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Apr 2010  |  By Kathy Yale  |  Comments (0)

"Fake Meditation"

TAGS: April 2010 magazine, 20-minute timeout, meditation, health and wellness

Meditation is a wonderful way to calm the mind, body and spirit. If you don’t know how to meditate, here is a great exercise anyone can do to fake it and achieve a similar calmness.

Pull the car over or sit still wherever you are. Close your eyes and begin to breathe in and out through your nose. Allow your exhalation to sound like the ocean, forcing air against the back of your throat upon exhalation. Inhalation is silent. It is very important to breathe in and out through the nose and allow all exhalations to be audible and all inhalations to be silent.

Begin to lengthen the inhalation and exhalation, making them equal in length and as long and slow as possible. Listen to the sound of your own exhalation. Continue to focus on the sound of your exhalation, and imagine the following movements. In your mind, link the breath with the imaginary movements.

Imagine yourself standing tall with beautiful posture. Imagine your shoulders lowering softly away from your ears and rolling gently toward your back. Visualize your heart extending forward and upward as if it is inflating your entire chest.

Now, on your inhalation, imagine your arms sweeping overhead. On your exhalation, imagine your arms sweeping back down to your sides. With each inhalation, imagine your arms sweeping up overhead and with each audible exhalation, imagine your arms sweeping back down. Inhale, arms overhead. Exhale, arms to your sides.

Continue to breathe, imagining the movement of your arms being linked to your breath and listening to the sound of your own breath. Perform this breathing and visualization for as long as you can—for at least 20 to 30 breaths.

Now you are ready to start the car and go about your business with diminished tension and a calm mind.

Kathy Yale teaches yoga at Sanctuary Yoga in Highwood, Healing Power Yoga in Highland Park, Northwestern and Fit 2 Triathlon Club in Green Oaks.