Erica Bowman - Boho Energy

Get Naturally Aligned With Meditation

by Erica Bowman | Jan 17, 2022 | Meditation

If I had to guess, your life is pretty hectic or stressful in its own ways. Sometimes you notice shallow breathing, your body feels tight, and your mind is racing with thoughts. Sound familiar? You’re not alone! If there’s one thing I can recommend to ease these issues, it’s meditation.

Benefits of Meditation

Indeed, guided meditations have provided balance and harmony in all aspects of life since 1500 BCE. It allows you to be present and aware of the conversation in your head, as well as intentional with your time and energy. Truly, meditation expands your consciousness in a serene, peaceful way. When you practice meditation, you connect yourself to your inner guidance for more clarity.

In addition, meditation has been shown to decrease stress, worry, anxiety, and self-bullying. Your body will experience decreased tension, pain, and inflammation, for natural healing. You’ll also enjoy increased gratitude and transcendence into your higher self.

How to Meditate

There are many meditation styles and practices for you to explore and grow into. The three basic types of meditation are: focus, awareness, and guided visualization. Each one is powerful in its own way and can help you achieve optimal results.

Surprisingly, the logistics behind meditation are quite simple, and easy to follow along. First, your body position needs to be comfortable and relaxed. Some people choose to sit, lay down, stand, or even walk. It’s truly up to you and what feels right in the moment. If you are able to, your next step is to either gaze your eyes softly upon an object or gently close them. Additionally, you’ll want to choose a resting hand position–either face down or face up. As you settle into your meditation, notice the effects you feel with each position choice.

It’s best to create a sacred space for your daily practice, where you feel comfortable enough to take care of yourself. Begin with a yoga stretch or sit for a minute in stillness, to allow yourself to “simply be” where you’re at. At first, begin with 2-10 minutes of meditation and increase as you go through your practice. You’ll ideally want to practice each day so you can develop your skills for a more meaningful habit.

Types of Meditation

A good meditation practice for beginners is a “concentration guided meditation”. This can be done by looking at a candle light flame, or focusing on a simple affirmation or mantra. Once you’re ready to move on from this meditation, you can try an “awareness meditation”. In this practice, an individual stays neutral and allows themselves to witness thoughts and feelings without judgement. You can take note of what flows in and give it permission to flow back out of you.

The next step for advanced practitioners is “guided visualization meditation”. This is Boho Energy’s jam! In our experience, this kind of meditation helps individuals create their highest intentions through the power of imagination. Intentions, or a source of inspiration, is a guide within yourself that allows energy to flow and manifest. You’ll become more aware and notice true experiences as you connect these intentions with visualization.

Meditation Provides Transformation

As you meditate, you may feel like nothing is happening, or perhaps everything is happening. It’s not uncommon to have feelings of anger, bliss, pain, or peace. With time, you may have vivid “dreams” and/or release of past trauma. Or, old memories may arise for you. This is all ok, as these thoughts aren’t “right or wrong” and certainly don’t define you. Simply trust that each meditation is unique and provides divinely guided intuition.

Meditation practices create an unprecedented opportunity to witness your whole self: your mental self, your emotional self, your physical self, and your spiritual self. This awareness and attention to your breath, along with relaxation, will signal to your brain that it’s safe to slow down. This is where the magic of fresh perspectives and transformation happens. Truly, meditation provides answers when you give yourself the time to be still and trust your inner guide.

Meditation at Boho Energy

If you desire more help with your practice, Boho Energy is here for you! We will offer an assortment of meditation circles for you to try. Our space is warm, friendly, and welcoming.The staff at Boho Energy will walk beside you to encourage your confidence with the tools you already have within yourself. At Boho Energy, we want you to become naturally aligned with your intuition and live your best life.

Find Meditation Classes

Monthly Meditation: Grounding

by Erica Bowman | Dec 1, 2021 | Meditation

What is Grounding Meditation?

Boho Energy’s guided meditations emphasize self care and love to be your anchor.

Connecting to life force energy is the foundation of a meditation practice. In other words, grounding.Grounding offers you the opportunity to come back to your center, to yourself, to this moment. Through grounding, you can simply be in a moment–present and alive. What’s more, is that you can visit this grounding space at any time when you need it. Meditation is healing, and when an individual isn’t grounded they may feel spacey, clumsy, stuck, not themselves, and not connected. Grounding helps us embody our spirit and spiritual energy, as a natural protection.

A Grounding Meditation

Let’s take a moment and ground ourselves.

Gently inhale, and slowly exhale

Breathe in, and notice your belly rise

Falling heavy, and deep with your exhale

As you read this, start to take note of your rhythm

How does it feel today? Slow & Steady? Quick & Narrow? A mixture of both…

Breathe in……allowing yourself to be. To be in this moment.

Feeling each exhale and releasing what is no longer needed

Knowing full well you are safe and secure

Breathing in, place yourself into your feet, your heels, the soles of your feet, your toes

On the exhale, grow roots from the bottoms of your feet into the ground

Into the Earth, breathing in and noticing how the roots remain strong with your inhale

Growing deeper with every exhale, seeing the beauty of the roots. Your roots.

Do they have flowers? Vines? What shade of color are the roots that you’re growing….

Breathe in, and sink into your roots with your next exhale

Sit here for a moment. Feeling the rhythm of your breaths that you’ve created

Seeing the support you have so kindly given yourself

Believing that you are loved and full of joy and purpose

Breathe in, and thank yourself for being here today. Namaste.

Find Meditation Classes

The Many Benefits of Children’s Yoga

by Erica Bowman | Dec 1, 2021 | Children's Yoga

Why Children’s Yoga?

I regularly hear, “what are the benefits of children’s yoga?” and “will yoga help my child?”. I love to hear these questions! I can relate and easily provide personal insights from my young daughter’s yoga practice. To me, children’s yoga is the perfect way for kids to have fun but also learn skills they’ll use throughout their lifetime.

Children’s Yoga Provides Critical Exercise

First and foremost, exercise is incredibly important for kids. It’s probably no surprise, but current CDC statistics show that children are exercising less and less today. And, as we know, they need to move their bodies in order to grow physically, emotionally, and mentally healthy. Luckily, all you need for yoga is a teacher, a safe space, and the commitment to attend a class! At Boho Energy, children have the chance to get up and move around in a free, flowing state of bliss which releases energy, helps them gain awareness, and have fun being themselves with like minded friends.

The beauty behind children’s yoga classes is that they’re held in a noncompetitive environment, where anybody can participate despite their skill or experience level. No matter their ability, yoga develops strength and flexibility within children’s muscles which increases their fine and gross motor skills.

Children’s Yoga Teaches Life Long Skills

Aside from the numerous physical benefits, children’s yoga also introduces kids to both meditation and breathwork. These valuable techniques are not only important now, but also in the future throughout the milestones of their development. Through these practices, they will gain a better understanding of their feelings, thoughts, and actions by paying attention to their breath. While in a pose, their deep breathing sends a signal to their brain which tells the body it’s okay to calm down, to slow down and be. This allows a child to feel safe and secure on their own terms.

An additional benefit to children’s yoga is that children learn to follow the directions from their teacher’s but, also, to follow their own innate compass for life. Through regular yoga practice, they improve their manners and become more confident in themselves and their daily choices.

Children’s Yoga is Fun!

But, let’s talk about the fun of children’s yoga! When I teach yoga at Boho Energy, I make fun a foundation of each class. I think we can all agree that children are much more engaged when they’re having fun–especially with friends! When I lead children through a yoga class, I use various games, storytelling, and other “play” aspects during each session. Children are encouraged to help guide the class by naming a pose, sharing a story, or simply seeing how long they can balance in one position. In my experience, participation allows children to see and believe in themselves, which boosts their personal self esteem and confidence.

I’m also a fan of playing fun games during each class. Different games align kids with different intentions. For example, memory games help train their memory, and partner poses encourage cooperation with one another. Storytelling is also highlighted within each class to teach, engage, and connect with kids.

In addition, exploring their imagination allows children to deepen their focus and concentration skills. This skill also allows them to guide their goals in life. This break for fun also provides relief with self processing and decompression. As we know, the modern child lives in a fast-paced world full of technology and screen time. Opening up their imagination and allowing this creativity to naturally flow through them encourages cognitive development and problem solving skills.

Children are getting to know who they are and will be on this continuous journey for many years. Through yoga classes, they have time to connect with not only themselves, but also to others around them. Through creative thinking, these experiences allow children to effectively respond to various situations and evolve into the best version of themselves.

Join Us At Boho Energy.

At Boho Energy, we pride ourselves on meeting children where they are and providing them with these important life-long skills. Your child will experience a fun and energetic setting, with new friends.

Wow– exercise, life skills, and fun? That’s a powerful trio of benefits for children of any age–and Boho Energy welcomes your child anytime!

What is Reiki?

by Erica Bowman | Dec 1, 2021 | Reiki

Reiki is “Spiritual Life-Force Energy”

Reiki, pronounced as “Ray Key”, is an ancient energy healing practice from Japan that’s over 2500 years old. Our modern day practice, however, was created in 1922 by Mikao Usai. Derived from 2 Japanese words, “Rei” meaning “spirit”, and “ki” for “life-force energy”, Reiki uses hands-on-healing of our spiritual energy. At Boho Energy, Erica Bowman is an Energy Healer attuned with Usui Reiki Levels 1 & 2.

Since all things are infused with energy, Usai realized that the practice of Reiki brought about enlightenment in his students. After all, when you connect yourself to the universal life energy, you allow its flow throughout your body. This influx of energy balances our energetic field and heals each of us on many levels.

Much like yoga, meditation, massage, or acupuncture, Reiki therapy eases the body, mind, and soul. In particular, it helps individuals let go of “stuck” energy from areas in the body while increasing circulation & oxygenation. On a cellular level, the body is navigating the imbalances and Reiki is flowing through to connect and restore. Remember, your body knows how to heal itself, when given the necessary tools and time for alignment.

Reiki For Emotional, Spiritual Well Being

In fact, Reiki is not only a tool for physical healing, but for emotional and spiritual well being too! When the body receives Reiki, it’s like turning on a light. You can see where your energy lies and where it’s no longer serving you well. In fact, every part of your body can hold unresolved trauma and unexpressed emotions. From nerve cells to muscles to organs, your body holds onto your life experiences in profound ways that can impact your overall health. Actually, your own energy heal you on all levels– physical, mental, and spiritual.

The beauty of Reiki therapy is that it can be done anywhere, anytime. It works through simple, gentle techniques where you relax and simply “be”. During a typical Reiki session, you only need to be aware of your state of presence and focus on your breath. Through a relaxed state, you can allow yourself the permission to release, let go, and restore what your mind, body, and soul need.

Since Reiki is naturally aligning your body’s energies, it’s possible you might experience an emotional reaction during a session. This is due to the release of stuck and repressed emotions from within your body tissues. It’s completely normal–and acceptable–to cry, laugh, or feel anger. In fact, it means your energies are shifting and you are healing!

Reiki Helps You Let Go And Become Whole

Simply put, being in alignment with your truth and releasing what no longer serves you is the focus of Reiki sessions. Together, we can embrace the shifts and changes that occur during our sessions to assist with your growth based on your intentions. Through Reiki, you will become aware of your energetic field. This awareness will reduce stress, allow relaxation, and improve your quality of life.

Boho Energy creates and holds an open space for individuals to be with themselves and heal. We are here to assist you with the permission to release, let go, and restore what is needed within your body and mind. We allow you to receive your energy, the very force that makes you, well, you! Above all, Boho Energy offers you the space to accept your gift, transform your energy, and grow stronger.

Schedule Reiki Session

Plus size woman doing yoga and meditation at home.

Reiki Principles:

Just for today I will not worry. Just for today I will not be angry.

Just for today I will do my work honestly.

Just for today I will give thanks for my many blessings.

Just for today I will be kind to my neighbor and every living thing.