Self Care
Is personal
I practice these techniques regularly and guide people to use them. My gift to you, I am providing two practice techniques to try yourself.
If you would like a guided meditative practice, contact me to schedule an appointment.
Image by Ralf Kunze from Pixabay
Self Care
Is personal
I practice these techniques regularly and guide people to use them. My gift to you, I am providing two practice techniques to try yourself.
If you would like a guided meditative practice, contact me to schedule an appointment.
Image by Ralf Kunze from Pixabay
Meditative Hand Washing Technique
This technique I developed one day while looking at my face in the mirror. Months after my abuse some of the facial damage had remained. Feeling unattractive, anxious, and stressed I had unconsciously focused on the sound of the running water and felt the weight of the water on my hands as I stroked them together. It was soothing and relaxing. The next time I felt stress I repeated the same steps and felt better.. Attuned to the feeling later when I was feeling stressed I tried this again but longer. What I found whatever anxiety I was feeling disappeared. Later I would challenge myself to do this while looking in the mirror and speaking kind words to my face. My hope for you is comparable results.
You need:
- A washbasin or bowl that fits both hands comfortably
- Tepid to warm water
- Drop of an aromatic oil (I use lavender)
- Hand towel or paper towel
- Mirror
Meditative Hand Washing Steps
- Fill a sink or bowl with water the depth of your hand. I recommend tepid water.
- Add a couple drops of aromatic oil
- Slowly rub your hands together in a forward (base of hand to fingers)
- Repeat step above this time using a backward motion (from fingers to base of hand)
- This time take your right hand and gently tickling your left hand (image playing the piano on your hand gently splashing in the water)
- Repeat above left hand gently tickling your left hand
- Take both palms and lay them in the water feeling the weight of the water
- Turn your hands upward like an offering feeling the weight of the water
If you have not looked into the mirror begin now. Repeat a mantra as you admire your image.
“I realize I am renewed, and I am redefined.”
Let your hands remain in the water repeating the steps above.
When you finish take time to appreciate your beauty, thank the water for its kindness and gentle care of your hands. Slowly release them from the water and pat them dry.
The Jim Technique
A Ten-Minute-Deep Breath and Release Exercise
This was a technique I practiced with a client named Jim, and I decided to name the technique after him.
Purpose
We are going to focus on one thing that is weighing you down right now.
Objective
By the end of this practice, you will begin to use this technique whenever you feel overwhelmed.
Goal
Learn a new technique to release feeling guilt or blaming oneself for what has happened.
Steps of the Technique
- Identify the issue. You can write it down in your journal.
- Now let’s tease out one aspect that is bothering you about this situation
- What about this one issue makes you feel guilty, or badly?
- If you could change things, what would you do differently?
- Why would this one thing change how you feel? Is this because you feel you have control of the narrative?
- Now that we identified this one thing, what do you envision is the next step to moving forward?
- Discussion
- First step for the next three days is whenever this issue arises, give yourself ten minutes to mourn. During that ten minutes, you will think about how you overcame it. How has your life improved since that time? Walk, stretch, or journal for ten minutes focusing on those feelings.
- After ten minutes, decide how you will move forward for the remainder of the day.
- Reward yourself!!!
