A 30-Minute Meditation Practice with Alma Omeralovic
Episode 263: Show Notes
Welcome back to The Strategy Hour Podcast all of you wonderful and beautiful business badasses! We are so excited about today’s show and believe us when we say it’s an extra special one. Our guest today is Alma Omeralovic, who we met a few months ago when Amanda Boleyn brought her out at a speaking event and she guided a group of us through a meditation. We both felt an instant affinity for her and immediately and excitedly asked if she would join us on the show for a taste of what her mediation practice has to offer. So today we have a 30 minute, uninterrupted meditation, guided by Alma, followed by a short discussion on our experiences and questions. Sounds great, don’t you think?
Listen on your favorite podcast player
This is an episode you may want to come back to a few times, depending on your needs. If you do not make it through all 30 minutes the first time, that’s okay, just go at your own pace. We recommend marking when the actual meditation starts in the audio so that you can skip directly to that part each time you would like to practice it. Another point we would like to make here, and something Alma mentions in our discussion, is that you do not have to have some perfect environment or situation to begin. We often might put off something like mediation because we do not have a perfectly serene, empty room, Alma says one of her favorite places to meditate is on the train or at the airport! So no excuses! Just try do as much as you can and see how you feel, it will definitely be a learning experience. So make yourself comfortable, find a gentle seat and keep an open mind.
Breathing and Beginning the Meditation
Alma began the meditation with a focus on the breathing. Slow inhales, holding and then a slow exhale. After doing this a few times it is possible to already notice how your state is shifting. You can notice how you are feeling and you do not have to make judgements, just observe. This early part of the meditation is like checking in with yourself, seeing where you are at within your body. Alma then instructed us to slowly acknowledge the parts of bodies, starting with the scalp and working slowly down, all the way to the soles of the feet. The process is slow and relaxing and when this is done it is time to set an intention for the meditation. This part can be whatever you feel like you would like to focus on, or have more of in your day. If you cannot think of anything Alma suggested thinking of the idea of being present. From there she guided us through our practice, consistently focusing on breath and moving into more visualization and gratitude based periods. Throughout this exercise it is important to remain relaxed but aware, that is the state you want to be in.
Reflecting on Our Feelings During the Practice
After the meditation period, Abagail admitted that she found it very hard to stay awake for the whole thing, and felt she was constantly being pulled towards sleepiness. Alma says this is not a bad thing and it is merely your body telling you that you might need more sleep. She also says that sleep is the most important form of meditation and so if you fall asleep while practicing that is okay too! When you are meditating you are essentially tapping into a deeper part of your consciousness, below the surface of your conscious mind, so a lot of things and feelings might arise that are easier to ignore when you are in your normal mind-state. Emylee said that she felt very heavy and like her body was moving very slowly. This again, is just the body adjusting to a new way of thinking and vibrating at a different frequency. It does take some practice to get used to all of this. The transition from normal thought to a meditative state and back again also needs some time, so do not rush out of your practice into something straight away, let your mind adjust naturally.
Practicing Gratitude and Affirmation in Your Meditation
Emylee admits that she finds practicing gratitude regularly quite difficult. It is just not something that comes naturally to her but she is working on it in her own time. However, when prompted by Alma, she found that she was more easily able to find things to feel grateful for beyond the most everyday and immediate ones. She felt grateful for the fact that she has the ability to change and knows that this process of gratitude can allow this feeling to grow. This is one of the beauties of meditation, it can help you get to the state you need to be in and create the sensation and feeling that go along with this. Abagail added she often feels overwhelmed by gratitude and feelings of empathy, so this is not an issue for her, but this sensitivity can also be something to work on when it becomes too much. Here again meditation can help to manage these feelings. Alma closed out the discussion reminding us that there are so many different ways to meditate and if one way does not really suit you, maybe just try another. In public spaces like a train station or the park, you can use your senses and help them guide your practice, focusing on sounds or smells to center your mind. It can be a challenge but these challenges are great for your mind and the longer you stick with it the greater the rewards!
Quote This
It’s an underlying feeling, more than forcing yourself to come up with things.
—Alma Omeralovic
Highlights
An Introduction and Preparation for The Meditation. [0:05:10.4]
Breathing and Beginning the Meditation. [0:06:04.1]
Reflecting on Our Feelings During the Practice. [0:36:15.9]
Practicing Gratitude and Affirmation in Your Meditation. [0:42:23.5]
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Alma Omeralovic
Known for slow flowing intentional movements, Alma will bring you through a mind, body and deep soul experience. By practicing yoga and meditation with intention and a certain quality of heart, Alma has come into right relationship with herself and overcome anxiety. Shifting from physical, mental, and emotional patterns of dissonance to deep connection. Encouraging others when practicing to find their own unique voice and listen to that voice. Expressing whatever the body needs in that moment truly believing that our deepest and most profound healing occurs when we learn to listen to the unique language of our bodies.
KEY TOPICS
Meditation, Relaxation, Presence, Gratitude, Breath
