In this post, I will talk about a particular form of meditation that helped me:
· follow a more fulfilling and authentic professional path,
· build a cooperative relationship with my chronic disease,
· become the best caregiver I’ve been to myself.

I will walk you through the details of this form of meditation, but first, I’d like to share my experience with it.

Professional Shift

I started doing this particular type of meditation regularly at a time in my life when I felt completely lost.

I was facing serious health problems; the business I’d worked very hard to build as a yoga teacher was at risk and I had no energy or drive to fight for its survival. I was amidst an identity crisis, feeling desperate, weak, and confused.

After a period of despair, I decided I had to do something to change at least some things in my life. At the time I believed I couldn’t make my health problems go away but I could do something to bring joy, energy, and enthusiasm back into my life. So, I began reflecting on various questions to figure out what to do with my life, especially my career.

I started bringing some of the questions I reflected on into my meditations, such as “What comes naturally to me even though it seems difficult for others?” and “If I knew success and financial security were the guaranteed results of whatever I do, what would I choose to do for work?”

Thanks to the insights I’ve gained through these practices, I dared to follow a new professional path that is more multi-faceted, authentic, and meaningful to me. 

Today, I combine my yoga and meditation expertise with life coaching and help people improve their health and wellness through a more holistic approach. It feels almost miraculous, but I’m falling in love with what I do again!

[I wrote about this period and its impacts on my life in this blog post]

Healing

I’m currently living with blurred vision and partial vision loss, along with hypersensitivity to stimuli, digestive issues, and chronic headaches due to some dysfunctions within my body. The doctors cannot tell what particularly gives rise to my condition, and therefore, cannot treat it.  

This being the case, I have taken on the task of helping myself get better. One of the tools I’ve been utilizing is meditation.

Regularly, I sit, close my eyes, and meditate through questions that I ask myself, my body, or my chronic illness. Thanks to this practice, I’m learning to team up with my disease instead of resenting it. As it helps me accept my situation as it is, it empowers me to work on my healing.

[Here is a 20-Min Meditation for People with Chronic Illness on YouTube]

Caregiving

This type of meditation has also significantly improved my understanding of my body, mind, and their workings.

When I have a headache, instead of getting a painkiller to mask the symptom, I try to understand the roots of it by asking questions including, “Why do I have a headache? What is asking for my attention?”

If I’m having an anxiety attack, instead of panicking, I focus on my breathing, remind myself that I’m safe, and then raise the questions, “What is asking for acceptance?” and “What am I resisting?”

The greatest thing is that thanks to regular practice, now I can often receive the signals my body sends me before they turn into unignorably painful symptoms.

I believe I am the best caregiver I’ve ever been to myself thanks to the attentive and curious attitude that I adopt through these meditations.

Introducing Meditation into Life-Coaching Collaborations

Witnessing the benefits of meditation, I suggested incorporating meditation sessions into our work with some of my life-coaching clients. The feedback has been very positive so far.

Encouraged by this, I decided to offer private meditation sessions. These sessions will be tailored to the individual's challenges, needs, and aspirations. They may focus on various topics, including finding purpose, managing a chronic disease, overcoming addictions, exploring professional pursuits, improving health, building loving relationships, increasing self-confidence, and more.

If you’re interested in private meditations with me, please write me here.

‘Insight’ Meditation

I refer to this type of meditation as 'insight’ meditation, since it provides exactly that: insight. It’s not exactly the traditional Buddhist meditation, Vipassana, yet, it’s quite similar. Now, let me walk you through how you can practice this form of meditation yourself at home.

You find a comfortable seated or lying position—whatever that looks like for you at the moment. You close your eyes. First, you bring your attention to your breath, without any effort to manipulate it. You will see that just directing your attention to your breathing makes it deeper and smoother. Then, you drive your attention to your experience of the moment with full acceptance of whatever there is—bodily sensations, feelings, thoughts, sounds, etc. You try not to cling to anything but solely remain as observant. Once you settle in a meditative state, you raise a question of your liking and simply observe whatever follows. You may experience sensations within your body, see visions, have thoughts, feel certain emotions… Everything is welcome. The intention is to witness all there is. When you realize your mind has drifted away—which is very natural—you return your attention to the present moment and raise the question again. You repeat this as many times as you need until you decide that the meditation is over.

If you’re intrigued to try the meditation yourself, here are some questions for inspiration.

Professional/Recreational Exploration:
“What work or activity do I find meaningful?”
“What comes naturally to me even though it seems difficult for others?”
“If I knew success and financial security were the guaranteed results of whatever I do, what would I choose to do for work?”

Life Exploration:
“What would make my life well-lived when I look back at it at 90 years old?”
“What would I do with my life if I no longer cared about what other people think of me?”
“What does ‘not wasting my life’ look like?”

Health Exploration:
“How can I be a better caregiver for myself?”
“What do I do for others but not for myself?”

Addiction Exploration:
“Why am I not fully committing to breaking free from my addiction?”
“What problem does my addiction solve for me?”
“Why do I want to break free from my addiction?”

Chronic Pain/Disease Exploration:
“What is my chronic pain/disease here to help me understand?”
“What is my chronic pain/disease here to make me aware of?”
“What is my chronic pain/disease here to teach me?”

Friendly Reminder

#1 If you’re interested in private meditations with me, please write me here or book a free consultation call with me now.

#2 If you haven’t already, subscribe to the HELPFUL & FABULOUS newsletter now so that from time to time, I can show up in your inbox with helpful insights like this one!

#3 If you have any questions or want to share your thoughts, leave a comment below!

Some of my blog posts you may find interesting:

¹  “Why I Share What I Share”
An introduction into what I share and why I share it at HELPFUL & FABULOUS.

²  “The Link Between Chronic Stress & Illness”
An exploration into how chronic stress contributes to the development of physical illness, including cancer and autoimmune diseases.

³  “The Hero’s Journey, My Journey & Yours”
A guide to understanding and navigating life’s challenges.