By Melody Marler

Mindfulness is one of the four pillars of the I Am Ageless Now book and program. If you’re struggling to find peace in your daily life, the Rainbow Meditation Technique, focusing on your breath while you envision the colors of your chakras, may be a helpful practice.

Meditation can help relieve stress, and help you focus on your mind, body, and spirit. And it’s a lot easier to get started than you may think.

To make the most of your meditation practice, consider incorporating it into your daily routine. Create a meditation space in a quiet and comfortable area in your home where you can meditate without distractions. Set aside a specific time each day to practice meditation, making it a regular habit.

Once you’ve become comfortable with daily meditation, you may want to enhance your meditation experience by incorporating yoga, walking, or other mindful activities.

Many people use meditation apps or guided practices. Find what fits best for your own comfort with your personal meditation practice. If you want to track your progress, you can keep a meditation journal to document your experiences, insights, and improvements over time.

One of the most important components to meditation is breathing. While breathing usually occurs without much thought, it’s a necessary component of mindful living. Healthy lungs support better oxygenation of the body, which improves overall physical performance and well-being. When you breathe in air, blood cells receive oxygen and release carbon dioxide, a part of the respiratory process that keeps your body functioning properly. This is especially important for complex organs like the brain.

Learning to breathe correctly will enhance your meditation practice of meditation as well. Practice taking a deep breath in and pause, then let it out. Do this about five times and notice how you feel. Breathe deeply and slowly throughout your meditation.

 

Breathing Exercise

Sit still and close your eyes. Take a deep breath in through the nose and exhale somewhat forcefully out through your mouth. As you inhale, feel the breath fill your belly. As you exhale, let your belly relax. Clear your mind for about three to five minutes and focus only on the sound and feeling of your breath.

As you focus on your breathing patterns, you will gain more awareness of your body. With each breath, you can become more conscious of where your stress might be hiding, and the simple act of focusing on the rhythm of your breathing can help you to become more centered.

In some meditation techniques, strict attention to specific poses for posture may be required. Every single meditation instruction ever written has begun an explanation that meditation is supposed to be done while your body is at rest or in a specific pose that helps you to achieve a certain level of focus.

Some styles include crossed legs like the Padmasana pose will have you cross your legs, while others will have you kneel. While these are effective poses for a seasoned yoga user, they might not be quite as relaxing for a person who is attempting to relax for the purpose of meditation.

If you’re new to meditation, you can sit or lie down so you won’t be distracted by discomfort. Find the position that works best for your body and ability.

Start with five to 10 minutes and gradually increase your meditation time as you become more focused. As you continue with your practice, you’ll find your mind wanders less and less. Be patient with yourself and allow any distractions to simply become part of your meditation. Imagining a happy or quiet place can help relax your mind and reduce stress.

 

Rainbow Meditation Technique

This is a technique that works as you picture the colors of your chakras, beginning at

the root chakra and working your way up. If you’re not familiar with the colors and orders of the chakras, this may take some practice.

First, visualize a vibrant rainbow in the sky. Take time to envision all the colors of the rainbow and include all the colors of the chakras. After you have the colors firmly fixed in your mind, you can begin the meditation process.

Red – Root Chakra

Take complete and deep breath. While you are inhaling, visualize the color red. This color symbolizes the tension in your body, especially in your spine.  Exhale and release the tension you are holding in your body.

Orange – Sacral Chakra

Take a breath and visualize the color orange. Orange is your current emotional state. Slowly exhale, and center yourself emotionally.

Yellow – Solar Plexus

Take a deep breath slowly, and as you fill your lungs, see the color yellow in your mind. The color yellow here is your solar plexus chakra, where you improve your self-awareness and confidence.

Green – Heart Chakra

Picture the color green in your mind as you slowly inhale. As you draw in air, imagine peacefulness, or something that reminds you of peace. The green is your inner peace, expressing what you feel in your heart. Exhale.

Blue – Throat Chakra

Imagine the color blue. Begin inhaling slowly as you picture the blue very clearly. The blue is the love within you. Love surrounds and fills you. When talking about chakras, this can also be for your throat when imagining your voice and what you can do with it.

Indigo – Third Eye

Breathe deeply and take a slow inhaling breath. As you inhale, visualize the indigo. The indigo is your secret self. Exhale slowly as you reflect.

Violet – Crown Chakra

As you inhale, imagine violet. This is the level of your most vulnerable and secret self, as it represents what it is in your mind and subconscious. Exhale, slowly continuing to reflect on your vulnerable and intimate feelings. This is a place of true inspiration, and honest creativity. Slowly release yourself as you continue breathing deeply. Your body should feel better from the release of tension from the multiple levels of your mind.

At this time, you may begin to see the color of the rainbow in the opposite order as you rise from the depths of your mind and emotions. Say the names in your mind as you travel back down: Violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red, and release. Envision your body as having been cleansed. Open your eyes and begin the refreshed part of your day.

 

Meditation Benefits

Meditation offers abundant benefits, including reducing stress by decreasing cortisol levels, which in turn helps lower inflammation, high blood pressure, and anxiety. It also can improve attention span, and enhance focus, memory, and task completion.

If you enjoy the Rainbow Meditation Technique, you may also be interested in exploring other meditation practices.

 

Mindfulness Meditation: Focus on the present moment, observing your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment.

 

Loving-Kindness Meditation: Cultivate love and compassion for yourself and others by silently repeating positive phrases.

 

Body Scan Meditation: Gradually bring attention to different parts of your body, promoting relaxation and awareness.

 

Transcendental Meditation: Repeat a specific mantra or sound to achieve a state of relaxed awareness.

 

Yoga Nidra: Also known as “yogic sleep,” this technique guides you into a state of deep relaxation between wakefulness and sleep.

 

By integrating meditation into your daily life, you can experience numerous mental, emotional, and physical benefits. Embrace the practice and enjoy the journey toward inner peace and personal growth.