3 Easy Ways to Reduce Stress
Stress, America's #1 health problem, is a leading cause of major
illness. In fact, heart
disease, high blood pressure, and depression are just some
of the harmful effects of stress. Research has shown that releasing
stress and learning how to relax promotes a healthier, happier,
and more fulfilling life.
Here are 3 easy ways to reduce your stress fast.
1. Breathe Deeply Take 3 slow deep breaths. Taking the breath
from your diaphragm, through your nose, holding for about 2
seconds and then slowly exhaling through your mouth. Why slow
deep breaths? Because when we are under stress, we tense up,
constricting the oxygen to our body. Taking slow deep breaths
brings oxygen throughout our body resulting in feeling centered
and releasing stress. Giving your body much needed oxygen will
release tension and stress fast.
2. Meditate The purpose of meditation is to relax and to release
stress. Meditation allows the body to relax and permits a means
to release the "chatter" in your mind. It is important
for you to know that there is no right or wrong way to meditate.
Meditation is simply a form of concentration and focus; it is
a process that quiets the mind. Since much of our negative stress
is caused by our own thoughts, this is an especially useful
method.
Here are steps for a popular, quick, and easy guided mediation:
1. Get into a comfortable position and close your eyes.
2. Take 3 deep breaths.
3. Visualize all the stress in your mind and body as a cloud
of gray smoke. Allow this cloud to be released through the crown
of your head. Imagine the gray cloud floating into the sky and
disappearing. Feel the weight of the stress being releasing
out of your body and into the cloud. Allow your shoulders to
drop and continue until you have no more gray smoke or for about
10 minutes.
4. Imagine a healing white light that has surrounded your body.
Feel the warmth of this light and allow it to infiltrate your
body. Slowly open your eyes.
3. Try Hypnosis This technique involves sitting comfortably
with
your eyes closed while listening to suggestions. Hypnosis is
relaxation, focus, and suggestion. Using these three elements
your mind and body will enter into a deeply relaxed state that
gives you an overall sense of well being and tranquility.
Hypnosis is one of the oldest and most natural modes of healing
dating back to 1000 B.C. In 1958 the American Medical
Association approved the therapeutic use of hypnosis. This
brought mainstream recognition that hypnotherapy was a valid
and
legitimate form of healing. During this time hypnotherapy was
respected and accepted in America.
Meditation & Guided Imagery are techniques that use the
natural
power of the mind in creating what you want in life. Einstein
estimated that we only use 10% of our brains. In practicing
Meditation and Guided Imagery, we have access to the other 90%.
Since thoughts are one of the most powerful possessions we can
have, it is important to keep the thoughts and images positive.
Meditation and Guided Imagery works because the Physical
Universe is energy, this energy is vibrating at different
speeds. Energy is magnetic causing similar thoughts to attract
other similar thoughts. What we dwell on, we will attract.
Thoughts and ideas are high vibrating forms of energy and are
very powerful. Form then follows ideas. This is the reason that
thoughts and ideas in Meditation and Guided Imagery particularly
must be in a positive form.
Here are some steps to make Meditation and Hypnosis more
effective.
1. Desire- You must have the desire to make a positive change
in your life.
2. Belief- You must believe in the power of the mind.
3. Acceptance- You must accept the process of Meditation and
Hypnotherapy including the results.
4. Set you goal- Decide on what you want and be committed to
it.
5. Create a Clear Idea or Picture- Create the vision in your
imagination and make it clear. 6. Focus on it often- Keep the
images of your goal in your mind as often as possible.
7. Give it Positive Energy- Keep your frame of mind and thoughts
positive.
8. Look For the Positive Changes- Look for the subtle ways Meditation
and Hypnosis are changing your life, and believe in the magic
of life!
About the author: Marla Sloane Ph.D. is a successful author
and speaker. You can visit her web site at: www.marlasloane.com
