Mindset can be defined as a set of beliefs or a way of thinking that determine a person's behavior and outlook.  I would say in a lot of cases, people already have the mindset to meditate. As meditation is becoming more popular in this country, many people are beginning to come to the belief that meditation is very beneficial for things such as relieving stress and anxiety, improving your mental function, improving your concentration, etc. They are familiar with studies that are helping them to make the transition

Counting Breaths

Meditation for anxiety and stress can be a simple activity to do. I think that a counting breaths meditation can be "counted" as one of those in that category of simple forms of meditation. Simply, relax, find a comfortable position, close your eyes and start counting your breaths. That is all there is to it. Just count your breaths. If you notice that your mind has wondered, that is fine. Just acknowledge it without judgment and return to counting your breaths. You can return either to

Relieve Stress and Anxiety in the Shower

Do you tend to bring your worries and stress to the shower with you? Are you thinking about conversations that happened in the past or have yet to happen? Are you checking off your to-do list while in the shower? If you answered yes, to any one of these questions or know that you are not fully present in the shower, then consider incorporating a mindful shower meditation into your routine.

Being entirely in your head as you shower exacerbates

Stand grounded in yourself and release attachments. 

Attachment can take on many forms. You can be attached to an object, you can be attached to an emotion, you can be attached to other people's expectation, you can be attached to a person, etc. It is these attachments that cause stress and anxiety in your life. The anxiety and stress come from either worrying about how long you can hold on to whatever positive sensations these attachments bring to you or dreading or being worried about the

Are you looking for tips and techniques for holiday stress and depression? Do you want to feel better during the holidays? Do the holidays make you feel more sad, depressed, stressed or anxious? If you answered yes to any of the previous questions, then download our Free 7-page guide. Mindfulness meditation and other holistic lifestyle changes are some of the techniques offered in a quick and easy to use format. The free guide, includes links to videos and other resources to help you feel more relaxed and

If you are in need of guidance in whatever stage of development you are in, find a good teacher. A good teacher will lead you to the door but will ask you to walk through it. Now what does that mean in practical terms? As a meditation instructor, I can give you the tools for learning to meditate but I cannot tell you what you will experience for I have learned and truly believe that everyone's experience will be different. This is what makes meditation seem like

If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse. Jim Rohn

This may be cliche, however, if you really want to do it, you will do it. Life is about choices. Now having said this, let me give you a hand with making the choice to meditate. When making decisions, you have to consider the pros and cons of it. Well, meditation has many pros. Meditation relieves stress and anxiety, helps to clear your mind, makes you

Featured Artist

The winding path by Joe Stevenson

Listen to this relaxing and captivating song by Joe Stevenson taken from the album, Zen and the Art of Relaxation. It is a perfect time to take a break, relax and just let go. Anytime you find that your mind has wandered, breath, relax and return your attention to the melodic sound of the music.

Mindfulness meditation is an excellent way to relieve stress and anxiety. When you are mindful, you are focused on the present moment and on what is happening now. Stress and anxiety are usually a result of thoughts about what is going to happen or thoughts about the past, not actually what is happening in the present moment. The entire stress response caused by stress and anxiety is a result of your thoughts about it.  In this mindfulness meditation, we will focus on using the breath to stay in

For this qigong exercise, we will place our attention on the shoulder, neck and upper back area. So many individuals hold tension in this area. With this qigong exercise, you will be relaxing into the area and thereby opening up your energetic channels. When you open your channels, you increase the flow of healing energy to that area. In qigong, the intention is to focus on the coordinated movement with your breath in a relaxed manner.

Instructions

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your

How do I meditate? This is one of the most frequent questions that I am asked and also the most challenging. While it may seem simple to be able to just give you instructions on how to meditate, I feel that if you really want to incorporate meditation into your life, then there are some important aspects you may want to consider.

Meditation is beneficial for so many aspects of our lives. It can help to improve your physical health, it can relieve you of stress and

In my opinion, there is no right way to meditate because meditation is a personal inward journey. What I mean by this is that as you practice meditation, you begin to notice there are certain aspects that will make it easier for you to practice it. For instance, sitting erect with a relaxed spine, makes a sitting meditation easier to do. If you started practicing a sitting meditation with your spine tense, then it is more challenging to do. Having said this, you should "come as you are"

Life Lessons from Stroke Survivor and Author Erica Tucci

Today, I have the great pleasure of being the host on Day 11 of Erica Tucci’s Virtual Blog Tour. Erica’s book Radiant Survivor: How to Shine and Thrive through Recovery from Stroke, Cancer, Abuse, Addiction and Other Life-Altering Experiences is celebrating its big Amazon launch on November 19th, 2013 at http://www.radiantsurvivor.com/book-launch/pages/pre-launch.php. 

Erica Tucci had a full life as a corporate manager of a Fortune 500 company, a healing arts business owner and an author of three

For today's Monday Meditation we will cultivate our awareness of the present moment with this mindful eating exercise.

Mindfulness is about the awareness that you bring to each present moment. Anything done with mindful awareness and focus, such as eating, driving and washing dishes can be considered a meditation.

Being mindful is very helpful because it relieves stress and anxiety. This is due to the fact that your awareness is in the present moment. You are not focused on the past or worrying about the future. 

Stress and anxiety are related. Many times they are a result of a perceived threat or negative thought. As a result, you undergo a stress response. You releases all types of stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. These stress hormones have profound effects on your body. Your blood pressure rises, your immune system gets suppressed, along with a whole series of reactions.

Meditation affects the body in exactly the opposite ways that stress does. It restores the body to a calm state, helps the body to

If you are falling asleep during meditation, then there are several things you can do to prevent it.  Below are a list of ideas to try that should help you meditate properly:

1. What type of position are you doing? Chances are you are in a position that lends itself to falling asleep. For instance, the corpse pose (lying on your back) is a perfect example. Try meditating in a sitting position like the burmese or half-lotus pose. If you must lie on your back, then modify it to

New Meditation Forum

Are you a beginner at meditation and need some assistance? Do you seek advice on how to improve your meditation practice? If you need answers about meditation or about the meditation services offered at Seek Within You, then please visit our new meditation discussion forum.

Click on the link above or scroll down to the User Menu at the bottom of the page to find the link. Thanks and I look forward to being able to assist you with your questions.

The best time of day to meditate will be the best time for you. This, of course, will vary from person to person. If you choose a time that is best for you, then you are more inclined to meditate on a regular basis. This is key to reaping the benefits of meditation, which are many. Meditation has been shown to relieve stress and anxiety, enhance concentration, improve your health as well as manage pain.

Keep in mind though, that although your initial schedule may not accommodate

If you are finding it challenging to sit comfortably in a meditation posture for more than a few minutes, then it is possible that you need to relax certain areas of your body. There are two regions, I suggest you focus on. They are the hip (pelvic region) and the lower back. 

Goddess Pose

The goddess pose (supta baddha konasana) is an excellent restorative yoga pose for both opening the hips and relaxing the lower back. Practice the goddess pose 2-3 times a week for several months and

Question

What are some ways to raise my vibration to relieve anxiety and stress?

Answer

Meditation is one way in which to raise your vibration. It raises your vibration because you let go and allow higher vibrating (source) energy to flow through your body by releasing your thoughts. You let go of the mental chatter and thereby allow energy to flow through your body. Conversely this means that your thoughts can curtail the amount of energy that you allow into your body.

Let's look at this another