Ease Stress And Anxiety With Coffee
Spiritual teaching helps focus our conscious state of the mind. Our fast-paced lives is in a state of constant distraction such as work, emails and social media. Through meditation we take action to reduce stress and the variety of influences that impact our thoughts and wellbeing.
Mental Problems |
Physical Problems |
|---|---|
| Depression | Weakened immune system |
| Anxiety | Blood pressure |
| Panic attacks | Heart disease |
| Learning difficulties | Increased risk of a stroke |
| Memory and emotional regulation | Migraines |
| Insomnia | Aggravated cancer |
| Oversensitivity | Premature aging |
| Irritability | Digestive problems |
| High cholesterol | |
| Unhealthy food choices | |
| Increased alcohol consumption |
The way you handle stress can have a powerful impact on your work, friends, and family because it is a natural response that is activated in the brain.
Mindfulness meditation helps us manage stress and wellbeing on a daily basis. It helps us to focus on the present removing hindering thoughts of the past and future. By removing hindering thoughts we see clarity in the present that reduces the stress we may feel.
When learning mindfulness, it is easiest to choose a simple activity such as drinking coffee.
An inspired simple activity
Here is a mindfulness inspired activity you can try which helps you develop your concentration and sensory clarity powers:
- Make a cup of your favourite coffee
- Take a few deep breaths and relax your body.
- Scan your body and release tensions.
- Let go of the past and the future and bring your attention to the present moment.
- Let your attitude be open and receptive.
- Take a moment to appreciate where the coffee came from as beans.
- Look carefully at its colour, motion, and patterns. See, as if for the first time, how it is formed. Taste its texture. Notice the aroma.
- Take a gentle sip, slowly, as if you had never tasted it before.
- How do you swallow it? On one side of your mouth, the other, or both? Slow down if you start to hurry.
- Whenever you notice any distraction from the moment-to-moment experience of drinking, stop, take a deep breath, and then continue.
- Allow feelings of enjoyment to arise as you experience the pleasure of drinking your coffee mindfully.
- Repeat the mindful coffee drinking exercise during at least one quiet meal time each day.
Overtime you will notice a change in yourself and a reduction in your stress levels. Meditation, as taught by the ancient teachers comes about by taking small steps and making them part of your daily life. It ensures you are not making dramatic leaps you cannot sustain. Committing to just a few minutes of daily meditation has profound benefits. Make a change in your life now and appreciate your mindful cup of coffee.
