The How and Why behind my Meditation Practice

Meditation never came easy to me. I tried all of the things I thought it should be. I purchased a pillow to sit on, grabbed essential oils, lit a candle, heck I even renovated my room so I had a little meditation space.

I tried meditating for years, and honestly I felt like a failure when I couldn't sit still for 30 seconds, especially as a yoga instructor!

I put aside meditation until my best friend, Jennie, got into a major car accident. It was a rainy day in December when she was air flighted to the closest ICU and placed on life support. Two weeks later I lost her. To this day I miss our morning phone calls and how she was so consistent with our friendship.

 Her best trait was Svadhyaya, which in yogic terms translates to non-judgement.

Losing someone you trust with your entire life is more than difficult. I found myself pushing the sadness away and smiling, but on the inside I hurt immensely. I started seeing a mentor so that I could openly share, feel safe to cry, and gain tools that I could take with me.

I knew seeing someone would be vital to move forward and grow, opposed to the opposite.

During our 3rd session my mentor told me that it was imperative that I start a meditation practice. I explained that it was impossible for me and that I had tried for several years with no luck. She asked me if I had ever heard of a mala and I giggled. Of course I have heard of a mala— I explained to her. I bought my first mala as a gift to myself when I finished my first teacher training.

She then told me that malas were intended for meditation, not jewelry.

I was instructed to take the mala necklace in my dominant hand and place my thumb and middle finger on the first stone, to the side of the center crystal (the guru bead). The beginning of any meditation practice starts with an inhale, and after the exhale is finished, you should begin to move the thumb and middle finger along to the next stone on your mala.

I was taught to never use the index finger to move the stones through your fingers as the pointer finger is the one of the ego.

The day I re-tried meditation is one of my favorites. I blinked my eyes open in bed at 6am. I moved around just enough to get comfortable. I grabbed for my mala and set the timer for 2 minutes. I started breathing and moving my fingers through the gemstones. Time flew by and when the timer buzzed I thought it was a mistake.

I immediately added this meditation practice to my morning routine and was so infatuated that I started to tell everyone about it.

A few months went by and I taught myself how to create a mala necklace (thanks YouTube!).

Months later, which consisted of many days of trial and error, I started my brand Gems of a Gypsy . Since my goal was to educate, I focused on workshops and held my first mala and meditation workshop within a month.

I have continued my meditation practice for almost 3 years now and I have 3 techniques that I like to use:

Guided Meditation

This is a great way to start a new habit of meditation. Download a mediation app such as Simple Habit, on your phone. Set an alert to remind you of when you want to meditate. My alert is set for 6:00am and everyday I am reminded to get still. You can set the timer through your app and listen to background music such as ocean sounds or wind chimes or you can do a guided meditation. There are several lengths and topics of meditation as well as week or month long challenges. Almost all of the apps are free and if you find yourself loving one of the apps you can get a membership that has unlimited meditations.

Affirmation Meditation

An affirmation is a statement that begins with the commitment of I AM. An affirmation can be used to re-program your thought patterns and change the way you think and feel about things. They are short positive statements that can help you focus on goals, get rid of negative self talk and beliefs. With these affirmations you can program your subconscious mind. For this type of meditation feel into how you want to show up in the world and try picking a word that you want to embody for the day. Set yourself up for your meditation with or without your mala. Set a timer for the time you have. Start with your inhale and silently say ‘I AM’ and as you exhale insert your word. For example, if my word of the day was gratitude, I would inhale and say I AM and with my exhale I would say GRATEFUL. Continue with the time you have set on your timer.

Meditation with a Mala

Meditation with the mala is helpful for a wandering mind. You can also incorporate the affirmation practice with the mala. Set your timer. Take the mala necklace in your dominant hand and place your thumb and middle finger on the first stone. Make sure you are to the side of the center crystal (the guru bead). Start with an inhale, and after the exhale is finished, begin to move the thumb and middle finger along to the next stone on your mala. Avoid using your index finger to move the stones as the pointer finger is the one of the ego. When finished, wear your mala as a reminder of peace and calming throughout the day. Feel free to check out my gems at The Traveling Yoga Studio

Some tips that helped me:

-Set a daily alert to remind you to meditate-Start small, 2 minutes is plenty to start with-Meditate first thing in the morning-Keep your mala close by your bedside-Be ok with your mind meandering, this is a practice. (I was told once that if your mind starts to wander, to see your thoughts as a cloud passing by, acknowledge the thought and then float by. )

I hope that this blog post is helpful and if you find that you have questions you are always welcome to send me a note.