Meditation to Reduce Stress
The mind: it strives to achieve and perform and it craves peace and quiet. We are constantly being pulled in opposing directions, we have milestones to accomplish and daily tasks to check while deep down we may be craving a pause to catch our breath.
And this is where a meditation practice comes in to support your mental health. While the benefits to your entire being are vast - from reducing chronic pain to performance enhancement and developing greater focus - today I’m going to focus on the usage of meditation as means to relax when day-to-day stressors and responsibilities become overwhelming and you feel scattered or agitated.
There are thousands of different meditation lineages, techniques, and teachings but I invite you to think about meditation in the most simplistic of terms, sitting quietly free from distractions and breathing deeply into your belly.
Studies have shown doing so for even three to five minutes moves our nervous system into a more relaxed and restful mode and when we are relaxed, all of other systems can operate more efficiently and with ease, paving the way for contentment and joy, not to mention setting the stage for deep healing.
Meditating offers a chance to sit quietly and focus on the things which are steady and stable and already within grasp; our breathing, the sound and rhythm of our own heartbeat, or an intentional thought that evokes positive feelings and a sense of lightness.
Rather than searching for external means to ease stress and unwind from a long day, I invite you to use this practice as means to strengthen your inner guidance and draw your attention back to what’s real and steady in this moment; yourSelf (I use capital S here to emphasis your entire being; it’s powerful).
This can greatly improve your concentration, memory, mood, and positively impact the relationships that matter most including the one with yourSelf. When we strengthen this relationship and devote time to practice self-care, we are naturally strengthening the relationship with all of those around us and in turn uplifting our social health, career health, family health, and collective well-being.
So together, let’s journey to find balance and equilibrium between the fluctuations of your mind; to feel calm and stable when things become turbulent and the to-do list seems immense and the travel overwhelming.
Find a comfortable seat, rest quietly and bring your attention to breathing and being right here and now. Please enjoy the short guided meditation above or take this opportunity to sit quietly and breathe deeply for five minutes and let the practice do its work.
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