As the holidays draw upon us again, life can sometimes become increasingly busy in the New Year. Although it is a time of celebrations, it can be very stressful. So here are my 2 tips on how to incorporate elements of Meditation into your day to ease the stress:
Tip 1 – The Power of Breathing
What makes Meditation so effective when dealing with stress, is the breathing element of it. We often take our breathing for granted, but when used correctly, it can bring many benefits to the brain and body.
It detoxifies the immune system, brings oxygen to the brain (which is important for healthy brain function) and slows down our thoughts, which helps when you are stressed, as often your thoughts come at you with such speed, it increases the stress hormone cortisol in the body. In Meditation the aim is to take slow deep breaths. For example – Breathe in for 3 counts and exhale for 4 counts. Use this cycle of breath, anytime during your day, especially when you become stressed.
Tip 2 – The Power of Focus
What makes Mindfulness Meditation so popular and effective is the element of focus involved in the meditation. The aim of mindfulness is to focus on the present and release all the external past and future thoughts. In Mindfulness Meditation you are focusing on a physical item in front of you, an area of your body or an image in your mind. When you allow your mind to focus on one thing, it again, allows the other external factors to calm down and therefore gives your brain room to clear and gain the clarity it needs to take actions and make decisions that feel right for you, which helps to eliminate stress.
One of the big myths is that Meditation has to be done sitting down and being still and allowing no thoughts or movements to occur. No one can eliminate thoughts completely. Active Meditation is another form of Meditation. It requires you to focus on the present activity you are doing and release all distractions. A few active meditation activities are playing sport, working out, gardening, walking…the list is endless. So you see you can incorporate elements of Meditation into the holidays, and gain all the benefits of this beautiful practice. Happy stress – free holidays!!!!
This article was provided by WikiExpert. Read more articles like this in their free magazine available here.
Are you stressed? Are you interested in meditation and learning other strategies to decrease your stress? Here’s what you need to do: Contact Colleen on 0434 337 245, Duncan on 0434 331 243 or Rachel on 0422 177 193 for a FREE 10 minute consultation on how we can best help you or book online.
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