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Thursday, February 09, 2012 |
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MEDITATE YOUR WAY TO MATERNAL BLISS |
A common misconception about meditation is it consists of nothing more than sitting in a lotus position while searching for a state of mental blankness. In fact, it's exactly the opposite - meditating in a quiet space allows your mind and body to reside in a peaceful state while tuning in to your current thoughts, emotions and everyday problems. This calm way of dealing with your daily stress is not only beneficial to you, but to your baby too!
Monitor Your Breath
Most meditative traditions use breath as the basis for relaxation. Before you can begin to decompress, you must analyze your breathing. If you're agitated or anxious, it may be rapid or shallow; if you're angry, you might be holding your breath.
Be in the Present
By concentrating on your breathing, you encourage your mind to stay in the present moment; it can't race ahead to thoughts of worry or trail back to ones of anger. Instead, you become still and relaxed. Try this technique when you're at home, your desk, or even in traffic - you can do it anywhere.
Don't Give Up
Even if you're only cultivating mindfulness of your breathing for five minutes each day, those few minutes will bring you valuable awareness that can last all day. At the same time, if you stew in a bad mood for 30 minutes, the negative effects will linger just as long. So try to evaluate your breath once each hour. Remember - you can't fail at meditating. It may take some time to master, but you'll gradually begin to feel calmer and more focused.
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