As you find yourself wanting to relax during this hectic holiday season, then realize you forgot the gift wrap, don’t stress! It happens to the best of us. There are a lot of ways to stay calm during the holidays. Yoga can help free the mind of worrisome with a relaxing meditation.
Learning the art of ‘Relaxation’ during the holiday can greatly reduce stress levels. Sometimes we find that creating a peace with ones self can be difficult when your mind is worried about other things. There are several types of relaxing meditations you can start before moving into yoga postures.
They are quick and can be done in several minutes or longer depending on how comfortable you get. The longer you meditate the more stress you release.
‘It is better to learn the art and skill of directly relaxing than to merely distract the mind.’
It is best to maintain breath awareness as you do the practices. You will come to experience the way in which breath is a manifestation of energy, and how that energy flows throughout your being.
- First, tense all of the muscles of the face, including forehead, cheeks, mouth, and upper neck. Then release with full awareness. You will notice the relaxation.
- Gently roll the head from side to side, with awareness of the tightening muscles, and the feeling of release.
- Tighten the shoulders, pulling them upwards and forwards. Then release.
- Tense the entire right arm, from the shoulder down through the fingers. Do this without making a fist or lifting your arm off of the floor. Allow your attention to be deep inside the arm, not just on the surface. Then release slowly, with awareness.
- Tense the left arm in the same way, and observe the release.
- Gently tense the muscles of the chest and the abdomen, while continuing to breathe without holding the breath. Then release.
- Tense and release the right hips and the buttocks.
- Tense and release the right leg, down through the feet and toes in the same way that the right arm was tensed and released.
- Tense and release the left hips and buttocks.
- Tense and release the left leg.
- While no longer tensing any muscles, allow your attention to drift back up through the legs, through the abdomen and chest, through the arms, and back to the face.
This method of relaxation can be repeated depending on how you feel after the first time. It’s best to practice breathing while doing any type of meditation, and when your worried about shopping or food these breathing technics will help you to stay calm and relaxed.
