New Year Reflections: Establishing A Meditation Routine

I can remember it like it was yesterday. The moment I realized that I had been neglecting my own well-being and that my life was starting to feel unsustainable. I was on the edge of burnout as the new year approached.

It was early December and I was sitting between two Moroccan women on a flight from New York to Casablanca. The woman to my right was named Maran. She was a kind, robust older woman with a fiery yet motherly personality.    Although she seemed younger than one might expect for a cane, Maran used a walking cane to assist her.  In our hours of conversation, she opened up about her life experiences.  She lamented the dreams she had given up and the struggles she faced fulfilling all of her roles. At the same time, she cherished the stability and influence she was able to provide for her family.    Years ago she was in an accident that had reduced her mobility.  Maran expressed that her biggest regret  was that she had not taken better care of her physical health after the accident. Due to her self neglect, she was unable to fully heal and regain her mobility.                           

This caused me to reflect on how I had been neglecting my own self-care and well-being. Just as Maran's lack of self care reduced her ability to heal,  my lack of balance and self-care was reducing my ability to effectively handle life's stresses.   

For those on a spiritual journey, incorporating spiritual and mental self-care is fundamental to your spiritual development. If we do not replenish our spirit and energy levels through self-care, we risk burning out and will lose our ability to heal from challenges.

Meditation is one  traditional technique that can provide spiritual self-care. In many African spiritual traditions, meditation serves as a form of breath-work and worship. Specific breathing patterns are used during meditation to restore energetic balance in the mind and body.   Through meditative breathing, we can regulate our hormones, purify our blood, activate our lymphatic system, and align our energy with the divine spirit. In this way, meditation acts as a method of purification and rejuvenation for the spirit. Making time for daily meditation can help you establish balance as you head into the new year.  

STEP ONE: Pick a Consistent Time to Meditate

It's important to set the intention to meditate daily by choosing a consistent time. Simply saying you'll meditate once per day isn't enough - you need to identify a specific time slot that you will dedicate to your spiritual self-care.  Traditionally, dawn and dusk are ideal times as these are periods of energetic transition. As spiritual people, meditation during these times helps ensure our energies remain balanced and purified as we interact with the natural world and spirit realm.   

Start with just 5 minutes daily, setting a timer. Each week, gradually increase your session by another 5 minutes. Aim for a 60 minute daily practice, but don't get discouraged if you can't meet that goal yet - consistency is most important.  

STEP TWO: Choose a Dedicated Meditation Space

In  traditions, the importance of dedicated sacred spaces is emphasized. By choosing a fixed location for meditation, you create an energetic conduit that allows for interaction with divine energies.  This space should reflect your individual spirit and be somewhere you feel comfortable. It could be a room with an ancestral altar, a quiet spot in nature, or even a corner of your home. Your meditation space is for your spiritual rejuvenation, so make it yours in a way that enhances your connection to the divine realm.  But ensure it meets the standards of purity.  Avoid places of high traffic, kitchen, bedrooms where you have sex, or bathrooms.   

Consistency in place and time are key to establishing a strong daily practice. 

STEP THREE: Choose a Breathing Technique

In meditation, the breath is the focus rather than thoughts or emotions. Through conscious breathing, we can purify our blood, activate our lymphatic system, and cleanse our pineal gland to enhance spiritual connection.  Traditionally, the breath is taken in through the nose and out through the mouth with even inhales and exhales. Over time, you can experiment with extending your breath, adding motion, or pause-and-release patterns.   When starting, try natural belly breathing, alternate nostril breathing, or the traditional breath described. Have fun exploring different styles to see what feels right for you. 

 As Maran wisely advised, it is essential we each prioritize our own well-being. No one else can give this to you - you must make it a priority so you have the energy to help others through challenges as needed.   Meditation provides spiritual self-care.  

PS: If you're committed to deepening your spiritual practice through meditation, ancestral veneration, and purification book a call to learn about the intensive 12-week online spiritual boot-camp starting in February 2024, with Priestess Haneera Abounu.

Wishing you a balanced and aligned New Year!

Abla

Naziafah Spiritual Institute