Meditations and Ceremonies for Healing: A Handbook for Personal Growth and Wellness

Copyright © 2019 Monique Lang.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

The information, ideas, and suggestions in this book are not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before following any suggestions contained in this book, you should consult your personal physician or mental health professional. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising as a consequence of your use or application of any information or suggestions in this book.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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ISBN: 978-1-9822-1653-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-1652-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-1658-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number:   2018913817

Balboa Press rev. date: 12/12/2018

CONTENTS

Meditations

Introduction

Note for Clinicians

Basic Setting

Induction

Beginning Awareness Practice

Thoughts, Feelings, and Sensations

Thinking Mind

Working with the Breath

Body Scan

Total Body Relaxation

Enhancing Positive Body Sensations

Working with Pain or Discomfort

Releasing Painful Energy

Releasing Negativity

Bringing in Healing Energy

Healing the Heart

Gratitude

A Place of Rest

Connecting with Nature

Creating a Protective Shield

Connecting with your True Self

Letting Go of Negative Beliefs and ideas

Reclaiming Aspects or Parts of Yourself

Working with Loss

Being Other

Finding and Connecting with Guides and or Power Animals

Being with Your Self

Ceremonies

Introduction

Note for Clinicians

Setting

Letting Go Ceremonies

Letting Go of Negative Energy

Letting go of negative attachments and connections to other people

Bringing in Ceremonies

Specific Ceremonies

Working with Loss

Forgiveness Ceremonies

Celebrations

MEDITATIONS

INTRODUCTION

For years now I have started many individual psychotherapy sessions, supervision groups, workshops, and meetings with a short meditation to set a tone for the experience.

I use some of these meditations to create a safe, easy, non-judging space in which people can do the work of healing and of sharing difficult material. I think of these meditations as an invitation—an invitation into presence, caring and compassion.

Other meditations are geared to connecting with your own inner knowing, your memories, your sensations, and, at times, with issues that have been buried deep inside your psyche.

Over the years many of my students and clients have asked me what sources I use to find the meditations that I offer. The truth is that they come up spontaneously in response to what is happening in the room energetically at the moment, or what space I want to create, or what material I want to either elicit or heal.

Although there are many styles of meditation from a variety of traditions, the meditations in this book are geared to self-knowing, healing, and relaxation.

The meditations offered here are very simple and basic. I offer them as an invitation—an invitation for you to use them as a primer, a stepping stone. My hope is that you will create your own by changing and designing them to meet the intent for which you will be using them.

If you already have a meditation practice, you can easily integrate some of the ideas in this book with the style that you currently practice.

At the end of each meditation, there is an empty notes section. This is provided for you to jot down anything that has meaning for you, or any thoughts or insights you want to remember.

At the beginning and end of some of the meditations, there are notes for those of you who are clinicians. Even if you are not, you are welcome to use the suggestions given there if they feel helpful to you. Or, if you are working with a clinician, you can bring whatever came up for you to work on with that person.

The meditations are arranged in a loose sequence, however you are invited and encouraged to choose those that call to you at a particular time, regardless of order.

In beauty always, *

Monique

In Beauty May I walk—A Navajo Blessing

With beauty before me I walk

With beauty behind me I walk

With beauty above me I walk

With beauty around me I walk

Today I will walk out, today everything unnecessary will leave me,

I will be as I was before, I will have a cool breeze over my body.

I will have a light body, I will be happy forever; nothing will hinder me.

NOTE FOR CLINICIANS

This chapter is meant as a basic template for clinicians who wish to use some of these meditations in their practice.

To start with, I must explain that although I have certifications in many modalities of psychotherapy which show up in the vocabulary that I use throughout, my main framework is based on Internal Family Systems (Dr. Richard Schwartz), which posits that we all have a Self, which some people refer to as our essence. We also have many parts (some healthy, others burdened) that have a variety of functions to help us navigate life. Hence much of the language, and concepts, that I use throughout this manuscript reflect that way of interpreting one’s psyche.

When doing a meditation—or mindfulness exercise—with someone for the first time, I will preface the exercise by asking the client if s/he/they is willing to try an experiment. I also reassure her that we can stop at any time if the process feels uncomfortable, or in any way negative.

I avoid words like dis-regulating or triggering or any word that I know might be difficult for my client to hear. I endeavor to maintain as much neutral, everyday language as possible. This way it doesn’t sound to woo woo (as one of my students referred to it). Always ask permission. If the person you are working with doesn’t want to do the exercise, you can explore the reasons, and investigate what parts have concerns, but do not do