TIPS to relax/destress

My yoga post got me to thinking you might have some answers

My favorite time to stretch/tai chi is when I am exhausted from exercise (long run/or ride) and my mind is in a calm state ( not rapidly jumping thought to thought). Then I am able to concentrate on the stretch and feel relaxed. But I can't be exhausted/spent all the time before I need to relax. What helps you all to feel relaxed--not stressed out. I am thinking along the lines of Andrew Weil and Martin Seligman--authentic happiness.com etc. What helps you lead a happier, healthy life?

thanks--fs

Why don't you look at Mindfulness Meditation? Jon Kabat-Zinn is the guru in this field, but there are lots of resources by others.
It's a well vetted approach to stress reduction, anxiety reduction, and generally helping people to deal with both chronic stress and physical illness. I took the course about 5 years ago, when I was dealing with unknown illness and other stressors. There are CDs for some of the exercises/meditations.
This is a whole philosophy of living with some very useful applications. You could also look into some of the more "relaxation" type yoga. In the US, we see yoga as a form of exercise. In other parts of the world, it's a whole different system of psychology.

I like Martin Segilman's test on strengths. I never in my life would have thought "learning" was something that is calming/beneficial to me and to include it more often in my life.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

Why don't you look at Mindfulness Meditation? Jon Kabat-Zinn is the guru in this field, but there are lots of resources by others.
It's a well vetted approach to stress reduction, anxiety reduction, and generally helping people to deal with both chronic stress and physical illness. I took the course about 5 years ago, when I was dealing with unknown illness and other stressors. There are CDs for some of the exercises/meditations.
This is a whole philosophy of living with some very useful applications. .

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+100
I'm in the 6th week of the course and it is changing my life.

Yoga or Meditation are regarded as the best therapy for relaxing your mind and feel at peace. My way of relaxing is listening to musics when i am stressed out. It works very well for me. Even many individuals find music as a great stress buster.

I don't carry much stress, but there have been situations in my life that have really loaded it on and I was lucky enough to have a sivananda yoga instructor who lived/worked at the same boarding school that I did. Her classes focused on stretching and breathing. I felt like a new person after each session.

On a regular basis, though, throwing myself into the midst of nature really does it for me. Being swallowed up in forest, on top of a mountain, on the ocean, somewhere solitary. Doesn't matter the time of year. I got that feeling yesterday on my century ride when the madison county trails of IL took me deep into the forest. It was heavenly.

Riding my bike!!! :D

Any ideas for if you simply cannot meditate?

I mean I did a martial art for 7 years with meditation as a significant part of it and I am one of these people who cannot switch off! I would be counting my breathing in one part of my brain and the other half is racing around thinking! It doesn't work for me!

And it's totally annoying when you read books and magazines and they all say "do yoga, do meditation".

The only two things I have found that take total concentration for me are cycling and drawing. However if you cannot cycle (due to injury, illness or at the office) and you don't have paper and pencils to draw, what do you do????

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Originally Posted by Kiwi Stoker

Any ideas for if you simply cannot meditate?

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A few things that helped me:

Start with one breath. Try to do three breaths in a row.

Get a guided meditation. Check out Jon Kabat-Zinn's stuff.

Do it everyday, even if only for a few minutes. That is the important part.

I tell my mind that it gets to run wild all day. This time is for me.

My mind used to scurry all over & sometimes it still does. Each time it leaps around, I gently bring it back to the breath with no animosity or judgement. I've heard that it's like housebreaking a puppy. You wouldn't chase after the puppy & spank it. You would gently put it outside or on its papers.

It's very normal to say "I can't meditate." I had a terrible attitude toward it when I did the mindfulness class. Dogmama had some very good suggestions. Almost everyone's mind wanders and doesn't shut down at first, which is fine. You have to train your mind, the same as training your body. And, I agree, guided meditation, with a teacher or tape is best. There is even a walking meditation in the Mindfulness class, as well as others you can download.

Play piano.

Don't get me wrong--it is not something I do well or even competently---on my best days, I barely qualify as 'advanced beginner.'
It requires my complete focus; I use my mind and my body.
Best of all, the 'chatter' stops.

It is useful for my work too. Reflecting, I came up with 3 things.
1. Some skills are very difficult to learn and these are not the same skills for every person.
2. It is ok to demonstrate/practice new skills even at a level of incomplete mastery. (i.e. Everything does not have to be perfect)
3. Satisfaction or enjoyment is not dependent on a high level of skill.

Pulling weeds is good too.

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

Is it this one?

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Looks like those are just the meditations. His meditations are very good. I also like his books, especially Full Catastrophe Living.

+1 on Full Catastrophe Living

Yes, that is the CD, but , if you can't take the course, then definitely read the books. Of course, you can just do the meditations, but there really is some context there.