I had never attended a breathwork meditation before. It was an Ananda Mandala Meditation. It was intense, and at times painful, however overall an extremely blissful experience. Release and connected to the others involved.

As I entered the meditation room, I was immediately enveloped in a sense of peace, with a tinge of curiosity. I had never attended a breathwork meditation before, but I was intrigued and excited to see what it would entail. My beautiful friend San had done these on a number of occasions, and she was excited to share the experience with me.

The facilitator, the amazing #FairyJill greeted us and explained the process. We would be doing the Ananda Mandala Chakra Meditation, a powerful practice that involved deep breathing and visualization. She encouraged us to focus on our breath and allow any emotions or sensations to come up and be released.

As the meditation began, I closed my eyes and focused on my breath. It became intense quickly. You hold hands with the people around you and are instructed not to move. I felt my body begin to get pins and needles and begin to shake as I released emotions that had been trapped inside me for far too long.

At times, it was painful. I felt pain in my legs, tingling hands and face, knots in my stomach, and tension in my chest. But with each exhale, I felt a sense of release, as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I was not alone in this experience, and I could hear the sounds of others releasing alongside me. There was crying and laughter all around me.

As we continued, the intensity grew, but so did the sense of connection to the others in the room. We were all in this together, supporting each other as we experienced what came up for us.

Finally, as the meditation came to a close, I felt an overwhelming sense of bliss wash over me. I opened my eyes to see the smiling faces of the other participants, each one radiating a sense of peace and contentment.

As we gathered together to share our experiences, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunity to connect with others in such a profound way. I left the meditation feeling lighter, grateful for the power of breath and the sense of community that had been created in that room.

Ananda Mandala Chakra Meditation is a type of meditation that combines breathwork and visualization to help balance the energy centers, or chakras, in the body. The practice is based on the traditional Indian system of chakras, which are believed to be centers of spiritual power located along the spine.

During the meditation, participants are typically guided through a series of visualizations and deep breathing exercises, focusing on each of the seven chakras in turn. 

The meditation usually begins by focusing on the root chakra, located at the base of the spine. The meditation then moves upwards to the sacral chakra, located just below the navel, the solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, throat chakra, third eye chakra, and finally the crown chakra.

Overall, Ananda Mandala Chakra Meditation is a powerful practice that can help to balance the energy centers in the body, promoting physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. It can be practiced alone or in a group setting, and can be a valuable tool for those seeking to deepen their spiritual practice and connect with their inner selves.

Practices like Ananda Mandala Chakra Meditation may seem unconventional or “woo woo” to some, the evidence suggests that they can have significant benefits for both physical and mental health. As with any form of meditation, it is important to approach it with an open mind and to work with a trained facilitator to ensure proper technique and guidance.

I loved it, and will be practicing this form of meditation again.