Meditation....5 minutes a day can change your attitude, your outlook...and your life!

If you take a few minutes each day to meditate, it will make you happier &
more productive.....even at at work!
Here's 5 meditation techniques you can try.

1. Body Awareness Meditation (5–10 minutes) This meditation is relaxing and helps you to focus awareness on your body instead of the million other thoughts you have every day. It can be performed sitting or lying down.

• - Close your eyes -
• Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest, breath in and out naturally. Observe the belly and the chest rise and fall in response to the breath. Notice how you feel. Spend about one minute here.
• Relax your hands gently on your lap or beside you.
• Bring your awareness to your feet, and start to work your way up your legs, observing without judging.
• Continue up the back and to the shoulders. Notice any places of tension or discomfort. Take a deep breath and visualize any tension leaving the body. Do this as many times as needed.
• Go down each arm all the way, sensing the tips of your fingers.
• Continue going up the back of the neck and to the top of the head.
• Move your awareness to your face, relaxing your eyebrows, and releasing your jaw. Allow any tension to dissolve.
• Gently shift your awareness down to your torso, becoming aware of your organs, especially the heart, most often felt energetically in the middle of your chest. Take any deep breaths as needed.
• Now start to become aware of the body as a whole for 5 deep relaxing breaths.
• Slowly open your eyes and notice how you feel.

2.  So Hum Mantra Meditation
This is a calming mantra meditation that is accompanied by the breath. It can be performed in a seated position in whatever time you have available.

• Close your eyes and take a few deep, cleansing breaths.
• Start to repeat the mantra So Hum to yourself silently, slowly matching the rhythm of your breath to the mantra.
• As you inhale, silently repeat the word So.
• As you exhale, silently repeat the word Hum.
• Continue breathing slowly and aligning your mantra to your breath, being careful not to rush your breath if you notice your mantra speeding up.
• Each time you notice your mind wander, simply draw your attention back to the mantra So Hum.
• When your time is up, gently release your repetition of the mantra, taking a moment to sit quietly  before opening your eyes.             


• 3.  The 4-7-8 Breathing Meditation
• Close your eyes and take a few deep, cleansing breaths.
• Press the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth just above your top teeth, keeping your mouth slightly open.
• Exhale until you reach the bottom of the breath.
• Close your mouth and inhale through the nose for four counts.
• Hold your breath for seven counts.
• Exhale through the mouth for eight counts, keeping the tongue in place.Repeat four times. Eventually, you can work your way up to eight complete breaths.


• 4.  Mindful Eating Meditation  
• Next time you have lunch, rather than rushing through each bite, take time to savor your food. Notice the colors and aromas. Bring awareness to what it feels like to chew and swallow. You will naturally start to eat more slowly and notice the signals of your body telling you that you have had enough food, which helps to prevent overeating. In addition, eating when you are in a relaxed state, rather than in a state of stress and distraction, is better for your digestion, and ability to absorb the nutrients in your meal. Try focusing on being fully present as you eat. This type of meditation will help you to reset and enjoy the rest of your day without hunger.
  


• 5.  Walking Meditation (used our hiking yoga retreats)
  This is my favorite.....and use it every time I go for a long walk. Get outside for a refreshing walk! It’s a chance to go deep within yourself, start to let go of any stress, and replenish your energy. As you walk, bring awareness to your stride and your body’s motions. Notice how the earth feels underneath your feet. Look around and notice the trees, sky, and birds. Nature has the power to calm the mind and relax the body. Any time you can devote to walking outside is beneficial.
  
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  Meditation, no matter how short, will always be of great value to you. The benefits may start off as subtle at first, but the effect is cumulative, and soon you will notice a little spark of change. It will likely reduce stress in your life, increase your happiness, and trigger positive emotions.
  
  Meditation Can Change Your Brain so you can thrive in challenging environments with. It’s easy to become bogged down by work, but imagine if the load could be lightened, creativity flowed more easily, and projects were completed more quickly. Meditation is a catalyst that can make this a reality by literally changing your brain.
  
  Mindfulness and meditation are meant to help bring attention to awareness without judgment, resulting in feelings of peace and calm and creating a foundation for healing and transformation. These results offer some hope that your life has the potential for great change, especially when you are attempting to manage stress in the workplace.
  While the idea of pushing pause to meditate during the day may seem like an inefficient use of time, it can be some of the most valuable time you can take for yourself when you consider the benefits.
  When practiced daily, meditation has been shown to produce a wide range of benefits, both mental and physical. Studies have found that meditation can help:
  
  
• Improve focus and attention span
• Increase your compassion and responsiveness to other people
• Increase energy and productivity
• Decrease depression, anxiety, and stress
• Increased feelings of social connection 
  
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• Reference: The Chopra Center, 
  
• Rachelle Williams, Vedic Educator, 11/13, 2019                                                   
  

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