Normally I love September. We have a few perfect golden days at the beginning, then towards the end you start getting that cosy rosy-cheeked feeling.  Is it just me or are the thoughts of cashmere, silk scarves, glowing candles, (and no sunbathing guilt) so exciting? Not to mention all the designer fall lines coming out.

Today though, I found myself feeling completely miserable. Oh how those little niggling things weigh down the soul. It wasn’t necessarily for any particular reason, things had just mounted up. This added to the pressure of having to stay cheerful and productive at work. It’s also  at this time of year that I start worrying more about the goals I had wanted to achieve; and how long I have left till the New Year. The days seem to jog past.

Anyway, thoughts scattered everywhere and in their place was an overwhelming feeling of black sticky sludge. Now I am incredibly lucky to work with some very understanding folk and got through the day due to the patience of my co workers and my partner.

On bus home I started ‘What are you hungry for?’ by Deepak Chopra. It’s the first time I’ve read a book by him and so far I’m loving it. He describes a visualisation/ meditation/ practice that made me feel so much better about the day and I’ve added my own twist… try it and let me knows how it works…

Let us begin

So you centre yourself  and start by  imagining a soft, warm, white light filling your chest each time you inhale.

Like a glowing powderpuff, but have fun! maybe next time I’ll make mine glittery, with a pink glow.

As you inhale you feed the light and it spreads through your arms and legs.

Let it saturate your body until it fills your head and beams out of the top.

Sit a couple of moments bathed in your light then lift your arms and let them float upwards, as though weightless.

‘this is a good exercise to counteract feelings of dullness, heaviness, fatigue and sadness.’

(now of course please do read ‘What are you hungry for?‘ to get the full Chopra experience)

At the end of this visualisation, feeling comfortable in my ‘light’ I let my imagination take over.  I imagined myself floating above what was worrying me (I find it much easier to visualise something rather than to ‘mediate’).

It was as though all the things that were bringing me down *cough* were underneath me and everything that was causing my ‘light’ were lifting me up. It gave me distance and space from the niggling doubts and gave me a greater perspective. Instead of concentrating on on everything literally pulling me down, I started feeding my ‘light’ with all the things I am supremely grateful for.

I did this until the aforementioned dark sludge just did not seem important. We are all striving for something better, and that which makes us better/ lighter/ happier/ loved/safe/freer  is infinitely more important.

Doing this sort of practice really clears your mind, because you’re concentrating on one thing quite hard. It gives you a break from the background noise and transports you back to the moment feeling refreshed and ready to be present.

I am very aware how this might seem akin to a flight of fancy or a vivid imagination. However, I do know that by the time I had left the bus I was in such a better mood.

What do you think? Will you give it a go or are there other techniques that you usually use?