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No matter which type of meditation you choose, begin your session with a few minutes of deep breathing. When random thoughts enter your mind during your meditation time (as they almost certainly will) don’t become anxious; just accept the thoughts and let them pass through your mind without notice or response. Start by meditating for five to ten minutes once or twice a day, then work up to fifteen to twenty minutes.
For more information on meditation, refer to books in the library, take a class from a local recreation center or fitness facility, or practice using instructional tapes. You might also contact one of the following organizations:
Cambridge Insight Meditation Center
331 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 491-5070
Foundation for Human Understanding
P.O. Box 1009
Grants Pass, OR 97526
(503) 597-4360
Mind/Body Medical Institute
110 Francis Street, Suite 1A
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 632-9525
Stress Reduction Clinic
University of Massachusetts Medical Center
55 Lake Avenue, North
Worcester, MA 01655
(508) 856-2656
Zen Center
300 Page Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 863-3136
PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION Progressive relaxation can produce a profound feeling of calm as you systematically remove the stress from your body. Start by lying on your back on the floor, with your legs flat and your arms loose at your sides. Close your eyes and breathe deeply.
Once you are reasonably calm, begin to systematically tense and relax every muscle in your body. Start with your feet: Tense the muscles in your feet for thirty seconds or so, then relax, allowing your feet to feel heavy and relaxed. Then move on to your calves, thighs, abdomen, buttocks, hands, forearms, upper arms, shoulders, and face. When you finish, your muscles should feel soothed and relaxed. Lie quietly and enjoy the feeling of complete relaxation.
VISUALIZATION To relieve stress, use your imagination. Visualization—also known as guided imagery—builds on the idea that you are what you think you are. If you think anxious thoughts, your muscles will grow tense; if you think sad thoughts, your brain biochemistry will change and you will become unhappy. And, more importantly, if you think soothing, positive thoughts, you will relax and develop a more positive outlook.
To experience the relaxation of visualization, sit down in a comfortable position or lie on the floor in a quiet, dimly lit room. Tense all of your muscles at once and hold for thirty seconds. Relax every muscle and allow all the tension to drain from your body. Continue to inhale and exhale slowly and fully.
Once your muscles have relaxed, you can begin the visualization or imagery. First, concentrate on your breathing, feeling the regular rhythm of each breath and clearing your mind of all thoughts. Then imagine that you are in a peaceful setting, such as lying in the warm sun on a sandy beach or strolling down a country road on a cool October afternoon. Get all your senses involved in your image: Smell the ocean mist, hear the leaves crunch under your feet. The more specific your fantasy, the more real it will seem. And the more real it seems, the more you will relax. Enjoy this “escape” for about twenty minutes. When you return to your body and get on with the challenges of the day, you will probably feel much more relaxed and refreshed.
For more information on visualization, contact the Mind-Body Medical Institute, New Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, (617) 632-9530; or the Academy for Guided Imagery, P.O. Box 2070, Mill Valley, CA 94942, (800) 726-2070.
YOGA Yoga promotes relaxation while at the same time strengthening and stretching the muscles. This form of exercise combines deep breathing with systematically moving the body into a series of postures or positions. It can be very gentle and noncompetitive, but yoga isn’t easy. It requires significant endurance, strength, and flexibility. Since it works every muscle group, weaknesses