Let’s Breathe Together
It’s been a rough few weeks, right?
It seems like we could all use some reminders about how to take care of our mental health - especially now that we survived the election, and the holidays are also approaching.
For many of us, that thought alone may be stressful. You may have children for whom to buy presents, family traveling in from out of town, you may be traveling, you may be seeing family members who are not your favorite people.
Whatever the reason, a time that commercials tell us should be peaceful and joyous can sometimes feel anything but.
So what can we do to make sure holiday stress doesn’t defeat us and we find some of that often-advertised peace? One option is meditation.
Mediation gives us space to step back from our stressful thoughts. By practicing meditation, we may not be able to find peace with that uncle who drinks too much wine and shouts about politics at dinner - but we can find peace within ourselves and not let the outside stressors overwhelm us or steal our joy.
The core of mindful meditation is a straightforward process. We know the holidays are busy so here is a five-minute practice:
+ Sit comfortably but erect - you can do this in the “traditional” crossed-leg position or on a comfortable chair.
+ Focus on your breath. You can close your eyes, or simply focus the gaze down on a spot in front of you.
+ Take ten breaths to calm your mind and when your mind begins to wander, bring it back to the breath. If you need a little more focus, place one hand on your stomach and feel the rise and fall as you slowly breathe in and out.
If ten breaths is not enough, feel free to go up to twenty. It may also be helpful to listen to some soothing music (that doesn’t contain lyrics) as you breathe. An Alexa or Google home device often has pleasant, relaxing options if you ask for “spa music.”
By starting our meditation practice now, when the challenging holiday situation arises, we will easily be able to move into the headspace that keeps us calm, relaxed, and enjoying the moment. By transforming our mind and focusing on the fun and pleasant aspects of the holidays, we can “re-train” ourselves to not be stressed by the holidays, but actually look forward to them.