Coping with Stress

A guided meditation

This 10-minute guided meditation helps you relax and calm the mind in spite of our daily inevitable challenges.  When we are able to breathe long, slow, and deep while focussing our attention on the present moment, our disposition will change.

Stress triggers adrenaline.

Stressful situations trigger the body’s fight or flight response releasing adrenaline into the blood stream.  This causes:

• Heart rates and blood pressure to increase.
• A sense of heightened anxiety and fear.
• Over reactions which preculdes clear thinking.

Long Slow Breathing
and the relaxation response.

• Heart rate and blood pressure decrease. 
• With practice a sense of peace and tranquility comes over us
• As a result we think more clearly and respond more thoughtfully.

Practice these breathing techniques throughout the day

• Before and or after stressful events.
• During frustrating or boring interludes.
• During a formal mediation in a quiet room while sitting still.

Approaches to breathing exercises

• A long slow breath and while counting inwardly during inhilation and exhalation. 
• Long slow breath and counting and having a  “felt sense”.  Here you are making yourself aware of the sensations of your breathing. 
• While breathing normally, focus on the “felt sense” of the air entering and exiting your nose.

Discovering which technique is best for you

• There is no one-size-fits-all approach. 
• Your approach will vary based on your level of experience and your degree of stress. 
• Whatever you feel most comfortable with is the right approach for you.