Meditative Monday: Butterfly Sanctuary

Greetings Peace-lovers! And welcome to a new blog series right here at The Peaceful Bohemian!

How many of you meditate? If you've never done it, have you ever wondered about it?

For years, I had the wrong idea about meditation... I thought it was this new-agey, "woo-woo" thing to do where you had to chant mantras and levitate off the ground or something... not my jive at all! (No doubt there are many who do this!)

Then I discovered the world of guided meditations, sleep talkdowns, long-play nature recordings, binaural beats, and ASMR. And as a result, I am now sleeping better than I ever have in my life... I'm falling asleep quickly and staying asleep with less random waking during the night. My anxiety levels have dropped. My depression has improved. I never realized before, how over-active my brain actually is, and how hard it is to just Turn. It. Off!!!

I came to realize that meditation can be done by anyone, of any religion (or no religion at all), and from any walk of life. So in this series, I am going to share some of my favorite meditations, relaxing music, and sleep talkdowns with you all. My hope is to persuade you to enter a new world within your mind... a calming, safe atmosphere that you can take refuge in when life gets too overwhelming.

Photo by Uwimana Hannah, copyright The Peaceful Bohemian

My favorite meditations are ones that use words and visualizations to create a soothing, safe space to imagine yourself away from the stress in your life. The guided meditation that I am going to share with you today is just that: a peaceful greenhouse, where you can lie back and enjoy the myriad of beautiful butterflies as they flit and swoop around you.

Many guided meditations, and sleep talkdowns in particular, will walk you through the process of preparing yourself for sleep. But some do not, so here are some hints: choose a place free from distractions like cell phones, etc. (unless of course you are using your phone to listen!) I like to lie down on my bed or couch, or even a yoga mat, because lying down seems to automatically relax me and help me to concentrate. I like to put on some comfortable clothing, pajamas or lounging clothes, or whatever you wear to be most comfortable. (Even nothing, if that helps put you in a relaxed state of being.) And I take off any jewelry that I find tight or distracted, like chunky necklaces, tight or irritating watches or rings, and tight ponytails. Take a few slow, deep breaths before you begin... it's almost impossible to breathe slowly and deeply and still be anxious!

Photo copyright The Peaceful Bohemian

Are you ready to begin the most relaxing journey that you've ever been on? Then allow me to introduce you to the very first guided meditation that I ever listened to: one of my personal favorites, "The Butterfly Sanctuary" by Jason Stephenson.

If you enjoyed this meditation, remember to check out Jason Stephenson's YOUTUBE CHANNEL... he has many more guided meditations like this! And I will be sharing more of them here as well.

Until next time Beautiful Souls... love, light, and peace!  

5 Ways to Fight Winter Depression

Yes, I know it's still September and no one wants to think about winter yet. But, whatever you call it (Winter depression, winter blues, seasonal depression, seasonal affective disorder, etc.), it affects a huge percentage of people, including myself. And in this post, I want to explain some things that I do to combat it.

Let me start off by saying, this post is not intended to take the place of the opinions of a health care professional. They may recommend light therapy, medication (there's no shame in needing medication to keep yourself in tip-top condition!) or something else. I'm just sharing what has worked best for me when the autumn blahs set in.

#1. Festival lights

Who says colored lights are just for Christmas? Not me! Colorful strings of lights give your home a bright, cozy atmosphere, and they're so easy to put up! Drape them over doorways, wind them around windows, or loop them along walls. They're so pretty, and they add a splash of color that illuminates even the most depressing space all year 'round!

#2. Indoor plants

One of the things I crave the most in the winter is the sight, smell, and feel of green, growing things. When the trees are bare and the ground white, turn your gaze inwards and cultivate some houseplants. Pick something easy to start with. Snake plant is one you see growing a lot in banks and offices, because it can thrive 'most anywhere! Ficus' are tough, hardy, and difficult to kill if you have less than a green thumb. Christmas cactus is lovely because it blooms in the middle of winter! Plus it doesn't take much watering. Spider plants are also easy to care for, and because they propagate themselves, they're great for sharing!

Pictured here is Happiness, which is what I've named my Anthurium. They're also relatively easy to grow.

As you gain experience in the care of your houseplants, you may want to try something a little more complicated, like succulents, orchids, or even elephant ears!

Plants make good companions. Name them, talk to them, play music for them... you may find yourself getting quite attached to them!

#3. Sounds of Nature

Two years ago, I lived a basement apartment with exactly two windows. They were both located above my head, so I looked at blank walls all day. When I stretched on tiptoe to look out, all I saw was a wooden deck and people's feet walking past. To add insult to injury, the walls were all painted grey. (What a bummer color. Who in their right mind paints a place grey? My apologies to anyone who likes grey but really, unless you're going for the "hospital" look, I can't see how anyone finds it attractive.)

Needless to say, that winter was easily the most depressing for me. That is, until I discovered the eighth wonder of the internet world. (I'm not sure what the other seven are... if you know, please tell me.)

I discovered... long-play nature tracks. And, speaking honestly, they helped me regain my sanity. I constantly surrounded myself with the sounds of lapping waves, birdsong, softly pattering rain, thunderstorms, leaves rustling in the wind, crickets... I could close my eyes and feel summer.

I found that these long-play videos, playing in the background while I was reading, writing, cleaning, or just relaxing, made me less stressed and more hopeful. It was company for me on those long, dark, quiet nights. I also find that listening to nature sounds all night helps me get a more restful sleep.

I plan on sharing some of my favorite relaxing and sleep tracks with you all, so keep your eyes open for those! And here's one of my favorites for you all. It was recorded in Thailand, and features 8 solid hours of a hot spring; water splashing, tricking, and bubbling, exotic birds calling... and you may even hear someone whistling or humming as they pass by! There are different "locations" to enjoy, with a variety of scenes and sounds, so it never gets boring! I personally wouldn't recommend this one for sleep, as it can get quite "watery" and loud at points, but it's perfect for playing during the day.

   

#4. Cooking

This one may come as a surprise, but cooking can be very therapeutic. It's healthier than staying curled up in bed and eating noodle soup and potato chips, which is probably what you'll end up doing a lot of when the winter blues kick in. Cooking requires you to get up, get dressed, and go out shopping for ingredients. Pick some fresh veggies and fruits, because eating healthy will help boost your mood!

Experiment with different ingredients, and don't forget to splurge on a little treat for yourself! Then come home, get into your pajamas if that makes you feel more comfortable, and play around. Don't worry if you screw up, just remember to be mindful and don't forget the stove on or lose track of what you're doing. And when you sit down to a hot, hearty bowl of soup or some chicken and dumplings, you'll feel really groovy that you got something accomplished!

#5. Get outside!

This might be the last thing you feel like doing, but really, a breathe of fresh air will do you a world of good. If you're limited in your ability to go out, just stand outside your door for a few minutes, or even open the window for a blast of clean air. It will get your cheeks glowing and make the warmth indoors even cozier and more inviting! Obviously, don't feel you have to go out in a blizzard... but on those calm, not-too-cold nights when snow is drifting down in clumps, go out. Stand under a streetlight and watch the snowflakes whirl around like butterflies. Catch them on your tongue. Let them fall onto your mittens, and admire their pretty shapes. Blow a handful of them into the air. Make a snowball, or, if the snow isn't sticky enough, just scrunch it in your hands and listen to the sounds it makes. Make a trail of footprints. Get a stick and write your name in the snow. Make a snowperson. Make a snow angel. Just lie down in it and relax. Enjoy it like a child; after all, we are all just children of the same world!

What are your thoughts? How do you fight off the winter blahs? Feel free to comment below!