Try some Dru Meditation

By Jane Clapham
_{(Dru Meditation teacher trainer)}

Meditation doesn’t need to be boring, difficult or uncomfortable. It can help you focus your mind, keep calm and feel positive and uplifted. Plus, it doesn’t need to take too long – even 10 minutes can make a huge difference. The following three techniques can be easily fitted into the start of a busy day.

1. Rise and shine
When you wake up in the morning, completely relax your body for one minute, while you’re still lying in bed. Think of 5 things you’re really grateful for. Then gently sit up and wrap your duvet around you. Bring your attention to your breathing and let it get deeper without forcing it at all. Focus on your heart chakra and feel warmth spreading through your body as you breathe. Continue for five minutes, then stretch (ideally a Dru Yoga sequence!) and start your day.

2. Relax body and mind
Dru Yoga is a powerful tool to help you relax. It systematically stretches and relaxes the muscles using graceful, flowing movements which bring calmness and increased energy. I often teach this relaxation at the end of a Dru Yoga class.

Do some stretches then lie down on the floor on a firm yet comfortable surface (a soft carpet or blanket is fine). Cover yourself with a blanket so you don’t get chilly. Make sure that your body is aligned in a straight line.

Starting from your feet, tense and relax each part of your body. Contract the muscles first in your feet, and then feel each of the toes relaxing as you soften the feet against the floor. Work up the body, through the legs, hips, abdomen, chest, back, neck and head. Then focus on your breathing, and each time you breathe out, let your body release tension. As you breathe in, take peace and calmness into the body. Repeat for 5 minutes.
To finish, gradually bring your awareness back to your body and feel how your body is positioned on the floor. Move your toes and fingers gently, then stretch and sit up without disturbing that wonderful feeling of relaxation.

3. Stress busting technique
Relax for a few moments and focus on your breathing, watching the natural rhythm of each inhalation and exhalation.

Imagine a situation in your life that needs healing. Create an image of that situation in front of you, as if it were on a video screen. As you breathe in, draw some of the stress of the situation into your heart and immediately send it upwards and out of the top of your head as you breathe out. Feel that above your head is a region of golden light in which you have full access to your healing potential. Imagine the stress entering this region and visualise the situation being completely healed.

On an in-breath, draw this new situation into your heart and breathe it out into the scene in front of you, bringing peace and a good solution to that situation. See smiles of relief on the faces of everyone concerned.
Repeat steps 2-5 until you feel relaxed, calm and full of joy.

“Thanks to my regular Dru practice, I am able to meet challenges at work head on. I am now actually enjoying delivering presentations to important clients and closing a deal, whereas before I sometimes felt like crumbling!” - H.Y., architectural designer

The benefits of Dru Meditation : What is Dru Meditation?
Meditation Teacher Training