Use this guided meditation to relax and reduce stress.

This week’s post is a bit different. I decided to do an audio blog that you can bookmark and use whenever you need.

I talk a lot about stress and toxins (click here to read more on stress and here, here and here for a study on toxins) and how they affect our health. I’ve talked about the need to reduce stress, and today I am giving you one way to help.

Some of you may already engage in some form of meditation or centering. Others may wrinkle their noses at the mention of meditation. Well, just think of meditation as one way to relax. You don’t need a cushion or bells or music you’ve never heard before. The only requirement for meditation is to be present. By present, I mean not thinking about the things you’ve done or the things you need to do. Rather, just quieting the mind and letting go. It can be very difficult to do if you’ve never done it. I think that’s why there’s a hesitation around meditation.

Today I’m giving you the permission to step away from everything and relax. Truly relax; even if just for a few minutes. My goal is for you to work up to meditating 5- 10 minutes each day. That 5-10 minutes is enough to have an impact on your stress levels. I also encourage you to find “your way” of accomplishing this. You can do it on the train (the place I’m writing about meditation), in the shower, on a walk or run. You can do it at your desk, eating lunch (double bonus for mindful eating by slowing down and chewing your food completely). You get the idea. I use Yoga for meditation by focusing on my breath and my form. In fact, yoga without a meditative mind is not as effective.

Okay, enough said. Time to sit back, or lay back, and clear the mechanism.

Take 5 and let’s de-stress.  (YouTube link) or play below.