Breathing Meditation
The Single Happy and Strong Blog will be exploring different types of meditation. Meditation is simply put, controlling your thoughts and mind. It is not making your mind and thoughts blank. If that happens-great! When you meditate, you should have not any expectations of the results. Breathing meditation techniques can be quickly learned.
In the February, 2014 issue of Psychological Science they reported a study on meditation that was conducted by INSEAD and The Wharton School. They found that a 15 minute meditation practice of focused breathing helped the participants make smarter choices.
Zoe Kinias stated in the article:
We found that a brief period of mindfulness meditation can encourage people to make more rational decisions by considering the information available in the present moment. Mediation reduced how much people focused on the past and future, and this psychological shift led to less negative emotions. The reduced negative emotion then facilitated their ability to let go of “sunk costs”.
Here are the steps for a Breathing Meditation:
1. Find a place to site where you will not be disturbed. You may sit in a chair or on the floor, whichever is most comfortable for you. Turn off the television, mute your phone, and turn off your computer.
2. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
3.Take a few deep breaths. Close your eyes and begin to concentrate on your breath going in and out of your nostrils. Have your body settle in to a natural state of respiration.
4. With each inhalation concentrate on the physical sensations in your body. With each exhalation release any thoughts or mental images.
5. When thoughts appear, just let them go.
6. If it helps, you may count your breaths. There is no right or wrong.
7. Periodically confirm that your body is relaxed.
8. Continue breathing until the timer goes off.
9. When the timer goes off, slowly open your eyes and spend a minute quietly sitting.
How did you feel after the 15 minutes of breathing?