Stressed? Why Not Meditate?

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Meditation really is one of the best ways to just "get away" when you can't jump on a plane and escape to Tahiti. I've always been a type-A personality, so as a result I've been intrigued by ways to take a break, relax, and center myself. As a law student, I found it even more important to take mental breaks and just simply tune out, rather than constantly "being on" and buzzing around from assignment to assignment without a real rest. I know some of you may also be thinking about the benefits of meditation, but you're not sure how to get into it. Here is some advice on how to incorporate meditation into your everyday life: (excerpt below courtesy of Mayoclinic.com in an article entitled "Meditation: Take a stress-reduction break wherever you are")

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Everyday ways to practice meditation
Here are some ways you can practice meditation on your own, whenever you choose. Take a few minutes or as much time as you like.

Breathe deeply. This technique is good for beginners because breathing is a natural function. Focus all attention on your breathing. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you inhale and exhale through your nostrils. Breathe deeply and slowly. When you feel your attention wander, gently return your focus to your breathing.

Scan your body. When using this technique, focus attention on different parts of your body. Become aware of your body's various sensations, whether that's pain, tension, warmth or relaxation. Combine body scanning with breathing exercises and imagine breathing heat or relaxation into and out of different parts of your body.

Repeat a sacred name or phrase. A mantra is the name of a sacred deity or a sacred phrase that you repeat silently or aloud. You can create your own mantra. Mantras are the building blocks of transcendental meditation. Examples of religious mantras include a Jesus prayer in the Christian tradition, the holy name of God in Judaism, or the Om mantra of Hinduism, Buddhism and other Eastern religions.

Walking meditation. Combining a walk with meditation is an efficient and healthy way to relax. You can use this technique anywhere you're walking — in a tranquil forest, on a city sidewalk or at the mall. When you use this method, slow down the pace of walking so that you can focus on each movement of your legs or feet. Don't focus on a particular destination. Concentrate on your legs and feet, repeating action words in your mind such as lifting, moving and placing as you lift each foot, move your leg forward and place your foot on the ground.

Engage in prayer. Prayer is the best known and most widely practiced example of meditation. Spoken and written prayers are found in most faith traditions. You can pray using your own words or read prayers written by others. Check the self-help or 12-step-recovery section of your local bookstore for examples. Talk with your rabbi, priest, pastor or other spiritual leader about resources.

Read or listen and take time to reflect. Many people report that they benefit from reading poems or sacred texts silently or aloud, and taking a few moments to quietly reflect on the meaning that the words bring to mind. You can listen to sacred music, spoken words or any music you find relaxing or inspiring. You may want to write your reflections in a journal or discuss them with a friend or spiritual leader.

Focus your love and gratitude. In this type of meditation, you focus your attention on a sacred object or being, weaving feelings of love and gratitude into your thoughts. You can also close your eyes and use your imagination or gaze at representations of the object.
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Just a note: I would encourage you to really think about the time of day when you can take some time to yourself to practice meditation and find out which meditation style works best for you. Even if you have to wake up a half hour earlier in the mornings, or turn off late night television and instead practice meditation, you will definitely feel the mental/psychological benefits after incorporating it into your daily lifestyle.