Summer is often the season when most companies and organizations go through a transfer season, moving expatriates from one country to another.
Thus, instead of a relaxing vacation, many of us are busy organizing the house to be packed, dealing with a packing company, suffering through the days of pack-out, saying good-byes, and mentally preparing to go through the same thing when it's time for our things to arrive.
Those who have gone through the transfer process no doubt find it quite stressful and even the veterans among us dread it.
So what can we do to make this just a tad easier? Meditation has been known throughout the centuries as the means to calm the mind and open yourself up to things that elude us when our mind is busy thinking (which is most of the time!).
And so, as you begin your process of transfer, take a few minutes a day to meditate and visualize.
You can do it either in the morning to prepare for the chores ahead, during the day to take a break from doing things, or in the evening to give your mind a rest from the busy day and to set the tone for the next day.
Here are some suggestions to help you along the way: (1) Sit in the comfortable position and close your eyes.
You can either concentrate on your breath observing as you inhale and exhale or you can use a mantra to keep your mind from spitting out thoughts.
Your mind will still try to do that because it's not accustomed to complete quietness of activity.
As it does and you notice yourself thinking, just gently return to observing your breath or repeating the mantra.
Some mantras that you can use are: "Ham-sa"; "Om Namah Shivaya"; "Om Sai"; Shalom; Peace; Love, etc.
As long as the mantra works to keep your mind from wandering, it does not really matter what you use.
(2) When you feel that you have quieted your mind enough, take an activity of the day that you find particularly troubling.
It can be making a household inventory, packing your favorite china, or dealing with the movers.
Now try to build a picture in your mind of how you want that activity to be.
What would it look like if you had a magic wand and could make it just the way you want it? What kind of energy would it have? How would you "be" during it? What would the end product look like? Visualize as much as you want and spend some time in that happy and complete place.
(3) When the feeling of tranquility and completion is particularly strong, find a place on your body to anchor that feeling.
Touch it so that you can associate the feeling with the touch.
This way you can bring back those feeling of happiness and calm when you need them during the day.
(4) Come out of the visualization when you are ready.
Finish the process with once again spending a few minutes observing your breath or saying the mantra.
And then open your eyes.
Sometimes after meditating and visualizing you'll experience a new clarity about certain things.
You may suddenly come up with a new idea to tackle an issue you've been struggling with or you may have a solution to a dilemma that has kept you awake.
But even if that does not happen, you'll always come away relaxed, rested, and ready to take on the move.
And, of course, you can use the process not only when you are moving!