Guided Meditation is Easy, Take what is Given - jessicacrossasmr.com

So, Gandalf showed up as a guide in your meditation and you feel Stupid.  So What?!  In another Guided Meditation you find yourself in a scene you know is from a movie, TV show or book.  Don’t shake your head and start over so you can have a “real” meditation.  Guided meditation often teaches through Archetypes and symbols.  If those characters or scenes appear it is because they have some meaning to you. Your job is to figure out what that meaning is, either in the meditation, or when you think or journal about it later.

Why would your brain, create a guide you have never met if someone from “Game of Thrones” perfectly epitomizes the characteristics you need in that teacher?  What a waste of time.  

I say this from experience.  One of my first guides presented himself as “Merlin.”  He didn’t look like “Merlin,” so every time he would appear in meditation I would say, “Merlin, really?”  He would tell me to shut up and go on to teach me what I needed to learn.  I kept this a secret when I meditated with others and felt ridiculous.  I eventually figured out that I needed that guide to be someone more powerful and knowledgeable than I was.  Once I got it, he changed his name (to Eric none the less).  I realized that Eric was just a more creative side of me, but at first I couldn’t learn what I needed to from Eric, it had to be “Merlin.”  

Don’t miss out on what you can learn in guided meditation because what you receive doesn’t meet your expectations.  Meditation is not supposed to look or feel any specific way.  It isn’t supposed to be like My meditations, it is supposed to be like Yours.  

Enjoy this visualization below.  Read the prompt and then close your eyes and remember what you can, but most importantly, let your meditation go where you need it to go.  If you forget part of the meditation and go somewhere else, that is exactly where you were supposed to go!

Take a deep breath in and relax.  Close your eyes and picture yourself walking down a path with me.  Notice what the path is made of.  The area around the path may still seem cloudy.  It is almost as if we are walking on a pathway surrounded by fog, but this will become clearer over time.  Up ahead you see a building the path leads too.  Just seeing this building makes your heart leap as you know you are home.  This is a place you have built to learn and grow.  Look closely at this building.  It may change over time but for right now you want a clear picture of how it currently looks.  How high is it?  How wide is it?  What is it made of?  As we walk you feel as if the building is pulling you towards it.  It has been waiting for you for a long time.

Soon we approach a door.  What does it look like?  What is its size, color, shape?  What is it made of?  Look closely at the doorknob and know you will pass through this door many times.  Knowing that your life will change by entering this building, I want you to take the doorknob and open the door.  Walk across the threshold with reverence, taking this step into a new life.

You walk into a large entryway or foyer.  There are many doors leading off of the foyer.  Some are shut, some are partially open and some are open archways.  Know that there is space for many rooms in this building.  There may also be a staircase up to another level.  What do the walls look like?  How do you feel in this space?  What is on the floor; stone, wood, tile, carpeting?  Is there any furniture in the room?   What are you drawn to in this room?  How does the room smell?  How does the space sound?  Is it cavernous or muted?  Take it in and know you will visit here many times.

I want you to walk towards an open archway.  You can hear some noise from this room.  This room is populated with all of your guides.  Your guides may be animals, people, angels, gods, ancestors or even other versions of yourself; not just older or younger versions of you but versions that made different decisions or have lived in different circumstances.  They are all there to grant you wisdom in the areas that you can’t see clearly.  

This room may be a dining room with a table where they all sit, a living room, or a library.  This is a place where you feel comfortable and a place with lots of seating to make your guides comfortable.  I want you to take a simple question.  I would start with “What do I need to know right now?”  This is a good question to ask you guides each day if you don’t have a specific concern.  

Approach one of your guides and ask this question.  They may answer in thoughts, feelings, pictures, words, or they may write something down.  See what they tell you and take it in any form given.   You may approach other guide and ask them as well.

When you only have a small amount of time you can ask just one guide.  It is helpful if you can carve out the time each day to ask all of your guides this question to help you navigate the day.  Different guides often influence different areas of your life, so their answers may relate to that area of your life and give you specific guidance.  Know your guides are always here for you though they may change.  Guides may leave as you have learned their lessons and new guides may join the group.  You may have some guides in the shadows that you have not met yet and may hesitate to approach. 

I want you to take another good look around this room.  How does this room make you feel?  Are you anxious around your guides?  If you are anxious around your guides a good question to ask is “Do you love me unconditionally?”  Your true guides all love you unconditionally.  Like any relationship, the more time you spend with your guides the more comfortable you will feel with them.    They are always there to help.

Know that this room may also alter over time and that is ok.  You will build your temple to give you just what you need when you need it.  Allow yourself to make these changes.  Thank your guides.  They love visiting with you and having a place where they can all be together.  

Leave this room taking one last look at the foyer and exit the front door of your temple.  Walk down the path again and turn around to look at your temple.  I want you to smile looking at this place you have created.  Continue to walk down the path with me away from your temple.  I want you to hear the sounds in the room where your physical body is.  Feel where you are sitting or lying down.  Wiggle your fingers and toes, and when you are ready open your eyes.

After each meditation find a way to ground yourself and return to your physical body.  You can eat or drink something.  Feel your extra energy sinking into the earth.  Go outside and touch the ground with your feet and give your energy to a tree or other plant.  Physical exercise can also help return you to your body.  Find something that makes you feel connected to your body and the earth so you can go on with your day.

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I hope to journey with you again soon,

Jessica Cross

jessicacrossasmr.com

Question Centered Guided Meditation - What are the Benefits - jessicacrossasmr.com

I began meditating because I knew it was good for me, but it always felt like a chore.  Occasionally pictures and stories would pop into my head but I would try to get rid of them as I did my thoughts about current situations.  

At one point I started letting these stories unfold and I was amazed.  They seemed to appear from outside of me, but always taught me something.  I also felt invigorated and refreshed afterwards.  So, eventually I just stopped trying to clear my mind and let these guided meditations take over.  As long as I wasn't just having a fantasy argument with my boss, I let these stories unfold.  

This allowed me to love meditation.  I do really value the benefits of Mindfulness meditation and still practice this type of meditation, but often a guided meditation is what I need to give me a new perspective and stop taking my current situation so seriously.  If you are new to guided meditations it may feel like you are telling yourself a story and you may feel in control of what you see.  That is alright, if you continue you will be surprised what eventually pops up that you did not "decide" to put in the meditation.  I promise.

Here is a meditation to help you let go of what you no longer want to hold on to.  I hope you enjoy.  Read through the meditation and then close your eyes and visualize what you remember.  Don't worry if your version is different from mine, yours is always right for You!  You can also listen to the meditation in this video:

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Guide Letting Go

Get comfortable and take a few deep breaths.  Picture your physical body as if you were floating above it.  What are you wearing?  What is the expression on your face?  What does the room look like?  

Once you have explored your physical environment and body in detail continue to float up to the ceiling with your energy body.  Float through the ceiling and the roof of your home.  Float up into the sky until you come to a small cloud.  

Climb up onto that cloud.  The cloud is firm under your feet but feels a bit spongy.  At the other end of the cloud sits one of your guides behind a table.  This may be a new guide to you or a guide you already know.  Greet your guide.  If this is a new guide you may ask for their name.  Ask your guide what they are there to teach you.

Your guide then hands you a flower.  How many petals are on the flower?  Each petal is for something you want to release; an emotion, feeling, experience, and/or belief.  You do not need to use all of the petals right now.  Think of one thing you want to release.  Pick one petal from the flower and when you are ready release it into the wind.  Watch the petal float away and give that over to the air.  Continue to pick petals until you have released everything you would like to for now.  Feel your burden lighten as you allow the air to help carry what you have sent it.

Your guide now places a flower pot filled with dirt on the table.  Your guide also hands you a large seed.  Hold this seed and think of what feelings, emotions and beliefs you want to grow to replace what you have let blow away.  It is important to fill these holes or what you have cleared will have room to return.  When you are ready place the seed into the soil and cover it with dirt.  Place your hand over the dirt and set your intention to grow these new experiences.  Know that your guide will watch over this pot and care for it to help this new flower grow.  Thank your guide.

When you are ready walk to the edge of the cloud and let yourself begin to float back down to your physical body.  Float back through the sky into your home.  Float back through the ceiling and into your physical body.  Feel where you are sitting or lying down, and wiggle your fingers and toes.  When you are ready, open your eyes.

 

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I hope to journey with you again soon,

Jessica Cross

jessicacrossasmr.com 

How to Sleep Well Now! - jessicacrossasmr.com

I suffer with insomnia, and although it is infuriating when I do, I rarely suffer for more than one night.  I follow the tips below to prevent chronic insomnia.  The problem is that we forget about some of these common sense tips because, most of the time they don’t prevent us from sleeping.  It is easy to say, “Oh, a coffee at 8:00 PM never bothers me,” because maybe 95% of the time it doesn’t, but when you are fighting with insomnia do you want to chance it?  Try these tips and stop your insomnia now.

• No regular coffee, black tea, or caffeinated sodas after 1:00 PM.  If this sounds impossible or if you are a late riser, stop your caffeine intake as early as you can without getting a splitting headache.  Remember decaf coffee has some caffeine too, as does chocolate so cut those off 4-5 hours before bed. 

• Do nothing but read, have sex and sleep in your bedroom.  Keep your bedroom a sanctuary.   Computers and television are one of the main culprits of insomnia.  They make us feel like we are resting so it is easy to stay up past when you would naturally be able to fall asleep.  

• On the topic of sex, it can have a sedative affect for some people, but energizes others.  You may have to discuss sex in the evenings with your partner if it is affecting your sleep.  Now, I am not saying you can demand sex if it helps you to sleep, but you could make dinner and ask nicely…that goes for either gender.

• Stop looking at a screen at least an hour before you want to sleep.  This goes for E-readers as well, unless they emit very little light.  Climb in bed and read a book or magazine.  If you can’t get into it, because it is too boring or you are too sleepy, GOOD!  Go To Sleep!   Every once in a while it won’t hurt to go to sleep too early.

• Use a noise machine with white noise or nature sounds.  I really like rain noise and use a Relaxation Machine by Homedics, I find they have really well made products that last.  

• Use sleep headphones, that are soft and wrap around you like a headband, or you can also wear them like a sleep mask. The one I like is linked below the post.  The links are affiliate links, so I do get a percentage if you purchase through the link.  You can download ASMR or Guided Meditation Mp3’s and listen until you fall asleep.  Obviously, I would recommend Mine, but if my voice doesn’t work for you there are many other Mp3’s available on ITunes.  If you must listen through a computer, tablet or phone, turn the screen away so the light doesn’t keep you awake.  

 

• If you are awake for more than 20 minutes get up and read until you feel sleepy.  If your thoughts are racing write down your ideas or worries to help clear them from your mind.

•  Finally after a good night sleep, use a sunrise alarm clock.  These are one of my favorite things in the world.  I HATE having to get up to an alarm and it kind of ruins a good night sleep for me.  With a sunrise alarm clock you set it to start lighting up a half hour before you have to be up so you slowly wake up to the light.  If you are worried it won’t wake you up you can always set a back-up alarm.  I would always get up just so I did not have to hear the noise of the back-up alarm.  I do have an affiliate link for a sunrise alarm clock below that I like, but there are many.  I found one in the past that would not only light up but would start an aromatherapy smell of coffee.  Best Thing Ever!  They don’t make it anymore, unfortunately but you could set your coffee maker to turn on (maybe put it in your bedroom).  This clock does do everything I mentioned (sounds to fall asleep, scent, and the light alarm) but I have not tried it yet, Natural Wake and Sleep System.  

I hope these help you to fight insomnia and not just sleep but sleep well.  I would love any other suggestions of what you use, in the comments below. Take good care of yourself, and everything is harder if you are tired.  Sleep Well,

Jessica Cross

jessicacrossasmr.com