Acupressure and meditation for more relaxation

FINALLY CONSCIOUSLY GET OUT OF THE THOUGHT VORTEX 

First of all, I would like to dispel a cliché. Meditation is not about sitting cross-legged on the floor for hours on end and then suddenly floating away enlightened.

Without boring you with too much theory, here are two important things to understand:

1. According to yogic teachings, meditation is not something you can practice, but rather a state of consciousness that you can achieve when you are able to understand that we are not made up of thoughts or emotions.

You detach yourself from all physical sensations, familiar patterns and ideas, from yourself and others, and thus approach pure being.

2The process that we go through through regular practice is more relevant than the goal.
Surrendering to the path to enlightenment is certainly quite wonderful, but not so easy to integrate into our everyday lives ;-)

What we can do is to make use of the various practices to reach these higher levels of consciousness in order to get out of stubborn thought vortices and quiet our minds.

ESOTERIC MUMBO JUMBO OR EFFECTIVE METHODS?

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. It has its origins in the question of who we actually are.

This article would go beyond the scope if I were to go deeper into the subject at this point, but let me summarize it briefly.

In the West, we try to explain our existence through science. We live in a material world where things have to be explained logically in a solid form and phenomena have to be proven based on facts. Everything we can see and touch exists for us. Everything we can measure, test and prove factually is considered real.

Facts versus feeling

In Eastern teachings, this thousands of years long journey of discovery of our world and the universe went in a different direction. Rishis (sages, seers) detached themselves from everything worldly and turned all their senses inwards to explore what would remain in the end. No measurements, no proof, but direct self-awareness is what the ancient yogic and Buddhist scriptures and teachings are based on.

For us, who are used to facts, it can be difficult to get into these topics. The great thing is: meditation has nothing to do with religion, you don't have to be spiritual or a fan of esotericism. In fact, Western science is now taking the subject seriously and there are numerous studies on how the practice affects the body, brain and mind.

Meditation on the ShaktiMat in the fresh air

A Danishstudy proved the positive effect of mindfulness meditation on pain patients complaining of chronic conditions. In this study, which lasted over 2.5 years and involved more than 100 test subjects, a positive effect on the participants' mental health conditions, such as depression, was observed in addition to the relief of physical pain. So we are not dealing with esoteric gobbledygook but with exercises based on scientific facts that can demonstrably improve our quality of life.

There are numerous forms of meditation and it is advisable to try them out a little and then decide for yourself what suits you best.

MEDITATION IS AS INDIVIDUAL AS WE HUMANS ARE

When I lead meditations or yoga classes today, I always point out that it's not about achieving any goal. I often hear the phrases "I'm not good at yoga", "I can't sit still" or "I can't do yoga because I'm not flexible enough".

It's not about how good you are at all, but how good you feel in the moment of practice.

In our society, we are very focused on having to achieve certain things. Everything we do requires results and can put us under pressure and cause stress. By consciously focusing inwards, we want to achieve the opposite

There is the right meditation practice for everyone

There are endless types of practice: active meditation is often associated with dance, repetitive movements or chanting (mantras).

In principle, the physical practice of yoga (asana) is also a form of meditation. Movement, conscious breathing and the intention to let go - that is the idea of active practice.

We actively let out what has built up due to pressure of expectations, lack of attention to our own needs and the sheer clinging to certain ideas.

Through movement, our Qi, the life energy that flows through us, gets going again. For example, a mindful walk can be a wonderful meditation. Simply leave your cell phone at home, consciously take every step, listen to all the sounds and carefully observe your surroundings. That is mindfulness, that is meditation.

Passive meditation usually takes place while sitting or lying down. Combining them with other practices, such as acupressure, can make it easier to get started, support the effect and bring more variety.

The most important thing is that we enjoy the exercises and that they don't become just another item on our to-do list. We should consciously take this personal time out, without distractions, with the phone in flight mode and a promise to ourselves to take care of ourselves for these few moments of the day.

A way of meditation. Sitting on the ShaktiMat.

ACUPRESSURE AND MEDITATION: AN UNBEATABLE TEAM

Acupressure has its origins in Japanese and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and is a method of activating our body's self-healing powers.

The technique works on a very subtle level. It is said that energy exchanges can occur along our meridians (energy pathways) which can cause physical or psychological complaints. With the help of acupressure, we support our body in restoring the free flow of Qi.

There are certain points along the meridians that are treated with pressure or needles (acupuncture). The ShaktiMat helps to stimulate many of these points - without much effort.

If we choose the classic version, lying on our back, we stimulate a variety of points in addition to the blood flow, which help us to relieve physical and emotional tension, relieve our organs and create a general balance of our energies. With its thousands of needles, the ShaktiMat obviously works on a physical level, but its fields of action overlap wonderfully with those of meditation. 

The relaxing acupressure set with acupressure mat and acupressure cushion 

ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR MEDITATION WITH THE ACUPRESSURE MAT?

Now I would like to introduce you to three of my favorite meditations that I practice regularly on my ShaktiMat. I recommend you give them all a try. You don't need much, just your mat and a quiet place.

If you follow the respective link under the description, you will be taken to an audio that I have lovingly recorded for you as the ShaktiCommunity.

The ShaktiMat Meditation

This is a mindfulness meditation. We focus our attention on a specific point, a classic for this is breathing.

We call this version the ShaktiMeditation, because we concentrate fully on the sensations that our ShaktiMat triggers as soon as we lie down on it.

This can be particularly helpful for first experiences with the mat or to deepen your practice with the acupressure mat even more. You can listen to the meditation here and practice right away.

Listen to and download it on Soundcloud

Roots - The grounding meditation with the ShaktiMat

This meditation is a real anchor for me on stormy days.

When we ask ourselves what connection is really always there, two answers come to mind: the one to myself and the one to the earth.
When I realized this, I began to change my relationship with the earth. When we trust her and literally connect with her, we can feel at home no matter where we are. I have recorded this very personal favorite for you and you can listen to it here.

Listen and download at Soundcloud

Rest in yourself: The I Am Breathing with the ShaktiMat

Deep, even breathing is a crucial part of any meditation.

Breathing deeply in and out signals to our nervous system that everything is okay, calms the voices in our head and allows the body to relax.

Breathing is also important for our practice with the ShaktiMat, as the body can react intensely to the stimuli of the thousands of needles.

In the I Am meditation, we use our breath and the power of our thoughts to consciously reconnect with our body and our self. It can help us to stay calm in moments of nervousness or anxiety and to see clearly again.


Listen to and download on Soundcloud

Acupressure points for a deep, meditative state

To promote the interaction of the ShaktiMat with your meditation even more or if the mat is not to hand, here are two additional points that you can work on before or during your meditation. These points work wonders when it comes to calming us down in stressful situations and finding our center again.

They can help us to find stillness so that we can immerse ourselves more deeply in meditation. Hold the points for a while and breathe in and out deeply in a relaxed manner. Release immediately if it becomes uncomfortable. A sweet pain is welcome :-)

Standing on the ShaktiMat acts like a foot reflexology massage

P6 The inner gate

This point is located about 3 fingers width below the wrist bend, between the bones and tendons. As the name suggests, this point helps us turn our attention inward and find balance there.

CV17 The sea of silence

Use your fingers to explore your breastbone. You should be able to feel small elevations there. There are acupressure points in the valleys between them.

If you can draw a line between your larynx and find the exact center, you will reach the Sea of Silence. This point has a calming effect when we are nervous, anxious or emotionally stressed. It can also serve wonderfully as the end point of your practice to create a final centering feeling.

Meditation is an incredibly fulfilling way to have a peaceful and healthy relationship with ourselves and to lovingly accept ourselves with all our shadows.

Just be patient with yourself and don't overwhelm yourself with either your ShaktiMat or your meditation practice. Both require regularity in order to go deeper and feel lasting changes. Try to take at least a few minutes every day, your body and mind will thank you for it.

I hope my personal contribution has helped and inspired you to get into the fascinating topic of mediation or to try something new.

I am sure that you will find your very own practice that you can do wonderfully at home with your ShaktiMat. If you are looking for more meditations, you canfind themhere:

Would you like to find out more about acupressure points on your body? Then we have prepared an article for you at Acupressure from A to Z - Acupressure points on the body for self-treatment .

If you have any questions or would like to chat with other ShaktiMat users, why not take a look at our ShaktiCommunity on Facebook .

Sources

The Yoga Tradition - Its History, Literature, Philosophy, and Practice, Georg Feuerstein, PH.D.

Lundberg, Paul: The book of Shiatsu - Vitality and health through the art of touch. Gaia Books Limited, London 1992, p. 146,