Mammals have wonderful energy, especially if they love to nap in the sun. This week I’m dog-sitting in Burbank and have been relishing in their relaxed energy. Today I completed my Reiki training and am now certified as a Reiki Master Healer. I‘ve been heightening my energetic senses and wrote a guided meditation about how to sense reiki or the universal life force.

Instead of telling myself to meditate more and be in the present, it’s helpful to find a technique that is peaceful, creative, and personalized. In Karla McLaren’s book, Your Auras and Your Chakras: An Owner’s Manual, she explains a really creative way of grounding yourself by creating a peaceful retreat inside your head.

Malibu, CA
More than a yoga studio, the Mindry hosts alternative healing classes in Breathwork, Somatic Awareness Meditation, and Restorative Soundbaths to attend to the mind, body, and soul. I’ve outlined a sample of each class type so you can see what it’s like to be guided through energetic experiences.

Los Angeles, CA
Every February from 2012 to 2020, I worked in the signage department at the Los Angeles Conscious Life Expo. As my mom and I ran all the posters for each event, I also ran around the LAX Hilton, meeting fascinating, kind, and intuitive people, each with diverse perspectives about tarot, aliens, reiki, you name it.

Before modern science and terminology, ancient Indian culture categorized the body into seven main energy wheels called Chakras dotted from the base of the spine to the top of the head. Learning about these energy wheels can bring a profound sense of emotional and psychological understanding, self-acceptance, and self-love.

West Hills, CA
I was on my way to a trailhead when I passed by Orcutt Ranch, a public garden, event space, and orchard. I’m glad I landed on this detour because I got a chance to meditate and absorb this peaceful atmosphere of citrus mist.

Tarzana, CA
An afternoon in the Caballero Canyon Trails refreshed my energy and comforted my soul. I found a secluded river where I could savor some deep breaths, engage in sensory awareness, and develop a flow through a little fun of my own.

Tarzana, CA
The Mulholland Gateway Park is ideal for hikers, dirt bikers, and meditators alike. I found a spot on a ridge that centered me in a grounding meditation of gratitude.

Playa Del Rey, CA
I held these crystals while I meditated and noticed a subtle yet liberating feeling. It’s one thing to learn that certain crystals contribute certain energetic properties, it’s a whole other thing to feel it for myself.

Pacific Palisades, CA
An afternoon hike, hopping from rock to rock along a creek on the Santa Ynez Canyon Trail, included a meditation with one of my favorite amethyst crystals.

Understanding all that I can do to help my hard-working heart keeps me safe from some of the most common causes of death in America. Reading my blood pressure allows me to see how well my heart is doing that day. So many things can affect its pumping quality like if I went for a walk, ate balanced meals, or gave myself a moment of relaxation.

In my final presentation for Meditation Teacher Training, I designed a guided meditation about the beauty of posture, including a chest opening warm-up, anatomical understanding, and visualizations of balancing stones.

When I open my palms, I see my life’s many chapters. In this Palm Contemplation, I meditate on the layers of my skin, its sensory acuteness, and the transferring of light spirit. With clear crystal quartz tumbles, I connect to feelings of gratitude, gentleness, and crystalized energy within my hands.

I’ve noticed that my thoughts differ when I meditate in a sauna vs an ice room. In this meditation, I visualize going through different spa spaces, tuning into my body, and sharing subtle characteristics in tension-releasing, mental shifts, and energetic qualities.

A sauna cycle is a temperature circuit to destress and invigorate the body. From heat to cold, and then rest, hydrotherapy spas provide many options to customize your spa and meditation experience.

With the theme of love and worthiness, this meditation explores different ways for the mind and body to connect to a stronger sense of value. From words of affirmation, symbolism, and guided visualization, this is an introduction to a life-long journey of you being you.

Sensing crystal energy has been a new practice for me. I have always enjoyed their company and now with meditation, I’m learning to sense their spark, visualize their energy, and open my mind to interpreting their messages.

Meditating under the rain in my car creates a special acoustical experience. I feel snug, safe, and protected in its sacred whimsical space. For this meditation recording, I share the steps my mind goes through during meditation, from ruminating in the Default Mode Network to reminders of worthiness to radiating positive energy. 

What’s the difference between listening to relaxing music while lying down versus sitting up? I experimented with this morning’s meditation and found subtle yet fulfilling benefits to simply sitting up.

For a time, my experience with an auto-immune disease thwarted my life into cyclical mental, emotional, and physical pain. I’ve found that meditation, even short sessions, helps me rid of past traumas. Instead of holding on to a story of suffering, I can practice letting go and opening to the magic of each day.