Meditation. That word stresses lots of us out. I can’t meditate, my mind is too busy. I don’t have time to meditate. Sometimes there are just too many ‘shoulds’ beating down our doors so we forget that actually, we do have time we just choose not to use it for our own positive benefit. Think of your mind as the lovely rug in your living room. You need to shake that rug out regularly otherwise that dust is going to build up. Meditation is shaking the dust out of your mind. When you shake, that dust is going to feel busy and present. But ultimately, regular shaking means that less dust accumulates…
Meditation isn’t the act of ‘clearing your mind’, it’s more noticing the busy-ness of your mind consciously, paying attention to it. As if you’re wandering through an art gallery and seeing your thoughts anew, like pieces of art. You may be drawn into the drama of some pieces of art more than others, some may be so familiar to you that you no longer notice them. Changing your gaze on your ‘thought artworks’ is what meditation is all about. Getting us out of ‘doing’ mode and into ‘being’. It’s a way of creating space and clarity, which, let’s face it, is something that mums absolutely need more of.
I can’t do my pelvic floors, I’ve got too many other things to think about….Pelvic floor exercise stresses us out because it’s another thing on our to do list, so we get stressed and anxious and guilty about it. So, I began teaching Pelvic Floor Meditations as a way of leading into a more playful, curious and ‘being’ mentality for your pelvic floor awareness. Pelvic floor function is so directly related to breathing, so bringing your awareness to your breath is inherently nourishing your pelvic floor connection. Tune into my Facebook group on Monday nights at 9pm if you’d like to join a live Pelvic Floor Meditation, and have a go now reading this script:
You can do this meditation sitting or lying down, whichever you feel more comfortable. Whichever position you’re in, lengthen your spine and feel present in your body and your breath. It can take 2 minutes or up to 20, you choose.
Soften your gaze inwards, closing your eyes. Tune in gently to the sensations of your breath, the rise and fall of your lower belly as you breathe in and out, for a few breaths.
Visualise a diamond shape filling in the space between your tailbone, your sit bones and your pubic bone. As you breathe in, imagine this diamond shape widening and opening.
As you breathe out, imagine that it draws in and closes, almost like a camera shutter.
Continue to breathe and simply notice that shape in your mind’s eye. If your mind wanders, that’s completely normal so don’t berate yourself, simply notice and come back to the visual shape of the diamond and the sensations of your breath in the body.
Then, begin to actively draw the shape up into your centre on your out-breath, actively recruiting the deep inner muscles.
Breathe in to let them fully go.
How did you find that? Let me know! Get in touch below, I’d love to hear…
Pilates for Pregnancy by Anya Hayes