Quick Tips for Meditation

It's the middle of the week. Are you stressed and tired? The end is near as Friday approaches.

We recently read a great article on The Art of Meditation in a small regional newsmagazine called "Natural Awakenings."

You may not be someone who has ever practiced meditiaton or you may be someone who does it frequently. Meditation doesn't need to be long, but is a great way to focus your mind and soothe away stress.

We pulled some great tips from this article for you to read about:

"-Chant a mantra to yourself: (such as "om" or another repetitive word or phrase that can be personal to you). This will help to quiet your mind and get you focused.

-Breathe easy: Inhale and exhale through your nose, creating a rhythmic pattern that lengthens progressively. Inhale for four counts, exhale for four counts; then inhale for five counts, exhale for five counts, and so on.

-Move and Repeat: Along with your breathing, repetitive movement like walking, jogging, swimming or t'ai chi can be used to induce a meditative state."

You can really do some of these anywhere. If you are at work take some time out at your desk to spend just a few minutes doing some deep breathing. It's amazing what this can do for you. It also gets you to take a few minutes to slow down and practice being mindful.