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Simple Meditation Techniques To Combat Stress

Stress is an inevitable part of our lives. All of us experience it daily whether we realize it or not. The unruly traffic, the potholes, the deadlines, the pollution, the pollens, the bills- it’s all stress. To help us, there are at least a thousand videos and posts on social media that teach us to combat stress. The internet is roaring with tips and tricks to fight it and of course, we always have our friends and family’s expert advice. But does this always help or end up giving more stress sometimes?

Ranjini a 38-year-old team lead in a multinational organization in Bengaluru, says her job is a high-pressure one and leaves her stressed out most of the time. She says she has tried meditation techniques several times but finds it difficult to focus and has eventually given up. The team lead even jokes that trying to meditate in vain leaves her more stressed sometimes.

Rahul Sethi has been attending wellness sessions organized at his workplace for two months now. “I am aware that whenever I feel anxious, I need to take deep and slow breaths. But I keep forgetting and somehow find it disconcerting to do that exercise at the workplace,” he says.

We explored this situation in detail and discovered the gap. People who lead fast-paced lives need simple, quick yet powerful ways to deal with stress that can be easily woven in their daily routine. Although it sounds challenging, we discovered some easy ways that are less intimidating and work better.

Accepting and Identifying Stress

To begin with, we must acknowledge a couple of quintessential facts – One, stress exists and it must be addressed and second, the way to deal with stress can be fun, easy, and not necessarily complicated. Hence sweeping it under the carpet for the fear of facing it won’t help.

The way to identify stress are through these common signs. Recurrent aches, and pains without any specific medical issue, stiffness in the jaws or neck or even shoulders, upset tummy, diarrhea or constipation, sleeplessness, weight loss, fatigue, constant anxiety, worry, feelings of sadness and depression, feeling panicked, grinding of teeth, biting nails, consuming excessive alcohol, and smoking.

Simple Meditation Techniques 

The purpose of meditation techniques is to calm your mind, body, and soul, fill one up with a sense of well-being, and enable them to experience real gratitude. The process need not be complicated and is not limited to sitting cross-legged in quiet surroundings trying hard to focus.

1. When you wake up in the morning, try stepping out on your balcony or terrace and without any agenda breathe in the fresh air, look around, and enjoy the morning freshness with the chirping of birds and the tingling sunlight. Soaking in all the beauty calms your mind, stabilizes your heart rate, and pulls you into a meditative state.

2. Take a long shower and soak in the flow of water. Choose the temperature of the water as per your comfort and enjoy the soothing effect it has on your mind and body with closed eyes and positivity. Water is known to absorb negativity, and helps people get solutions to their problems sometimes. Swimming can have a similar effect.

3. Try listening to inspirational and positive podcasts or music while driving. This takes away the focus from the traffic, potholes, unruly drivers, etc, and relaxes you completely enabling you to focus your energy within and conserve it.

4. Experience walking on the grass barefoot and notice the calming and soothing effect it has on your entire being. Spending some time close to nature anytime during the day can reduce your stress levels significantly and enable you to experience a deep meditative state.

5. A stress-free body holds a stress-free mind. Go for a full body massage with aroma candles and soft music to relax you deeply. The calming effect of massaging key points on the body soothes the nerves and helps the mind focus.

6. Focus on your breathing. Pay attention to the inhaling and exhaling and gradually slow down the process. You can do this anytime any where such as working on the laptop, reading a book, etc, and experience a deep sense of calmness and relief from anxiety.

7. Set aside some time to do something you truly enjoy and it can be anything. Shrestha Ranganathan a 29-year-old artist confirms that while she paints, she is in another world oblivious to her surroundings. She says she can spend hours working with her brushes and when she finishes its like waking up rejuvenated from deep sleep.

For all those who were convinced that meditation techniques for stress belonged to the elite, here is a reminder. Stress is just a state of mind and it can be managed by calming the mind and body. The key is doing activities you enjoy and adding a twist to the daily routine and you will experience that heightened state of mind termed as meditation techniques that leaves you refreshed, happy, and content.