NEW YOU! How To Meditate and Relax in 2019

By Maureen Martin | January 23, 2019 | Food Fashion Style

Every new year brings new challenges. If you are like us, your new year resolutions have stalled leaving you feeling a little blue. This year the only resolution we have made is to be mindful and present and to master the practice of meditation. Here is some information if you would like to join us as we chart this new contemplative chapter of our lives.

Mindfulness is to be fully present, aware of where we are and what weΓÇÖre doing, and not overly reactive, responsive or overwhelmed by outside stimuli aka whatΓÇÖs going on around us. Mindfulness is something within our natural state and it’s readily available to be accessed as needed on a daily basis.

“Whenever you bring awareness to what youΓÇÖre directly experiencing via your senses, or to your state of mind via your thoughts and emotions, youΓÇÖre being mindful. And thereΓÇÖs growing research showing that when you train your brain to be mindful, youΓÇÖre actually remodeling the physical structure of your brain. The goal of mindfulness is to wake up to the inner workings of our mental, emotional, and physical processes.”

Meditation is an exploration into a special place where each and every moment is unique. “When we meditate we venture into the workings of our minds: our sensations (air blowing on our skin or a harsh smell wafting into the room), our emotions (love this, hate that, crave this, loathe that) and random thoughts. Mindfulness meditation asks us to suspend judgment and unleash our natural curiosity about the workings of the mind, approaching our experience with warmth and kindness, to ourselves and others.

Celebrities who mediate include Oprah, Michael Jordan and Russell Simmons.

For more information on how to practice mindfulness and meditation here are a few resources:

7 Tips To Meditate

How To Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness Meditations

Photo: Oprah