The ‘Work From Home’ life owing to COVID-19 has been a boon as well as a bane for one and all. While it has given us ample time to spend with loved ones and enjoy the comfort of home, it has also wrecked our work-life balance and gotten us having these never-ending to-do lists. The pandemic comes with a set of issues that cause anxiety. The whole world seems stressed to another level! To top it, we have to adjust to the ‘new normal’ which is stressful change management to take care of. As we deal with long work hours, limited movement, additional home chores, and responsibilities, it is a great idea to pause and breathe!
Stress and anxiety are major causes of psychosomatic diseases. Nowadays, diseases linked with hormonal imbalances, blood pressure, and gastrointestinal discomforts are on a rise. Almost every day, we have numerous posts on Malini’s Girl Tribe where the members discuss their problems, lend a shoulder and offer amazing solutions to deal with stress caused due to the lockdown life. One of the top solutions discussed to bust that stress and stay sane while at home has been the regular practice of meditation/relaxation techniques. As a part of self-care and healing, sparing just 30 minutes to breathe and calm down is not too much to ask for, right?
Here are 5 types of super easy and extremely calming meditation and relaxation techniques that will help you feel instantly recharged and rejuvenated:
1. Mindfulness Meditation:
This is an easy form of meditation for beginners. This technique primarily focuses on observing your breath and all that is in the present. The surrounding temperature, background noise and the pace of your breath is the only thing to focus on. Eliminating past and future thoughts for the stipulated time frame can be very calming and help reduce anxiety substantially. This technique also helps with depression and symptoms of pain. Sit in a comfortable position, breathe deeply, and bring your attention to the present.
2. Mantra Meditation:
This form of meditation includes silently repeating mantras in your mind. The mantra could be your favourite positive word or phrase. You can chant, hum, or sing it in your mind repeatedly. This meditation is also a form of affirmation that helps manifest the positive intention expressed in the mantra. Mantra meditation is well known to cure anxiety and induce a motivating feeling. Sit in a relaxed position, ensure you have mindfully chosen your mantra of meditation, focus on your breathing, and get chanting for a suitable time frame.
3. Chakra Meditation:
The human body has seven major energy centres known as ‘Chakras’. This meditation involves sequentially focusing on the root chakra, sacral chakra, solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, throat chakra, third eye chakra, and the crown chakra. When you further dive into studying this form of meditation, you will learn how every chakra has a deep significance. Bringing your mind’s eye on each chakra is like focusing on a principal of ancient science for calming the nerves and aligning one’s thought/body function. This technique is known to help raise energy levels and relieve pain points. Lie flat on the floor and start with a deep breathing practice and once the body is in a calm state, focus on your chakras with positive intention.
4. Katathym-Imaginative Psychotherapy (KIP):
KIP is also known as guided imagery and is one of the most widely used relaxation techniques. This is usually conducted by qualified therapists, fitness, and health experts. The technique is designed as per the specific needs of the individual. It focuses on evoking or creating a soothing sight, smell, or sound. This guided relaxation technique generally involves the generation of mental images of favourite scenic views like beaches and mountains. This technique is known to lower stress and anxiety to a large extent. Practice this technique after a workout session while resting in a sleeping position. Loosen your muscles and relax with beautiful imagery with the help of your instructor/online audiotapes.
5. Aromatherapy:
A very effective technique of relaxation, aromatherapy is easy and convenient to use daily. This method involves the use of calming essential oils which soothe, induce sleep, and help one relax thoroughly. It creates an ambience, instantly helping one slow down. The essential oils can be used on pulse points, in cosmetics, in diffusers or incense sticks. Several types of essential oils help one relax but the major ones are lavender, sandalwood, rose, jasmine, geranium, vanilla, and citrus. Each person reacts to smells differently. Choose the fragrance and style of usage that suits you best!
We hope you unwind and relax while juggling life balls! Do you have your favourite relaxation technique? If yes, please share it with us in the comments below!
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