It is my understanding that meditation might be defined as "clearing the mind and body of worry and stress." In the interest of creating a better environment for you and your loved ones, I offer my (limited) knowledge of how this kind of clarity and peace might be achieved.
1. Sit still in a comfortable place and close your eyes. Breathe deeply and try to imagine your mind as a giant chalkboard. Visualize all of your stresses by writing simple sentences on the chalkboard. When they are all listed, begin to slowly erase them, line by line until the chalkboard of your mind is clean.
2. Sit comfortably in a favorite spot and pick an object of beauty on which to concentrate. Breathe deeply and let your mind wander as you focus on the object. Notice its size, shape, texture, color. Imagine what it would be like to touch, smell or taste it. By the time you have fully engaged with the object, your mind should be free (or at least distracted) from worry!
3. Take a nice long run (away from traffic) and let your mind wonder. As you're running, imagine wrapping up a worry, tying a bow around the box, and then chucking the box out beside or behind you. By the time you are through, all your worries should be safely left behind. You will be ready to start your day.
Many studies show that stress can be a major contributor to illness. It has even been linked to an increased breast cancer risk for women. So, whether these strategies work for you or not, take time in your day to relax. Let go. Feel better.
-B.C.
The chalkboard exercise sounds intriguing. I will try it out.
ReplyDeleteI've heard about the health benefits of meditation for a long time but I can't say I've ever taken the time to do it. It feels so self-indulgent (just like taking the time to work out or taking the time to read a book for enjoyment). The older I get, though, the more I realize that taking time for yourself should be a top priority. Take care of yourself, I've heard it said, because no one else will.
I haven't been successful meditating yet, but that's probably because I haven't tried consistently. Friends who do it say it's beneficial in many ways. I really like the 3rd idea. That one would be easy for me to do, if I could still run. Maybe doing any kind of exercise - biking, swimming or walking would do it too. Just the rhythm of that kind of exercise is meditative. Yoga can be geat too.
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