7 anti-stress meditations for any time of the day

I woke up this morning and before I set foot on the floor I had already organized breakfast for the children, talked to my partner, written part of the report and made the shopping list. With that i missed things such as: waking up and feeling my body wake up, saying good morning to my husband in an affectionate way or feeling the joy of waking up to a new day.

we live life too worried for the things we have to do. It seems that time is short and the mind is busy with constant worries and chores. Sometimes we even think about something repetitively, giving rise to thought loops that trap us and prevent us from thinking about really useful things.

For many centuries, the meditation techniques They provide solutions to everyday nonsense. These solutions involve exercising, they are training.

In recent years, scientific studies have shown that some of these techniques, extracted from their spiritual context, are very effective in combating stress and anxiety.

He mindfulness or full attention is based on these studies and proposes the use of various exercises in daily life. If you want to start practicing it, Escuela Cuerpomente offers you a 100% online training so you can practice mindfulness from home with guaranteed results.

Mindfulness to live calmer

Zen has always stressed that it is necessary live life from another point of view, more integrated. Now we know scientifically how right his instructions are.

One of the secrets to living calmer and with less stress is Live more in the present moment. Surely you remember a moment in which you have been concentrating on an activity. I mean really concentrated, without feeling the time pass.

The experience is very nice. Everything flows, you feel good, comfortable with what you do, even if it is difficult. Your internal energy is focused on one goal.

At those moments there is no dispersion. What you do relaxes you or, rather, you don’t stress about doing it. It can be reading an exciting book, DIY, gardening or any activity you like. You must learn to amplify this experience to get the most out of every day. This is what he teaches mindfulness applied to relieve stress.

To do this, it is convenient to look for daily moments in which to train yourself to feel what you already feel spontaneously in those moments of concentration. It is important to keep stress low so that it is not harmful to health. Stress is one of the biggest causes of suffering and it is at the root of many psychophysical problems.

We are going to see how to perform some daily exercises that help to be more serene and reduce stress.

Brief meditations to overcome stress

I propose two types of exercises. Some to do at any time of the day: you decide when. Others, associated with daily activities.

The first ones are for you to use whenever you can and integrate them into your day to day, as much as you need. The second ones are for you to take advantage of moments that seem banal to you and make the most of them.

1. Let the thoughts pass

sit for two or three minutes to see what happens in your mind. Surely what you see will upset you, since there are usually many thoughts jumping wildly and without control…

Don’t despair or get angry. Look at them fondly. Like naughty children. Do not judge yourself or enter to analyze the content. Train yourself to look without participating…

For example, you detect that you are thinking about what you should say to your boss, so take a deep breath and do not build the conversation! relax and let the thought pass. Soon another will appear, for example, that you have to buy things for dinner. Do the same: do not start writing the shopping list. Take a deep breath and let it pass, without narrating or adding anything. Acknowledge it and let go.

This is one powerful technique to calm the mind, although it takes practice. In Zen we say that it is seeing thoughts as passing clouds. Cheer up! Worth the effort.

2. Breathe

It seems little stop to breathe… you are breathing all day! But that is precisely why I propose it to you. You do it automatically and, many times, superficially.

Take a few moments to make some deep breaths, three or four. Then, simply, feel your breath, the air that goes in and out, just like that, without wanting to do anything with it…enjoying the fact of being alive and breathing. Enjoy the sway of her movement. Without judging if you breathe well or badly, without wanting to follow any technique. Feel that your whole body is breathing.

This exercise helps controlling stress. When you feel comfortable doing it, it will be your great ally. You can use it before a meeting, when your daughter spills the puree on the carpet, when your date is late… It is useful in many circumstances. Thereto!

3. Go slow

I already know it. You are in a hurry and many things to do. But surely nothing bad will happen if you give yourself a few minutes of Slow march. Just slow down your march. If you were walking at speed 10, go to 6; if you dare, to 4. For three minutes taste your walk.

feel the movement the rhythm, your own cadence. Notice your footsteps on the ground and the air on your face, or the sun, or the cold, or whatever you feel at that moment, but feel. To walk slowly is to reconnect with the earth and with the sky, it is to be present again in your gesture.

you can do this exercise on any occasionas long as you remember. When you have practice, you will be able to use it at key moments, when you are heading to something important.

4. Before you get up

When you wake up, either naturally or with the alarm clock, take three minutes before you get up. Lie on your back, feeling the sheets and your body resting comfortably on the bed. Take several deep breaths, exhaling completely, holding nothing back.

Don’t think about what you have to do during the day, don’t let any thought steal this moment from you. Just breathe. Feel your body very alive. Thank life for the possibility of living this new day. Smile.

5. When brushing your teeth

You do it automatically every day several times. However, it is very important for your health and well-being. Why not do it with conscience and enjoying?

Brushing your teeth starts when you pick up the brush and put toothpaste on it. Breathe. Feel the brush in your hand. Put the necessary toothpaste, no more, no less. Breathe. Feel the brush in your mouth. Breathe. Feel your movements and each of your teeth and teeth. Don’t hurry take the time to take care of yourself and take care of your mouth.

Also brush the tongue, gently. Notice how you feel. Breathe. The taste of the pasta, the foam that has formed, your gums, your tongue. It is a world of sensations. Rinse carefully. Breathe. Feel the freshness of the water, and the freshness of your clean mouth. Breathe. As you do this exercise, don’t let your thoughts take you somewhere else beyond your mouth and toothbrush. Feel… and breathe.

6. Eat carefully

Take a tangerine in your hands and close your eyes. Feel its texture and weight. Peel it without opening your eyes. Note how the skin comes out and the texture of its interior emerges. Smell it. Separate a segment, feel it. Notice how in your mouth you have to bite into it to release the juice.

Chew calmly savor. Eat each segment letting you be surprised each time by its flavor.

7. Taking off your shoes

You come home after a long day and you want free your feet from shoes. Don’t do it anyway. Take the time to look at your feet with your shoes on. She takes a shoe with her hand and take it off. Feel the release. Do the same with the other.

The shoes have accompanied you all day: guard them with respect. Sit down and gently massage each foot. Breathing deeply, resting the plants, welcoming them in your hands and giving you love. Thank your feet for supporting you during the day and allowing you to walk. Five minutes will be enough for everything and you can put on your shoes knowing that your work day is really over.