once they are in this state, wish them well and see them exit to the RIGHT. Repeat this process 2 more times.
Once the last person has left, go ahead and keep whatever pink energy you'd like to keep for yourself, inside, and let any excess escape out from the opening at the crown of your head. Finally close the hole at the crown of your head and close the 2 holes at the bottom of your feet.
