Meditation for Stress Relief – Relaxation Techniques

Meditation for stress relief is the answer if your hectic lifestyle has brought you ailments and stress. Stress and mental tension are the by-products of today’s hectic lifestyles we all are pursuing in this rat race to live better and happier lives.

However, this stress beats our purpose of enjoying a fruitful and meaningful life because it brings with it agony and many silent (but serious) ailments. It is important to do away with this stress to live a long and beautiful life. Meditation is one of the best ways to relieve the stress.

There are many causes of stress and they relate to various issues of life such as family, career, finance, friends, workplace and more. The way we react to a situation may lead to frustration disappointment and then stress.

Most people think mediation is only to achieve spirituality. But mediation works like an elixir to many mental problems such as stress. It helps you get peace of mind.

There are many easy techniques for using meditation for stress relief. However, the big challenge is to find time to practice mediation on daily basis. Some easy techniques include deep breathing, guided imagery and progressive relaxation.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is one of the best forms of exercises and a form of meditation for stress. It fills your lungs with oxygen, energy and vitality. To practice this, lie on a flat surface and take a deep breath.

The important things are to breath down to the stomach. Shallow breaths filling just your chest are not as fruitful as these deep breaths. Hold this breath for a five or more seconds and then release through mouth.

Repeat this 4-5 times and feel the calmness of your mind. Whenever you feel stressed, do this exercise, anytime and anywhere. And you need not lie down to breathe correctly!

Guided Imagery

Guided imagery is a technique of meditation for stress relief that most people following spirituality use. This technique involves visualizing a scene that brings peace, happiness and calmness such as a garden, deep jungles, clouds and other beautiful scenery.

Think of any scene that brings feelings of happiness and calmness. Try to bring more depth to your picture; think of colors, smells, sounds and other features. The more you make your picture clear and vivid, the more relaxed you will feel. Stay in this mode as long as you want and then slowly come to your senses and be ready for challenges.

Progressive Relaxation

Progressive relaxation is about relaxing stressed groups of muscles in a progressive way. This exercise will make you aware of your body and helps you recognize the areas which get affected when you are tense.

To perform this exercise, sit quietly and perform a few deep breaths. Start with any part, say, your right foot. Make tense every part of your foot and hold it for the next ten seconds. Then release the tension and relax completely for ten seconds. Now perform the same exercise for your left foot.

Continue this process for the thighs, buttocks, calves, left and right-hand, your stomach, face and neck. Once you complete the exercises for all parts, you will feel extreme relaxation and freedom from any stress.