Anxiety comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be an almost permanent state of affairs for some people whilst in others it is triggered by certain situations that they find stressful. Whichever option you’re unfortunate enough to suffer from, meditation can be a good way to reduce your anxiety. Here are some simple methods that you can use.
Breathing meditation
This is one of the simplest forms of meditation and has the major advantage that you don’t need any special equipment to be able to use it.
Most people find that when they are starting out with this method that a guided meditation track is a good idea. It takes over the task of remembering what to do next, which in itself can cause some people to become more anxious.
Most versions will start by getting you to sit or lie down in a comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed. You’ll then concentrate on taking a number of deep breaths – this alone can help reduce any anxiety you are feeling and is an excellent stop-gap if you don’t have time for anything more complex.
Often you’ll then progressively relax each part of your body in turn, possibly also visualizing any worries being expelled along with the used oxygen every time you breathe out.
Walking meditation
This is another simple meditation that you can use without anyone knowing that’s what you are doing.
Choose a route to walk along and as you walk, increase your awareness of yourself and your surroundings.
Notice how your feet feel as you walk along. Feel the air as it brushes past you as well as how it passes into and out of your lungs.
Take the time to regard your surroundings with a new vision. Many people find that they hear and see things for the first time when they carry out a walking meditation, even if they have been following that route for months or even years.
There’s no need to race as you do this kind of meditation – take it at your own pace and allow yourself to almost become at one with your surroundings.
Binaural beats meditation
This is another simple way to allow your anxiety to melt away.
You will need to find a quiet place for this – somewhere that you’re not going to be disturbed. While you’re at it, turn off your cell phone as well.
For binaural beats to work, you need to listen to the meditation track on headphones so you’ll need to don these while you play the track. It doesn’t matter whether the headphones are in-ear or not, just that you feel comfortable whilst wearing them so that you’re not distracted.
Then for 30 or 60 minutes, let the track take your brainwaves down to a deeply relaxed state. One where your worries and anxieties seem like an almost forgotten dream.
You don’t need to do anything to reach this state – the track takes you there, even if it’s the first time you’ve listened to it.
All in all, any meditation can help reduce your anxiety levels so it’s well worth trying as a method to help.
