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5 Meditation Styles For Beginners

Heather Dale — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 03:08:32 PDT

Quiet the mind. Slow down your breath. Awaken your chakras. It's time to meditate! I'll be the first one to admit that I used to be like Ms. Paltrow, in that I didn't have the slightest idea how to meditate. I would dim the lights, make sure the apartment was quiet, and try to focus on my breath. Problem was, I was so focused on "conquering meditation" that my mind couldn't relax and just "be." After hearing about all the health perks associated with meditation - including stress reduction, a heightened self awareness, and being able to tune out distractions - I knew I couldn't give up. The good news is, I realized that there are many different types of meditation. This is key, because once you explore the various meditation styles, you can choose one that suits you best.

Keep reading to find out what they are.

4 Alternative Treatments to Uplift Your Work Self

Emily Co — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 05:00:14 PDT

Now that you have the long weekend ahead of you, you should take some time to invigorate yourself over the holiday. If work has been getting to you, consider and explore these four alternative treatments.

Acupuncture: There are certain points on your body that harnesses your body energy or chi. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical practice that manipulates needles on your body to treat all sorts of ailments from pain to stress. It's definitely something you should check out if you're feeling a little haggard lately. The effects of acupuncture will last briefly after your first treatment, and you need to go for a couple more sessions to see a longer lasting effect. It's advisable to see an acupuncturist after work or on the weekends because acupuncture can sometimes tire a person out, especially if they are new to it.
Reflexology: Reflexology or foot massage works similar to acupuncture. The Chinese believe that certain points on your foot are linked to parts of your body. When you visit a reflexologist, remember to tell them what problems you've been having so they know what to focus on. Reflexology actually works really well in regards to energizing people, while acupuncture has more of a calming effect.

Read on for more treatments.

More and More People Reaching For Relaxation Drinks

Heather Dale — Fri, 20 May 2011 01:34:17 PDT

Energy drinks have created quite a buzz over the last few years, but as it turns out, energy drinks have a little competition from the chill-out section. According to Lynn Dornblaser, from the global consumer product and market research company Mintel, relaxation drinks are the new trendy bevvie. The majority of the US population is stressed out, so people have been turning to drinks claiming to offer relaxation perks.

That's right, more than 70 of these kinds of stress-reducing drinks - including Be Happy, Unwind, and iChill - have debuted in the past three years. Active ingredients include everything from melatonin, a sleep inducing hormone, to amino acids, which is thought to reduce stress. But the effects of the drinks are highly subjective and not thoroughly researched.

One international food and drink consulting firm projected the growth rate for this new group of drinks in 2011 alone is a staggering 38 percent. I'll be sticking to my herbal teas and deep breathing techniques to reduce my stress levels. What about you?

Reduce Pain With Mindfulness Meditation

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:31:13 PDT

Have you experienced the positive benefits of meditation? A new study that looked at 18 healthy young adults who had never meditated before found that with just 20-minute instructional sessions in mindfulness meditation, there was a significant reduction in pain when subjects were exposed to painful stimuli.

I already knew that regular meditation has been shown to have significant therapeutic effects on people at high risk for heart attacks, but these new findings are really profound because they are applicable to everyone!

According to researcher Fadel Zeidan, PhD, who is a postdoctoral fellow at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and also worked on the study, meditation may be useful for the management of postoperative pain since it distracts the mind and reduces the emotional response to pain. Zeidan says a wandering mind is normal at first and that you simply have to bring your consciousness back to your breathing.

Here are a few helping pointers for starting the meditation process.

What's Your Favorite Beauty Ritual?

Miriam Lacey — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 06:00:00 PDT

I'll admit it: I love washing my face. Whether it's after a long day or a long night, coming back to my sink with a bottle of cleansing oil is one of the fastest ways to make me feel relaxed and clean. My roommate Sarah, on the other hand, always feels better once she's put on some mascara and curled her lashes. Fellow Bella Jaime adores a good, relaxing bath, and another friend always swipes on lipstick when she feels low. What beauty ritual makes you the happiest?

How to Start Your Day Calm, Cool, and Relaxed

Heather Dale — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:00:16 PST

Whenever I get asked if I'm a morning person, I drift off for a moment, imagining my hands wrapped around a mug, sipping hot tea as I sit cross-legged in a cozy chair, watching the sunrise over the ocean. Then reality slaps me in the face, and I hesitate to say I'm a morning person. Forget the fantasy morning, because I've learned over the years to create my own morning ritual that helps me start the day on the right (and positive) foot. Here's my little slice of morning heaven:

Drink Warm Water With Lemon Step aside caffeinated products, this simple yet powerful concoction provides you with a shot of vitamin C and stimulates your digestive tract - improving your body's ability to absorb nutrients. This alkalizing drink will also wake-up your liver and help flush out toxins.
Have Your Own Moment of Silence As soon as you get out of bed, take a moment to just be without doing anything. Don't check your email on your BlackBerry, don't start stressing about your day, just focus on your breathing, meditate, close your eyes and be still. Think happy, peaceful thoughts to calm your mind. Even Oprah makes the time to do this each day.

For more of my favorite morning rituals,

Read Something Meaningful If you are captivated with a new book or enjoy reading poetry by a certain author, this is your time to read one or two pages, maybe even an entire chapter. What this does is slowly wakes up the mind without overwhelming it with information.
Sun Yourself Open a window, or step out on your back door and take a deep breath of crisp morning air. This will help expand your lungs as you fill them up with oxygen. And if the sun is out, close your eyes and feel the warmth of the sun on your face. Be present, be still.

You're ready to start your day. And if you want to jump-start your metabolism, here are some healthy morning tips.

This Website Will Force You to Relax

Kristen Hawley — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:00:28 PST

Busy schedules sometimes require some forced relaxation. Enter Do Nothing For 2 Minutes, a site that forces its users to literally do nothing for two minutes. Listen to the sound of ocean waves, take a break - just don't touch your mouse or keyboard or you'll get a nasty red FAIL message. And no one wants to fail.

After two minutes (there's a countdown), you're rewarded with a "well done" message. It's a simple site with a simple purpose, but a welcome moment of relaxation in an otherwise hectic day. I've been listening to the wave sounds for the last hour, and even that helps - give it a try!

Graphotherapy Exercise For Relaxation

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:30:35 PDT

Stressed out? Grab a pen or pencil and some paper, and do this relaxation exercise from the OnSugar blog goddessbody.

I call this exercise the Phone Cord (before the cell phone and cordless phone). It promotes calmness and relaxation and relieves inner tension. It also helps improve balance and coordination.

Learn how to do this easy exercise when you

What Happens During Savasana in Your Class?

Fit Community — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:50:50 PDT

The final resting pose in a yoga class known as Savasana is so relaxing, but FitSugar reader bigestivediscuit shared an especially relaxing experience in the Yoga Stretch and Tell community group.

Last night I had a nearly orgasmic moment on the train ride home when the breeze coming through the hot subway carriage's window made the China gel my yoga instructor had massaged into my neck during Savasana feel a-mazing. The menthol cooled my neck and I breathed in the essential oils deeply, which was totally and utterly relaxing. Even after I showered, a bit of the gel remained in my neck and shoulders, making me drift off into the most peaceful sleep ever.

I can't lie - having a mini neck massage after a particularly challenging Vinyasa flow class is like heaven. Upon relating this to my best friend, she confessed that the reason why she returned to a certain instructor's class again and again is because he stood on his students' feet (I guess the soles of their feet were on the floor, with bent knees, so he stepped on the tops of the feet) for about ten seconds each during Savasana, which was insanely relaxing.

Some instructors guide their students through a meditation, light candles, play music or come by each student's mat to gently press their shoulders or hips into the floor. What's your favorite part of Savasana and what does your instructor do during that time?

If yoga is one of your obsessions, then you'll want to check out the Yoga Stretch and Tell community group.

Do You Have a Window Seat?

CasaSugar — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 07:30:00 PDT

I love a good window seat. My grandmother used to have one in her home where I'd sit and play for hours, and if I was lucky, sometimes she'd let me sleep there. Nowadays, aside from being nostalgic, something about a space slated primarily for unwinding oozes hints of luxury and relaxation. Unfortunately, we don't have a spot to build a window seat in my current home, but someday I'd love a big beautiful bay window with a cozy nook where I could sit, read, and relax. A girl can dream, can't she? Do you have a window seat in your home?
Source: Flickr User Peter Alfred Hess