In 2018, in my own search for healing modalities, I discovered meditation as a powerful tool for healing my mind, body, and soul. I explored different types of meditation, including ones created by well-known wellness experts such as Deepak Chopra, Alan Watts, Brian Weiss, etc. As a newbie, the exploration process was a bit overwhelming (so many options out there!) so I hope sharing my experience and recommendations will help others that are just starting out.
Disclaimer: Before diving into this post, please note that I do not prescribe to any of these individuals' philosophies or approaches in totality per se, but have found in my own experience that their tools are very helpful when practiced at different stages of the self-healing and spiritual ascension process.
AUM Meditation
At the start of my meditation journey, I tried several popular meditations but had a lot of trouble quieting my mind. I remember I had so much internal chatter going on in my mind that I could not even complete a simple 10-minute meditation without my thoughts taking over (e.g., What am I cooking tonight? I forgot to call the doctor!). Nevertheless, the big game-changer for me was when I found Sadghuru's meditations on Youtube. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Inner Engineering, A Yogi’s Guide to Joy.
More specifically, I practiced Sadghuru's AUM meditation/chant, which helps regulate breathing (very helpful for anyone struggling with anxiety and shortness of breath). The reverberations/vibrations of the sound "AUM" also trigger healing at a cellular level. For individuals that are just starting out, I recommend that they practice the 8-minute chant for at least 40 days, which based on yogic wisdom, is the length of time required to either form or break a habit. After this stage, eventually, it is easy to advance to the 18-minute AUM chant. For me personally and for my clients, subtle but noticeable changes to one's energetic body can be seen within a 3 month period. For example, often clients note that they feel less anxious and irritable and shortness of breath starts to dissipate as well. They start noticing that they feel lighter and happier more of the time.
For my avid readers interested in self-healing and personal growth books, I would encourage you to check out Sadghuru's teachings. He reminds us what we are essentially as human beings and walks you through the process of "decluttering" and "reprogramming" one's subconscious mind. His teachings helped me re-train my mind to detach from preconceived notions of who I was supposed or told to be. Through his process and teachings, I released many limiting beliefs and thoughts from my upbringing that were blocking me from enjoying my present moment.
Isha Kriya Meditation
Since I had success with Sadghuru's meditation techniques and appreciated his overall perspective on spirituality, I decided to attend one of his weekend meditation workshops too. I attended his 21 minute Isha Kriya meditation weekend workshop, which incorporates the breath, along with rejuvenating and invigorating preparatory asanas. This was truly a surreal experience in that 500+ people were learning and opening up together as Sadghuru led us step by step. Towards the last practice session, I felt the activation of my third eye and saw the brightest purple rays through it. At that moment, for the very first time in my life, I felt true bliss. I was speechless and all I could do was cry tears of joy.
When I returned home, I integrated the Isha Kriya meditation with my AUM chant daily practice and after another 3 months, I actually started to feel like a completely new person. My energy felt totally different! For the first time in my life, I was vibrating at a higher level and felt more joy, unconditional love, compassion, and forgiveness for myself and those around me. My children and husband saw my changes and our home finally became a place of peace, harmony, and balance. For anyone interested in this practice, you can find more information on the Isha Foundation's website.
Ground, Shield, and Protect Meditation
Especially for individuals that have heavy energetic blockages, I recommend that they focus on grounding, shielding, and protecting their energy. This practice is helpful for individuals that are "empaths", which basically means that they feel other people's emotions and thoughts very deeply. Below is a meditation that one of my teachers, Pat Longo, author of the book titled "The Gifts Beneath Your Anxiety" has created. I recommend that you do the meditation at the start of your day, before engaging with others.
Energy Healing Meditation
Lastly, another type of meditation I highly recommend is energy healing. You can use this type of meditation when you may feel off-balance and/or to heal a specific physical, emotional, or spiritual symptom or pain. You can also use it to heal others by channeling the healing to a specific person. In very simple terms, energy healing is connecting to universal source energy to serve as a channel of healing. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, I would recommend that you check out Shaman Oaks.
Other Helpful Meditation Videos
White Light Meditation (Protection and Healing)
Raise Your Vibration Meditation