Making a meditation for stress reduction more effective
Today, I’m delighted to introduce you to a guest blogger, Colin Ellis, the self-styled Meditation Maverick. Colin has an app to help with meditation, with many articles, videos and audios on it. If you subscribe to become a member, which is free, you can also access his Care to Heal area, which is designed to help those who are struggling with illness. I can recommend the app for being really helpful in training you to meditate. Enjoy his post!
While the Mindfulness Teacher with a charity for people struggling with anxiety, I did a mini-study on the results of meditation. We had the group self-assess their stress and anxiety levels from 1-10, before and after the meditation. They typically started with an average of 6-8. The average reduction was 50% after a 10 minute meditation.
In her book, Jenny Graves recommends the same effective meditation for stress release. You focus your attention on the breath, and stay focussed for the whole meditation. I’ve put together a handy Q&A and self-assessment chart to help you progress quickly and easily with your breath meditation (link below).
I call the mind-technology behind focused meditation, Engrossed Attention, but there is another mind-technology I recommend you add to your meditation to increase its effectiveness…
Authentic Attitudes (AA)
This mind-technology helps all meditations to be more therapeutic. What AA can you add to make your stress reduction meditation more effective? Here are a few Authentic Attitudes (AA) I recommend.
Be Gentle. Whatever happens, no matter how many times you get distracted from your meditation, be gentle with yourself. Treat yourself as you would a friend who is struggling. Let go of being frustrated with distractions – they are a sign you are doing great!
Curiosity. You are interested in what you will find when observing. You’re trying to be aware of the breath (temperature, movement, pressures, length & depth), or the space and calm that appears when you relax. Where possible, you are curious without adding a judgement or opinion (be gentle instead).
Inner Smile. To train in the Authentic Attitude (AA) of an inner smile:
Start with a facial smile (maybe remember something funny).
Focus on the warm feeling created.
If that friendly feeling is just in your face/head, move it into your body.
Notice as much as you can about the feeling that comes with a smile.
You can now send that feeling of an inner smile (no facial expression required) to parts of your body and experience. It may surprise you how much this simple Authentic Attitude (AA) technology will enhance your experience of meditation.
If a friendship has become tetchy, you can change the situation by changing your attitude. In the same way, you can change your relationship with anything with the three AAs above. When you do that with your mind and body, you change the whole dynamic, so healing is easier and your immune system will improve.
All seven mind-technologies have a part to play. By using all seven, you can make your meditation amazing. To get the audio for the above meditation, download the app from https://meditationwellbeing.app/
About the Author
Colin (Q.C. Ellis) has been on meditation retreats in silence and solitude for longer than some monks and studying meditation for over 23 years.
Known as a meditation maverick, he teaches methods to awaken your body’s natural restorative abilities and fire up your inbuilt happiness. He is a Transformation Coach, and founder of IntrAnaut™ Academy. For ways to connect, click HERE – ColinEllis.info
For additional resources, download his FREE mobile app – MeditationWellbeing.app
