Emotional Intelligence: Learn a 3-minute Meditation for Inner Balance and Self-Knowledge

In the fast-paced world we are living in, emotional turbulence has become a universal concern. From stress and anxiety to joy and love, our emotions can often feel like a rollercoaster ride, leaving us yearning for stability.

Emotional imbalance can manifest in various ways, affecting our mental, physical, and spiritual health. Through the lens of yogic philosophy, understanding and embracing our emotions is key to navigating human experience. Emotions are messengers, offering profound insights into our inner selves and overall well-being.

If you feel upset, worried, want to cry or are tempted to give in to addictions, give yourself a 3-minute practice (you can gradually increase the time to 11 minutes) to foster emotional balance. This meditation, featured in our Level One Teacher Training manual, encourages you to connect with your emotions, observe them without judgment and guide yourself toward self-awareness and tranquility.

Meditation for Emotional Balance

First, drink a glass of water.

Posture: Sit in Easy Pose, place the arms across the chest and lock the hands under the armpits; palms are open and against the body. Raise the shoulders up tight against the earlobes. Spine straight up from the back of the head with a neck lock (gently move your chin down towards your chest while always keeping your neck straight).

Breath: The breath will automatically become slow.

Eyes: Close your eyes.

Comments: Normally we breathe 15 times a minute, but when we are able to rhythmically slow down the breath to only 4 breaths per minute, we have indirect control over our minds. This control eliminates obnoxious behavior, promoting a calm mind regardless of the state of affairs.
When there is a water imbalance in the system, and the kidneys are under pressure, it can cause worry and upset. Drinking water and pulling the shoulders up to the ears and tightly locking the entire upper area creates a solid brake that can be applied to the four sides of the brain. After 2 or 3 minutes, thoughts will still be there, but one does not react to them. This is a very effective method of balancing the functional brain.