Many people hate the word Exercise. Numerous factors play a role in their mindsets such as genetic factors (fat parents-fat kids), boredom, laziness, lack of motivation, self-deception, mental disorders, fear of failure etc. One thing however is important; Exercise can save lives, improve general wellbeing and performance as well as give you confidence, powerful immune system, strong self-esteem, attractiveness, losing weight and numerous other great benefits.

Special message: Ever wonder why "The Law of Attraction" is not working for you? Quite simply because your mind is like a magnet attracting toxic thoughts all day and into your sleep patterns at night. Your mind is not at rest with itself. Mindfulness and Meditation will "quieten" your mind before sleep that you will wake up feeling refreshed and focused on positive thoughts.  My meditations combat toxic thoughts which lead to depression, anxiety, worries, sadness, loneliness and despair. All my meditations relax your mind by allowing your brain to focus on positivity and closing the door to toxitivity. JUST TRY IT!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQrEhXwhlQ8&t=14s

Dr. Celeste Fabrie https://celestefabrie.com

Metta meditation is a type of Buddhist meditation. In Pali — a language that’s closely related to Sanskrit and spoken in northern India — “metta” means positive energy and kindness toward others.

The practice is also known as loving-kindness meditation.

The goal of metta meditation is to cultivate kindness for all beings, including yourself and:

Family

Friends

Neighbors

Acquaintances

Difficult people in your life

Animals

The main technique of metta meditation involves reciting positive phrases toward yourself and these beings.

Like other types of meditation, the practice is beneficial for mental, emotional, and physical health. It’s especially useful for reducing negative emotions toward yourself and other people.

What to know about metta meditation

Metta meditation is a traditional Buddhist practice. It’s been used for thousands of years.

Different traditions approach the practice in different ways. However, all forms of metta meditation share the common goal of developing unconditional positive emotions toward all beings.

This includes feelings of:

joy

trust

love

gratitude

happiness

appreciation

compassion

To cultivate these emotions, you silently recite phrases toward yourself and others. These phrases are meant to express kind intentions.

Some examples of metta meditation phrases include:

“May I be safe, peaceful, and free of suffering.”

“May I be happy. May I be healthy.”

“May you be strong and confident.”

It’s important to repeat each phrase with mindfulness. This helps you focus on the phrase and the associated emotions.

What is transcendental meditation?

Meditation is an ancient practice that has roots in Egypt and China, as well as Judaism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism. Because of the many health benefits of meditation, it’s become a popular modern practice for many as a major part of self-care.

Transcendental meditation is one of the most common meditation techniques, and what makes it unique is its use of mantras. A mantra can be words, phrases or visualizations used during a meditation session to help calm the mind. In transcendental meditation, there are exclusive mantras aimed to achieve a state of perfect stillness and consciousness.

Firstly, let us take a look at the general benefits of Meditation itself

Chronic stress is the root cause of many health problems and can trigger underlying conditions. Meditation is a great tool you can use to calm your mind, obtain clarity and improve your overall mental health by promoting inner peace.

All types of meditation, including transcendental meditation, can have the following health benefits:

• Reduces stress

• Improves focus and memory

• Improves quality of sleep

• Improves productivity

• Improves pain management

• Improve self-esteem

• Improves awareness

• Decreases the risk of developing certain diseases

• Reduces the severity of existing health problems

• Improves overall mental and physical health

Maraṇasati (mindfulness of death, death awareness) is a Buddhist  meditation practice of remembering (frequently keeping in mind) that  death can strike at anytime (AN 6.20), and we should practice  assiduously appamada and with urgency in every moment, even in the time  it takes to draw one breath. What is the meditation on death? Essentially, maranasati meditation consists of a series of Buddhist  mindfulness of death practices, ranging from contemplation of the  ever-present potential for death at any moment, to deeper  contemplations, to the eventual breakdown of the body during the death  process. How do Buddhist view death? Buddhists believe death is a natural part of the life cycle. They  believe that death simply leads to rebirth. This belief in reincarnation  – that a person's spirit remains close by and seeks out a new body and  new life – is a comforting and important principle. Awareness of our mortality is not something we commonly contemplate in  today’s modern society. We tend to steer clear of this difficult yet  important topic for reasons that are understandable. Contemplating death  can spark feelings of fear or anxiety, which can be quite  uncomfortable. However, mindfulness of death is a powerful practice  that, when explored with care, can actually help us to live life more  fully.

I have chosen 3 short easy meditations for beginners and those leading a very busy schedule. The first meditation is about 2 minutes and focuses on "finding calmness in you". The second meditation is 3 minutes using "breathing techniques". The third meditation last about 5 minutes and focuses on "body scanning" which will relax you and release all body tensions as well as any aches and pains in parts of your body.

All 3 meditations should be used on a regular basis and adapted according to your busy lifestyle or just do it whenever you feel you need calmness in your life.

PS: You might hear my little dog in the background as she too enjoys participating in meditation exercises :-)

Ten-Step Meditation for Pain Relief Technique

Meditation can help with coping and pain relief. This technique works best if practiced every day for 20 minutes. Here I will review how to do this meditation for pain relief exercise including 10 easy steps that you can practice every day to relieve pain and a description of what you can expect when you do this meditation.

Find a quiet place with minimal distractions where you can be undisturbed for 20 minutes.

Get into a comfortable position, such as sitting in a firm but comfortable chair with feet flat on the floor, legs and arms uncrossed, and hands in the lap or at the sides.

The 10 steps we will practice:

1. Calm breathing

For a 20-minute meditation session, each step will take about 2 minutes, but it is fine to spend more time on some steps than on others according to your preferences. There is no right or wrong way to meditate; what is most important is to keep a passive attitude, simply allowing and observing without trying to make anything happen. Go through each of these steps in order to do the full meditation for pain relief exercise.

1. Calm breathing – breathe slowly in and slowly out. Observe each breath and allow your breathing to become deep, slow, and calm.

2. Passive awareness – become aware of everything perceived by the senses by noticing one thing at a time. Notice one sound you can hear. Notice how your clothing feels against your skin. Notice your breaths. Notice your pain. Observe without trying to change anything.

3. Body scan – concentrate your attention on one area of your body at a time, starting at the tips of your toes, and moving your focus slowly upward all the way to the top of your head. Observe without trying to change how your body feels.

4. Noticing and accepting – observe your thoughts without trying to make any changes. Accept each thought that arises and allow it to move on.

5. Focus on breaths – concentrate on your breathing. Observe each breath as it enters and leaves the body.

6. Repeat a meaningful phrase – choose a phrase that is meaningful to you and repeat it with each breath in, and with each breath out. Every time your mind wanders, focus again on repeating the phrase.

7. Noticing and accepting – observe your thoughts without trying to make any changes. Accept each thought that arises and allow it to move on.

8. Passive awareness – become aware of everything perceived by the senses by noticing one thing at a time. Observe without trying to change anything.

9. Calm breathing – breathe slowly in and slowly out. Observe each breath and allow your breathing to become deep, slow, and calm.

10. Brief stretch – open your eyes. Stretch your muscles. Take a moment to reflect on the meditation experience.

What to Expect

During and after the meditation for pain relief session you will probably feel calm and relaxed, and your mood may improve. Your pain is likely to be less upsetting, less noticeable, and easier to tolerate.

With practice you will become more and more skilled at meditating and more easily enter a relaxed, focused state of mind. After just a few days you might start to notice improvements in concentration, memory, sleep, and coping.

As your skills improve further, it is possible to develop the ability to directly eliminate pain through meditating (Morone et al. 2008). Meditation can allow you to become happier, experience reduced pain, and have an overall better quality of life.

The Buddhist practice for developing mindfulness is called vipassana, which means “clear insight” or “seeing clearly” in Pali, the language of the Buddha. What follows is a simple introduction to this practice.

Because we so easily get lost in thoughts, vipassana begins with attention to the breath. Using the breath as a primary anchor of mindfulness helps quiet the mind so that you can be awake to the changing stream of life that moves through you.

As you practice, you might find a different anchor, other than the breath, might be most useful for you. Perhaps sounds or maybe the whole field of bodily sensations – or perhaps both listening to and feeling your moment-to-moment experience.

What’s important is that your senses are awake and attention with the breath as a home base, or sounds, or sensations, can help you to know that you’re here.

It is important that you find a comfortable, quiet and understurbed place to practice mindfulness meditation

I have chosen today 3 meditations for you.

. Letting Go

. Mental Clarity

. Self Love