There are anti-stress practices that in less than an hour allow you to recover energy and inner calm, such as walking meditation, for example. We have chosen four, all well worth trying.
Between work, household chores, caring for the children and much else besides, many people find it hard to carve out a little time for their own physical and mental wellbeing. In reality, it takes very little to switch off and rediscover a sense of calm after a day full of commitments and responsibilities: even just one hour devoted entirely to oneself can help to dispel tension. Let's look at four anti-stress strategies together.
This is an exercise that acts on both the mind and the body. Having arrived in the West through authoritative Buddhist monks, among them Thich Nhat Hanh, this practice proves effective because it encourages a reconnection with one's own body while at the same time allowing disturbing thoughts to be released. To carry it out correctly, very slow movements are required and attention must be paid to each step. The foot is raised and lowered slowly, remaining focused on the body's movements and on the flow of the breath. If thoughts, anguish or anxiety arise, we simply bring our attention back to the breath and remain gently aware of our steps. Walking meditation is of great benefit because it distances us from the difficult situations experienced during the day and brings us back to our inner world; it also allows us to reactivate the process of grounding with the earth element. This type of practice should ideally be carried out immersed in nature — along a riverbank, in a woodland, in a park, in a corner of the garden, on the beach. This facilitates the reactivation of vital energies, as it allows the static electricity accumulated in indoor environments to be discharged.
As various Eastern philosophies teach us, the breath is one of the objects on which we can focus to calm the mind — it is the flow that connects the conscious and the unconscious, it is that physiological act so often underestimated, yet one that represents our great life force. When we feel anxious, fatigued or nervous, we turn our attention to the breath, the one function we can control voluntarily. By bringing attention to the flow of the inhale and exhale, with eyes closed, after just a few moments one feels better: perceptions shift and mental fatigue or the whirlwind of the mind begins to subside. A simple breathing exercise is as follows: lie down on a yoga mat with arms alongside the body, palms facing upward. A cross-legged position is also an option. To encourage stillness, one can remain with only the light of a few candles. Close the eyes, relax and begin to breathe slowly and deeply. For at least ten minutes, remain listening to one's own breath, contemplating the inhale and the exhale. To aid the practice, the hands can be placed on the abdomen to feel the movements of the breath's flow. It is important to bring attention to the breath effortlessly, allowing thoughts to drift away like clouds. This exercise, carried out for at least twenty minutes, produces a deep inner stillness.
This is a good habit, as it is important to devote some time to caring for our feet, which are our "roots", our foundation. In a basin of warm water, dissolve five drops of essential oil with a handful of unrefined salt. The following essential oils can be chosen to add to the water: lemon, ideal for sensitive and tired feet; it has balsamic, antiseptic, healing and stimulating properties; dwarf pine, ideal for a relaxing foot bath; it can also be used to massage the soles of the feet; thyme (white creeping thyme), also useful against muscle cramps; it is antiseptic and soothing; bergamot, considered a good remedy for chilblains, and also has an anti-inflammatory action; anise, which has antifungal and carminative properties, and when rubbed on the feet has an anti-rheumatic action.
Even if one does not know exactly which points correspond to specific areas of the body and therefore act on them indirectly (reflexology), massaging the feet in the evening is nonetheless a beneficial practice, as it prevents and treats dryness as well as fatigue. A beneficial massage should last at least ten minutes and is performed using an oil, such as sesame oil, wheatgerm oil or sweet almond oil. A few drops of oil are spread over the foot up to the ankle and the sole is rubbed from the heel to the toes; then acupressure is applied across the entire sole of the foot; the upper part is then massaged with gentle movements, alternating circular phases, up to the ankles. This practice, carried out before sleep, ensures a good night's rest.