What if we could tune our body and mind, like a fine instrument, to peacefulness? What if we could be calm, relaxed and peaceful all the time? In this episode we return to a simple, effective mindfulness practice to de-stress. We also try to strengthen our motivation to become a peaceful person beyond ourselves alone. 

 

Mindfulness Practice to De-stress 

 

1. Aspire to become a calm and peaceful person, even in challenging situations.
2. Try to be mindful of whether you’re feeling calm and when you start to become tense.
3. Calm yourself. When you start to feel tension or stress, turn toward calming yourself—rather than doing anything to affect the situation. This is vital.
4. When you notice tension and stress, start breathing deeply from the diaphragm, feeling your stomach expand. Or, if possible, close your eyes and begin a brief breathing meditation (see below). 
5. Breathe deeply and say to yourself “calm” “relaxed”. Try to tune your body to these feelings...calm...relaxed. 
6. Continue this Diaphragmatic breathing or a breathing meditation until you feel relaxed. This might take only a minute or it might take much longer.
7. Remember the world is empty and dreamlike.
8. Put a little smile on your face. Try to have fun and find joy in things.
9. Keep trying this mindfulness practice and calming technique whenever you need it. You’ll get better at with practice, and eventually you will be able to tame your mind and be calm all day. 

 

Relaxing Meditation 

 

If you find yourself getting stressed—and have time and space for a five minute meditation—this can help you reset your state to calm and relaxed. 

 

1. Close your eyes.
2. Check that you have a nice straight back.
3. Breathe through nostrils.
4. You can put your hands in the mudra of meditative equipoise. Place your hands in your lap, the right hand resting in the left, and the thumbs gently touching forming a bridge. 
5. Breathe deeply from your diaphragm.
6. Count, starting at one, as you breathe in. 1….2….3….4….5
7. Count as you exhale, but exhale more slowly as your breathe out. 1….2….3….4….5….6…..7….8…..9….10
8. You can meditate for only as long as it takes your body and mind to enter a more peaceful state. 
9. When you arise from your meditation, look at your experiences as a projection of your mind, like a dream. 
10. Try to stay peaceful. Relax. Enjoy.

Hunger is the foremost illness; 

Saṇkhāras the foremost suffering. 

For one who knows this as it really is, 

Nirvana is the foremost happiness. (203)*

 

References

 

Buddha. The Dhammapada, translated by Gil Fronsdale. (2011). Shambala, pp. 54.