Reclaim The Spark

Practices to live fully.

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Robyn Zagoren

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Breathing Meditations to Ease Stress and Anxiety

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  1. Belly-breathing
  • Sit with your eyes closed or focused downward, and turn your attention to your breathing. 
  • Breathe naturally, preferably through the nostrils, without attempting to control your breath.
  • Be aware of the sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils… cold…warm.
  • Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest, noticing where you feel movement. 
  • Concentrate on your breath and forget everything else. Letting thoughts fade away as they arise. Focusing on the sensations of your breath and the belly moving.
  • Repeat for 1-3 minutes or as long as you need it.

4 Square Breathing

 

  • Breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, breathe out for a count of 4 and hold for a count of 4. As you breathe, notice any stress in your body and release it, relax your forehead, relax your shoulders, unclench your hands, relax your belly, move your focus down your body as you release all the tension.
  • Repeat as needed until you feel calm.

Sometimes, if I am holding on to my stress, I switch to holding the breath for two counts. If you feel dizzy, breathe in and out slowly with your natural rhythm. Remember to let your belly move and relax as you breathe.

The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique

When you have those moments of panic, your breathing becomes shallow, which results in a buildup of carbon dioxide, it might feel like you are hyperventilating. This breathing technique slows down the breath. Holding the breath in, and then when exhaling for a longer time, you get rid of as much carbon dioxide as possible, returning your body to a balanced, calm state. 

 

  • Place the tip of the tongue on the roof of the mouth (behind the front teeth).
  • Breathe in for a count of four, through the nose.
  • Hold the breath for a count of seven.
  • Release the breath with a “releasing whoosh” sound for a count of 8.
  • Without a pause, repeat steps 1-4 for another three or four times.
  • Then resume normal breathing.

After any meditation or even during your breathing meditation you can say to yourself “May I be safe, May I be happy, May I be healthy. May I be at ease.” 

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Expectations Can Crush Your Mojo

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The other night I was heading home from an evening out with my husband. I was chatting away about how much fun it was, the whole time my husband was quiet, basically frowning. Had we just attended the same party? Yes.

He wanted to be the life of the party. He thought he would tell great jokes making everyone think he’s fantastic. Make new friends, and get invitations for more parties and get-togethers. I, on the other hand, was happy to just go out for the night.

I had no expectations other than I was heading out for the evening, and he had a list of outcomes he wished to achieve. He played out the whole evening in his head before we ever left the house. I made some new friends and the promise of an invite to more fun. More importantly, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. My husband did not. He was frustrated and upset, his mojo was crushed.

By not creating future scenarios, I was able to flow through the evening. Let’s be honest. Reality never lives up to expectations.

Here’s a great example. Have you ever read a book and been so involved you can’t put it down, and you don’t want it to end? Then the movie comes out, and you are so excited you rush out the first day it is in theaters only to leave disappointed. When you read a book, your mind can create images beyond what most movies can recreate. The expectation that the film will be as great as the scenario you created leaves you with a myriad of negative feelings, letting you down.

When you let go of expectations, it enables you to be in the real moment, without disappointments. Not every situation will be great, but they won’t let you down with all the build-up and fantasy that occurred in your mind. You will be more flexible, flow with what’s happening, and open to more enjoyment and possibility in life.

Try it next time you go somewhere, attend a class, meeting, party, etc.

Just let it unfold and be in the experience.

You will walk away feeling lighter, free from your thoughts and outcomes.

Open to all possibilities.

Reclaim your mojo.

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Trouble With Procrastination?

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Trouble With Procrastination

The Pomodoro Technique

We all struggle with procrastination and distractions. Projects at home or work that, in our minds, look daunting. Ever pick up a book and see that it has 600 pages to read and not even start? A massive project at work that could take six months or longer and feel overwhelmed? Cleaning the house can be tiresome. 

So much to do so you end up doing nothing. Actually, you do everything else but what you need to focus on.

Don’t look at the end. Look at the parts. This technique helps you tackle and complete all your tasks by chunking them into manageable pieces called Pomodori (plural for Pomodoro). The Pomodoro Technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo to improve your productivity. For those of us who can’t sit still or focus for too long, it’s a great simple way to chunk out time to complete any task.

What would you like to get done?. Check and respond to emails – one Pomodoro. Presentation –  2 Pomodori; update report – 2 Pomodori; grade papers – 3 Pomodori. No more than 10 Pomodori per day.

Find a beautiful sand timer to create a relaxing environment without a jarring alarm at the end of the allotted time. Start the timer for 25 minutes.

For 25 minutes, focus on the task at hand. No matter what, don’t check on anything else or play a game on your phone. If you get finished before the time is up, review your project with any remaining time left. Stick to the rhythm of 25/5.

After the 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break and move around. Get up and take a walk, stretch, and drink some water. Meditate. Make good use of the 5 minutes by doing something different.

Then start your next 25-minute Pomodoro. After several Pomodori take a more extended break.

Simple. Practical. Achievable.

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Spark Morning Meditation

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Most mornings, we wake up with a jolt of thousands of thoughts rolling in a steady stream of our minds.

Starting your day anxious and stressed can cause burnout, or you might want to pull the covers over your head and hide. Worse, run away and avoid it all. Ugh!

Or…

You can start your day with a morning meditation. It releases endorphins, and you don’t even have to exercise. That’s awesome, though I do like to exercise too.

Practice this five-minute SPARK meditation for a positive impact on the rest of the day.

You can start with a quick minute, five minutes, or stretch it out to ten minutes. Whatever works best for you. Spend as long or as little time you want in each section. There are benefits of meditating for any amount of time you choose. 

The SPARK morning meditation will help you create a calm, positive mindset. You can practice the SPARK meditation with your eyes closed or focused downward.

Find a comfortable position and enjoy it. 

  • S – smile – smiling activates neural messaging in your brain. A simple smile can trigger the release of mood-boosting neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Think of something pleasant.
  • P – pause – meaning to take a break in verse, allow your mind to let your thoughts drift away, focusing on your breathing.
  • A – airway – opening your airway for 4 deep breaths, 4 seconds inhaling, 4 seconds exhaling. Relax your neck, shoulders, and other noticeable tension in your body, allowing the stress to melt away with each breath.
  • R – reset – think of one thing you are grateful for this morning to reset your brain to positive thoughts; it can be simple. I am grateful for the sunrise, comfy sheets, coffee. Each time you practice this meditation, think of something new.
  • K – kind – take a deep breath filling yourself with a positive thought, and with the exhale, remember to be kind to yourself and others.

You can practice the Spark meditation any time to reclaim your day