5 Unique Ways to Practice Presence and Release Your Mind

Life can be stressful. However, there are a various different ways to relax and release your mind.

The techniques below are some of my favorite… Enjoy!

1. Heart run.

Running can be a moving meditation if you allow yourself to tune into the beat of your heart and the tempo of your breath. When you run, you engage your body in a way that your mind has little room to take over. If at any point you do find yourself thinking about the day, or a certain situation that is stressing you out, simply notice the thought and tune into the sensation of your breathe and then bring your awareness right down to your heart. Notice the rhythm and how it feels in your body, and then visualize your heart as a battery that gives life to every step of your run.

2. Get your feet naked.

Walk your bare feet outdoors and touch the soles of your feet on some grass. If it’s winter for you, it’s just as powerful to get your feet naked indoors and simply press the soles into the floor. Notice how rooted you feel when you do this. You will instantly feel your legs activate. As you focus into pressing your feet into the ground, your entire body will naturally come into alignment. Simply breathe here and allow yourself to feel as rooted as a tree.

3. Que the zen tunes.

Google is your best friend in this case. Type in “zen music” and you will get a ton of links that will lead you to hours of oh-so-calming music that will make you feel like you’re in Bali or India. Listening to zen music promotes healing for your body as you close your eyes and just breathe. If you’re a busy person you may feel like you are wasting your time and getting antsy, but know that just by closing your eyes and tuning into the music is in fact you at work and just this allowance is more powerful to get you to where you really want to go.

4. Activate your senses with a 15-minute tea break.

Give yourself permission to take a break and make your favorite cup of tea. Find a comfy place to sit down with your cup and then notice your surroundings. Feel the sensation of the cup in your hand. Notice the size of the cup and then the weight of it in your hands. Feel the temperature of the cup. Then, prepare yourself to take a sip and with effortless focus, notice yourself bringing the cup to your mouth and then the sensation of the tea in your mouth. Visualize, with each sip, this tea spreading throughout the body and promoting hydration and nourishment. This is more challenging than you think at first, but the more you practice, the more you benefit.

5. Flame focus.

One of my favorite ways to meditate is to light a candle and focus on the dance of the flame. Notice how it moves and reacts to its environment. Allow your eyes to settle on the flame with ease. Fire fuels passion and purifies your environment. It is the same fire that when lit, leads you to your creativity and inspired action in the direction of your dreams.