Hi all, and welcome to Meditation Monday. Today, I want to share some breathing meditations I created using basic breathing techniques, often incorporating creative writing. These meditations not only help me calm and center myself physiologically but also bring mental clarity.
Purposeful Singing
It may sound unusual to call singing meditative, but I’ve noticed that singing a song that matches or contrasts with my emotional state can provide a lot of relief. For example, singing a song that aligns with my mood can help me release pent-up feelings, while a contrasting song might guide me toward a calmer state. Carefully choosing the right song for your emotions is key, and if you’re unsure, a therapist’s guidance can be helpful.
With “Purposeful Singing,” I don’t just sing—I use belly breathing to get the physiological benefits of deep breathing while focusing fully on the singing and emotions involved. Belly breathing (or diaphragmatic breathing) enhances lung capacity and energy efficiency and works with the natural rhythm of the song.
For me, “Purposeful Singing” allows focused emotional release, especially during moments of stress when traditional exercise isn’t possible. For instance, I may start with a song that resonates with my current mood and follow it with songs that are uplifting or inspiring. This transition helps to validate my emotions and, importantly, rebuild my strength.
Another valuable component is the Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skill of “one-mindfulness,” which involves focusing on a single activity. By singing mindfully, I can fully connect with my emotions and later reflect on what triggered these feelings. It may lead to a cathartic cry, but I find it helps me process intense emotions and manage them with clarity.
Here’s a guide to Purposeful Singing:
- Find a quiet place where you can be alone and sing freely.
- Create a playlist with:
- 1–3 songs that match your current mood* (*skip this if advised by a therapist).
- 1–3 songs that convey overcoming difficult emotions.
- Begin with the first set of songs, letting your emotions flow naturally while practicing belly breathing.
- Move on to the second set, using these songs to inspire resilience and support your emotional transition.
- After finishing the playlist, sit or lie down comfortably and take deep belly breaths as you reflect on:
- The moments in the songs that resonated most with you.
- What these moments meant and how they validated or inspired you.
- Optionally, write down your reflections to discuss with a therapist.
- Continue belly breathing until you feel a calm, peaceful state. Your emotions may still be present, but ideally, they won’t feel overwhelming.
For those wondering about song choices, here are a few that have helped me rebuild after tough moments (although it’s normally helpful to pick your own!):
- “F**kin’ Perfect” by P!nk
- “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten
- “Go the Distance” by Kurt Hugo Schneider and Shawn Hook
- “Not Dead Yet” by Fame on Fire
- “Greenlights” by Krewella
- “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield
- “Way Less Sad” by AJR
- “High Hopes” by Panic! At The Disco
Mana Breathing
This meditation technique, “Mana Breathing,” came to me while working through chronic pain and writing a fantasy story. Inspired by the concept of energy pathways, I adapted it to help me focus and find relief without relying on mystical powers (although you can read my fictional adaptation here). I use mana breathing a lot when I feel overwhelmed or when I’m stressed. It’s also a great boost when you hit the mid-afternoon work slump!
Step-by-Step Guide:
Set-Up: Defining Your Imagery
- Determine Your Type of Energy. Picture energy however you like—some interested in fantasy may like to think of it as mana, magic, or a specific element while others may visualize something more abstract like positive vibes, clean energy, or a feeling of clarity.
- Determine How You Gather External Energy. You will obtain the energy from your surroundings. You can imagine the energy by a light or element. You can also just imagine it as a flow of air. When you obtain the energy, you will visualize it moving inside of your body, so keep it something that feels positive or neutral.
- Determine How You Release External Energy. You will release the energy you gathered back into your surroundings. If you hold the energy within yourself, this can lead you to feeling overwhelmed, which is why releasing the energy is essential. Using imagery here is really helpful, but it is also helpful to find a movement or grounding source that connects your body to the meditation. If I am in motion (typically walking), I will imagine the energy flowing through my legs. If I am seated, I will either expend the energy at the end of my breath (sometimes imagining I am breathing out fire) or expend the energy through my body and into the ground, as if my body is rooted to the ground and the energy flows out. This is really where creativity comes into play, so feel free to change it up and play around with the imagery!
Meditation Steps:
- Find Your Center. Start with belly breathing until you comfortably find your center. If you don’t know how to find your center, check out my post here. If feel like you can’t find your center, then just use whatever feels most comfortable—we aren’t performing magic, so it doesn’t have to be perfect!
- Feel Your Energy Flow. Imagine pulling in your energy from the environment. If you feel a breeze, imagine pulling it inward. Otherwise, just pull the energy from your surroundings as if it’s simply suspended in front of you. As you pull in the energy, find a pathway to move it towards your center.
- Release Your Energy Back Into the Environment. Visualize the gathered energy in your center, and then find a pathway to release it. Since you are already belly breathing, releasing through your exhale may feel the most natural. If you are struggling, remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect—you just need to imagine it leaving as you wish.
That is the basics for the “Mana Breathing” meditation, but I do have some tips based on what has helped me.
- Mana Breathing While in Motion. If you are in motion, it may feel more natural to push the energy out through the body parts that are working. You can also assign a story to it, if that helps. For instance, if I am on a walk, I will push the energy out through my feet and imagine I am a battle-weary soldier who was just given an influx of energy to help me continue on my quest. I use this imagery a lot to help me with workout repetitions.
- Mana Breathing While Stationary. If you are stationary, you may have to get more creative with your release. Having a physical release works wonders, but sometimes it isn’t practical. If releasing your breath leaves you feeling as if you still have pent up energy, then find another way to release it. My favorite way is to notice which parts of my body are connected to the ground, then imagining the energy flowing from me through the ground, and into the roots of plants.
- Working Through Blockages. As a person with chronic pain, it can be hard to feel like I’m in a meditative state because the pain signals will interrupt my concentration. With mana breathing, this is less of a problem. I see pain or discomfort as blockages in my energy pathway, and I can visualize a way to work around it. I have two different adaptations. I have used both methods for different types of pain and discomfort, and while they don’t take away the pain, they can often aid me in my meditation, since my pain has become a part of the meditation. In addition, I will sometimes get the benefit of feeling “energized” in the area of pain, which will sometimes partially relieve the pain for a few seconds, which is pretty huge for those of us in chronic pain.
- My first option is to think of the pain as extra energy that is stuck. In this method, I add a step 2.5: As you pull the mana from the environment to your center, pass by areas that are causing blockages and try to move the energy around a bit in that area before making it to your center.
- Another option is to think of the pain as an energy blockage that needs to be blasted out. In this method, I add an additional part to step 3: Imagine moving the energy from your center, bursting through the blockage, and then out into the environment.
- Find a Story. I find that adding a story in can help both my visualization and my removal from life’s stressors. My go-to is visualizing myself like a warrior receiving renewed energy for a quest. I either breathe it out or, if on a walk, imagine it flowing out of my feet with each step.
- Practice Regularly. Building up each step can take time, but consistency improves the experience. Eventually, you can incorporate Mana Breathing even in challenging moments, like rush hour or at the gym.
- Adapt It to You. I call it “Mana Breathing” because the fantasy theme resonates with me, but feel free to adapt the practice to fit your own style. I described it as energy within the post because I know not everyone is a fantasy nerd. Call it what you want, and use it how you want—it’s all within your power.
Since these are all self-created meditations, I have no scientific evidence that they work. However, the foundation is set with adding personal imagery to an already-established practice (in this case, belly breathing), so the fundamentals are still in place, just with additional flare that helps me to concentrate. Use your creative minds to help yourself! I know it has seriously helped me.
Wishing you all a creative and meditative Monday,
B.R. Quinn
B.R. Quinn 