Meditaton

Techniques

 4 Pebbles Meditation
“We have the practice of pebble meditation to cultivate the four qualities of happiness. The first is freshness – fresh as a flower. The second is stability – solid as a mountain. The third is peace/tranquility – still water. And the fourth is freedom – space. These qualities bring a happy person. The more you can let go, the freer you become.”                -Thich Nhat Hahn The first pebble is a flower, any kind of flower.  A flower represents freshness. The flower is within you because you are able to be refreshed. We are beautiful every time we restore our flowerness.   With two fingers, you pick up one of the pebbles and you look at it: This is the flower. And you put the first pebble on the palm of your left hand. And you put the left hand above your right hand and you begin to practice flower pebble mindful breathing: 
 Breathing in, I see myself as a flower. Breathing out, I feel fresh. 
Three times while you breathe, repeat silently as you breathe: in  “Flower” out  “fresh” in “Flower”  out  “fresh” in “Flower”  out  “fresh” You recuperate, you restore the flowerness in you, you become fresh. Place the pebble to your right.   The second pebble is a mountain.  Mountain represents solidity, stability. There is a mountain within yourself because when you practice sitting and walking, you can develop the capacity of being solid, stable. Solidity and stability are very important for our happiness. 
Now you pick up the second pebble. Look at it. This represents a mountain. You put it in your left hand, your left hand on your right hand, and you begin to practice mountain pebble mindful breathing: 
Breathing in, I see myself as a mountain. Breathing out, I feel solid. 
Three times while you breathe, repeat silently as you breathe: in “Mountain” out  “solid.” in “Mountain” out  “solid.” in “Mountain” out  “solid.” You strengthen, you restore the stability in you, you become solid. 
Place the pebble to your right. 
The third pebble represents still water.  Still water reflects the sky as it exactly is. It reflects the clouds, the mountains exactly as they are – no distortion at all. Still water is within you. When the water in you is still, you are calm, you are serene. You see things clearly as they are. You do not distort things. You do not have wrong perceptions. 
And you put the third pebble on the palm of your left hand. Put the left hand above your right hand and you begin to practice water pebble mindful breathing: 

Breathing in, I see myself as still water. Breathing out, I reflect things as they truly are. 
Three times, And while you breathe repeat silently as you breathe: in “Water”  out “reflecting” in “Water”  out  “reflecting” in “Water”  out  “reflecting”
You still troubled waters, you reflect beauty, you become calm. 
Place the pebble to your right.  The fourth pebble is space. Space is within you. Uncluttered. Unfettered. Free. The people who do not have space inside are not happy people. That is why you have to practice in such a way that you bring a lot of space within. It is very important. Our body, our consciousness is also like that. And you put the fourth pebble on the palm of your left hand, put the left hand above your right hand and you begin to practice space pebble mindful breathing: 
Breathing in, I see myself as space. Breathing out, I feel free. 
​Three times, And while you breathe repeat silently as you breathe: in “Space”  out  “free” in “Space”  out  “free” in “Space” out  “free” You release clutter and worries and thoughts, you invite the space in you, you become free. 
Place the pebbles in the bag. You have finished the 4 pebbles Meditation.                 

Energy​

what is Centering?

Centering is an ancient visualization  technique that originated in Aikido –

the Japanese defensive martial art of "spiritual harmony." ​

Centering teaches you to focus on the here and now, taking power away from outside concerns and negative thoughts, and helping you remain stable and grounded. Energy is lost when you are tense or stressed, but Centering redirects negative energy in a beneficial way. Think back to a time when you were feeling stressed or afraid. What physical reactions did you experience? Tense muscles, rapid breathing, sweating palms, and a racing heart are all common reactions to a stressful situation. Now, imagine that all of these feelings are the result of energy flowing through your body. Centering uses your mind to redirect this energy to the center of your body, giving you a sense of inner calm.

You can use Centering to improve your focus and manage stress before a speech, musical recital, exam, job interview, negotiation, or sporting event… whenever you need to keep a clear head in difficult circumstances.

Centering can also be useful in more everyday situations. If you need to gather your thoughts before a difficult conversation, or if you have to deliver bad news, use Centering to channel your nerves so that you can communicate clearly, compassionately and

effectively. 

How to Center Yourself

There are three steps to Centering:

Step 1: Focus on Your Breathing

Concentrate on breathing deeply, using your diaphragm to draw air all the way down into your lungs.

Tip: If you're not familiar with deep breathing, try this exercise: Lie on the floor, or somewhere comfortable but supported. Place one hand on your stomach, and take a deep breath in through your nose. Use the air you breathe in to push against your hand. Your chest and shoulders shouldn't move – only your stomach. Exhale slowly and deliberately through your mouth.   Spend a while completely focusing on your breathing.

Mindfully release the tension in your body. Continue to breathe slowly and deeply, while scanning your body for feelings of tension.

Start with your toes and work your way up your body, paying attention to each group of muscles as you go. Relax any muscles that feel tense by clenching them and then releasing them.

Step 2: Find Your Center

Locate your "physical center of gravity" which, in Centering, is visualized as being about two inches below your navel. Become familiar with where your center is, and remember what it feels like – you'll probably find that you feel grounded and stabilized by focusing your mind on this part of your body. When you begin to feel stressed, turn your attention to your center to remind yourself that you have

balance and control. Once you've found it, breathe in and out deeply at least five times. Continue to concentrate on your center and feel the sensation of being stabilized and on the ground.

Step 3: Redirect Your Energy

Finally, channel your energy into achieving your goal. Imagine all of the energy in your body flowing into your center. Find some imagery  that

works for you, for example picture this energy as a glowing ball, or perhaps a balloon. Visualize putting all of your negative thoughts into the balloon and then releasing it. As you inhale, say "l let..." and as you exhale, say "... go." If you picture your energy as a ball, imagine throwing it far into the distance. If you see it as a balloon, imagine it floating away above your head. Let go of everything that is causing you to feel stressed. Imagine your center filled with calm. On your next inhalation, be here now. Be in your body, here,  with space to feel,  to see, to observe,  and with an observer's control- release and exhale.

Practice Makes Perfect

Using Centering confidently takes some practice. It's useful to start learning how to use it long before you actually have to do something very stressful. Try using the technique during situations that cause you stress on a smaller scale – perhaps with something you experience at work each day. Another way to practice Centering is to put your body through a stressful experience, and then try to center yourself. For example, musicians often practice Centering before they give a performance. To put themselves under stress, they might run up and down several flights of stairs, and then immediately play their piece, either alone or in front of others. Physical exertion is a good way of simulating the symptoms of stress because the physical reactions – a pounding heart and shortness of breath – are very similar. 

Once you've mastered Centering, you can use it any time you feel stressed and out of control. It will also teach you to trust your instincts when faced with a difficult situation.