Want to feel invigorated in the morning? Try this...
Here’s a morning meditation that you can do in 5 minutes while taking a shower and is sure to rev you up better than any cafe latte

Turn the bathroom light off - you’ll see why later. Set the shower to a warm comforting temperature and begin by feeling the warmth on your skin as the water trickles down your body. Imagine you are stood under a cleansing waterfall of golden light...

Then bring your attention to the crown of your head and visualise the golden light beginning to penetrate your head. As it does so, it is bringing with it universal life energy and cleansing away any polluted energy from the previous day. Watch the darker energy flowing away from your feet.

Move your awareness slowly down through your head bringing the golden light to those areas where your attention rests, all the while the denser energy flowing away from the feet. Work your way down through the body. Notice if you encounter areas of particularly strong resistance and dwell longer in these places until the blockages are removed.

Work your way all the way down to the feel so that now your whole body is filled with golden light and all the darker energy has been released. Stay as long as feels appropriate feeling all the while the warmth and joy of the life energy within you.

Then get prepared to switch the water to cold - as cold as you can get it (no pain no gain!). Prepare yourself before you switch temperature - be in the place of the observer, know that you are about to invigorate your entire endocrine system.

Switch to cold and immediately take your attention to your feet. Visualise clear blue/indigo/violet light rising quickly from your toes all the way up your body to the top of your head and out into the universe. Stay in the cold water as long as you can.

Then switch the shower off, close your eyes and cover them with your hands. Raise your eyebrows and watch the light effects which are representative of the energy now coursing through you.

Now you’re ready to meet the challenges of the day cleansed inside and out with the full energy of the universe at your finger tips!

This is a meditation I do quite often to help me reconnect to others and release internal tension. It is particulalry suitable for doing in bed last thing at night or first thing in the morning.

Lie on your back, and fully relax the shoulders by gently stretching the arms towards the feet. With the left arm straight by the side, place the left hand palm downwards on the ground: this connects you to the earth. Bend the right arm at the elbow and place the right hand palm downwards on your tummy, just below the ribs and above the navel: this connects you to your heart. It is very desirable that the right hand contact is directly skin to skin, so put your hand under your clothes to achieve this if you are dressed.

First, relax with gentle breathing. Let someone come to mind who you know may be in need of healing. Breathe in slowly and deeply into the belly, imagining the healing energy of the Universe entering you through your head and flowing into your heart. Pause briefly at full inhalation, then exhale gently while imagining that healing energy flowing out through all parts of your body towards the person you have in mind. Pause briefly at full exhalation, and repeat if necessary until you feel you have fully expressed your loving intention towards that person. Then allow another person spontaneously to come to mind, and repeat the breathing cycle. Simply be a channel for the universal energy, without efforting in any way.

It is essential, and particularly powerful, to include in this process those people you are in dispute with, or feel have wronged you in some way. By this means, you can gently discharge inner tensions which block you from being your true self. By expressing healing intention for those you have problems with, you also heal yourself.

When no more people come to mind, exchange the position of left and right hands, i.e. the right hand faces down and the left hand is on the tummy. This may well release further healing intention so repeat the process while it is available: this time it will typically be much shorter in duration.

You may find that the direct hand-heart connection discharges internal stored old energies, either in a physical form by shaking or shuddering, or an emotional form like laughter or crying. Just go with it, and let your body have its say in exactly the way it needs to: who else will listen to it if you won't?

Blessings to all,

Here's a good way for two people to connect, which I think I read about in Deepak Chopra's good book The Path to Love.

Sit cross-legged facing your partner in the meditation, reasonably close. Relax and breathe in a slow and steady manner, gazing at each other. Each gently places their right hand palm down, fingers upwards, on the chest of the other around the lower part of the sternum - over the heart. Each then places their left hand over the right hand of their partner to hold it in place.

Now aim to synchronize your breathing such that as one breathes out, the other breathes in: sensing you partner's chest moving helps to do this. Pause for a moment of stillness at the end of each inhalation/exhalation.

The person exhaling should imagine their positive healing intention being transmitted through their arm into the heart of their partner, who should accept this gift into themselves. When their turn comes to exhale, they similarly send the energy received back to their partner, augmented by their own love.

In this way, over time, a circular flow of energy is built up between the partners and a deep healing connection established. Recognize that you are each differing manifestations of the one reality, and although seperately embodied you are one in spirit.

When it seems right to finish, gently end with a hug!