Breathe Your Stress Away

Years ago when "Stress Management" was a hot topic that few people were addressing in training and workshop events, I taught a 4-week course on the subject in a college evening course. In this program, I suggested many different ideas and practices to help participants to be more calm and relaxed.

I led groups in what I then called "relaxation techniques." An important aspect of all my relaxation techniques and guided meditations is breathing. In those days, I made the suggestion (as I have thousands of times since then) to practice focused, intentional breathing, three to more times a day, for three to five breaths. When counting, I consider one breath is composed of an in-breath and an out-breath.

The hardest part of this exercise is remembering to do it! It’s so easy. There’s nothing to buy or carry around. There’s no special place to arrive at or proper clothing to select. You can even do it secretly right in front of others.

I suggest you identify some activity that serves as a reminder to do the exercise — waiting at stop lights, riding elevators, answering phones, and other regular activities you’re already doing.

In one course in those early Stress Management workshop days, I had about 20 participants who were eager, responsive, and mostly stressed. They had come to the right place! I made the suggestion about using the focused, intentional breathing exercise at the first class. I also led them through some intentional breathing so that they would have a direct experience for themselves and to discuss with classmates.

I noticed that one man didn’t return after the first class. He had seemed so eager and responsive, that it seemed unusual. To the surprise of both of us, we rendezvoused unexpectedly months later — in an elevator. He expressed appreciation beyond what I might have expected for the one class he attended.

He explained that he put the focused, intentional breathing exercise to use beginning the next day. He said "that was what I enrolled in the class to learn, and I learned it! I knew I would enjoy the rest of the class, but with my very heavy schedule, I decided that finding something that worked so effectively could not be topped."

So, breathe. Breathe intentionally, one in-breath followed by one out-breath. And then do it again. And again.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES. I have gathered together a list of helpful resources to support you in your meditation practice. At different times, you might be interested in different resources, so check in frequently for Meditation CDs, ebooks, courses, etc. at Meditation Resources.

Finding the Balance in Your Breath gives you the relaxing break you
need to regain your balance and enhance
your personal development and success.

You will discover how, with practice, you can find your balance,
especially in your breath. You can learn through experience how it
feels to lift yourself up or calm yourself down by focusing fully on
your breath. When you listen to this guided meditation regularly,
you’ll more easily and naturally experience balance, peace,
strength, and fulfillment throughout your daily life.

This guided meditation is available at my web site in mp3 format,
and in CD format at Amazon.com.

Time for Time

Time and Perception of Time. I became intrigued with the concept of time as a child. At a young age, the intrigue was more precisely with the "perception of time." That is, my view of history class was that it lasted much longer than my arithmetic class, even though both classes were allotted the same amount of time by the clock. (You guessed it, I was bored with history and loved math.)

Observing Myself in Time. I didn’t know how or who to ask for information about what I was perceiving, so I observed quietly. I found that in my "bored" moments, I made very good use of my time. I let ideas flow, solved problems in math, created plots for short stories, and entertained myself with my imagination.

Time and Not Enough Time. Over the last few years the concept of "not enough time" has intensified for most active people. The old "time management" response to complaints of not having enough time was "you have all the time there is." Now I’ve come to realize this is more than a cute reminder to be responsible for effective use of time. It now means to me that we have ALL the time there is RIGHT NOW, a constant now. Now is the only time.

Now is the Only Time we Experience. Only right now can we feel feelings or have experiences of any sort. We can remember the past (that is, in the present, we can remember the past ) and we can imagine the future (that is, in the present, we can imagine the future). The past was once the present; the future will some day be the present. For now, there is only the present.

Time and Timelessness. When I became a regular meditator more than thirty years ago, I was intrigued with time or the perception of time from another facet. My meditation sensitized me still further to awareness of time by the clock while paradoxically tapping me into the consciousness of timelessness. I experience this time/timelessness phenomenon in a powerful way when facilitating guided visualizations and energy work with clients or groups. In timelessness consciousness, healing happens. It is deeply transformative because the beliefs about the limitations of clock-time are not operating.

Being Present in Time. My life style these days is filled with a wide variety of demands on my time. I thrive on the variety. Often, I work for several hours at a stretch with a client, rarely losing the awareness of clock-time while also being aware of stopping or expanding time to serve the client’s needs. I work for long periods of time at my computer, also rarely losing awareness of clock time, while dipping into creativity that is unlimited by time.

I welcome your thoughts on time, perception of time, timelessness, not enough time, being present in time, and anything else this stimulates for you. Time is a fascinating topic. Today — in the only time that is — I have only touched the surface on several facets of time that interest me.

Jeanie Marshall is a Personal Development Consultant and Coach
and a QEC Level 1: Certified Practitioner
Call her at 310-392-1987 for an Private Consultation
Personal Consulting and Coaching • • • Energy Work and QEC Sessions

Rest the Mind in the Breath

I consider that the purpose of meditation is to achieve a state of consciousness, to realize your oneness with Spirit or your concept of the Divine. One of the best ways I know to get to this realization is to rest your mind, to slow down the chatter. I like to use the breath as a resting place.

While it’s possible to experience a meditative state while speaking and interacting with others, usually the practice of meditation involves quietness, even stillness. The minds of many people in their ordinary consciousness are filled with chatter, conflicting thoughts, imaginings of the future, memories of the past, and limiting beliefs.

Meditation is an opportunity rest the mind or to give it a new focus of attention.

It’s popular for meditators and meditation teachers to say that the goal of meditation is to have "no thought." In my opinion, this is not the goal of meditation, nor is it a desirable goal for those who have never achieved it. My experience is that some of those who achieve "no thought" are in a state of unconsciousness.

Others do achieve a beautiful state of consciousness that they call "no thought" or "Nirvana." This state of consciousness is one without active contemplation or mindless inner chatter. It is clarity. It is peacefulness.

Since the purpose of the mind is to process thoughts, I consider it’s more appropriate to select a focus for the mind than to try to shut the mind off. The breath can be such a focus, because it has movement, rhythm, sound, texture, and many attributes that can engage the mind with little or no stress or resistance. Such gentle engagement rests the mind and promotes balance and alignment.

For some people, it does take practice to let the focus on the breath fully. But, if you choose to practice, there are many long-term benefits. And, incidentally, there are no nifty excuses not to, because it’s free, always with you, and easy to practice unobserved even if someone is watching. Your breath is always with you.

How do you rest your mind — either instead of meditation or to help you to achieve a meditative state? I welcome your comments.

Finding the Balance in Your Breath
gives you the relaxing break you need
to regain your balance and
enhance your personal development and success.

You will discover how, with practice, you can find your balance,
especially in your breath. You can learn through experience how it
feels to lift yourself up or calm yourself down by focusing fully on
your breath. When you listen to this guided meditation regularly,
you’ll more easily and naturally experience balance, peace,
strength, and fulfillment throughout your daily life.

This guided meditation is available at my web site in mp3 format,
and in CD format at Amazon.com.

http://marketion.com/findinggm

Energy Work for Balancing Guided Meditation

Here is a guided visualization meditation that lasts two minutes. Please watch/listen to it and share it with others. I’d love it if you would comment on it at the YouTube site.

I have other Videos at YouTube which I hope you’ll also watch and share. Any of the videos can be posted at your web site if you think your visitors would benefit.

In addition, I’ve posted this video on the home page of my main web site. Just like the YouTube version, this file can be downloaded.

Do You Take Time to Relax?

Many people think of relaxation as optional, or as a luxury, or as doing nothing. If you have such a mindset, you might find that it is helpful to re-think your perception so that you make relaxation as important as other items on your to-do list.

Consider your current relationship to relaxation. Here are a few questions to prime the pump:

• What is your opinion about relaxing?
• What are your thoughts when you begin to relax?
• How often do you relax?
• What are the common forms of relaxation you already use?

I’m not suggesting that you turn this into a big analysis. My intention is to help you to get in touch with your mindset about relaxation. I am encouraging you to gather mindful information. I am also encouraging you to relax regularly so that you experience a life-changing empowering practice.

Start where you are. When you acknowledge your starting place, it’s easier to know what the most appropriate next step is for you. For example, you can start by relaxing for 60 seconds every hour.

When I suggest that people spend 60 seconds to relax every hour, I usually suggest that they do intentional breathing. This is especially helpful for those who associate relaxation with "doing nothing," so I give the assignment to "do something": breathe! To breathe intentionally for 3 breaths — even when you take long and slow breaths — rarely takes as long as 60 seconds.

There are many other valid focal points in addition to or instead of the breath for a 60-second, regular relaxation. Visual focal points such as a beautiful view from a window or a favorite picture or icon can hold your attention and prompt relaxation. The chosen visual, of course, needs to be something you associate in some way to relaxing.

Listening to a brief music clip or closing your eyes to listen to the silence or music from inside can also stimulate relaxation when that’s your intention.

You may find it helpful to give attention to your shoulders or your forehead or your neck — anywhere you typically hold tension — so that you can tighten and then relax the muscles. Simple as this is, you may not be aware of the stress you carry until you take a few seconds to notice by tightening and then relaxing the muscles.

People who meditate regularly find it easier to relax. People who relax regularly find it easier to meditate. Relaxing and meditating are not the same, but certainly one can be used in place of the other for somewhat similar benefits.

So, when is the next time you will relax?

I have recorded many guided meditations.
My free guided mediations are under 5 minutes.

My other Guided Meditations are longer,
promoting relaxation and other positive benefits.