Did you click into this blog thinking: wait, guided meditation and photoshoots?! How do the two of those go together?!

Sure, it might be a little “obscure” putting the two together, and if I am honest, I don’t know any other photographers who do this.

But it’s my un-secret secret that has transformed Embodied Art Boudoir and my personal life!

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What Meditation Means To Me

Meditation is both a skill and an adventure. Meditation is a formalized chance to be with one with your mind, to expand it, and to increase self-awareness and compassion – compassion for the self and for the wider world.

When you invite space for meditation and mindfulness into your self-care routine, your mind adapts quickly to uncover greater calmness and joyfulness – while understanding the importance of the present moment.

My life transformed when I prioritized mindfulness and meditation in my life. It has helped me appreciate the little things in life and be grounded. It has aided my relationship with the people in my life and has improved the relationship that I have with myself. It has helped me find home in my own body.

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In 2014, I graduated from the New School of Yogic Arts. Since, I strive to expand my knowledge and experience with yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. I love it. I try to meditate daily, but I’m just a regular person so I miss a few days here and there. What’s important for me is that it’s a regular practice, providing me a steady foundation of calm in every situation.

There are plenty of researchers who have studied the benefits for years and concluded that guided and unguided meditation offers mental and physical health benefits and can actually change the structure of the brain! Individuals who practice meditation report lower levels of stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and increased compassion, and concentration.

I firmly believe in the practice and want to start a movement with the people in my life and my clients, which is why I start every single photoshoot with a guided meditation.

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Pre-Shoot Guided Body-Peace Meditation

The guided body-peace meditation that we will do pre- shoot is focused on getting grounded, centered, and relaxed, before you get in front of the camera.

Even if you arrive ready to rock your shoot, there will still be some pre-shoot jitters! Even I, behind the camera, get nervous before a shoot! It can be scary to put yourself out there.

But, this meditation will help you to calm those nerves and have an incredible experience. All of my clients share that they feel SO relaxed after the meditation – and I do too!

(It’s basically the calming equivalent of 2 glasses of wine)

It helps to break the ice and makes us both feel relaxed, comfortable, and ready to go. Trust me: you will feel amazing before stepping in front of the camera! I wrote a blog called How Mindfulness Can Boost Your Confidence, which I highly recommend you read, too.

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If you feel a little intimidated by doing meditation, we approach it without any expectations or stress. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to do it – as long as you remain open-minded to try!

Importantly, the guided meditation focuses on body neutrality. It will send peace and happiness to your body with ZERO pressure for you to say “love” to any one part of your body. There’s space for a complicated relationship with your body while avoiding toxic positivity.

Body positivity is simply not accessible for everyone, depending on where you are with your relationship to your body. Rather, body neutrality appreciates your body for its non-physical properties, promoting healing and self-worth. You can read more about body positivity in my blog, Why Body Positivity Rocks & 6 Ways to Practice It.

You know the name of my studio: Embodied Art Boudoir. This isn’t by accident. I am all about promoting embodiment. I want you to feel embodied, and make art while growing your confidence in yourself! Embodiment improves self-acceptance, self-worth, and confidence.

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Curious about the guided meditation we will do? I am happy to shout out the author and the book – because it’s a game changer. The guided meditation is from an amazing book called Real Love by Sharon Salzberg. All my new clients will receive a copy to enjoy and hopefully use to invite meditation and mindfulness into their life.