The Tao of Stress: How to Calm, Balance, and Simplify Your Life by Robert G. Santee Read Free Book Online Page A

your attention to your breath-
    ing, gently noticing your inhalation and exhalation. Breathe in and out through your nose. Then take a deep, slow, quiet, long, relaxed, and continuous breath through your nose. Deep breathing requires
    the activation of your diaphragm, which will result in your abdomen expanding outward while you inhale. Once you’ve inhaled ful y, simply release your abdomen and exhale slowly and natural y through your
    nose. Breathe in this way a few more times, until you feel comfortable with it. This deep abdominal breathing will al ow you to natural y find 35
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    The Tao of Stress
    your center and relax into it. When you feel comfortable, continue fol owing your breath for five more minutes, natural y observing and noting in your mind whatever you observe. Remember to smile.
    If you get distracted, as often happens, don’t let it bother you.
    Keep smiling. As was noted in the exercise Eating with Guan, simply acknowledge the distraction nonjudgmental y and then refocus on
    your breathing. You’re likely to find yourself getting distracted more than once. Again, this is perfectly normal. Just continue to acknowledge the distraction and return to your breathing.
    When you finish the exercise but before opening your eyes, scan
    your body as you did before, moving sequential y upward from your
    feet to your head. Also quickly scan your mind. Then open your eyes and wait a few minutes before getting up to al ow yourself to return to your environment. If you’ve been sitting cross- legged, also stretch your legs out before you get up. As you transition out of the exercise, observe your breath, fol owing your inhalations and exhalations and mental y noting whatever you observe.
    Take some time to record and describe your experiences with
    Sitting in Stil ness in your journal. Describe whatever you remember happening in your mind and body. Don’t force it; just reflect upon it. Did you notice a difference between the first body scan and the second? Did you feel any different? What messages are your body
    and mind telling you about yourself? This will provide you with information and insights about what you need to change in order to eliminate chronic stress. You may wish to mark this page in the book, as I recommend that you reflect on your experience and write in your
    journal in a similar way after learning each new posture.
    Practice Posture 1 of the Yijinjing
    Sequence: Wuji Standing
    Stand straight, with your feet parallel and together and your knees slightly bent and in line with your toes. Your weight should be evenly distributed on both feet. Imagine that the top of your head is being gently pulled up, like a puppet by a string. As you do so, your lower body will sink and your back will natural y align in the correct posture, 36
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    Basics of Taoist Meditation
    like a plant that’s being drawn toward the sun and rooted down into the ground at the same time. Your spine will be straight but not tight or tense. Keep your eyes open and look forward. Your mouth should
    be closed, with your teeth gently touching each other. Let your arms hang down natural y alongside your body, with your palms facing
    your thighs. Let your shoulders hang down. For this exercise, breathe natural y, inhaling and exhaling through your nose. Don’t be concerned about diaphragmatic breath; just breathe through your nose
    as you normal y would. Relax, smile, practice guan, and simply note what you feel in your mind and body.
    Let your attention wander through your body as you stand. Unlike
    in Sitting in Stil ness, don’t focus on your breath unless you find yourself distracted. If you do get distracted, simply accept that you got distracted, don’t make any judgments about it, and focus on your
    breathing for two or three breaths to center yourself and quiet your mind. Then return your attention to your body and mind and note
    what you feel. Cultivate the perspective of being a detached