meditation to relieve stress
Meditation is a technique that has been used for thousands of years to bring a sense of calm and well-being to those who practice it. If practiced correctly, it can bring clarity of thought and inner harmony.
Meditation for stress relief and relaxation is most effectively done by sitting in a quiet, clean space. Stilling the mind, concentrating on the breath, and eliminating thoughts as they arise are common techniques.
Some people like to visualize something as they focus; others seek to clear their minds entirely.
Take some quiet time for yourself
It can be hard to find a quiet corner to spend a few moments during the day, but it’s actually vital for our overall health. This is where meditation can become a useful tool and your new best friend. It may be hard to turn off all your electronics and “unplug” them if you want to, for a while, but it’s important that you do.
Even well-meaning co-workers and family members can overwhelm you with constant chatter, leaving your own mind with no ‘free’ time. Not having to listen to the constant barrage of noise from voices, music, traffic, animals, etc. it can be truly liberating. During meditation, stress hormones and cortisol levels decrease and a sense of calm is induced.
We have become so addicted to our radios, televisions, tablets, and smartphones, that for most of the day, our brains are anything but calm and quiet. It’s no wonder so many people have become addicted to their medications and drugs of choice. Wouldn’t the world be more productive, relaxed and interesting if people were addicted to meditation?
Focus energy on a single point
Start by concentrating on a single idea or word when you practice stress relief meditation. Some prefer to focus on a sound or visualize an image. It is important that the place where you decide to practice is neat, clean and uncluttered for maximum benefits. It is best to sit with your eyes closed, in the middle of a quiet and clean place.
Trying to clear your mind and release thoughts as soon as they enter, if they don’t align with your focus, can be tricky at first. It is common for people to feel frustrated when they begin to meditate, thinking that it will be easy to quiet their mind, only to discover that numerous thoughts fly in and out of seemingly nowhere and unrelated. This is normal.
We spend most of our day on autopilot and processing so much information simultaneously; trying to focus on one thing for an extended period of time can seem difficult.
Our poor minds, which are usually under constant bombardment, see this quiet moment as an opportunity to think about things you haven’t had time to think about before. With practice, your mind will trust you to give it a “quiet moment” in the future and allow you to quiet your thoughts.
Stick with the practice and congratulate yourself for every extra minute you do! Once you master this wonderful practice, you can really exert more control over your stress symptoms.