The world can be a stressful
place. Relationships, jobs, and juggling long lists of errands everyday can
leave people exhausted mentally and emotionally. Learning to handle stress
through the use of mindfulness meditation is the key to staying calm in hectic
times and dealing with what life throws at us.
Practicing Mindfulness
Mindfulness meditation can be
done anywhere, but finding a quiet place makes it easier when you first begin.
Sit comfortably. Begin focusing on each part of your body beginning with your
feet. Tighten the muscle and hold it for a few seconds before moving on to your
legs and upper body. Feel the tension lessening as you release. Work your way
up to you hands and arms. When you have finished, focus on your breathing. One
breathing technique that is helpful is to breath in for six seconds, hold the
air in your lungs six seconds, exhale for six seconds, hold the breath out of
your lungs for six seconds and repeat. The goal of these beginning exercises is
to quiet the mind by putting all of your focus on something else.
Next, find a word or phrase
that is calming to you such as "inner peace". Repeat the word in your
mind or say it aloud if you wish. Your mind might wonder, and that is alright.
Gently bring your thoughts back to the phrase. Pay attention to how you feel
when certain thoughts cross through. Are they uncomfortable? Do they help you
in any way? If they are causing despair or anxiety then consider why for a
moment, and then let them go. The point of mindfulness is to begin to control
your thoughts and feelings instead of letting them control you.
The Most Effective
Mindfulness Techniques for Busy Schedules
These Mindfulness techniques
are simple, convenient, and effective, these can be used anywhere at anytime to
battle the daily stress we all encounter.
Deep Breathing
One of the best mindfulness techniques
used in stress management is deep breathing. Something that can be done at work
or home, it simply involves breathing from the stomach and making sure you
inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Not only will the
physical act of deep breathing help to slow down your heart rate and keep the
stress hormones in check, but it will also help clear the mind by letting you
focus on the breathing itself. By closing your eyes and concentrating on the
sound and rhythm of the breathing, you can calm down very quickly.
The Sound of Music
While music can soothe the
savage beast, it can also be very therapeutic physically and emotionally.
Whether it's classical music from Beethoven or the latest pop hit from the
Billboard charts, music has been proven to be a great stress reliever. By
focusing on the sounds and vibrations of each note and the feelings they
generate within you, it's possible to clear out any negative thoughts you may
be experiencing and replace them with positive ones.
House Cleaning
The great thing about this
technique is that you accomplish two things at the same time. Not only do you
clear your mind and focus only on what's happening at the moment, but you also
get a clean house in the process. This is considered a great mindfulness
technique because you can focus on so many different aspects. For example, when
you are filling a box full of items to donate to charity, you can focus on
clearing out the clutter in your own mind. If you're washing dishes, you can
focus on how the warm, soapy water feels as you wash each dish, or let the
vibrations from a vacuum cleaner soothe your mind.
Benefits of Mindfulness
Learning to control how you
think and feel has many positive effects towards an increased ability to
concentrate and focus on yourself instead of the negativity of others. By
practicing mindfulness techniques daily, you'll quickly find yourself feeling
less stressful and more positive about each and every day. Consider setting
aside time each day for mindfulness meditation. Make the time for yourself one
without judgment.
The benefits of consistent mediation include:
The benefits of consistent mediation include:
- decreased blood pressure,
- reduced anxiety and stress, and
- feelings of calmness.
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