The benefits of mindful meditation are manifold and have
been gaining widespread recognition of late.
Proponents cite reduced stress, a calmer mind, greater peace and
happiness, better sleep and so on.
Despite the enthusiasm, some people still remain reluctant to start a
daily practice. I’ve heard people say,
“There is no time”; “I am too busy, tired, stressed”; “I can’t do it right”;
“my mind is too full”…and etcetera. This
may feel true and I can empathize with those sentiments, but I challenge us all
to find the time. The beauty of mindful
meditation is that you can take the practice off the mat. If you can’t find the time for a formal 1/3/5/10-minute
sitting practice, then you can instead try to incorporate informal practices
during your day. Pay attention to the
sounds around you while you’re riding the train to work, feel the water against
your hands as you mindfully wash the dishes, feel your feet stepping on the
ground as you walk down the street or actively listen to your friend as he/she
tells you their story without thinking about what to say next. In mindful meditation the goal is to draw
your attention to a single point of focus or anchor to bring one’s self into
the present moment. In formal mindful
meditation practices we mostly focus on our sense experiences, such as
listening to sounds, noticing sensations in the body and feeling our breath. However, we can get creative as to what anchor
we use to concentrate our minds…birds chirping, musical progressions, taste/textures
of foods in our mouth, the smells of nature and so on and so on. It matters less about how we practice, just
that we do practice. We will reap the
many benefits of meditation if we practice consistently. How will you incorporate mindful meditation
into your daily routines?
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Friday, May 6, 2016
5 Tips to Help You During Exam Time
Being a student comes with exams. From one perspective, exams are an
opportunity to show we understand what we learned from our teachers. However, for some, they instigate an
assortment of fears around self-worth.
We’ve been brought up to feel like getting an ‘A’ means we are smart,
worthy and deserving of love and praise; and not getting an ‘A’ means we are
not smart, unworthy and undeserving of love and praise. When preparing for an exam, we create a host
of stories around failing, having to drop out of school, living with our
parents forever and etcetera. These
thoughts in our head create stress and anxiety and make it even more difficult
for us to focus. People do not perform their best under stress and will exhibit
a marked and immediate decrease in cognitive performance, memory, judgement and
creativity. Meditation is a tool that
can help you clear your mind, reign your thoughts back out of the illusory,
gloomy future you’ve created, and diminish anxiety. With a clear and calm mind, you can more
easily focus on the material you’re studying and you might even enjoy learning
more, as you realize your world will not end over one exam. Below are 5 tips to help you during exam
time:
1. Meditate! You may feel crunched for time, but taking
the time to clear your head will allow you to perform at your best. Practice a simple mindful
meditation for a few minutes just before you start
your studies. It helps you learn fast
and retain information longer.
2. Take care of your body. Get enough sleep. Eat well –whole foods, healthy fats, and lean
proteins. Move and stretch. Your body and mind are intimately connected.
3. Take breaks. Stop to rest your mind at regular intervals. Take a few breaths, listen to music, talk to
friends or family, play outside or take a mindful walk. Then get back to
studying.
4. Before the exam – breathe. Relax and take long, deep breaths. Observe your breath going in and
out of your nostrils and feel the peace wash over your mind. This relaxed state of mind will help boost your
memory recall and cognitive abilities during the exam.
5. During the exam – breathe. The deeper the breath, the more oxygen you’ll
intake. The more oxygen for the brain,
the more efficiently it works.
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