Start breathing

 

 

Simple stretching and breathing exercises to reduce stress, while helping raise awareness of the body and mind connection, can be done when sitting at your desk. Yoder also recommends “plugging into the energy of nature” by taking a walk and enjoying the woods or the ocean.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Other ways to heighten the body-mind-spirit connection, besides Chi Gung and tensing and relaxing muscle groups, is guided relaxation, according to Yoder.

 

While sitting, tell yourself to relax from head to toe, starting with the top of the head and methodically working your way down the entire body. “While breathing in, you can say to yourself the affirmation ‘I bring in goodness in life.’ And while breathing out, you can say, ‘I release stress and strain,’” says Yoder.

 

During this exercise, workshop members were also told to use visualization. Yoder guided participants through the five elements of nature. Yoder quietly chanted during the exercise, “I am solid like the mountain; I am calm as the water; I am fresh as a flower; I am open as the sky to goodness and light. I love myself and approve of myself. All is well. Life is whole and complete. I am as free as the cloud, free from stress and strain.” Yoder says if you repeat this exercise daily, peace of mind will come to you.