mrs. neal's not-so-conventional MEDITATION [CLASS] for TEENS...

What lies behind us and what lies before us
are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson, author

 

The essence of who you are does not end with the outer layer of your skin. You have a life force within you, which also may be referred to as your life force, chi, qi, prana, or energy field. This life force is something you can feel within and around you.

 

Let me give you an example:

Rub your hands together.

What are you creating?

(Friction.)

What does friction produce?

(Heat.)

What does heat do to matter?

(Expands it and makes it move faster.)

 

As you are creating this heat, you also are focusing your attention on your hands. Now pull them apart just a little bit, holding them close to each other. You may have a sensation of holding a soft ball or balloon between your hands.

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Now, close your eyes and bring your right hand up by your throat, but don’t touch your throat. Can you feel the heat, pressure, or tingling in your hand?

Now move your hand up your face — without actually touching your face — and feel the warmth and pressure from your hand.

Pause over your forehead, then move your hand to the top of your head. You should be able to sense where your hand is as it moves from your throat to top of your head.

What you feel is your life force — or whatever you choose to call it. Don’t worry if you can’t sense it right away — it may take a while to get used to feeling it. The more you practice, the easier it will become.

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Another example of how this energy is sensed:

Have you ever been standing in line — like at a store — and you just know someone is standing behind you? You don’t have to turn around to look, you just know.

Or, have you ever been standing next to someone, and you get an uneasy feeling, and you need to move away from them?

 

Because an interruption in the flow of your energy can cause stress, it also can interfere with your meditation.

When you practice meditation, or go through a relaxation exercise, you may be able to feel your life force move through your body.

— ♦ —

The relaxation exercise I teach in my class is designed to help raise your awareness of this life force, especially when you relax one part of your body at a time, then move on to the next.

The more you practice, the more aware you will become of your life force.

— ♦ —

 

STUDENT CHALLENGE!

When I have a discussion about our life forces in my classes, it usually leads to the topics of acupuncture, acupressure, energy vortices, and chakras. If this is something you are truly interested in learning more about, I suggest you look it up!

— ♦ —

 

THINK TIME:

Are you aware of your life force?

 

THE PRACTICE
OF MEDITATION

 

Let the words of my mouth,
and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in thy sight,
O Lord,
my strength, and my redeemer.

— Psalm 19:14