Want to meditate? ….just breathe.

By: Tracy Martorana, Nutrition & Wellness Consultant, Herbalist and Owner of Tracy’s Teas

Meditation does not have to be complicated. As a matter of fact, you can do it right now. Okay, you may have to wait until you are done reading this!

If you have never tried meditation, keep it short to start – 30 seconds is perfect. As you get the hang of it, you can slowly increase the time…try 1 minute….then 2….lost focus?…go back to 1 minute. The key is to work your way up very slowly. I promise you, 30 seconds of meditation can be all you need to ease your stress and bring a little peace and serenity back to your day.

How do you start? It’s simple:

1) Find someplace quiet with little chance of distraction. This could be your bedroom, it could be outside in your garden, it may even be the bathroom.

2) Sit somewhere comfortable; you do not need to twist into a pretzel. Find a comfortable spot on a chair, a bench or on the ground. You could even lie down, but this sometimes leads to a nap!

3) Close your eyes.

4) Breathe….focus on the breath. Feel the air come in through your nostrils, feel it on the back of your throat, feel your chest and belly expand, feel and hear the air leave your body slowly. Pause between your inhalations and your exhalations to notice the lack of thought…the gap.

5) Thoughts will come. Don’t chastise yourself for having them, it’s natural. Simply let them go and bring your attention back to your breath.

6) Repeat for as long as you choose.

7) When you are done, I like to put my arms overhead and give myself a little stretch and feel some gratitude for this peaceful moment, as I take one more big breath in and out….ahhh.

Sounds easy enough, yes? So what are you waiting for? Go give it a try.

Today, make nourishing yourself a priority. -Tracy Want to learn a little more about Tracy? Visit www.holisticwellnesswithtracy.com

Tracy will also be teaching “A Beginners Guide to Meditation” on Monday, September 30th from 6:30-7:30pm. Check it out here!