Stress resiliancy - moving meditation as a way to control stress

Stress resiliancy - moving meditation as a way to control stress

Stress is a response to actual or perceived danger. It is a series of hormonal and chemical responses intended to get us moving and create memories that will help us make quick decisions about dangerous situations in the future. When the danger is real, this response is protective. When the danger is perceived, especially for long periods as in an economic recession threatening your job, the response is not beneficial. It is the response to perceived danger that we want to control or at least significantly lessen.

Meditation is usually thought of as something we do in the quiet of our home or in a special secluded place. It is mainly perceived to be an altered state of consciousness that takes years of practice to become proficient. This may in part be true but because of resistance to trying meditation few people from Western countries take advantage of the principles of meditation.

While meditation can be a spiritual practice, it can also be an effective tool for stress reduction. I want to introduce you to 3 practices that can help you to reduce your level of stress and improve your health.

The first thing I want you to learn is a breathing practice. This one thing can be the most effective at immediately reducing muscle tension and stopping a stress response. It should be done throughout the day. This is done by stopping what you are doing, so you need to be able to take a break initially. I focused on something that helped me breathe in deep and blow out long. I imagined feathers floating into my face, like snow flakes, falling down and tickling and itching my face. If I just take a deep breath and blow it all out three times I can keep them off of my face. Stop and try this one now. Take a deep breath from your abdomen. As you breathe in your abdomen protrudes out. When you contract the abdominal muscles slowly and steadily, you blow the air out of your lungs. Do this three consecutive times.

The second practice is drinking water. Simply drink some water from a bottle just before you do the breathing practice. Your mind will associate taking a drink of water with relaxation. Even if you can not stop physically or mentally you will relax more and be better able to send the relaxation message to all parts of your body more quickly if you are well hydrated.

The third thing is a more vigorous movement that you may find helpful first thing in the morning and right after work to help you let go and relax. This one takes 7 minutes the way I will explain it. You need some music that you like for the last 3 minutes. First, shake you head, arms and legs. It can be gentle or vigorous. Imagine that the stress is something you have on you that you want off NOW! Shake it off. Use a timer and do this for 1-2 minutes. After your shaking time is over, stand perfectly still and breathe into your abdomen slowly and blow out through your mouth but don't move. Stand still and breathe. After one or two minutes of stillness, put on the music (just what you like - fast or slow) and dance. Don't think, don't analyze, just dance for 3 straight minutes. You can do 60's free style, any thing that makes you feel good but no dance moves. Just freely dance. Dance away from stress, away from fear, away from fatigue. After three minutes, drink some water, take a couple of deep breathes and get on with living.

Source :
Bruce Bair
Raleigh Disease Prevention Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/x-15564-Raleigh-Disease-Prevention-Examiner~y2009m8d14-Stress-resiliancy--moving-meditation-as-a-way-to-control-stress

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