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Aug
08
2017

Fatigue and Your Rejuvenation

Bev meditating

“You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.” ~ Pema Chödrön

If you feel out of balance or busy in your head, or just plain tired, one of the things you may want to consider is a meditation. There are many guided meditations for those of you who have no experience. Today I would like to share with you one of my favourite guided meditations that I learned in Japan. It is one of my “go to” meditations when I feel I need a holiday, but can’t jump on a plane!

Much of the fatigue we all feel is emotional. Our self care is really important these days. There is a lot of stimulation out there and we have ourselves and our minds and habits to deal with as well.

When I was living in Japan I found that it was too expensive to do my hobbies… like a game of golf would be $250. However, sitting on a tatami mat and practicing some meditations was very doable, free and easy! Nowadays I do it for different reasons.

Before you meditate or do a guided meditation, be clear about why you are mediating. It’s not just something you do. You want to know within yourself why you are dong it.

I, personally, have stillness as my intention or connecting to life from the “Big Me”, so I carry more perspective. Although sometimes my intention is just to relax or move from my head to my heart if I am thinking too much.

Before you meditate, find a quiet place that feels good and begin to deepen your breathing… combine abdomen breathing with some deep sighs. Its often recommended you sit, but if that is uncomfortable then lie down. Make sure no limbs are crossed and your jaw is relaxed, then lightly touch your tongue to the back of your front teeth. Quietly ask yourself why you are meditating. What is your intention?

What I do is a softly close my eyes and breathe deeply. I bring the front of my body closer to the back of my body so I am no overextended. I lift my heart as if I am opening it, then consciously drop from my head to my heart. I take a moment to bring in the feeling of love. I picture a beautiful piece of nature that just makes my heart pop open. I love wildflowers in the mountains! I love the stars at night and the moon! For my birthday I was s given a telescope. What do you love and enjoy and that gives you tingling sensations?

Here is a beautiful guided meditation. I don’t know who wrote it. I’ve had it quite some time. It travels with me!

Enjoy it. Read it, breathe and picture it, feel it. If you want, you can record it so that you can play it back.


The Mirror Mind.

When a mountain lake is agitated by winds, the moon that is reflected in it appears in a dozen broken pieces. In it, clouds look distorted, and trees dance.

Taking three deep and slow breaths, I calm my mind and body.
I visualize a calm lake reflecting everything like a mirror.
The moon in the lake is in one piece, and the clouds look the same as they do in the sky.
When my mind is calm, it is like that lake, reflecting things as they are.

As I calm my mind, the outside world also feels calmer; things appear simpler and easier to deal with.

Calm mind, calm world:
Just trees, just clouds, and just the moon.
My mind reflects things as they are.

The steady rhythm of my breath calms me, like the hand that gently rocks the cradle calms a fussing baby.

I let that calmness pervade my whole body and mind.
I sit basking in the pleasant feelings that come from a relaxed body and mind.

Mental states are like cloud formations in the sky.
They depend on the winds of emotion and thought, and change from moment to moment.
States of mind such as certainty, uncertainty, or irritation come and go.
I watch them arise and disappear.

Without breath awareness, a mental state can take up all the space.
Focusing on my breath creates space in my mind.

I made room for my feelings as I observe and accept them.
As I sit, there is just sitting.
As I breathe, just breathing.

On a clear summer day, everything is bathed in light.
The light of my awareness shines like the sun.


Enjoy feeling – the beauty and stillness – of this meditation and carry it into your life.

Tags: Bev Pugh, guided, heart, meditation, mind, perspective, quiet, reflection, self care
Posted in Meditation and Relaxation | 4 Comments »

Jun
09
2015

SLEEPING: How to Sleep Your Way to the Top

wake up happy“Is it you snooze you lose, or you snooze you win?” ~ Bev Pugh

We all have restless nights. If I am overwhelmed, overstimulated, or have a lot on my mind my sleeping can be off. How do we cultivate good sleeping patterns? It’s important for our immune system, our nervous system, and our strength and power.

So many people are using sleeping pills. The difficulty with sleeping pills is that they can be psychologically and physically addictive. They interfere with our brain wave patterns. We don’t learn and practice the relaxation response.

If sleeping is an issue for you and you want to improve your sleeping patterns, this is what I would recommend.

We sleep in five phases which repeat themselves every 90 minutes. Five cycles equate to 7and a half hours of sleep. This is pretty good.

Your Pre-Sleep Ritual

This is pivotal. We prepare for many things in life…why not sleep?

  • 90 minutes before bed start turning off televisions, mobile phones and other electrical devices.
  • Have a shower prior to sleeping. When you come out of the shower, your body temperature will cool down. This will help you ease into a state of sleep.
  • Turn your heat down. A cool 16-18 C is ideal.
  • There is truth to the belief that a glass of warm milk before bed helps with sleeping. Dairy products are rich in tryptophan, which aids the production of the sleep-inducing chemicals serotonin and melatonin.
  • Watch what you eat and drink in the evening. Caffeine and liquids high in sugar, as well as fat laden meals take longer to digest. They raise our body temperatures. This slows the process of falling to sleep.
  • Do some slow stretching and deep abdominal slow breathing to release the stress of the day, and help your body feel relaxed. Our breath signals the body that there is no reason for fight or flight and it is safe to relax. Sometimes I listen to very relaxing music while belly breathe.

Your Sleep Environment

Is your bedroom cluttered or inviting? Of course as I write this I realize I have to clean up my room! Look around your bedroom. Do you like it? I love mine!! Do you like your bed? Your mattress? Your sheets? Your duvet? Your pillows? I love buying good sheets and a duvet that is very inviting.

Take time to create a sleep environment that welcomes relaxation

I remember when we moved into our house the master bedroom had a very busy wallpaper. It was way too stimulating. It was one of the first things to go.

When you go to bed

  • Read a gentle book. My husband often read thrillers, and he is up into the wee hours because he has to find out what happens next. I deliberately choose a slow moving book.
  • Reflect on your day and everything you are grateful for.
  • Belly breathe.
  • Sink into your bed and really enjoy the feel of it.

I recommend that you go to bed and wake up ant regular times. It is very helpful.

Our bodies have two built in nap times when energy levels dip. The first is between 1 and 3pm and the second is between 5 and 7pm. It’s okay to have a snooze or siesta. Listen to your body.

Sleeping is so important for all of us to regenerate. I know I am grumpy if I miss a lot of sleep. My creativity falls, and I am more in survival mode than really being present in life.

Play with your sleep rituals and notice what works for you.

What lulls you to sleep? Be aware that having some practices around good sleep habits is very important, rather than just hoping for the best. A delightful woman I worked with said she always read the wall street journal in bed and was asleep in minutes!

Happy Dreams!

Tags: Beverley Pugh, breathe, energy, music, nap, relaxation, release, ritual, sleep, stiulating, stress, wake up
Posted in awareness, Gentleness, Health and Happiness, Health and Wellness, Meditation and Relaxation | No Comments »

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Beverley Pugh

Beverley Pugh

Beverley Pugh has international experience in Individual, Marital and Family Therapist services. Areas of practice include counselling in: individual, couples, family, anxiety, addictions, grief, depression, pain management, multicultural, workplace and others.

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Mastery Practice Tool

Practice moving into your heart. In front of your heart hold a loved one, a pet, go to nature, do an activity you love. Invite your heart to open as you feel yourself melt into the feeling of love. Bring this intention and attention into your life - into your present moment now. Bring this heart intelligence into your life, into your present moment now and experience what's good in the moment. There is a wealth of aliveness in your heart. Take a deep breath and consider how you want to live your life.

Testimonial

My daughter, Trinity, attended her first Children’s Empowerment Workshop and she loved it! It has helped her deal with some of the real anxieties that all children go through - from the not so nice kid at school, to the imagination that runs away with her at night time, when we are getting ready for bed.

She practices her rooting and the different breathing techniques that she has learned, and has become stronger and more confident in dealing with different situations.

Pauline M.

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About Beverley

Beverley Pugh has international experience in Individual, Marital and Family Therapist services. Areas of practice include counselling in: individual, couples, family, anxiety, addictions, grief, depression, pain management, multicultural, workplace and others.

Contact

Telephone:
604-925-1513
Email:
bev@beverleypugh.com
Location:
120-1451 Marine Drive
West Vancouver, BC
V7T 1B8
Canada

Disclaimer: The information presented on this site about various psychological conditions, is of a general nature and is not a substitute for an assessment by a competent therapist and/or medical professional. If you believe that you or an important person in your life is in need of an intervention please seek qualified help as soon as possible.

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