Princess Kae-Leah
09-29-2016, 04:35 AM
Note: this is a "cross-post" from my mermaid page. I posted a meditation tutorial on here before a while back, but if I may say so myself, I feel this one is better-written, more in-depth, and it explains better why I think that fabric mertails can be ideal for meditation.
WHY ARE FABRIC MERMAID TAILS, SUCH AS THOSE SOLD BY FIN FUN, IDEAL FOR MEDITATION?
Some assume that costume mermaid tails are only for swimming, but this tutorial might change your mind. Because a big part of meditation is focusing and not getting distracted, and a mermaid tail binds you in one place, limiting your movement. You almost literally trapped in meditation. Fabric mertails are supposed to be snug, but not so snug as to be uncomfortable, so it's like your legs are being hugged, which can be a comforting feeling. If you enjoy wearing corsets at all, you'll probably like mermaid tails too! ;) Plus, as a mermaid or merman is a fictional fantasy creature, it can work as a metaphor for separating your mundane real life from your meditative life. Mermaiding, or swimming in a tail, is an increasingly popular recreational sport, but while not everyone in the world can learn to swim well, I think probably just about anyone can learn meditation. Through mermaid meditation, anyone, regardless of ability can be part of the mermaiding fandom after a fashion. Even if you love to swim, though, you may benefit from this too.
STEP ONE-Get ready!
This type of mermaid meditation requires a couple specific tools, so unfortunately this type of meditation may not be free of cost :(. You need a costume fabric mermaid tail, such as those sold by Fin Fun, which usually can be found in a variety of colors and patterns most sizes in the $50-100 range, and can be home-made as well. I do not recommend using an expensive, realistic silicone or latex mermaid tail for this meditation as they can be very heavy and uncomfortable when dry, as they are really only designed for swimming. Spandex mertails are designed primarily for swimming too, but due to being much more lightweight are more versatile for non-swimming activities such as meditation, and though they do limit your mobility on land greatly, many such tails are open at the bottom so you can still walk a little if you absolutely need to. You usually have the option of buying them with or without a monofin, and while a monofin is by no means necessary for meditation, they do help hold the shape of the fluke, adding a more realistic-looking touch.
The second tool needed is ocean-themed music. I found a great CD of relaxing ocean sounds at my local Target a few years ago, but you can probably find plenty of MP3s of wave and whale sounds to download online as well.
Mermaid meditation can be done in a few different places: on the couch, on the floor, in the bathtub, as long as you're sitting in your tail and you can focus, just about any place would work! You can choose to either do it completely dry or partly submerged in water. If you wish, you can even go all out and surround yourself with objects that make you feel "mermaidy" such as shells, plush sea creatures, or whatever.
STEP TWO-Visualize!
Sit and your tail, close your eyes, listen to the music, and visualize? Visualize what exactly? Here are a few suggestions:
*A great theme for meditation is rebirth and rejuvanation. Imagine your past worries melting away and being born again as a new improved version of yourself, emerging from the waves like Venus in mythology.
*Imagine yourself as a mermaid or siren singing, luring all your worries to the bottom of the sea, never to be seen again and gobbled up by hungry bottom feeders.
*Imagine yourself as a mermaid swimming peacefully in the sea, surrounded by sea creatures who you live side by side with in perfect harmony. Try to meditate on that peace and harmony, hoping to live peacefully in real life too.
These ideas are really only the tip of the iceberg though, as the really cool thing is you can customize your meditation to suit you. If you're religious, you can incorporate themes from your religious beliefs into it, and while meditation is commonly associated with spirituality, there's absolutely no reason why an atheist or other non-religious individual can't benefit from this too. Before meditating, think over what you hope to achieve through meditation. Do you want to feel less stressed, or less insecure? If you like mermaids, what do you like about that, and what do they represent to you? Is it tranquility, or freedom or wildness? Is there a certain mermaid character whose qualities you admire?
If you want, you could even incorporate a little bit of physical exercise, such as leg lifts in your tail, into your meditation. This might be a good option to consider if you're the kind of person who has trouble remaining completely still for an amount of time.
STEP THREE-Exit to the Living World!(sorry, couldn't resist a Disney theme park reference, as it was the first thing that came to my mind!)
I suggest each meditation session being around 20-30 minutes on average, but you may want to try shorter if you're just starting out and are unsure about this whole thing, or have a very short attention span. Be warned though, like just about anything else in life meditation with a fantasy theme likes this *can* become an unhealthy, addictive thing if you're constantly doing it all the time to escape from reality, so I strongly suggest keeping a mental note of your progress. How do you feel after meditating? Do you notice any improvements in your ability to handle the stresses life throws your way, or feel less insecure about your perceived shortcomings? In moderation, mermaid meditation might do wonders for you.
WHY ARE FABRIC MERMAID TAILS, SUCH AS THOSE SOLD BY FIN FUN, IDEAL FOR MEDITATION?
Some assume that costume mermaid tails are only for swimming, but this tutorial might change your mind. Because a big part of meditation is focusing and not getting distracted, and a mermaid tail binds you in one place, limiting your movement. You almost literally trapped in meditation. Fabric mertails are supposed to be snug, but not so snug as to be uncomfortable, so it's like your legs are being hugged, which can be a comforting feeling. If you enjoy wearing corsets at all, you'll probably like mermaid tails too! ;) Plus, as a mermaid or merman is a fictional fantasy creature, it can work as a metaphor for separating your mundane real life from your meditative life. Mermaiding, or swimming in a tail, is an increasingly popular recreational sport, but while not everyone in the world can learn to swim well, I think probably just about anyone can learn meditation. Through mermaid meditation, anyone, regardless of ability can be part of the mermaiding fandom after a fashion. Even if you love to swim, though, you may benefit from this too.
STEP ONE-Get ready!
This type of mermaid meditation requires a couple specific tools, so unfortunately this type of meditation may not be free of cost :(. You need a costume fabric mermaid tail, such as those sold by Fin Fun, which usually can be found in a variety of colors and patterns most sizes in the $50-100 range, and can be home-made as well. I do not recommend using an expensive, realistic silicone or latex mermaid tail for this meditation as they can be very heavy and uncomfortable when dry, as they are really only designed for swimming. Spandex mertails are designed primarily for swimming too, but due to being much more lightweight are more versatile for non-swimming activities such as meditation, and though they do limit your mobility on land greatly, many such tails are open at the bottom so you can still walk a little if you absolutely need to. You usually have the option of buying them with or without a monofin, and while a monofin is by no means necessary for meditation, they do help hold the shape of the fluke, adding a more realistic-looking touch.
The second tool needed is ocean-themed music. I found a great CD of relaxing ocean sounds at my local Target a few years ago, but you can probably find plenty of MP3s of wave and whale sounds to download online as well.
Mermaid meditation can be done in a few different places: on the couch, on the floor, in the bathtub, as long as you're sitting in your tail and you can focus, just about any place would work! You can choose to either do it completely dry or partly submerged in water. If you wish, you can even go all out and surround yourself with objects that make you feel "mermaidy" such as shells, plush sea creatures, or whatever.
STEP TWO-Visualize!
Sit and your tail, close your eyes, listen to the music, and visualize? Visualize what exactly? Here are a few suggestions:
*A great theme for meditation is rebirth and rejuvanation. Imagine your past worries melting away and being born again as a new improved version of yourself, emerging from the waves like Venus in mythology.
*Imagine yourself as a mermaid or siren singing, luring all your worries to the bottom of the sea, never to be seen again and gobbled up by hungry bottom feeders.
*Imagine yourself as a mermaid swimming peacefully in the sea, surrounded by sea creatures who you live side by side with in perfect harmony. Try to meditate on that peace and harmony, hoping to live peacefully in real life too.
These ideas are really only the tip of the iceberg though, as the really cool thing is you can customize your meditation to suit you. If you're religious, you can incorporate themes from your religious beliefs into it, and while meditation is commonly associated with spirituality, there's absolutely no reason why an atheist or other non-religious individual can't benefit from this too. Before meditating, think over what you hope to achieve through meditation. Do you want to feel less stressed, or less insecure? If you like mermaids, what do you like about that, and what do they represent to you? Is it tranquility, or freedom or wildness? Is there a certain mermaid character whose qualities you admire?
If you want, you could even incorporate a little bit of physical exercise, such as leg lifts in your tail, into your meditation. This might be a good option to consider if you're the kind of person who has trouble remaining completely still for an amount of time.
STEP THREE-Exit to the Living World!(sorry, couldn't resist a Disney theme park reference, as it was the first thing that came to my mind!)
I suggest each meditation session being around 20-30 minutes on average, but you may want to try shorter if you're just starting out and are unsure about this whole thing, or have a very short attention span. Be warned though, like just about anything else in life meditation with a fantasy theme likes this *can* become an unhealthy, addictive thing if you're constantly doing it all the time to escape from reality, so I strongly suggest keeping a mental note of your progress. How do you feel after meditating? Do you notice any improvements in your ability to handle the stresses life throws your way, or feel less insecure about your perceived shortcomings? In moderation, mermaid meditation might do wonders for you.