The Anxiety Meditation 
As Christmas draws closer and closer, we are loaded with to-do lists, chores, shopping and cooking activities, and hosting guests. From all directions, our energy and money are demanded for and it can be very overwhelming.
It leads to mounting stress, taking away all the joy and peace that the season is typically supposed to bring.
During all the preparations and work, you must remember that you cannot take care of everybody unless you are properly taken care of. Your mind and body need to be whole throughout so you can enjoy the gift of the season, just like everybody else.
When you are decompressed and at peace, you will only spread love and joy, something everybody needs.This is why you must give yourself the gift of meditation.
Meditation is a modern interpretation of ancient eastern philosophies. It is an activity that allows us to understand the inner workings of our mind and helps greatly in breaking habitual thinking patterns and behaviours that increase stress and unhappiness.
Meditation practices have become very familiar in our modern world and are backed by scientific research. They have proved very helpful in treating chronic stress.
During Christmas, the build-up of activities can become very overwhelming, leading to shallower breath, impeded vital functions, higher heart rate and blood pressure and most importantly a very active mind.
When we work hard and our whole body and muscle become tense, and our mind does the same. We become very easily fuelled with a lot of negative thoughts and emotions. The stress builds up in our body affects our emotions negatively.
This is a major reason why some families fight a lot at Christmas. The workload and mental exhaustion can trigger a lot of bad memories and negative emotions, leading to an exchange of words or even physical brawling.
This is where meditation comes in.
Having 30 minutes to yourself, during the hassle, just to meditate can help a lot in releasing all the built tension. Meditation is very effective in reducing anxiety, stress and even depression. It helps improves our attention and self-regulation skills, helping us control our emotions, thoughts, and actions.
So when you feel the stress mounting on your body and the negative thoughts rushing in, take a 30 minutes break to be by yourself and meditate. As simple as it is, it relieves a ton of stress and stills a restless mind.
Meditation Technique
- Go into a quiet place, free from all distractions and interruption. Ensure to inform your family and friends before you go away, stating categorically that you don’t want to be disturbed.
- Sit still in a comfortable position, preferably the lotus position
- Release your body and muscles of all tension, ensure you are comfortable
- Inhale deeply and exhale, feeling the air as it comes into and leaves your body
- Free your mind of all negativity
- Remain present. Don’t think of the past or the future. Just sit still for about 30minutes.
Doing this for as little as 30 minutes during the day will help you greatly in being present at Christmas. Anytime you feel a negative thought or memory, let it go and take deep breaths. Gift it to yourself, you deserve it.
You can also book a guided meditation session by experts for your friends and family to enjoy the peace and serenity within you. They can serve as excellent Christmas gifts.
