Take a deep cleansing breath and hold it for a few seconds then slowly exhale.
Taking a deep breath to refresh and refocus is a natural meditation most of us do already. We can get further the benefits by doing it more often as a stress preventative.
Wash your hands, feel the temperature and wetness on your hands. Feel the texture and slipperiness of the soap, let your fingers dangle in the water for a second after rinsing. Notice how calm your mind is.
This works by taking up your full attention and temporarily distracting you from your auto-pilot mental habits.
A quiet walk on the Oregon Coast beach is the perfect way to start the day. When I am there, I do it. When I am not, at home and far from the beach, I let my mind take my footsteps there.
When you find yourself next to a lake that is so tranquil and still that the mountains are reflected in it, then you are in a place where you, yourself can be reflective. Deep, concentrated thought is so much easier when the surroundings are quiet.
Expand your visual focus to include peripheral vision on both left and right sides and maintain your awareness over the full 180 degrees for 10 seconds. Stop and notice how calm your mind is.
This works by saturating our awareness and eliminating distraction, including thinking.
On the bay, they were far enough away from the city to escape the noise and bustle, but close enough to watch its endless activity. It was a good perspective, one that allowed them to observe without being distracted.
Sunlight streams through the window and gently brushes across the petals of the roses. In the background, through the window, the leafless bush is a clue that -- though the morning is replete with sunlight, the season is winter. Warmth, in the midst of cold.
The sound of the river's current was soft yet insistent -- it was always in the background, but if it weren't there, she would notice. It was the perfect auditory backdrop for gentle thinking, a form of white noise that wasn't noise at all.
As I age, I become less and less a fan of unnecessary complexity and chaos. A single candle & a quiet space have an awful lot to offer. Magic for people who don’t believe in magic. Magic for those of us who do. Bringing actual little physical fires to your thoughts is such a beautiful thing.
The rich blue of an autumn blue sky reflects upon the surface of the river, interspersed with reflections from the bank -- the oranges and reds and golds of the season's colors. It's quiet here, contemplative, calm. Just the place to stay awhile.
On a warm summer day, she grabbed her book and headed to the park. In a quiet, isolated spot, she lay down in the grass and spent hours absorbed in a world of interest and intrigue, one that inspired thought and wonder, and not fear.
A lone tree grows strong and sturdy on a windswept hillside, overlooking the valley below. All of us, within our lives, are given an opportunity to be that lone tree. Some take it. Some don't.
Look around you and notice the space in the room and be the space.
Notice how the space is there no matter what furniture and other items might be in it…the space is still there, unaffected. Be the space.
You are the space and our thoughts are like items in the space. They exist, but don’t effect the space which goes endlessly beyond the room in all directions. Be the space.
Close your eyes and slowly count down 3, 2, 1, and relax the muscles in your neck and shoulders. Repeat this three times.
We tend to tense up our shoulders and neck when we feel stressed or anxious. Purposely relaxing those muscles releases tension and stress or anxiety that caused us to tense up. Counting down slowly slows the mind, making it easier to relax.
Take a deep cleansing breath and hold it for a few seconds then slowly exhale.
Taking a deep breath to refresh and refocus is a natural meditation most of us do already. We can get further the benefits by doing it more often as a stress preventative.