5am Meditation Day 48- Quick Yoga Break

Need a pick-me-up, a moment to catch your breath, or just a quick, luxuriating stretch?

Try a Kripalu Yoga Break

5am Meditation Day 44- Meditation in Schools

Perfect timing. We just had a professional day at my school on stress and relaxation techniques earlier this week, and today I cam across an Edutopia article on Meditation in Schools.

5am Meditation Day 43- Practicing "minis"

I had a couple of minutes between responsibilities today, so I decided to do a "mini" while waiting for my next appointment. I reflected on how calm and peaceful I was, and how I should definitely keep this in mind the next time I get sad or scared or angry or overwhelmed. I imagined myself taking a minute to sit on my meditation cushion instead of crying myself into a tension headache.

And then I thought about this past week, and reality hit me. Who am I kidding!?! Do I really think I will be able to have the self awareness and mindfulness to stop myself before crying to sit down and center myself? I am currently in the last week of my last course towards a new degree, and I still cry about homework deadlines! I got so stressed out earlier this week, that one day I came home and took a 3-hour nap because I just couldn't handle the pressure anymore and was completely exhausted with a headache from the day before. Every course along this past 4-year journey has been one tension headache after the other, and yet I always end up doing very well on my assignments and in the courses. When will I learn!?! I spend all my time and energy worrying and stressing for nothing.

I recently shared an activity with my students about the online me/offline me where we looked at the different roles we play and the personalities traits that each role brings out in us. Below is the "me" I shared with my students:

Offline

mother- nurturing, playful, fun, silly, loving, caring, protective

teacher- serious, academic, professional

student- stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, cry a lot, worried negative, tired, cranky

(yogini, runner, coach, athlete, baker/chef, sister, friend, daughter, etc.)

Online

twitter- serious, academic, professional, academic technology

blogger- calm, relaxed, wise, yoga and meditation

student- polished, professional, great student, academic, serious

(facebook, reading news, watching Youtube, playing games, shopping, paying bills, etc.)

I explained to my students that when I am at home being a student, I am stressed and anxious and feel overwhelmed, as I always have as a student since I was in 6th grade. I worry about getting assignments done and not having enough time. I am a perfectionist, and it always takes its toll on me. But the person I present online as a student is very different, because what gets posted online is my final product, my professional, academic, serious, hard-working self. I am the same person in both cases, but very different sides of me come out through the process and the final product.

No matter how good my final work is, I never trust myself the next time around that it will get done, and that it will be good. The next time I get overwhelmed about an assignment or a deadline, I am hoping that by practicing my "minis" in the meantime, it will get me to the point where I can walk away from the stressors, breathe, and just witness the negative emotions until I am centered. And then I can do whatever needs to get done without any more tension headaches. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, or maybe just "putting it down on paper" takes me one step closer to my goal. Only time (and headaches) will tell...

Relaxation Response to Reduce Stress

Eliciting the Relaxation Response

Minis

Relaxation Response Videos from MGH's Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine

5am Meditation Day 42- Relaxation Response

Yesterday we had a representative from the Massachusetts General Hospital's Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine give a presentation to our entire faculty and staff on stress and relaxation techniques. Below are some of my take-aways:

Most people consider stress to be tension, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, being scared, etc. Stress is actually your body's response to perceived danger or threat when you feel that you do not have the resources to cope. Most people encounter stress about 50 times per day, but how we handle the stress varies from person to person. A stressor can be your alarm going off, getting kids ready for school and getting out the door in time, traffic, finding a parking spot, running late for a meeting, etc. The most key word in the definition of stress is perceived. We often feel that we cannot get something done because we don't have the ability or the time. We perceive that things will not get done, and we end up feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Everyone encounters these moments in their daily lives. How do you prevent the stress from ruining your day and getting worse and worse with every encounter? The relaxation response.

You cannot control the traffic or a child who needs a spill cleaned up before heading out the door in the morning. But you can control how you respond. In the moment, it is important to acknowledge the negative thoughts by witnessing them, but then letting them go. Don't let them get to you and ruin your mood or your day. Simply observe the thoughts and move on. There are certain factors that are within your control. In any stressful situation, there's either a solution- so do it, or there's no solution, and there's no use in stressing over it. You can view the exact same situation through many lenses, so it is all about our perspective, our perceived inability to handle the situation.

The Mind Body Institute realized that people's health was negatively affected by stress. We can respond to the stress and health issues after the fact, or we can proactively deal with them through healthy lifestyles. This includes eating well, exercising, getting sufficient sleep, and getting relaxation through yoga, meditation, massage, listening to music, etc. The Relaxation Response also involves deep breathing, meditation, guided meditation, mindfulness, and visualization. Yesterday we learned about "minis," taking 2-10 minutes to sit quietly and just observe your thoughts. The presenter discussed how this technique could be done in the morning, during a break, in the car, or even brought into the classroom as a tool to use with our students to help them get centered and focused before class begins. We had also watched the film "The Race to Nowhere" earlier in the day, so a lot of our conversation was centered around students stress.

Next time you are in a stressful situation, try to just stop, breathe, witness the situation, and be aware your reacting thoughts and feelings to it. Then respond. See if there's a difference when you take the time to breathe and be aware before reacting.

Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine: The Education Initiative

The Race to Nowhere

5am Meditation Day 40- Simply Being

The Pleasure of Simply Being

"Whenever you try to exert control over the natural ebb and flow of life, you end up either frustrated or disappointed- because it can't be controlled. Whenever you apply effort to trying to relax and slow down, you produce the opposite effect. Whenever you try to dictate the outcome of your meditation you negate its most wondrous benefit- the pleasure of simply being."

Paul Wilson The Quiet

Wherever You Go There You Are

How often each day would you have to say I don't want to be where I am? What does it feel like when you don't want to be where you are- the traffic jam, your place of work, the airport lounge, and the people you are with?

It has been said: wherever you go there you are. In other words you are always here. Why is it so hard to accept that?

Surrender is surrender to this moment not to a story through which you interpret this moment and then try to resign yourself to it.

Eckhart Tolle Stillness Speaks

http://www.learning-modern-meditation.com/meditation-quotes.html

5am Meditation Day 37- Happiness

"Happiness is not about making it to the peak of a mountain,

not is it about climbing aimlessly around the mountain;

happiness is the experience of climbing toward the peak."

-Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar

5am Meditation Day 36- Meditation Techniques: Tips for Beginners

I came across a meditation blog, and I thought its tips for beginners was worth passing along:

What are some simple meditations I can do?

Mantra Meditation.

This is a very simple meditation practice, which involves chanting a thought or affirmation. You can chant a mantra repeatedly for a distinct period of time while maintaining focus on your breathing pattern.

A mantra can be said silently in your mind or it can be said aloud. If you are in a shared space, then it will be easier to silently repeat a mantra in your head. If you are alone, then try sharing the mantra with the world around you. The mantra does not have to be anything complex rather a simple phrase that helps you attain peace. Some of the mantra’s I have used in the past are:

1. I can handle it
2. Everything is going to be alright
3. The XYZ problem is very easy to solve.
4. I am not attached to the outcome.

Breathing

Breathing meditation works best if you feel anxious, stressed or helpless. Deep inhalation into your belly and mental focus on the breath will help you direct your energy away from thoughts that have a negative impact.

During stressful times, our minds are hijacked by emotional thoughts and make us constantly worry about different outcomes. The beautiful paradox is our brains ability to solve problems. Our logic that helps us solve so many problems also becomes a mechanism of stress as it is overloaded by 100 different tasks.

Directing your focus on simple breathing meditation gives your mind a much needed break. A mini vacation if you will.

Some simple Breathing Meditation Techniques:

1. Sit in a quiet relaxed cross legged position. Make sure your back is straight as possible.
2. Inhale deeply through your nose and into your belly. Your belly button or navel should rise if you are breathing into your belly.
3. Hold your breath for 5 seconds.
4. Slowly exhale out through your mouth.
5. Continue this for 5 – 10 minutes. If you are just starting meditation then start with just 5 minutes and slowly increase your time.

Benefits of Meditation Techniques

- Calm and in control of your self.

- Ability to change your attitude from negative to positive.

- During dark times, you will be able to find hope and happiness.

There are thousands of different meditation techniques that help a person reach inner peace. Each meditation technique requires constant practice and whole hearted participation. Once you set a time to meditate daily, you will notice that your day will be more smooth and easy. Your mind will become a stream of happiness during a thunderstorm of life’s problem.

5am Meditation Day 35- I Asked for Strength

I Asked for Strength

I asked for strength

and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for wisdom

and God gave me problems to learn to solve.

I asked for prosperity

and God gave me a brain and brawn to work.

I asked for courage

and God gave me dangers to overcome.

I asked for love

and God gave me people to help.

I asked for favors

and God gave me opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted.

I received everything I needed.

-Hazrat Inayat Khan

5am Meditation Day 33- Twitter Wisdom from the Dalai Lama and Eckhart Tolle

Earlier today the Dalai Lama tweeted:

In order to use human intelligence properly our mind should be calm.

Eckhart Tolle's last tweet:

Use whatever challenge comes into your life as a kind of fuel for the flame of consciousness. That is done through surrender to what is. Some people may need more of that than others. If you choose presence in your daily life you may not need the drastic challenges.

5am Meditation Day 31- Thoughts

"What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday,

and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow:

Our life is the creation of our mind."

-Buddha

"Today I can do anything I put my mind to."

-Louise Hay

Picture from: http://www.therefinedmind.com.au/visiting-buddha-in-my-dream

5am Meditation Day 28- Change

Change is the essence of life.

Be willing to surrender what you are

for what you could become.

Image from: http://www.evolutionarynexus.org/system/files/images/Emergence.jpg

5am Meditation Day 27- The Struggle of the Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole. Then it stopped, as if it couldn't go further. So the man decided to help the butterfly.

He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon. The butterfly emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch it, expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge and expand enough to support the body. Neither happened!

In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around. It was never able to fly. What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand: The restricting cocoon and the struggle required by the butterfly to get through the opening was a way of forcing the fluid from the body into the wings so that it would be ready for flight once that was achieved.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us. We will not be as strong as we could have been and we would never fly.

Picture from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidyuweb/4736981359/

5am Meditation Day 23- The fisherman and the businessman

A businessman was at the pier of a small coastal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The businessman complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The fisherman replied only a little while.

The businessman then asked why he didn't stay out longer and catch more fish? The fisherman said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The businessman then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time? The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a nap with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my friends; I have a full and busy life."

The businessman scoffed, "I have my MBA, and I could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats; eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor and eventually open your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to the city, then LA and eventually New York City where you would run your expanding enterprise."

The fisherman asked, "But how long will this all take?" To which the businessman replied, "15-20 years." "But what then?" The businessman laughed and said, "That's the best part! When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions." "Millions? Then what?" The businessman said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a nap with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your friends."

The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, "Isn't that what I'm doing right now?"

-Author Unknown

Photo from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmead/5069397412/

5am Meditation Day 21- Wisdom from the Dalai Lama

"The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered, 'Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived,'"