There are highly effective meditations to de-stress from your fast paced, sometimes complicated lifestyle and you can practice them at home for just 3 minutes a day. As a matter of fact it is quicker to clean your mind than it is to clean your home! Sounds good right? The American Psychological Association’s annual survey on stress has been running for over a decade now, revealing that stress levels are steadily on the rise, reaching an all time high in 2017. Calculated from 5 avenues of questioning around work, money, violent crime, politics and the future of the nation, an average of 59 percent of Americans are feeling the effects of excess stress, believing America to have hit its lowest point in history. Health Care was flagged as the top concern by 43 percent of Americans when asked what specific issues were their main stressors. That’s a lot of worry to have cluttering your thoughts! So, it makes sense to make time for ourselves and to do what we can, when we can to unwind and nourish our mind, physical body and spirit. Societal pressures derail us from our true path, disconnecting us from our divine selves, so how can we release ourselves from this pressure to realise our infinite power? Meditation is a tried and tested method to bridge the gap to one’s subconscious mind, providing sweet relief from the information overload our brains are flooded with each day and is a top technique to ease inner tensions and conflicts.

The following meditations are targeted specifically to relieve your stress and we are tremendously grateful for this opportunity to share them with you so you may clear your mind and drop all that unnecessary, excess baggage, ultimately overcoming inner turmoil and unlocking the gateway to your higher self.

All of these meditations can be performed in sukhasana (easy pose) by sitting with a straight spine, chest out, chin in, and your legs crossed. Begin each meditation by tuning in, placing the palms together at the heart centre, repeating the Adi Mantra “Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo” 3 times. At the end of the meditation to finish, chant Sat Nam 3 times, lengthening the pronunciation of the vowels so that it sounds like Saat Naaaam. Ready? Let’s relax right on down into this!

The 8 Stroke Breath –

This pranayam meditation can be an everyday practic, ideal in the evening.

Concentrating on counting your breath brings focus to and anchors you during this practice. It’s simplicity and effectiveness are due to its energy boosting and stress relief qualities working on both prana  – life force energy and apana – eliminating force, to achieve a beautifully balanced mental state. When you first begin learning this practice you can start at 3 minutes a day building to 11 minutes as your confidence builds.

• Sit comfortably in sukhasana.
• Close your eyes, focus on your breath.
• Inhale 8 consecutive times in equal breaths then exhale deeply and powerfully.
• Repeat this breath cycle for 3 minutes.
• To close the pranayama you must inhale deeply and hold onto your breath for 5 to 10 seconds then exhale.
• Again, inhale deeply but this time hold the breath for 15 to 20 seconds whilst rolling your shoulders.
• Exhale with gusto then inhale with strength, holding the breath for 15 to 20 seconds whilst rolling your shoulders as quickly as you can.
• Finally close with with Saat Naaaam, then take time for yourself, be still and feel the calm relaxation wash over you.

Pranayam Cleansing Meditation –

For detoxification of the mind and boosting of the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the rest and digest system, this meditation will gently slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure with the added benefit of boosting your digestive function. What a way to de-stress! Begin with 3 minutes of practice building to 11 minutes when you feel ready.

• Begin in sukhasana or easy pose, palms together at the heart centre and repeat the Adi Mantra
• For the positioning of your hands, known as Mudra, keep your palms together and interweave all your fingers except for the ring fingers. The ring fingers should now be pointing upwards, bend them down so that they curl inwards then cross them so that the pads on the end of the fingers are pressed against one another.
• Squeeze your palms together,  gently pressing your elbows into the sides of your body.
• Inhale 4 times in equal parts and as you do so mentally chant So So So So using one So for each inhalation.
• Exhale 4 times in equal parts and as you do so mentally chant Hang Hang Hang Hang (pronounced as Hung) using one Hung for each exhalation.
• Again, close by chanting a long voweled Saat Naaaam 3 times and relax until you feel ready to rise again. It really is as simple as that!

 

Meditation to Tranquilize the Mind –

Focused on taking back the control of your mind which you may have subconsciously and unwillingly relinquished, the beauty of this meditation lies in its incomplex approach to stress relief. The mudra for this practice is known as “The mudra which pleases the mind” so let’s take 3 minutes out of our days to go get ourselves some of those wholesome, self-loving vibrations.

• Settle yourself once again into sukhasana, remembering to keep a straight spine and for this particular meditation gently lock your neck.
• Bring your hands to heart centre, holding your elbows bent almost to the height of your hands.
• Form the mudra which pleases the mind by slowly bringing the palms together then curling all of the fingers over to rest against each other on the second joint so that the palms no more lie flat against one another and are open. The middle fingers and thumb are the exception and are extended straight with the opposing fingertips pressed together.
• Point the thumbs towards the heart centre.
• Close the eyes, focusing them towards the tip of your nose.
• Inhale long and deep the hold onto the breath and as you hold that breath, mentally chant a simple mantra between 11 and 21 times. Sat Nam is a great choice for beginners.
• Exhale and repeat the mental chanting of your chosen mantra for the same amount of repetitions as you chose for the inhalation
• Finish up  by chanting Saat Naaaam 3 times and again, rest, recalibrate and relax.

Regular practice of these techniques will positively impact your stress response making it more easily manageable. Pranayam breathing reduces the production of cortisol (aka the stress hormone) and cleanses the body of toxins, balancing brain chemistry by causing and aiding the production of serotonin (which regulates anxiety, happiness and mood) and melatonin (known as the sleep hormone) as well as stabilising other brain chemicals and hormones.

With that in mind we hope that through the practice of these meditations you begin to feel more emotionally even, experience some inner peace and get a great night’s sleep! Sat Nam.