Entry 10 (Stress, Relaxation, and Meditation)

Stress, Relaxation, and Meditation

Relaxation:  Opposite of feeling anxious.

  

Relaxation is based highly on an individual basis and personal activities.         
     Examples:  yoga, deep breathing, getting a haircut, watching a movie, talking on the phone, going for a walk, reading a novel, exercising, etc.
     Objectives:  body awareness, decrease stress and anxiety, use as a coping skill, transferability, and practice!!
     Breathing:  Inhale through the nose, hold, & exhale through the mouth. Try counting for 5 seconds each.
          Consider body position/posture, breathing from the diaphragm, start simple and progress to different imagery, and foundation for all.
     YouTube Video:(yoga)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3vLZqPZxZE
     YouTube Video:(guided relaxation)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwmCwYPGXlA&feature=relmfu
     Progressive Meditation:  Sending physiological signals to the body and shaking it all out.  It is important to go through the whole body.  This meditation helps with body awareness and body scanning.
     YouTube Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpsT4QmATdc

Meditation:  What is meditation: Look at pic on right. --------
  There are many types of meditation:
     Tree of Life
     Inspirational Poem, Art, Story, etc.
     Phrase or Word
     "Omm"...
     Guided Imagery
     Music
     Lighting (candles, dim lights, no lights, bright lights, etc.)
     YouTube Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmA-dWdaI5k