Finding inner peace with meditation while on holiday

REGULAR meditation is one of the ways to improve mental health and cope with whatever life throws at you.

Being on holiday and away from the stress of work and the day-today is a great time to put a mindfulness practice into place.

Here are two ways to help you get started with meditation – which can all be done with minimal props and in the comfort and privacy of your own hotel room.

Mindful breathing One of the easiest ways to meditate, and bring your attention to the present moment, is just to practise simple, mindful breathing.

Benjamin Blasco, co-founder of French meditation app Petit Bambou, believes that creating just a 10-minute daily routine is a good start to setting a practice.

He adds that you don’t need any special clothes or gear – just focus your attention on yourself and your breathing.

This is easy to do in your hotel room, or when relaxing in nature on the beach or in the mountains.

Just sit comfortably and simply take a deep breath in, Blasco advises, then let the air out slowly, marking a short pause before the next breath.

Be mindful of the environment around you, the birds singing, the breeze through your hotel window, or the soft lapping of waves on the beach.

Blasco adds that it’s all right to bring your attention back to your breathing once, 10 times or 1,000 times if necessary, to keep your mind focused on the present.

Once you have mastered this mindful breathing, the next step is to become conscious, or ‘mindful’, of the different parts of your body in contact with the floor or the chair on which you’re sitting.

Candle-gazing meditation In her book, Yogalosophy for Inner Strength, Mandy Ingber, who is the yoga teacher to actress Jennifer Aniston, suggests various ways to try meditation.

One of her recommendations is candle-gazing meditation, which can help strengthen your focus and bring the mind to a place of stillness.

Dim the lights, get ready to take some time for yourself, and light a candle on a table three feet in front of you, at eye level.

Sit in an upright, comfortable position, either in a chair with the soles of your feet on the floor, or on the floor in a cross-legged position.

Take some deep breaths, and focus your gaze on the candle flame. Try not to blink for as long as you can, and as your mind starts to wander try to focus your attention back on the candle flame.

Try five minutes to begin with, and later you can increase the time up to 30 minutes.

If you’ve already planned some self-care while on holiday, a good time to do this style of meditation could be just before a quiet evening in with a warm bath, a book, and some essential oils for extra tranquillity and relaxation. – AFPRelaxnews