Unlock your muscles and centre yourself in your body before you start your day. It takes less than five minutes and it will make a major difference to your ability to master your mind. Try it every morning for one week and notice the difference.
STRETCH
Stretch your major muscles: This is a very quick muscle relaxation:
- point you toes out and hold, point your toes up and hold. Repeat five times.
- tighten your buttocks and hold for a few seconds and then release. Repeat five times.
- rotate your shoulders in both directions. Repeat five times each shoulder.
- turn your head to the left, hold, turn to the right, hold. Repeat five times.
- raise your chin up, hold, drop your chin down, hold. Do so five times.
For a more thorough muscle relaxation click on this YouTube:
BREATHE
Practice a breathing exercise at least three times a day. Try to do it at a regular time, for example before you have a meal. This way you will start to get into the practice of doing your breathing exercises.
Breath in through your nose, hold, out through your mouth.
Repeat your calming statement as you breathe.
A calming statement is like a lullaby, for example the one I use when I am worrying about my children is: Just because I think it, doesn’t make it true.
Breathe in: Just because I think it
Breathe out: Doesn’t make it true.
Repeat five times.
You can use any calming statement that resonates for you. Examples include: Let go, let God. Don’t worry, be happy. Let go, let it flow; What will be, will be; It’s okay, I can do this.
MEDITATE
At the end of your breathing, meditate for a few seconds by letting your mind go absolutely quiet. If a thought comes into your mind, observe it and let it pass. Even if you manage to still your brain for ten seconds, it will help you master your mind enormously.
You might like to do some chanting before you meditate. There are a number of YouTubes on the topic but if you want a short chant before you meditate, click on one of these links – the first is about five minutes, the second three minutes.