Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of "Full Catastrophe Living," founded the first medically-based stress reduction program in the United States which uses meditation as its foundational treatment. Established in 1995, The Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School treats stress due to "work, school, family, financial, illness, aging, grief, uncertainty about the future, and feeling out of control." Taking a cue from this program, you can incorporate its tenets of mindfulness, meditation and yoga into your daily life, creating a better self-care regimen and developing greater ease and peace of mind.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness is a foundational Buddhist meditation practice, but does not require Buddhist beliefs. By sitting still and paying attention to what is happening in and around you, the practice cultivates an awareness that makes it easier to resist becoming entangled in future fears and past regrets. To practice mindfulness, you can simply practice sitting still and paying attention deliberately without judging anything. This practice is the heart of all meditation and will cultivate greater clarity and awareness.
Breath Awareness Exercise
Breath awareness is the practice of giving your full attention to the full inhale of breath as it comes in and one full exhale as it is released. Practice keeping your mind focused on your breath alone. Give yourself permission to let go of all ideas about the past or future. Simply return to your breath when your mind begins to wander. This is the way you string times of peacefulness together, one breath at a time.
Yoga
Yoga asanas are the physical exercises that are an integral component of the stress management program. Practicing asana postures are used to support self-care and understand your mind-body connection experimentally. Savasana, or relaxation pose, is the quintessential yoga anecdote for stress reduction. Lie flat on your back with your arms comfortably by your sides, palms facing up toward the ceiling. Bring your shoulder blades slightly together and downward under you. Let your feet separate naturally and turn outward. Rest and let tension and stress be released as you breathe.
