INTERNALIZATION (much of this is inspired by Phillip Moffit)
We have all experienced disappointment. Sometimes things really don't work out the way we want them to. Our disappointment is how we mourn a future that will never be.
There are different scales of disappoints. Some are large, not being able to pay the rent, a relationship ending that we wanted to continue, or not getting a job . . so many things can go wrong in life. ..
Some disappointments are gradual. Maybe we are gradually realize that the things we thought we always wanted in life are just not going to happen.
Or conversely, maybe we finally got what we thought we wanted, but once obtained, there are still all these problems that we had assumed would go away "if only" this or that happened.
Why do we get sad, depressed, worried, irritated, moody, anxious, or nonresponsive, not just every once in a while but many times in the course of a day or a week, sometimes in small ways, sometimes big?We have to learn to cope with disappointments because if we don’t we won't be able to function at all in the world.
In Eastern Philosophy, we are asked to choose to consciously embrace pain and loss as your teachers
This philosophy posits that Life itself is not disappointing; but instead, life is a series of moments to practice being with life as it is. –
The Buddha taught that there is no continuing, unchanging person and no experience that is still happening. No matter how disappointing or horrible an experience was remember, it is over now
It's over now.
Listen in all directions for sounds
Listen for sounds outside room
Listen for sounds inside the room
Listen for sounds of the body, like abdominal sounds or gurgling
Listen for the sound of the breath
Listen for the sound of the heart beart
Listen for the heart beat of the universe often expressed by the mantra OM
In the universal heart beat hear the heart desires known as the Sankalpa
SANKALPA
And now, from this deep heart space move on to your sankalpa. The sankalpa is a short positive statement in the present and future tense. Allow your sankalpa or affirmation to well up from deep within your being. This sankalpa can be an affirmation for healing your body, mind, or
spirit, but allow it to come from your deepest source, your deepest intention, a place where healing occurs at the deepest possible level.
Allow this affirmation or intention to well up from that place and repeat it three times mentally to yourself with the exact same wording and the confidence that it will come true. If you don't have a sankalpa simply use the statement "I will find the right Sankalpa for me" or "I am practicing being with life as it is."
BODY ROTATION
Right hand thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, pinky finger, right palm, back of the hand, wrist, lower arm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, arm pit, right waist, the right hip, the right thigh, the right kneecap, the right lower leg, the right ankle, the right heel,the right instep, the right sole of the foot, top of the foot, the right big toe, 2nd toe, third toe, fourth toe, fifth toe
Bring awareness to the left side of the body starting with the left thumb. Left hand thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, pinky finger, left palm, back of the hand, wrist, lower arm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, arm pit, left waist, the left hip, the left thigh, the left kneecap, the left lower leg, the left ankle, the left heel, left instep, the left sole of the foot, top of the foot, the left big toe, 2nd toe, third toe, fourth toe, left 5th toe. Stay awake.
Bring awareness to the top of the head, the forehead, both sides of the head, right temple, left temple, the right eyebrow, the left eyebrow, eyebrow center, the right eyelid, the left eyelid, the right eye, the left eye, the right ear, the left ear, the top of the nose, the right nostril, the left nostril, the right cheek, the left cheek, the upper lip, the lower lip, teeth, tongue, jaw, front of the neck, right collar bone, left collar bone, the hallow between the collar bones, right chest, left chest, center of chest, upper abdomen, navel, lower abdomen, pelvis, buttocks, lower back, middle back, upper back, right shoulder blade, left shoulder blade, the whole spine, back of the head, top of the head.
(PRACTICE OF INNER SMILE AS TAUGHT BY MANTAK CHIA)
Now Press the tongue against the upper palate of the mouth
Create a source of smiling energy up to three feet in front of the body. This can be an image of the smiling face, or of someone or something worthy of love and respect, or any memory of a time in which deep peace was felt.
Become aware of the eyebrow center through which abundant smiling energy is drawn in in front of and around the body. Let the forehead relax; as the smiling energy accumulates at the eyebrow center, it will eventually overflow into the body.
Allow the smiling energy to flow down from the eyebrow center through the face, relaxing the cheeks, nose, mouth, and all the facial muscles. Let it flow down through the neck.
Let the smiling energy continue to flow down to the thymus gland, which is located behind the upper part of your sternum, and picture it glowing with vibrant health. Feel the thymus gland become warm as it begins to vibrate and expand like a blossoming flower.
Let the warm, smiling energy spread from the thymus gland into the heart. Draw more smiling energy through the mid-eyebrow, and let it flow like a waterfall down into the heart. Smile inwardly to the heart to generate the virtues of joy and happiness.
Feel the heart relax and expand with loving energy. Try to remember an experience of love and fill the heart with that same feeling again. Love the heart. The heart is associated with the negative emotional energies of hastiness, arrogance, and cruelty. While smiling into the heart, these energies will dissipate, creating the space for the virtuous energies of love and joy to expand.
Let the joy and happiness generated in the heart expand outward to your lungs. Feel the lungs open as the happy, smiling energy flows into them. The lungs may appear to be pink and spongy, or they may feel abundantly full. If there is any feeling in the lungs that is unpleasant, let it go.
Clear the lungs of energetic, emotional, and physical pollution by smiling into them. Feel the air flow from the tip of the nose down into the lungs, following it all the way out to the tiny air sacs where oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide.
Thank the lungs for breathing and helping sustain life.
Feel the entire chest cavity filling with smiling, loving energy. The lungs are associated with the negative emotional energies of sadness and depression and the virtuous energies of courage and righteousness. When smiling into the lungs, dissolve any sadness or negative feelings, creating space for courage and righteousness to expand.
Remember to go back to the source of smiling energy in front of the body, or a vision or memory of a happy moment-to get more energy any time during the meditation, If the attention wanders, or it the feeling or the effect of the Inner Smile becoming weak or diluted, just gather more smiling energy from the source. The Chinese say," If you want water, you should go to the well. "
Next direct the smiling energy to the liver, the largest internal organ, located just below the right lung.
Feel the liver become immersed in smiling, loving, joyous energy.
The liver is associated with the sense of sight, as it controls the energy of the eyes. Use your inner vision to see the liver and determine its condition. Its surface should be smooth and glossy, and it should feel relaxed and uncongested.
Use the eyes to smooth out any part of its surface or to relax any area that seems tense. Feel gratitude for the liver's work in detoxifying the body, helping to store blood, and producing bile. The liver is associated with the emotion of anger and the virtue of kindness. Smile to the liver to dissolve any anger and allow the kindness energy more space to expand. The Chinese suggest this also helps strengthen the decision-making power.
Let the smiling energy flow from the liver across the abdomen into the pancreas, located directly beneath the left lung. Thank the pancreas for making digestive enzymes, producing insulin, and regulating blood sugar. Smile into the pancreas. See that it is healthy and functioning smoothly.
Continuing around to the left, smile into the spleen, which is just next to the left kidney. Smile in the direction of the spleen even if the exact location is not known, gradually the energy will get in touch with it. If needed, return to the source of smiling energy in front of the body, and let the smiling energy flow in through the mid-eyebrow and down to the area of the spleen.
As smiling, loving energy builds up in the spleen, let it flow into the kidneys. Smile down to the kidneys and feel them expand with radiant energy. Use the inner vision to inspect the kidneys to be sure their surface is smooth and glossy and that they are filtering properly without any congestion.
The kidneys are associated with the emotion of fear. Smile into them, let fear melt away, and the virtue of gentleness can grow. Keep smiling into the kidneys, and let the smiling energy build up until they are full.
Next, send the smiling energy down into the urinary bladder, urethra, genitals, and perineum. Thank them for making hormones and giving you sexual energy. Bring the combined sexual, smiling, and virtue energies up to the navel, and spiral them into that point.
Return the attention to the source of smiling energy in front of the body. Be aware of the mid-eyebrow point, and allow more smiling energy to flow in through it like a waterfall pouring down into the organs. Once again immerse the thymus, heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, urinary bladder, and sex organs in smiling energy. At this point the mind-body should be feeling calm and peaceful.
Become aware once more of the smiling energy in the eyes. Put the tip of your tongue to the roof of the mouth.
Follow the path of saliva down the esophagus to the stomach, located at the bottom and below the left side of the rib cage. Thank it for its important work in liquefying and digesting your food. Feel it grow calm and comfortable. Sometimes our stomachs are abused with improper food. Make a promise to the stomach that you will give it good food to digest.
Smile into the small intestine in the middle of the abdomen. It is about seven meters long in an adult.
Thank it for absorbing food nutrients to keep you vital and healthy.
Smile into the large intestine: the ascending colon, starting at the right side of the hipbone and passing upward to the under surface of the right lobe of the liver; the transverse colon, which passes downward from the right liver region across the abdomen to the left beneath the lower end of the spleen; the descending colon, which passes downward through the left side of the lumbar region; and the sigmoid colon, which normally lies within the pelvis, the rectum and the anus. The large intestine is about 1.5 meters long.
Thank it for eliminating wastes and for making you feel clean, fresh and open. Smile to it and feel it be warm, nice, clean, comfortable and calm.
Return to your eyes. Quickly smile down the Middle Line, checking for tension. Smile into the tension until it melts away.
Bring your attention back to your eyes again.
Smile inward with both eyes; collect the power of the smile in the third eye (mid-eyebrow). With your inner eyesight direct your smile about three to four inches inside into the pituitary gland, and feel the gland blossom.
Smile into the thalamus, from where the truth and power of the smile will generate.
Smile into the pineal gland and feel this tiny gland gradually swell and grow like a bulb. Move your smile's eyesight, like a bright, shining light, up to the left side of the brain. Move the inner smiling eyesight back and forth in the left brain and across to the right brain and cerebellum. This will balance the left and right brain and strengthen the nerves.
Move the inner smiling eyesight down to the midbrain. Feel it expand and soften and go down to the pons and medulla oblongata and to the spinal cord, starting from the cervical vertebrae at the base of the skull.
Move the inner smiling eyesight, bringing this loving energy down inside each vertebra and the disc below it. Count out each vertebra and disc as you smile down them: seven cervical (neck) vertebrae, twelve thoracic (chest), five lumbar (lower back), the triangular bone called the sacrum, and the coccyx (tail bone).
Feel the spinal cord and the back becoming loose and comfortable.
Feel the discs softening. Feel your spine expanding and elongating, making you taller.
Return to your eyes and quickly smile down the entire Back Line. The whole body should feel relaxed, The Back Line exercise increases the flow of the spinal fluid and sedates the nervous system. Smiling into a disc keeps it from hardening and becoming deformed so it cannot properly absorb the force and weight of the body. Back pain can be prevented or relieved by smiling into the spine.
The Entire Length of the Body Start at the eyes again. Direct your Inner Smile's eyesight. Quickly smile down the Front Line. Follow the smiling down the Middle Line and then the Back Line. When you are more experienced, smile down all three lines simultaneously, being aware of the organs and the spine. Now, feel the energy descend down the entire length of your body, like a waterfall-a waterfall of smiles, joy and love. Feel your whole body being loved and appreciated. How marvelous it is!
The organs smiling. Collecting the Smiling Energy at the Navel It's very important to end by storing the smiling energy in the navel. Most ill effects of meditation are caused by excess energy in the head or heart. The navel area can safely handle the increased energy generated by the Inner Smile. To collect the smile's energy, concentrate in your navel area, which is about one and a half inches inside your body. Then mentally move that energy in an outward spiral around your navel; don't go above the diaphragm or below the pubic bone. Women, start the spiral counterclockwise. Men, start the spiral clockwise. Next, reverse the direction of the spiral and bring it back into the navel. The energy is now safely stored in the navel, available whenever it is needed and for whatever part of your body needs it.
(pause)
BREATH AWARENESS
Become aware of the natural breath
Bring awareness to the breath at the heart center
As inhale the heart and lungs expand
As you exhale the heart and lungs contract
Counting backwards from 18 to 0 with awareness of the breath at the heart center
Inhaling 18
Exhaling 18
Inhaling 17
Exhaling 17
Continuing counting backward from 18 to 0 with awareness of the breath at the heart center
(pause)
if the count is lost begin again at 18
(pause)
if the count reaches 0 start again at 18
(pause)
Stay with the counting
(pause)
Stay with the awareness of breath at the heart center
(pause)
Now let go of the counting and let go of the awareness of the breath at the heart center and come back to natural breathing
(pause)
BREATH AWARENESS – HEALING SOUNDS
In Traditional Chinese Medicine disappointment is found in the lungs with its companion emotions of sadness and grief.
Become aware of your lungs. Take a deep breath and raise the arms up in front of you. When the hands are at eye level, begin to rotate the palms and bring them up above the head. Keep the elbows rounded. You should feel a stretch that extends from the heels of the palms, along the forearms, over the elbows, along the upper arms and into the shoulders. The lungs and chest will feel open and breathing will be easier. Draw the corners of the mouth back, exhale, making the sound
"Sssssssssssssssssssss", sub-vocally, slowly and evenly in one breath.
As you exhale, empty all feelings of disappointment, sadness, sorrow and grief from your lungs.
When you have exhaled completely (without straining), rotate the palms down, close the eyes, and breathe in to the lungs to strengthen them. Place the hands on the lungs
Imagine a pure white light and quality of righteousness entering into your lungs.
Breathe normally, smile down to the lungs, be aware of the lungs, and imagine that you are still making the sound. Pay attention to any sensations you may feel. Try to feel the exchange of cool, fresh energy replacing hot, dark waste energy.
Delete and disappointment, sadness, sorrow or grief from the lungs by looking left, looking right, looking left, looking right
OPPOSITES
(HEAVY)
Feel all the points of contact between the body and the floor. Feel the weight of the body. The body is heavy... The head is heavy... The shoulders are heavy... The arms are heavy.... The back is heavy... ... The legs are heavy..........The body is so heavy that it feels as if it is made of stone.....the body is so heavy that it feels as if it is made of lead.. Experience the body as heaviness... Now let go of heaviness and come to the opposite experience of lightness
(LIGHT)
Now come to the opposite experience of lightness. The hair is light.....the fingers are light.....the toes are light.....the nose is light .....the eyelashes are light.....The body is so light that it feels as if it could rise above the floor like a feather ... the body is so light that it could blow in the wind like a life in an autumn wind...Experience the body as lightness...Now let go of lightness
(DISAPPOINTMENT)
Recollect an experience of disappointment, concentrate and try to remember the experience ofdisappointment. (pause) Any disappointment you have experienced in your life, mental or physical, recolect the feeling of disappointment. It doesn't have to be a large disappointment it can just be a small disappointment. Recollect any disappointment as if it is happening right now. Feel the disappointment. Let go of the disappointment and come to the opposition sensation of satisfaction.
(SATISFACTION)
Recollect an experience of satisfaction, concentrate and try to remember the experience of satisfaction. (pause) Recollect this feeling and relive it, make it vivid .. .awaken the feeling of satisfaction (long pause) Check that you are awake. Recollect the feeling of satisfaction as if it were happening it right now. Feel the satisfaction. Now let go of the satisfaction and come back to natural breathing.
GUIDED IMAGERY
Bring awareness to the chidakasha, the mind screen in front of the closed eyes and notice if there are any colors or patterns there. Bring the awareness to the chidakasha the mind movue and visualize the simple images that will be suggested.
A Tall Tree (x 2)
A Crescent Moon (x2)
Stars in the Night Sky (x 2)
A Meadow full of Wild Flowers (x 2)
A Friend's Laugh (x 2)
A Hearty Smile (x 2)
Ocean Waves at Sunset (x 2)
Snow Capped Mountains (x 2)
A Rainbow (x 2)
VISUALIZATION
Bring your awareness back to the chidakasha the mind space in front of the closed eyes . . .
Imagine walking through a forest carrying a blanket
You have walked the way this way many times you are completely safe
It is silent except for your tootsteps and the rustle of the wind through trees
You make a way to large clearing and find a perfect place for your blanket
You smile as you spread blanket recognizing the scent of favorite flower
You look around and see a few dozen more of these favorite flowers growing.
The flowers colors are vivid in the moon light and you pause to enjoy them
Kneeling on the blanket you smooth it out and adjust it perfectly for yourself and then lie down on your back
The stars greet you as your eyes adjust to the night sky
You see brightest stars first followed by the rest of the stars
The longer you gaze upward the more and more stars you see
Remember everything in this place is yours, arrange the stars as you wish, chose one now and give it a name
Find your own constellation and give it a shape and a story all its own
Look around at the beautiful scene you have created in your mind
You are capable of great things
Your Circumstances and relationships don’t define
You are defined by your own attitudes and actions
Chose to have faith
Believe there is no reason the future should not hold wonderful things for you
Do not apologize for doing what is right and your fear will have to leave you
You will no longer dwell on the disappointment of what if but instead move forward with confidence
You shine just like the stars and people will be inspired by the light you carry
Now Let go of the chidakasha and come back to natural breathing
SANKALPA
And in the natural breath here the Sankalpa. The same one you used in the beginning of the Yoga Nidra practice and repeat it again three times mentally with the exact same wording and the confidence that it will come true. (pause)
EXTERNALIZATION (inspired by Philip Moffit)
Listen to the sound of the heart beat
Listen to the sound of the breath
Listen for sounds of the body
Listen for sounds inside the room
Listen for sounds outside the room
Listen for the farthest sound that you can heart outside the room
Remember the room
Remember the ceiling
Remember the walls
Remember the floor
Remember the position on the floor
Remember what you are wearing
Come back to the breath
Mark Twain once said "Some of my biggest disappointments never happened."
When we start to worry about possible events that can go wrong in the future, we become fearful.
Fear in the mind does not serve us but instead imprisons us. It feeds on itself and than we become habituated to living in a perpetual state of disappointment just because are afraid of being disappointed.
The question then becomes: How do you work with major disappointment when it arises?
The first thing you can do is consciously noting it. We need to practice staying present and withstanding the emotional pull of small disappointments, in order not to get swept away in the emotional waves of a big disappointment and lose perspective. We can do this by practicing yoga and meditation. We can be open to the experience of disappointment. We can accept it and let it pass through your mind and heart. Then we can go on with your life's journey and not be frozen in place by our pain. Live with the conscious acceptance that the pains of disappointment can be transformed into the celebration of life. Remember that all that is to be truly honored and cherished is right here, right now!
Come back to the breath and make each inhale deeper and deeper (pause)
And make exhale exhale fuller and fuller (pause)
Inhaling and exhaling deeply and fully (long pause)
And Say to yourself mentally ... the practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
Begin to wiggle the fingers and the toes
Roll the wrists and ankles one direction... and then the opposite direction
Take any intuitive movement the body is asking for
and the roll on the side in a fetal position
In that position the position of rebirth and renewal say some words of kindness to yourself as if you were speaking to a small child
and after you do and there is no need to rush and no need to hurry push yourself up to a comfortable seated position
When you come to seated bring your hands to heart center and join me in the chanting of Om to signify your wholeness.
SALAAM
SHALOM
SHANTI
PACE
PEACE
and my Favorite OM
NAMASTE
