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Relax Into Health
Wayne McDonald
Copyright 2005 Wayne McDonald
I’d like to share a little secret about relaxation techniques for athletes (or
health-minded people that workout) and anyone that wants to feel more focused,
calm, healthy and peaceful.
But first, let’s define relaxation techniques, or more specifically, meditation.
To begin, it’s not necessary to be a Zen master to learn meditation. Anyone can
jump-in at any time and start meditating. You should put any expectations aside;
do not try to force the outcome; don’t try to over-analyze "what meditation is";
and in general, just turn-off the brain and be in the moment. When meditating it
is not necessary to blank out your mind or chase thoughts away. You’ll learn
that as you progress with meditation, your mind will become quieter. Sit
comfortably, with your spine reasonably straight. You can rest against a chair,
a wall or headboard. Your hands can rest comfortably at your side or on your
lap. Your legs can also be in any comfortable position (crossing them or any
complicated pretzel position is not necessary). Overall, allow your body to sit
comfortably so your body-mind-spirit can be open to relax.
There are different types of meditations that you can use in your daily
practice. Here are a few:
* Mindfulness - A process focusing on physical sensations and being
present of the moment. It is being attentive to the sensory information entering
your mind through your five senses. Beneficial to athletes, people in body pain
or someone with a health challenge, dieters and overall for body awareness.
* Visualization - This process creates in the mind specific places or
situations, such as a green forest or the calming waves of the ocean. This can
be used for goal setting or for quieting the mind.
* Breath mediation - A process focusing on the rhythm of breathing.
* Walking meditation - This Zen Buddhist form of meditation focuses on
the sensation of the feet against the ground. Some people have discovered its
benefits without realizing it was meditative. Pacing back and forth can be very
calming on the mind.
This next meditation I strongly recommend learning first. In fact, I do a
"sandwich" - I start with grounding then one of the meditations listed above and
end my meditation practice with grounding.
Grounding - This process is being fully present mentally and emotionally
and will help you feel more centered and focused. Practicing grounding will put
you in control of your environment and focus your energies in your daily
routine. Anyone learning meditation for the first time will gain great benefits
by practicing grounding on a daily basis.
The Tree Meditation is the simplest exercise to feel more relaxed and
energized. Yes, you can actually experience both of these at the same time!
Familiarize yourself with this meditation by reading it two or three times and
then begin. If you want, you can set a timer for ten minutes.
* Close your eyes and breathe in calmly. Each breath, imagine sipping air with a
straw.
* Breathe in --- slow --- and relaxed.
* Imagine a beautiful, majestic tree. As you think of this tree, breathing in
more relaxed, imagine YOU are the tree. With each calming breath your spine
lengthens. See your body as the trunk of the tree; and as you continue breathing
down from your head to your spine, down to your hips ---continue breathing down,
feeling more relaxed and calm; down your legs --- your feet ---supporting you
like the trunk of the tree.
* As you continue breathing, imagine healthy strong roots extending from the
bottom of your feet. Your roots extend deep into Mother Earth, anchoring your
body. You’re healthy-whole-and complete; fully supported as you breathe deep
into the earth. You are a beautiful tree; you feel strong, solid and fully
grounded where you are.
* Continue relaxing and breathing. When you are ready, come back to the present
--- alert, confident and fully energized.
The last type of meditation is Transcendental. This is a specific type of
meditation that must be learned from a certified teacher of the Transcendental
Meditation program. Introduced in the late 1950s, this meditation focuses on a
mantra (a sound, word or phrase that is repeated over and over, either aloud, as
a chant or silently).
Studies of relaxation techniques have shown overall improvements of the
body-mind connection for athletes and many health benefits for individuals.
Taking the time to meditate and quiet our mind gives us the time to pause in our
daily lives. It is the greatest power we hold, to be in the moment, alive and
aware of our surroundings and our body. Relaxation gives us time to better
organize our day, focus our energy and work more efficiently.
Start your meditation practice in the morning for ten to fifteen minutes. Many
of the types of meditations - Grounding, Mindfulness, Visualization, Breath,
Walking or Transcendental - can be done at home, work or out-and-about. There
are hundreds of meditations to match the needs of the individual or to meet a
specific purpose. You can find meditations online, in books, on CD and by taking
a class. Over time you will have increased self-esteem and self-confidence;
greater creativity; a greater ability to problem solve; and a more calming
effect on your surroundings and the people you interact with.
Wayne McDonald is the author of "Relax Into Health" - a comprehensive guide to
completely relax your body in five minutes. He is the founder of http://www.HolisticWebDirectory.com
- an on-line health directory of complementary health care professionals. For
more health articles, signup for the monthly Health Newsletter. Send an email to
submit-ezine@aweber.com
This article is reprinted with permission from www.WritingCareer.com |
