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Shaking meditation is an active technique which effectively releases the accumulated tension in your body allowing it to enter a state of relaxation. Here’s how you can shake away your stress . . .

The first thing you will need is some music which gets you shaking. Osho produces a Shaking Meditation CD, however you can find anything that will get you actively moving. If desired,  listen to the sampler and locate music with a similar instrumental beat. Next, find a safe place to shake away your stress. Since you will be moving about, you’ll need to locate a setting where you won’t inadvertently knock something over, or bump into something while you shake.

Now you’re ready to relieve that stress.

Step 1: Start Shaking! Shake your arms, your wrists, your fingers, your legs, your gluts and anything else you can get moving. You’ll want to put your entire muscle strength into the process. Vigorously shake your entire body for a total of 15 minutes.

Step 2: Slow it down.Now that you’ve just shaken your body, you’re heart rate will be elevated and it’s time to bring it down into a healthier range. Put on some music that you like to groove to and twirl, dance, move about. This isn’t designed to be a vigorous activity, so you’ll want to select music that is somewhere in-between making you want to jump and shout, or fall asleep. Gently move for another 10-15 minutes.

Step 3: Lie down and relax. Let your body rest while lying on your back. Close your eyes and practice deep diaphragmatic breathing. This is the time to allow your body to take in the feeling of calm. There is no time limit to this part of the exercise. Just be in the moment and enjoy the state if relaxation brought on by movement.

This mediation may also be done with your friends, spouse or partner. However, I often recommend that you close your eyes while engaging in a shaking meditation as it can look or feel really silly (for some of us). 

Gives new meaning to the phrase, “shake, rattle and roll.”

We’ve all seen them . . . . those “upbeat” people who somehow carry sunshine in their pocket. They laugh when we want to cry, they grin when we feel like frowning, and we wonder, how in the world do they stay so happy?

Our brains are wired to take cues on how to feel from our thoughts. Positive, upbeat people have learned this key principle . . . keep negative thinking on the down low.

To do this, it take s a bit of practice. Here’s a simple exercise to help lift you “UP” during down times.

• First, make a list of all the negative thoughts which have been bothering you.
• Second, counter these thoughts with a positive affirmations.

Here’s an example:

• Negative thought - I’m never going to have enough money to pay my bills.
• Positive affirmation- I have all Ineed.
• Negative thought - I feel so stressed, I can’t do it all.
• Positive affirmation - I feel calm, and everything is as it should be.

By taking control of our negative thinking, we can feel, look and become happier.

Best of all, it doesn’t cost a thing!

This may seem counter-intuitive, but a proven technique for reducing anxiety is to actually allow yourself to ”get anxious.” People tend to do whatever it takes to avoid anxiety, so utilizing this strategy may take some practice.

Step 1: Visualize and actually think about something that makes you anxious

Step 2: Once the symptoms begin to appear, stay with the symptoms, do not run away from them, or try to minimize them, instead, work at keeping the anxiety going.

Step 3: Don’t give in to your first desire (this may be to flee, distract yourself, avoid the situation, stay close to someone, or seek reassurance). What I mean by desire, is the coping mechanism that you resort to when you want to reduce the anxiety. Rather, just allow yourself to feel the anxiety. Stay with it. Examine it. Notice it. Let it be present and accept it without judgement. Picture anxiety like the ocean tides. It washes over you, bathing you in emotion, then retreats where it once came from.

Step 4: Repeat steps 1-3 over an over again in a variety of situations and environments. Mastery is achieved through repetition.

Research has shown that it is possible to unlearn anxiety patterns. Facing and experiencing the anxiety without resorting to previously utilized coping skills breaks down the mental and physical patterns associated with chronic anxiety. Give yourself the opportunity to discover that although you may be fearful of a given situation, oftentimes, it is our fear that’s worse than any perceived outcome.