Major changes in the way we are expected to live everyday life, and the new reality of social distancing, has created an enormous amount of anxiety for Southern Tier families. In addition, the enormous amount of information being provided from an overwhelming number of sources, makes it all hard to escape. No matter your profession, your location, your family structure or your beliefs, you have been impacted.
A Good Morning America article published a week ago, quoted Dr. Jay Michaelson, to say “Meditation and mindfulness can be valuable allies in times like this…they don’t keep you free from disease. But meditation and mindfulness can help you be free-er from panic, more able to protect yourself, and more in touch with your own inner wisdom and resilience.”
If you haven’t tried meditation before, where do you begin? Keep it SIMPLE. Here are 8 tips for anxiety reducing meditation.
- Consistency is key in meditation. Even a few minutes daily is a great start. Decide how long you are going to dedicate to meditation before starting and stick with it!
- Find a quiet place and settle in a comfortable position that allows you to keep your back straight.
- Set aside swirling thoughts. Breathe. Embrace the feeling of being present.
- Recognize your physical presence as you breathe. Accept physical tensions and mental concerns. Acknowledge them with kindness and invite them to relax and release.
- Focus on the process of breathing. Feel the breath in your belly.
- Be aware of the ebb and flow. When you breathe in, be aware that you are breathing in. When you breathe out, be aware that you are breathing out.
- Mind wandering? Gently but firmly bring it back to the process of breathing.
- When ending your meditation session, relax, stretch, and enjoy the moment with gratefulness.
You have achieved mindfulness through meditation! You are ready to face the day with a renewed and refreshed mindset.
We recognize that this may not be a comfortable practice for the new meditator. With today’s anxieties and unknowns, we know that even a few minutes of mindful awareness through meditation will help you put things in perspective and reboot. Play around with the elements, be flexible and allow yourself the freedom to enjoy the journey.
Need further guidance for meditation, mindfulness and healthy living? Yoga Body Shop is working diligently to offer new resources to keep our yoga community healthy in this time of global crisis. Watch our Facebook page for updates. We will continue to be here when you need us most!