MINDBODY TOOLKIT
Meditation & Mindfulness
Meditation/self hypnosis is excellent to help reset the nervous system.
You can use it as a tool whilst you are feeling in pain or when very anxious but also in calmer moments.
Think of it as rebooting your computer and as you relax it will reset your nervous system.
Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for the required amount of time and get as comfortable as possible. You can stop.
It may feel hard initially but persevere and your body will start to look forward to it.
If you feel anxious about meditating we recommend listening first without actually trying to meditate to see how it feels. It is quite a personal thing so we have links below to start you off and you can then find ones that suit you.
Mini Meditation 1
15 minute relaxation video.
Mini Meditation 2
15 minute relaxation video.
Calm Your Nervous System
30 minute video. Excellent for calming your body.
Releasing Anxiety
30 minute video. Excellent for reducing anxiety.
Heal Your Body Meditation
16 minute video. Heal your body meditation.
Nervous System Regeneration
15 minute video. Calm your central nervous system.
Guided Meditation - Anxiety Relief
30 minute video. Excellent for reducing anxiety.
Inner Child Meditation
10 minute video. Healing your inner child.
Guided Mindfulness - Anxiety Relief
Mindfulness is the practice of using the present moment to become aware of everything around you, including your surroundings, thoughts and feelings. The art of mindfulness is building that awareness without judgement or attachment to those feeling or emotions. It’s about noticing them, and just like clouds in the sky, letting them pass by you. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than reliving our past or focusing on the future.
There are some great mindfulness practices you can do including guided meditations, mindful colouring, eating, walking, journalling or even just breathing with awareness.
Here are five easy one minute mindfulness practices you can do to bring your awareness back to the present moment and help to relieve the constant mind chatter.
- Throughout the day have a timer set on your phone to remind you to stretch your arms up high, yawn and breathe for one minute. This will instantly bring you in to your body and give your upper glands and brain a flush of oxygen.
- Clench your fists and breathe into your fingers. Place your hands flat facing down, then clench your hands into a fist.
- Turn your hands over so your fingers and thumbs are facing up and breathe into your fingers. Notice what happens.
- Do long deep breathing for one minute. Place all your attention on your breath moving through your body.
- Mindfully eat a piece of fruit for one minute, slowly enjoying each bite, taste and sensation on your mouth.
Practice the ‘Loving-Kindness Meditation’ – This is a beautiful practice to do at any point in the day. You can do it walking, sitting at your desk, on your way to work or before bed. For one minute, repeat ‘May I be happy, may I be well, may I be filled with kindness and peace.’ You can also substitute “you” for “I” and think of someone special in your life, or just send love to all people.