Bilateral stimulation (BLS), usually in the form of visual, tactile, or auditory stimuli, occurs in a rhythmic left-right or right-left pattern. For example, think of moving your eyes repeatedly from side to side. Think about tapping on your knees like a drummer, with one hand tapping on one knee and the other hand tapping on the other. Then imagine tapping your knees in a rhythmic left-to-right or right-to-left pattern.

Before you begin the meditations, I encourage you to find a BLS technique that works for you. Going back and forth tapping on your knees or thighs like a drummer works for some. Others perform a simple technique of tapping their middle finger and thumb, switching from side to side. My personal favorite is The Butterfly Hug. To do this, you cross your arms in front of you with your left hand on your right shoulder and vice versa, then you tap your hands back and forth on each shoulder. It feels comforting, like giving yourself a warm hug (an example of The Butterfly Hug can be found at https://youtu.be/iGGJrqscvtU).

With any of these techniques, if any pain or discomfort is felt, you should use another BLS technique. Wherever you can tap with a rhythmic side-to-side motion, that will work just fine. The speed and rhythm of the BLS is up to you. Take a moment, give it a try, and find what works for you. Additionally, if any of these meditations trigger trauma in any way, please stop and do something that feels good and healthy for yourself.