Meditation is a great way to relax both the body and the mind, but it’s so much more than many people think. For example, you can use visualization in your meditation to help with both relaxation and creation. When faced with summer’s heat, you can even use visualization to cool down.
Your mind experiences both reality and an imagined thought in the same way. Basically, it doesn’t know the difference between the two. This is why visualization is such a valuable tool!
Here’s an easy visualization you can use to cool down while staying active in summer’s heat:
Sit & Breathe
Sit comfortably. With your back straight, exhale fully and then draw in a few deep breaths. As you exhale each time, imagine that you are leaving behind any thoughts of discomfort or worry. As you inhale, begin to imagine cool air filling your lungs.
Visualize
Allow your mind to recall or imagine a time and place where comfortable temperatures surround you and cool breezes caress you. Feel warmth dropping from your head and chest down easily and comfortably to your belly as you relax into a state of mind that is peaceful and calm.
Now, let your mind dance with images and imagine that you are walking in a cool forest, on a beach or in a beautiful meadow where the air is charged with energy that nourishes you. Draw this in. Use memories and imagination to fully experience your moments in this cooling place.
Relax
As you relax into the visualization, allow thoughts of this place to recharge you. If it is an actual place you have once visited, recall the goodness of it with all of your senses. If it is an imagined place, allow it to bloom fully in your mind and experience its wonder.
Finish
Now, allow your mind to settle into a quiet space of no thought and focus a moment on the cooling sensations you have created within your mind and body. When you are ready, gently return your attention to the present moment. Carry the feelings comfort with you throughout your day.