Ilene answers another question about Conscious Living:

What things, practices, exercises, actions can we do to approach consciousness in our daily lives?

First my disclaimer, these are things I have tried and found helpful.  I don’t claim they necessarily work for anyone else.  I always feel first and foremost, that each of us walks our own path and must listen and find what is our way.

Find a meditation practice to keep you in touch with your deeper self and to include all parts of you in your consciousness.  Because I have always had difficulty with traditional “meditation,” I use this term very loosely.  

1) I have found gardening to be a good practice.  It keeps my body and hands busy while allowing my mind to drift, unattached. 

2) I have also used dance as an effective meditative practice.  I most love Gabrielle Roth’s videos on the 5 rhythms and find it very helpful in exploring this way of going in. 

3) I have used art.  One favorite is to draw a squiggle with the non-dominant hand then turn the paper in different directions and find what it resembles and complete the drawing.  Date it and write a few lines about what it means and represents.  Keep these and look back on them later.   

4) I have used dreams.  Working with someone else to interpret them is helpful.  Remember that all aspects in the dream are a part of yourself. 

5) I have walked in nature, found a quiet spot and just sat and watched and listened, looking for any sign or feeling and being with that. 

6) I have even used cleaning as a meditation.  Again, it occupies my body and allows my thoughts to wander unattached and drift into unconscious areas. 

7) Recently, I found a company that makes meditation tapes/CDs that claim to help you reach the proper brain frequencies, even if you fall asleep.  The company is Centerpointe Research Institute.

8) Another favorite is to sit in a quiet space and write a question with the dominant hand in pencil.  Then answer it, writing with the non-dominant hand in pen.  I have had amazing results. It’s one way I connect with information from my guides or Higher Self. 

9) Find a practice to clear out old stuff and replace it with what you want.  I use a technique I learned from a psychic development class.  You attach a “grounding cord” to your hips imagine it going deep into the earth.  Search your body and mind and look for any thoughts, feelings to let go of, eg., unhappiness, judgment, control, negative self-talk.   Release each of these down the cord, knowing they will be neutralized in the earth.  When complete, fill a giant balloon, the size of a small car, with golden light and identify the new thoughts to replace the space where you released the other thoughts.  For example, love, compassion, peace, the idea that everything is perfect as it is.  Then imagine these pouring into the crown of your head, filling up your body and then over flowing and filling up the space around your body. 

10) I also have used a form of Chakra clearing.  These and many others can be learned in classes and books.

Mostly it takes willingness to make the time each day and to work with a process that takes you out of your normal conscious, doing state.  Be gentle with yourself, give yourself time and don’t be quick to judge results.