INTRODUCTION

to

How to Meditate: A Simple Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Find a quiet place where you feel comfortable

Step 2: Play relaxing music, which is easy to follow and soothing. Sit quietly in a comfortable position

Step 3: Pick a focus word or short phrase that’s firmly rooted in your belief system

Step 4: Close your eyes

Step 5: Relax your muscles

Step 6: Breathe slowly and naturally, and as you do, repeat your focus word, phrase, or prayer silently to yourself as you exhale

Breathe WITH the music if you would like, by finding a rhythm or pace that seems to with the music. For example, count 4 beats on the IN breath, then hold it for 4 beats and then breathe out for 8 beats. Focus on how the music is making you feel. Notice your body and feel the effects of the music on your body. Let the music take you on the journey and let go of all thoughts as they appear, as if watching a train pass and each thought is one of the cars of the train

Step 7: Assume a passive attitude. Don’t about how well you’re doing. When other thoughts come to mind, simply say to yourself, “Oh well,” and gently return to the repetition and bring your attention back to the music and the breathing

Step 8: Continue for ten to twenty minutes

Step 9: Do no stand immediately. Continue sitting quietly for a minute or so, allowing other thoughts to return. Then open your eyes and sit for another minute before rising

Step 10: Practice this technique once or twice daily

Derived from the book Timeless Healing Timeless Healing by Dr. Herbert Benson and Kathleen Farrell.

Stress Response vs. Relaxation Response healthy living Relaxation Techniques

Developing these skills may be slow  Practice this several times. Keep at first, but once you have trained your eyes closed and direct your your mind and body to relax, you’ll attention to your breathing as it be able to get to a relaxed state flows in and out. quickly. Start with five deep breaths. This Deep breathing may take 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly When done with purpose, deep increase your practice time to five breathing helps calm you down. It minutes. can help you let go of stress and If you feel light-headed, dizzy, or worries and focus on the present anxious, you may be breathing too moment. deeply or quickly. If this happens, stop for a moment and breathe How to do deep breathing normally until the symptoms pass. Find a comfortable lying down or Inhale and exhale through your nose sitting position. When starting out, it to prevent hyperventilation. There are many ways you can relax. may help to do deep breathing lying Deep breathing, muscle relaxation, Progressive muscle relaxation response and visualization down on your bed or on the floor. are good ways to improve your  Bend your knees and place your relaxation and reduce stress. feet comfortably apart. Loosen The body responds to tense any tight clothing. Uncross your situations with muscle tension, elaxation has many benefits. It can legs and arms and close your eyes. which can cause or discomfort. Rhelp you feel calmer, think more  Inhale. Place both hands on your Progressive muscle relaxation will clearly, and relieve stress, headaches lower stomach and breathe in as help you reduce stress-related health and tight muscles. Whether you deeply as you can so that the problems, become more relaxed and want to take a break from a stressful incoming air expands that area fall asleep easier. day or manage your stress long- and gently pushes against your term, regular relaxation practice can hands. Breathe in to the count of This exercise involves tensing and help you get back to a calmer state. six. If it helps, imagine a balloon releasing each muscle group. By in your stomach is inflating when tightening then releasing a muscle, it There are many ways to relax. you inhale. will relax to its pre-tensed state and Common methods are: deep  Exhale. Imagine the tension and allow your body to feel more breathing, progressive muscle stress leaving your body as you relaxed than it was before the relaxation, relaxation response slowly breathe out. Imagine the exercise. and visualization. In practicing balloon in your stomach is You may use a recording to go these skills, it is important to find deflating. through all the muscle groups, or a quiet place where you will not  With each breath, think to yourself, just follow the instructions below. be disturbed. Try out each “I am relaxing and letting go. I feel Note: If you have fibromyalgia or exercise for 10 to 20 minutes a very comfortable and relaxed. My myofascial pain syndrome, check with day to see what helps you most. breath is calm and regular.” your health care professional before practicing progressive muscle relaxation.

© 2017, South Bay Worksite Wellness. The Permanente Medical Group, Inc. All rights reserved. healthy living Relaxation Techniques

How to do progressive muscle relaxation  Chest: Take a deep breath, hold it,  Sit quietly until you are ready to and exhale. open your eyes.  Pick a place where you can stretch out  Back: Arch up and away from the comfortably, such as on a mat or supporting surface. carpeted floor. Close your eyes, and Visualizing a special place  Stomach: Suck into a tight knot, mentally scan the areas of your body then release. While practicing relaxation that feel tense or tight.  Hips and Buttocks: Squeeze response, it may also help to think  Inhale as you tense a muscle group. buttock cheeks tightly together. of a place that you find relaxing and Hold the tension for 4 to 10 seconds.  Thighs: Clench hard. comfortable. As you close your eyes The sensation should be hard, but not to and breathe, think of that special the point of cramping.  Calves and lower legs: Flex toes toward your face, as if trying to place. It may be at home, or  Release the muscles as you exhale, and bring them to touch your head. someplace such as the beach or the give yourself 10 to 20 seconds to relax.  Lower legs and feet: Point toes mountains.  As you continue the exercise, notice away from your head and curl them what you feel in each area of your body. How to do visualization downward at the same time. Imagine you are breathing relaxation  Imagine all the details: Smells, into the area and letting go each time Relaxation response sounds, colors. Let yourself get you exhale. comfortable in this spot. Relaxation response slows the heart How to tense muscle groups  Let go of all your stresses. rate and breathing, lowers blood Continue to breathe deeply. For  Hands: Make a fist. pressure and relieves muscle tension. 10 to 20 minutes, enjoy your  Wrists and forearms: Extend arms and It also helps reduce stressful special place. bend hands back at the wrist. and refocuses your thoughts.  Sit quietly for a few minutes,  Biceps and upper arms: Make a fist, breathing deeply, until you are How to do relaxation response bend arms at the elbows, and flex ready to open your eyes. biceps.  Sit quietly in a comfortable  Triceps: Straighten and feel tension position with your eyes closed. Be patient and gentle with yourself along back of the arms. Become aware of your breathing. as you start your journey to greater  Shoulders: Shrug them.  Breathe slowly and steadily from relaxation. Once you have a routine  Forehead: Wrinkle it into a deep frown. your belly, not from your chest. to practice these techniques, stress  Eyes and bridge of the nose: Close eyes  Each time you breathe out let out a reduction and relaxation should as tightly as possible. (Remove contact deep sigh (“ahhhh”) silently or come with little effort. lenses before beginning this exercise). aloud.  Cheeks and jaw: Grin from ear to ear.  You can also choose to fix your Additional resources:  Around the mouth: Press lips together gaze on a stationary object while tightly. breathing quietly. A mental  Visit our Website at  Tongue: Press against roof of mouth. stimulus helps shift your mind kp.org/mindbody.

 Neck: Press head back as far as it will away from distracting thoughts.  For a customized online go against the supporting surface. Roll  Continue this for 10 to 20 minutes. stress management plan, head to the right, to the left, and bring Allow distracting thoughts to drift check out: kp.org/healthylifestyles. forward to your chest. away, like waves on the beach.

This information is not intended to diagnose or take the place of medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other healthcare professional. If you have persistent problems or additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names are for easy identification only. mind • body • spirit The Road to Resilience

Support Resources from Kaiser Permanente Take steps to build resilience and bounce back from stressful life events.

Understanding (6 sessions, no fee) ONLINE RESOURCES CLASSES Identify what triggers anxiety For podcasts, videos, and online programs, go to kp.org/ Pathways to for you as well as ways to manage your symptoms. mydoctor and search for Emotional Wellness “stress,” “anxiety,” “,” (1 session, no fee) Managing “sleep,” or other topics. Provides an overview of mind- (8 sessions, fee required) body resources to reduce stress, deal with anxiety, and lessen When anger causes problems LOCAL SUPPORT depression to help you take with family, friends, or colleagues, your next steps to wellness. we can help. GROUPS AND CLASSES Managing Stress For more information or to register for (6 sessions, no fee) classes, visit or call your local Health Education Center or Department. Helps you recognize the sources of stress in your life, manage symptoms, and develop a INDIVIDUAL healthier lifestyle. COUNSELING You don’t need a referral from -Based Stress your doctor to talk to a therapist or Reduction counselor in our or (8 sessions, fee required) Chemical Dependency Departments. Teaches mindfulness meditation and gentle meditative movement BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE to cope better with stress, Behavioral medicine specialists (or chronic pain, ongoing illnesses, consultants) are available at most depression, difficulty sleeping, locations. They provide treatment and other issues. to help you manage stress and build healthy coping skills. Treatment Managing Depression targets a specific problem area. To (6 sessions, no fee) meet with a behavioral medicine Learn to challenge negative specialist, ask your doctor to schedule thoughts and approach your life an appointment for you. with mindfulness.

HEALTH EDUCATION Resources You Can Use on Your Own

Healing can happen Activities can include: • Dancing, singing, or chanting so you can: • Playing a game or sport or in your community or • Connect with others. doing other physical activities. spiritual group, or drumming in a drum circle. • Be in touch with your • Painting, drawing, or other body (sometimes called artistic expression. • Journaling (suggested book: Writing to Heal: A Guided “grounding”). • Breathing exercises, meditation, Journal for Recovering from • Express in a safe yoga, or other mindfulness Trauma and Emotional and healthy way. activities. Upheaval by J. W. Pennebaker). • Work off stress physically. • Singing or playing a musical • Be fully present in the instrument. moment. • Participating in a support • Feel . group.

mindfulness reduces • How Childhood newsletters that bring BOOKS stress, improves Trauma Affects simple practices Buddha’s Brain: The emotional well- Health Across a for more fulfilling Practical Neuroscience being, increases Lifetime by Dr. Nadine relationships and of , , and self-awareness, and Burke-Harris at: peace of mind. Visit Wisdom by Rick Hanson helps with anxiety, youtu.be/ rickhanson.net/ and Richard Mendius depression, and 95ovIJ3dsNk writings/just-one- chronic pain. This (TED talk, 16 min) thing/ They Can’t Find Anything app offers exercises, • ACEs Too High Wrong! by David D. information, and a Clarke ONLINE News Blog: tracking log. Find research about • Free Guided Childhood Disrupted: • iChill: Available at the adverse childhood : How Your Biography App Store and Google experiences (ACEs), Listen to guided Becomes Your Biology, Play. This app teaches a including the health meditations from the and How You Can Heal set of skills to help you consequences of University of California. by Donna Jackson build resilience. toxic stress. Visit Visit marc.ucla.edu Nakazawa acestoohigh.com VIDEOS and choose “Free MOBILE Guided Meditations.” APPS • Connected Parents, • “Just One Thing” Connected Kids Newsletter: • Mindfulness Coach: by Futures Without Sign up for Rick Available at the App Violence at: youtu.be/ Hanson’s “Just One Store. Practicing JOmj5VVYyF0 (7 min) Thing” free weekly

This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other medical professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Some photos may include models and not actual patients. © 2017, The Permanente Medical Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Regional Health Education. 011061-462 (Revised 6/18) RL 4.7