Stress Management – Meditation exercise

Meditation is a great and simple way to deal with life’s stresses. Meditation calms the mind and the body. It produces a state of being all of us can learn and apply our daily lives. As a part of a healthy lifestyle, meditation can add energy, focus and enjoyment to our personal experience. With as little as ten minutes a day, significant mental and physical improvements can be gained.

As we age, our bodies and minds begin to show signs of long-term stress. Meditation strengthens and promotes continued health and vigour. It is an invaluable tool that balances our minds, bodies and spirits. Regular practice creates a marvelous integration physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Meditation for beginners

The breath

This meditation is a simple introduction if you are new to the practice. It is also recommended for experienced meditators, strengthening concentration and focus.

Close your eyes, and start to focus on your breath as you inhale and exhale.
Become aware of how the breath feels as it goes in and out of your body.
Relax your body as your breath and find your natural rhythm.
Continue to focus on your breath.
To maintain your focus it helps to keep your attention on an area where you can actually feel the breath is some way as it moves in and out, like the nose or abdomen.
If you find your mind wandering, simply bring your focus and attention back.
When starting out, you may find your mind begins to wander within seconds.
It may take many minutes before you even realize. Know that this is a natural party of the process.
With practice you will be able to continuously focus on your breath for longer periods of time. You will become aware faster that the mind has wandered.
Try this exercise for 1-5 minutes, gradually increasing your time as you improve. When you feel ready, bring your awareness back to your body and open your eyes.

Inner stability

Developing an inner stability allows us to experience and maintain emotional balance, even whilst our outer world fluxes and changes around us.

Close your eyes and notice your breath as you deeply inhale (for the count of 4) and exhale (for the count of 6). With each in breath imagine a soft calming energy entering your being, filling it with a soothing sense of peace. With each exhale, relax your muscles, breathing out any tension and worries you may be holding. Try exhaling through your mouth, as this will facilitate a 'sigh' style of relaxation.

Take your attention to the very centre of your being, and see a golden ball of energy there glowing brightly. Here is the source of all that you need to know, and all that you need to feel and experience. It is made up entirely of love. If you are ever needing guidance or needing to feel loved, supported or nurtured this is where you can go. See this golden energy grow, filling your entire being with its light. See this light expand out, filling your environment, town, country, the earth and the entire universe with its glowing energy. Allow it to radiate whatever you most desire to feel in this moment; eg. love, warmth, peace, calm, vibrancy, vitality, joy. Immerse yourself in feeling. Staying with this feeling bring your focus back to your centre and open your eyes. Take this feeling with you into the day, re-connecting with it whenever you need to.