HOW TO MEDITATE – A BEGINNERS GUIDE

How to Meditate A BEGINNER'S GUIDE

Find wellbeing balance with these expert tips on starting to meditate. Jenny Stallard reports...

For many people, even before coronavirus began, meditation was a great way to try and find some balance. And now, during the pandemic, even more of us are turning to it as a coping mechanism, to help reduce stress and anxiety.

If you're keen to try, it's easy to get started, say experts.

Dr Megan Jones Bell, chief science officer at mindfulness and meditation app Headspace (headspace.com) says: "Overall , Headsp ace downloads have doubled, with certain courses seeing an increase in users of over 1000%.

"With regards to specific sessions, we have recently seen ten times the number of users starting our stressed calming meditation. Specifically in the UK, this has been a six-times increase. Our reframing anxiety home workout has also had a ten-times increase in the amount of UK users trying it out."

MEDITAT ION - W HY NOW?

"This is an unprecedented time for all of us. As the world collectively takes steps to safeguard physical health and wellbeing, it's also important to take care of our minds," says Jones Bell.

"During this challenging time, it's normal to feel anxious and overwhelmed. While we work from home, we can get easily distracted from tasks and feel less motivation to be productive.

"By being apart from family, friends and loved ones, our relationships with others may also feel strained. This stress is also

exacerbated by the anxiety we may feel about what the future holds."

"Mindfulness is proven to help people better manage difficult emotions by recognising these feelings and accepting that they are transient, helping you to let them go. Dedicating just a small fraction of every day to self-care can have a huge impact on our wellbeing, relationships, sleep, focus and productivity," adds Jones Bell.

Dominiq ue Antiglio is trained in a type of dynamic meditation called Sophrology (be-sophro.com). She explains: "This is a modern type of meditation, a practice for body and mind where we combine relaxation, breathing and body awareness work."

Antiglio has found a lot of beginners are coming to join her Instagram Live guided meditations during the pandemic. She encourages people to start the day with a practic e - instead of going straight for your phone, try meditating instead, she adds.

She's also a fan of adding in stretching, so you're aware of your body, and any negative emotions which you can begin to work through.

WHO CAN DO IT?

"Mindfulness and meditation can be practised by anyone at any age, for any amount of time they want to spend on it, even if it's for as little as three minutes a day," says Jones Bell.

"You can also introduce meditation to children, which helps allow them to be present in the moment and free from any external thoughts or pressures."

WHERE AND WHEN?

"While meditation can be done any time of day, the morning can be a good time, as it helps encourage the habit of mindfulness, releases feelings of fogginess and gives the mind clarity, and sets the day up on a positive note," says Jones B ell.

If you have outside space, that can be a lovely place to meditate.

"You could start with just five minutes," says Antiglio. "You can meditate standing, lying down.. if you breathe properly for five minutes a day, three to four times a week, it'll start to add up to a transformation in your consciousness."

Finding quiet time can be tricky at the moment for some people, Antiglio acknowledges, particularly par ents at home with children. But she suggests: "Even if the kids are around, you can ask them to play for a moment and take five minutes. They'll learn from that, seeing you breathing and closing your eyes - you're setting a great example."

GET STARTED TODAY WITH THIS BREATHING EXERCISE FROM HEADSPACE

1. After finding a quiet spot, close your eyes, and focus your attention to your breath.

2. Don't alter or rush it, allow it to continue at its own rhythm and simply observe the rising and falling sensation that it creates in your body.

3. Focus on the quality of each breath, asking without judgement: Is it long or short? Deep or shallow?

Fast or slow?

4. Begin silently counting each breath: 1 as you inhale, 2 as you exhale, 3 on the next inhalation and so on, up to 10.

Then start again from the begin ning at stage 1.

5. If your mind wanders, don't worry, that's completely normal.

Notice new thoughts, but then let them go, bringing your attention back to your breath.

6. Once you have completed 10 minutes, congratulate yourself, recognising how the process made you feel.

By Helen O’Meara, the very proud Director of CI Home Care

One of those sayings used on T-shirts, mugs and birthday cards which raises a smile – or a truism? Probably a bit of both! As the director of a home care agency during coronavirus there were days in the first few weeks when it was 100% true for me - and I have the extra grey hairs to prove it!

But thanks to the heroic efforts of our Care Management Team, our amazing Carers and the President of the Jers ey Care Federation along with some notable individuals at the States of Jersey, we maintained support for all our clients and even managed to accept some new customers to help keep beds free in the hospital. Success!

But what is success in elderly care under normal circumstances? The answer is it’s almost impossible to define as success varies so much from person to person. Sometimes success is being able to stay at home, if that is the person’s first choice, even in the face of unavoidable age or illness related decline. Sometimes success is simply maintenance of mobility and independent living.

Happily, even in elderly care, success does often involve improvement. People can improve mobility but sometimes only when they feel safe to move about, for example alongside a Carer. Regular home care visits can improve the home environment and nutrition levels which in turn improve overall health and make the client feel better. Companionship alone can improve a client’s emotional well-being which in turn improves appetite and so on.

We have a wonderful client, a charming lady who was so devastated by the death of her husband that she literally lost the ability to walk. Desperate to stay at home Mrs M opted for a live-in Carer and with daily support, encouragement and companionship came success…a first outside amble in the garden followed by a daily build up…to the point now where she enjoys counting her steps in the 1000s!

If you’re reading this as the son or daughter of an elderly person success may be remaining a loving son or daughter – and not becoming a harassed housekeeper or carer for your parent! Callin g in professional care may not be weak; it may be the recipe for success for both you and your parent/s!

None of us can control the passage of time but we can control what we know about the choices available to us as we age. Don’t use the internet? Ask your doctor or call Age Concern Jersey. Don’t know whether you or your loved one would be happier at home or in residential care? Speak to a coupl e of home care agencies and visit a couple of care homes and think about where you might feel happiest in future. Find out about the Long Term Care Scheme so that you understand how the financial assistance works.

Old age may creep up on us but success in dealing with it is possibly similar to success in the face of the coronavirus pandemic – something else we can’t completely control – we need to take con trol of those aspects we can control and learn to accept the rest!

Simply call Nicola or Emma on 01534 883 886 for further information or to arrange a no obligation informal chat.

 Live-in care specialists  Hourly home care enquiries welcomed  Overnight and respite care also available  Registered with the

Jersey Care Commission  Flexible, consistent and friendly care

4 ANTI-DESK YOGA POSES TO DO IF YOU'RE SITTING ALL DAY

Bad posture can wreak havoc on your spine. Yogi Meghan Shannen shows Liz Connor how to undo the damage of your makeshift home office set-up...

So you've recently become a home worker. Congratulations on finally ditching your commute and entering a new period of your life where it's OK to wear sweatpants to the office.

But for all the positives - like setting your alarm later in the morning - there are som e downsides too. Most notably, the backache that can come from sitting at a makeshift desk set-up for eight hours a day.

Hunching over a laptop, using the sofa as desk chair, precariously balancing your screen on a pile of coffee table books... all of these actions can put pressure on your neck and spine, and there's increasing evidence to suggest that sitting for long periods of time is bad for our over all health too.

So what can be done? Well, we can start by trying to undo the damage with some anti-desk yoga; moves that can release shoulder tension and improve posture. Here, yoga instructor Meghan Shannen (@megshan.yoga) shares four key poses to try on your next lunch break.

1. FORWARD FOLD WITH CLASPED HANDS

"This move helps to open your chest and shoulders, which counteracts the standard sitting pos tu re we tend to hold at our desks. "Start with your feet hips-width apart and clasp your hands behind you. Pull your hands away from your lower back and focus on keeping your shoulders away from your ears.

"With bent knees, fold down, bringing your clasped hands overhead. Take five breaths, and then roll up slowly - imagining you're stacking your spine, piece by piece."

2. LOW LUNGE

"Lunges are great for stretching and strengthening your hip muscles, which can help to alleviate lower back pain.

"To do this move, you'll need to place your front leg at a 90- degree angle with your back knee on the mat and back toes untucked. I recommend using a yoga mat to protect your knees.

"Engage your glutes and actively push your the shin of your back leg against the mat. Your abs an d rib muscles should also be activated to protect your back.

"Once you've found a solid foundation, lift your hands above your head, tucking your chin slightly to work the deep neck muscles. Take five deep breaths before switching legs."

3. TRIANGLE POSE

"This shoulder and chest opening pose is great for to stretching out your side body.

"Step your feet roughly three feet apart from one another. Make sure your left foot is at the front of the mat and facing forward. Line the arch of the right foot to the heel of the front foot, and raise your arms to shoulder height.

"From here, reach your left arm as far forward as you can, whilst pulling your right hip as far back as possible. Then drop your left hand to a comfortable position on the inside of the left leg, pushing against your shin. This should give you a nice sp inal twist and chest opener.

Don't forget to switch sides afterwards."

4. REVERSE TABLETOP

"This pose opens your shoulders and strengthens your glutes, wrists and back muscles.

"Start in a seated position, placing your hands behind your back, with your fingers facing towards you. Your feet should be hipwidth apart.

"Lift to a tabletop position, making sure your shoulders are stacked directly above your wrists. You should feel like you're pushing out of your shoulders, which strengthens the muscles.

"Your hips should be directly above your ankles and in line with your shoulders. Engage your abdominal muscles as you hold for five. Your neck can either be tucked or neutral, but only if you don't have neck issues."