Releasing energy
The energy of the mind is the essence of life. ―Aristotle
👥 Serves: 1 person, 11-25 people, 2-10 people, 26-40 people, 41+ people
🎚 Difficulty: Medium
⏳ Total time: 11-30 minutes
🥣 Ingredients: A quiet place with no distractions
🤓 Wholebeing Domains: Awareness, Discomfortability, Radical Care
💪 Wholebeing Skills: Boundary setting, Breathing, Caring, Centring, Compassion, Non-attachment, Relief, Stress management
Releasing energy
📝 Description
Creating a shield to protect you from negative energy.
Many changemakers often feel overwhelmed by the pain and suffering they see others experience. As they empathise with them, changemakers seem unable to prevent other people’s pain and suffering from having a negative impact on their own wellbeing. The following mindfulness meditation practice helps you release negative energy and maintain positive energy by focusing on three aspects: (1) centring; (2) grounding; and (3) releasing. What is important to practice is protecting your energy field so that you can be of support to others without feeling drained. This activity has been adapted from the guidelines received during a mindfulness meditation practice offered by Lyle Povah during a wellbeing retreat with The Wellbeing Project.
👣 Steps
Step 1 – Find a quiet space
Find a quiet, private spot where you can be comfortable for 10-15 minutes. Sit with your eyes closed.
Step 2 – Breathe deeply
Breathe in and out, deeply. Notice where the tension is in your body – butterflies in the stomach, clenched teeth, stiff neck, wobbly knees, pulsating heart. Breathe deeply, in and out, five times. Make each breath go deeper than the last.
Step 3 – Centre
Imagine a line that goes from the middle of your brows to the middle of your back head. Imagine a second line crossing your head from one tip of your ear to the other one. Find the spot where the two lines meet and start imagining a golden ball right there at the centre of your head. This golden ball of positive energy warms you fully.
Step 4 – Ground
In addition to the golden ball at the centre of your head, now also imagine a cord that goes from your spine towards the ground, digging deeper to reach the centre of the Earth. Feel fully supported by this cord.
Step 5 – Release
At this point, imagine an aura around you, surrounding your full body. This shield is as big as your arm’s length and surrounds you completely (front, back, and both sides). By focusing on this aura, you can empathise with others and feel closely connected, but not letting their negative energy interfere with your own energy field.
Step 6 – Closing
Whenever you are ready, return your attention to your breath and your body breathing. Take a deeper breath and gently open your eyes.