The following are some of the most popular, effective, and enjoyable meditations for stress relief; try several, and see what type of meditation works best for you. Then practice regularly and let your chosen meditations transform your life. There are many mindfulness meditation techniques that can be effective for stress relief and relaxation. Really, any activity that you perform where you stay fully present, completely and non-judgmentally rooted ‘in the now’ can count as a mindfulness meditation technique and, when practiced regularly, can bring the benefits of meditation to your life. As with most meditations, this feel-good meditation technique can be practiced in several ways, and one quite effective version involves focusing on the self, close friends and other loved ones in a specific format. Using music as a focal point can help you to relax into meditation, can provide a present focus, and can create an enjoyable meditation experience. If you need to get clean anyway, why not try a bath meditation? Physical tension can lead to increased emotional tension, creating a “feedback loop” of stress. The body scan meditation can help you to get in touch with your physical tension and can help you to release it at the same time. Some people may feel odd repeating a word aloud, or even under their breath, but for those who enjoy having a focus during practice, mantra meditation can be quite useful. Many mantra meditation techniques have you repeat the mantra silently. It has the added benefit of allowing you to focus on a word whose meaning resonates strongly with you, like, “hope.” Second, when paired with regular practice, they can get you back into the place of peace and relaxation similar to what you experience in your regular meditation sessions fairly quickly. This makes them effective and convenient.
