How to Clear Your Mind and Realign Your Spine in 20 Minutes
- Sally
- Feb 14, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: May 22
A Gift to Yourself
I see meditation as a gift I give to myself — a quiet, deliberate act of self-love. There is something truly extraordinary about carving out a moment where the only focus is you. Not your to-do list, not the people who need you, not the roles you play out there in the world. Just you.
When I work with clients, one of the things I often share is that it is completely normal to see lights, colours, shapes or images behind closed eyes during meditation. Far from being strange, it is actually a beautiful sign — an indication that certain areas of the brain have dropped into a deep meditative state, what is commonly known as an Altered State of Consciousness (ASC).
And in that state, something remarkable happens. Blood pressure lowers. Stress softens. Muscles release. Emotional and physical pain quietens. Mental clarity begins to surface. With regular practice, ASC can also encourage a greater sense of openness, emotional flexibility and a more positive, grounded mood. The science backs it up — but honestly, you feel it long before you read about it.
It's All About Creating Space
I think of wellbeing in terms of space.
When we create space between our joints through stretching, we gain flexibility. When we create space between our thoughts through meditation, we gain clarity. The principle is the same — and the results are equally transformative.
Like most people, I am often juggling family, work and everything in between. Time is precious. So I have learned to be strategic about how I use it — and yes, that includes my meditation practice. If we love to multitask, why not double up on our wellbeing too?
Just twenty minutes a day — given equally to the mind and the body — is a reasonable and deeply rewarding investment. It is not a luxury. It is maintenance. And the returns are extraordinary.
What Does Twenty Minutes Look Like?
Sound meditation with Himalayan Singing Bowl
In my sound baths, I almost always begin with the gentle, resonant tones of Himalayan Singing Bowls. There is something about that sound that creates an immediate invitation — to step down from all the roles we carry, and simply come back to ourselves.
I originally edited this twenty-minute soundscape for my own personal practice. On the days when a full hour feels out of reach, this becomes a power nap for the mind. The sound washes through, clearing the clutter, and I come out the other side re-centred, clear-headed and balanced. It works beautifully for me, and I am happy to share it with you.
Adding Alexander Technique — Realigning the Spine
While lying down for the mini sound bath, I sometimes layer in Alexander Technique to gently realign my spine. The two practices together feel like they were made for each other.
What is Alexander Technique?
In a nutshell, Alexander Technique helps release pain and tension caused by poor posture — things like slouching, rounded shoulders or a compressed spine. We begin in what is called the semi-supine position — lying down with knees bent and the head slightly raised. It is a deceptively simple position that does a great deal of quiet, important work for spinal health.
Here is how to do it:
Lie on a mat on a firm surface and place a few books under your head to gently support and lengthen the neck
Bend your knees with feet flat on the floor, roughly shoulder-width apart
Take a moment to simply arrive — notice where your back makes contact with the mat, where your head rests on the books. For anyone familiar with Pilates, it feels similar to the imprint position, where the lower back gently releases toward the mat
With the crown of your head pointing toward the wall, allow your spine to lengthen — from the tailbone, gradually all the way up to the top of the neck
Rest here for 15 to 20 minutes, letting gravity do its gentle work
Make It Your Own
I find that combining sound meditation with Alexander Technique supercharges both mind and body in a way that feels almost disproportionate to the time invested. Twenty minutes. That is all.
But there is no single right way to do this. If lying with bent knees feels distracting, simply focus on the sound alone. If the Alexander Technique resonates but you prefer silence, try that. The invitation here is to experiment — to take what serves you and leave what doesn't.
Wellbeing is not one-size-fits-all. It is deeply personal. And the most powerful practice is always the one you will actually return to.
These resources are here for you, freely and with love. I hope they help you craft something that feels genuinely yours — a twenty-minute pocket of stillness that restores, rebalances and reminds you of who you are beneath all the noise.
Photo credit: Casey Horner on Unsplash, TruSpace & https://www.alexander-technique.london/
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