The holidays are here but so are the shortest days of the year. It is dark and cold and on top of that, because of Covid –19, we are isolated: no friends, no family, for some, no work, no income and not spending as much time outside. Some people enjoy and love it and some don’t.
Whether you enjoy it or not, practicing the candle meditation is a great way to improve your mood from the deep breathing and emptying your mind and to improve your posture and create alignment by emphasizing the major up and down forces in the trunk. Meditating can also stimulate your energetic system, evoke your spirit, help with anxiety, a racing mind and falling asleep.
The Candle Meditation
Candle Meditation
Make the room dark
Light a candle
Place it 2 to 3 feet away
Wrap yourself with a blanket
Watch the flame. Be the flame
Sit on the edge of a chair, in seza, or on the floor with crossed legs
Start with 5 to 10 minutes of the major up and down forces meditation
First close your eyes and start breathing deep: in and out through the nose. The tongue touches the roof of the mouth. Emphasize the major up and down forces for a few minutes: lengthen the spine, head suspended, face, shoulders and abdominal muscles relaxed.
Next practice 5 to 10 minutes of the face melting meditation
Start melting from the tight areas of your face: the temple areas, the corners of your eyes, nose and mouth, ears and jaw joint area. Melt layer by layer. Start from the skin then the fascia and then the muscles until you reach the skull - until you are just a skull.
Next, focus on 5 to 10 minutes of internal organ dissolving meditation
Relax your abdominal muscles. Bring your mind to your internal organ area and start dissolving, with your mind, using the metaphor solid to liquid and liquid to gas. Notice that some areas are more solid. When dissolving those areas do not dissolve from the center of the sensation: start from the edges and slowly work your way in.
Finally, you are ready for 5 to 10 minutes of the Candle Watching meditation
Open your eyes and watch the candle. Keep performing the up and down forces you just practiced with deep breathing in and out through the nose. Watch the candle. Become the candle.
Some will experience special seconds or moments while watching the flame of the candle.
If and when you do play it cool otherwise your will lose it.
For example, more than once while I was watching the flame of the candle, the whole room became bright light like in the middle of the day (remember I was sitting in total darkness). Another special experience was seeing around the candle every color in the spectrum of colors. A few times I finished the meditation and thought it was 10 minutes but it was actually 45 minutes. Another great experience, I was able to stick to the flame with my mind and almost anticipate the flame moves: great for martial arts training.
Some days you can just do just the candle meditation part without the up and down forces, and without the face or internal organ dissolving.
As the light of the candle may your spirit be always bright.
Hey, Rami! Is meditation enough for my health and prevention?
What other exercises should I do?
People ask me what exercises I should do to achieve better health and invest in prevention.
To answer that, first you need to remember the 4 categories of exercises:
1) Cardiovascular
2) Resistance
3) Flexibility
4) Meditation
The first two kinds of exercises I recommend for health and prevention are typical western exercises, the yang side of exercises, which are essential to our health and wellbeing: cardio and resistance training. Cardio is recommended 3 to 5 times per week for 30 to 40 minutes. Resistance can be done using weights or by using your own body resistance 3 to 5 times per week for 30 to 60 minutes.
The other two kinds of exercise which are less emphasized in the western world are the Yin side of exercise: flexibility and meditation. The goal of being flexible is to free your skeleton from being a prisoner of your soft tissues. For different people practice and time may be different to achieve flexibility. Usually, 3 to 5 times a week for 20 to 60 minutes works.
As for meditation, emptying the mind and reaching the brain waves between awake and asleep, I recommend spending time practicing every day, even if on some days you practice just 3 to 8 minutes.
Make meditation part of your daily routine or practice even if you sit or stand some days for 3 minutes: it will pay off. On the days that you can do it for longer, sit or stand between 20 and 40 minutes.
The brain is like a muscle that needs rest and meditation is one method to achieve that.
There are many ways to achieve a meditative mind. Check out my blog a guide to sitting meditation to learn more.
Make sure you practice all 4 categories for better health, physically and mentally. Remember to use the breath as a tool to help you achieve maximum results in each category.
Happy Stretching, Deep Breathing, Empty your Mind, Strengthen your Energetic System & Evoke your spirit!
Happy Holidays and Stay Safe!
Ramel Rones (Rami)
If you are looking for more ways to reduce tension and pain check out my online courses at Udemy.com