Category Archives: Body, Mind, Spirit

Stay in Your Best Zone

Posted on by

BeautyOne of my favorite things  (besides cooking & writing!) – Travel with family and photographing nature’s beauty

Take care of You

If you don’t take care of yourself, there won’t be enough for you — or for anyone else — to go around.  So make sure you’re getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep a night and that you’re eating right.  When you reach for that candy bar or artificially sweetened food, remember that eating fresh and natural foods minus the chemicals is better for your health.  Read labels.  If the ingredients are one’s you can pronounce or can’t readily identify, don’t buy the product.

When you purchase food look for the “USDA Organic” label because these national standards define organic as those foods that are produced without the use of most conventional pesticides and without synthetic fertilizers. Food products cannot use the USDA Organic seal unless at least 95% of their ingredients are organic.

Additionally, the food can’t be genetically modified, irradiated to kill bacteria, or fertilized with sewage sludge from waste treatment plants.  Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given organic feed and no antibiotics or growth hormones. Currently, there are no organic regulations for fish.

Also look for foods that are NON GMO Project Verified and make sure when you buy whole grains; you’re really getting whole grains.  Look for labels that say 100% Whole Grain (47g or more per serving) vs. Just Whole Grain (8g or more per serving) at the beginning of the ingredient list.

When buying meat or poultry, it says ‘natural,’ that may mean the meat just hasn’t been fed hormones in the last 12 months before finding its way to the grocery shelf. Ask for ‘never never’ meat — as in never used growth hormones or antibiotics. Grass-fed is another step up in terms of flavor, quality, and nutritional benefit.”

Plant a Garden

Not getting enough fresh fruits and vegetables?  Plan a garden.  Gardening, a wonderful distraction to everyday life, allows us to focus on the task at hand.  In doing so, it actually helps to decrease stress.  The great thing about gardening is that you’ll also benefit from all the fresh locally grown produce.  If you don’t find gardening appealing, enjoy another hobby on a regular basis – dance, tennis, and bird watching – any hobby that allows you to escape and live in the moment.

Learn how to say NO

Before you agree to paint a friend’s house, host a dinner for 40, join one more networking group, go over your schedule and figure out if it’s coming to come with a price.  Saying yes to everything can often create stress and unnecessary activity in our lives keeping us from the things and people that mean the most to us.  Evaluate what each activity will take, the pros and the cons, and how it will impact your precious time.

Take a Trip with a Friend or Loved One – Leave the kids at home

Family vacations are fantastic and important.  However, Mom and Dad have got to have their time away from the kids. Parents need to connect as romantic partners.  If you don’t have kids, or the kids are long gone, you still need to get away every now and again.  For a long weekend — or a week or more vacation.  Planning a fun getaway is a great way to have something exciting to look forward to, dream of and talk about.

A Few of Your Favorite Things

We all remember that song Julie Andrews sang in the “Sound of Music” — “My Favorite Things.”   Well, make a list of what yours are.  It might be enjoying that first cup of coffee of the day outside sitting in your garden.  Maybe it’s having a glass of wine at night looking at the stars, talking a long walk by the shoreline or volunteering for an important community event.  Make sure you do at least one or more of these activities daily to put a smile on your face.

Live. Love. Laugh.

Live to your fullest. Love a lot and laugh daily. If you do this, the best in life will come to you and your heart will be open to receiving.

podcast

 

LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST

SUBSCRIBE TO THE RSS FEED

LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST in iTunes

 

***

For great recipes, creative living inspirations and more, visit my website and blog at SimplyDeliciousLiving.TV

 

 

Share

Happy Easter, Passover & Wishing YOU & YOURS A Simply Delicious Spring!

Posted on by

Happy Spring!

To YOU and YOURS, A Happy and Blessed Easter, Passover & a Simply Delicious Spring!  View the Animated Card: http://bit.ly/X6zzYU

Share

Creating the Life You Desire Podcast

Posted on by

SOAR, March 9, 2013 Seminar. jpegCreating the Life You Desire Podcast with Maryann Ridini Spencer

Change in life is inevitable. It happens when we prepare for it, and even when we haven’t.

Part of living successfully, or as I like to say, simply delicious living, is embracing change and even rejoicing in the planning for it.

Sometimes we get caught in a rut.  The same routines day and night.  We get up, get washed and fed, and drive to work.  Then we work 9 to 5 (or longer), come home make dinner, help the kids with their homework, maybe, if we’re lucky, steal some time with our significant other, and then repeat.

While you may be satisfied with your job and the life you are living, there are ways to enrich your experience and appreciation. How? When you take stock of your life and your dreams and your goals.

It’s vital to honor your heart’s desires.  Doing so, will increase your vitality for life and your life experience.

On my blog at SimplyDeliciousLiving.com, if you SEARCH “Scrapbook Your Dreams,” I explain how to go about creating a scrapbook to inspire you and help you set goals for every area of your life.

As a brief recap, at a craft store, you can purchase poster board or a blank scrapbook.  I like to use large photo albums where I can place a number of images on one page within a plastic covering.

Then, once you have some poster board or a scrapbook, at a table or desk, make sure you have a selection of different types of magazines (sports, fitness, health, travel, women’s magazines, etc.), some scotch tape (scotch tape is best vs. permanent glue, so you can remove/change photos should you desire), and scissors.

On different pages of your scrapbook or LIFE BOARD or LIFE BOOK, make headings for every area of your life you’d like to explore.

  • Travel
  • Relationship
  • Work
  • Winning a race or competition
  • Writing a novel
  • Buying a home or car
  • Harmony with family and friends
  • Tapping into your creativity

Then cut out the images and words from the magazines that speak to you or inspire you. Really think about what it is you desire and then go for those goals.  When you cut out images that speak to you or inspire you, whether you realize it or not, the act of cutting those images out, and thinking of what you’d like to achieve, is a way for you to start getting those goals put into action by your subconscious mind.

If you’d like to travel more, make a “travel” page.  Put those places you’d like to visit. Maybe you might want to include a suitcase, a tropical setting, drinks on the table, a photo of you and your loved ones from a previous vacation having a good time, the words, “Paradise Found” and “We’re having a great time.”

Live the page, feel it as you are creating it.  Looking at images and words will trigger ideas.

If one of your goals is to develop a closer relationship with your spouse, make a page or two that focuses on your relationship.

Put smiling pictures of the both of you on the page.  Surround your photos with words (that you cut out from magazines) like “Forever Happy” “Soul Mates”  “A Partnership to last a Lifetime,” “Communication with Ease,” and photos of peace, harmony, happiness, love, etc.

It’s been documented that making “affirmations” or positive statements and visualizing the outcome, without laboring on every detail, can actually assist and guide the unique powers that exist in the universe to make these affirmations a reality.

Believe and it shall be.  In the bible, in Luke 11:9  reads: “So I say to you:  Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Look at your Life Board every morning and every night, as that is the time when our subconscious mind is more open to suggestion.  You might want to change some of the images on your board or create a new board.

This activity is great to do alone, or with a trusted friend.  You’ll see, that when you do your board, and later revisit it, you may be well on your way to achieving the things you desire!

To LISTEN to this Podcast (and/or to SUBSCRIBE the Simply Delicious Living Podcast RSS Feed, CLICK HERE.

To LISTEN to this Podcast in iTunes, CLICK HERE.

Share

Celebrating the Love on St. Valentine’s Day

Posted on by

ValentineThe Legend of St. Valentine

In ancient Rome, around the time of 278 A.D., St. Valentine, a priest during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius II, was executed on February 14.  The Emperor decreed that young men could not marry and have families, as the he felt that it would detract from their duties and commitments as soldiers.  Legend has it that St. Valentine performed many wedding ceremonies for young lovers in secret. Eventually, St. Valentine was caught, imprisoned and beheaded for these acts of love and kindness. The fact that St. Valentine was executed for love makes him a much loved, heroic and martyred romantic figure.

Just before his execution, he is said to have written a letter to his jailer’s daughter, signing it “From Your Valentine.”

Throughout the ages, Valentine’s Day has been celebrated in many ways across the globe.  It’s been recorded that Valentine’s Day greetings date back to the Middle Ages, with written Valentine sentiments coming much later.

While some may look upon Valentine’s Day as a becoming somewhat of a commercial holiday, it’s important to remember the true meaning of how and why the day is remembered.

This Valentine’s Day, how are you planning to show your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, mother, father, children and other family members and friends your love?

A beautiful card? A romantic dinner? A gift of a dozen red roses or a box of candy?

Whatever you decide, here are some ideas that I hope will inspire you:

*For a very special Valentine – a great gift for a woman to receive is a locket (with slots for photos inside). That way she can wear her locket close to her heart — always.   And for a man, a pocket watch, also with room for the photo.

*Poets such as John Donne, William Shakespeare, Dickinson, Gibran and Browning set hearts afire with their words. Purchase a book of love poems (or download them from the internet), and then read and share the poems with your loved one by a roaring fire.

*If you’re good at taking photos, building a book of memorable pictures of the places you’ve visited together, and the places you’d like to visit, can be made and bound on online publishing sites such as lulu.com and blurb.com.

*Create a series of special cards (the size of index cards) on nice card stock. You can purchase these types of cards at stores like JoAnn’s, Michael’s, Staples and Office Depot to name a few. Decorate the cards by writing and painting on them, even attaching photos. Come up with a series of things that you will do for your loved one and document this on each individual card.   Some ideas could include:  A massage after a long day at work, preparing their favorite meal, packing a picnic lunch to share on an ocean bluff, a day get-away to a spot you’ll both enjoy.  Have fun and get creative!

*Surprise your partner with an unexpected weekend get-away (or even a night away) to a romantic bed and breakfast. (Minus the computers and electronics!)

*Prepare your partner’s favorite meal and share a romantic movie classic together.

Love is precious and our time on earth is limited.  Remember to tell the ones you love, how much they are loved.  Celebrate your love on Valentine’s Day – and better yet, every day.

images

For simply delicious, easy-to-make recipes and creative inspirations for joyous living, visit my blog at SimplyDeliciousLiving.com.

Love,

Maryann

podcast

Listen to THIS “Celebrating Love on St. Valentine’s Day” PODCAST, CLICK HERE.

 

 

 

LVposterWatch “The Lost Valentine” (co-written and produced by Maryann) available for $19.98 at Hallmark.com. Find out more about the film, Here. 

Share

Tune into YOU for the New Year Podcast

Posted on by

Morning Sun in Winter photo by Maryann Ridini Spencer

In recent years, I’ve been thankful that during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, I work with clients that take that WEEK as vacation to enjoy with their family and friends.  So, happily, I do the same.

I really look forward to this time not only to share the joys of the season, but also to slow down and recharge my batteries.  I find it’s a great time to think about the year that’s just passed as well as to ponder the things I’d like to accomplish moving forward into the New Year.

So how do you tune into you?  Here are some of the ways I find helpful that I’d like to share with you.

•Take a walk in nature or around your neighborhood.  Use the time not to chat on your phone, but rather to enjoy the scenery and whatever thoughts pops in to your head.

•Meditate. One of my favorite things to do is to pick up a book I was given years ago, a bestselling book that is still a favorite, Meditations for women who do too much by Anne Wilson Schaef. In the book you’ll find Daily meditations to help women break the cycle of doing too much—it’s been billed as a book for today’s women—many of whom are overextended—either addicted to work, rushing and/or taking care of “other” people’s needs. These concise meditations will open new doors to new ways of living.

You might also want to go to your local bookstore or library to check out other books on meditation and see what might work best for you.

•Try yoga. It’s been practiced by cultures for over 5,000 years and there’s good reason.  The health benefits are many — relaxation and getting rid of stress, better breathing, improved flexibility and balance and increased strength, are just a few.  Take a class at your local gym or yoga studio.  Dr. Larry Payne has some great books & videos - Yoga for Dummies, Yoga Rx.  Visit:  samata.com

•Take a hot bubble bath to music. Take a bath by candlelight to sooth your body and listen to some Mozart to clear your mind and to relax.

•Get away for a day or long weekend.  Take a trip to the mountains or to the beach.  A change of scenery can change your perspective.  For me, taking a long drive to get to my weekend destinations has also been a great time to get in touch with my creative side.

•Visit a day spa.  Can’t get away?  What about a few hours at a day spa?  Let your cares slip away in the sauna, get a massage to sooth your stress away.  A few hours of pampering will make you feel like a new you.

•Scrapbook your dreams and goals.  Once you’ve relaxed and rejuvenated, you might enjoy Scrapbooking your goals.  This is great to do on your own, or with a trusted friend.  Purchase a scrap book and then designate pages for your personal life, your work life, hobbies and things you’d like to for example.  Then cut images, words and photos out of magazines that best represent what you’d like to have in your life, change in your life and do in your life.

Look at your scrapbook in the morning when you wake up and the evening before you retire.  Review it often and make updates as necessary.  For more information on scrapbooking go to my blog and CLICK HERE.   

I wish you a beautiful holiday season and a happy New Year!

Visit my blog at simplydeliciousliving.com for some great recipes for your table and for life and enjoy simply delicious living, today and every day.


LISTEN to this PODCAST, CLICK HERE!

And watch the video below!

 [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlquNv5zEKs[/youtube]

 

 

 

*****

“Simply Delicious Living with Maryann®” is a FUN and Enchanting journey serving up simply delicious recipes and dedicated to all things home, hearth and joyous living!

Watch the show in TV syndication.

To watch the show Online and PRINT OUT the RECIPES, visit our RECIPE & VIDEO blog at: http://www.SimplyDeliciousLiving.tv

Read the SIMPLY DELICIOUS LIVING Monthly SYNDICATED COLUMN in Natural Awakenings Magazine and in the Ventura County Star, “VC Style” at http://blogs.venturacountystar.com/vcstyle

CLICK HERE to Listen to our SimplyDeliciousLiving Podcasts in iTunes!

Share

Holiday Stress Busters: Great Tips to Make Your Holidays Bright

Posted on by

Holiday Stress Busters!

The November-December Holiday season is a great time to celebrate with family and friends.

However, while it’s a joyous time, it can also be a stressful and demanding time.  Perhaps you’ll have a houseful of guests?  If that’s the case cleaning, cooking and entertaining can be daunting.  Maybe you have a lot of gifts to buy in a down economy or perhaps it will be the first season you’ll be without a cherished loved one?

What are some ways you can keep the joy and curb the stress?

•Plan ahead.  If you’re the host for a big event, seek out assistance for shopping, cooking, cleaning and sharing the holiday-related chores.

•Make a list and do check it twice. Planning ahead and designating a budget for gift shopping as well as entertaining items, will allow you to limit your trips to the store and the pain on your pocketbook.

•During the holidays, maintain your health and waistline with regular exercise, eating right and getting enough slip.  Indulging too much in alcohol, sweets and cakes will not only make you feel bad, it can cause guilt and stress levels to rise. (Not to mention panic when you step on the scale!).

•If too much family togetherness is getting you down and you find yourself needing a breather ­— clear your head and take some time for yourself doing what you like to do. Try talking a long nature walk, reading a good book, listening to a symphony or watching a good movie.

•If you’re feeling alone at the holidays, get social and volunteer your time at a church, temple or community event.

•If you’re traveling, check the weather and plan for unexpected delays.  Don’t wait until the last minute to pack or get to the airport.  If you’re traveling with children, bring games, reading material and other amusements that can keep the children interested if you’re delayed.  If you’re not a fan of plane food or those high calories, unhealthy snacks you find at airports, you may also want to pack your own meal and bring some healthy snacks along.  Eating right will keep you feeling balanced and positive.

•A great way to get in the spirit is to plan a fun arts and crafts or baking day with family and/or friends.  Put on your favorite music, get creative and enjoy the company.

•Fill your heart and your time with those people and things you truly love. Take heed of the past, if you know a situation is going to cause you too much pain or stress, avoid it.  Make this the best holiday season ever!

LISTEN TO the Simply Delicious Living

“HOLIDAY STRESS BUSTERS” Podcast, CLICK HERE.

 

SUBSCRIBE TO ALL OUR PODCASTS, CLICK HERE.

LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCASTS IN ITUNES TO PLAY ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE, CLICK HERE.

REDUCE THE STRESS IN YOUR LIFE - FREE AUDIO PROGRAM DOWNLOAD

If you’d like to learn more about how you can REDUCE STRESS in your life, visit Dr. Bunny Vreeland’s website and CLICK HERE to download a FREE Stress Reduction Audio Program!

Share

Ring Shui: Move Your Rings, Change Your Life Podcast Interview with author Barbara A. Berg

Posted on by

Would you like to improve your love life?

Do you have a desire for a more intimate marriage? 

Are you looking to land a better paying job?

Interested in finding your perfect partner?

SimplyDeliciousLiving.TV Host Maryann Ridini Spencer talks to author Barbara A. Bergabout her latest book, Ring Shui™ – More About Move Your Rings, Change Your Life (Revised & Expanded Edition).  When it comes to hand/ring accessorizing, Barbara Berg explains how utilizing a combination of ancient art and modern psychology (“Ring Shui”) can impact your life.  For more information on Barbara, visit:  RingShui.com.  To make an appointment with Barbara for a FREE consultation and/or to book her for a speaking engagement, party or event, call (909) 786-7201.

TO LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST in iTunes, CLICK HERE or the ICON below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST in the SIMPLY DELICIOUS LIVING RSS FEED, CLICK HERE or the ICON BELOW.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Also Visit & SUBSCRIBE to Maryann’s Blog at SimplyDeliciousLiving.com for great, easy-to-make recipes, body•mind•spirit inspirations and creative living ideas!

Share

Simply Delicious Vacations Podcast

Posted on by

 

Simply Delicious Vacations

It’s important for everyone to take a break from life as they know it and revel in the delicious luxury of vacation and of not doing anything  – or doing as they please. The complications of life, work and juggling many tasks often lead to stress and stress can definitely take a toll on one’s body, physical appearance and health!

While it’s important to take little breaks (like weekends) and enjoying regular hobbies and activities, there’s nothing more potent than jetting off to a tropical vacation spot or taking an historical tour of a European location.

Vacations are a great way to connect to yourself and to those you love.  Travel that gets commemorated in a picture album is also a way to relive the pleasure of a vacation long after the vacation ends.

I’m still delighting in a recent trip my husband and I took to Hawaii.  I find that whenever I look at the many photos we took, I get a happy, energized feeling.   I almost feel as if we are there!

Some great tips to keep your vacation stress free:

•Get a Vacation Account

Keep a savings account stash of cash just for vacations. Figure out what your budget will allow, then put away a certain amount of money each week on an ongoing basis. You’ll be surprise how it adds up.

•Plan ahead

Research your destination.  Talk to friends who might have traveled to the spot.  Get recommendations for accommodations, food and sightseeing. Research information on the net.  Better yet, perhaps an acquaintance might know some of the locals you can contact before you leave home.  Some of my best experiences have transpired when I’ve contacted friends of friends.  I’ve gotten some great, personalized tours of places that could have never been duplicated otherwise.

•Speak at least a few words

Knowing to say hello, goodbye, thank you, yes and no along with “Where’s the toilet?” and some other important phrases can serve you well.  While you may not be in for taking a Rosetta stone course, you can always find an English translation dictionary on Amazon.com or in your local bookstore.

•Understand the customs and local you’re visiting

Americans have a bad enough rap as it is overseas.  So, why not get caught up on the local customs?  Research the country and towns you’ll be visiting.  When you get to your destination, you’ll feel like a local and get a great education while you’re at it!

•Get some of the local currency before you leave home.  Travel with secure Traveler’s checks.

While you may want to pay for everything on your trip with credit cards (a good idea to keep accurate records), you may also want to have a few dollars in your pocket of the local currency.  Traveler’s checks are also a great way to go because they’re refundable, if lost or stolen and usually within 24 hours.

•Pack well

Find out the weather of the locale you’ll be visiting at the time of your visit.  Bring various layers of dress just in case.  It’s always a good idea to pack wash and wear and clothing that looks great no matter how wrinkled it gets.  Bring multi-purpose clothes. For women, a dress you can wear during the day with sandals and at night with a pretty scarf or different jewelry to jazz it up. For men, a jacket that can be worn casually and with/or without a tie. (So at night, you can  get into that exclusive restaurant!).

•Let work know you are on vacation (try not to answer emails)

A vacation is when you vacate your usual life.  So put away the computer and texting.  Let the office know you’ll be unreachable. Make sure you have someone qualified to cover for you just in case there’s a problem at work.  Don’t feel guilty.  You deserve your vacation.  It’s also a good idea to post your pictures on Facebook when you get home. (It’s NOT a good idea to let everyone know you’re out of town!).

•Take lots of pictures

I know some folks that moan and groan that they have to get their picture taken.  However, these same folks love seeing the photos post-vacation – especially as the years go by.  So tell your family, spouse, friend or anyone else on the trip with you to, “Chill!” You’re making memories here!  Many new cameras also have video capabilities.  If a picture says a thousand words then a video can, well you get the idea.

•Bring home a memorable item that will represent your trip

I always love to pick up a local artist’s painting, watercolor or stencil when I travel.  That way, when I look at them hanging on the wall at home, the memories flood back. You might also pick up a beautiful piece of furniture that you can ship back or some other item that has meaning just for you. Vacations are all part of Simply Delicious Living, so enjoy your trip, even if it’s a weekend jaunt, you deserve every moment.  To find out more about simply delicious living, visit my blog at SimplyDeliciousLiving.tv

ENJOY!

 

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST FROM OUR RSS FEED, CLICK HERE.

Listen to Simply Delicious Vacations Podcast in iTunes, CLICK HERE.

 

Share

A Father’s Day Tribute to My Dad & Father’s Everywhere

Posted on by
LtoR: Mom, Maryann, Dad

LtoR: Mom, Maryann, Dad

Father’s Day honors fathers and celebrates the influence father’s make in their children’s lives.

Many countries around the world celebrate the day.  Father’s Day became a recognized holiday in the early 20th century, following the recognition of Mother’s Day – a holiday that was founded by Anna Jarvis in honor of her mother.

The first celebration of Father’s Day was at the YMCA in Spokane, Washington in 1910.  Sonora Smart Dodd wanted to honor her father, a Civil war veteran, William Jackson Smart, a single parent who raised his six children.  After hearing a sermon about Anna Jarvis’s Mother’s Day in 1909, she told her pastor that Father’s should have a similar holiday honoring them.

Although it did not catch on right away, by the 1930s, Dodd stepped up the process to raise awareness for the holiday on a national level.  However, it wasn’t until the mid 1966, when President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day.  Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard signed it into law in 1972.

Growing up and today, I have so many wonderful memories of my Father, Len, and my mother, Kathleen, who are both in their 80s.

My father, a college professor, PhD and author, continues to be a wonderful role model as loving, caring father.

Our education was top priority always.   He taught my brothers, sister and I, to always be the best we can be and to pursue our dreams.  He instills positive family values and lives by their example.

He and my mother set an amazing legacy of what a loving marriage should be.

Below is a poem I’d like to dedicate to my father and all the men in my family and to father’s everywhere:

What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle’s flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it … Dad

-Anonymous

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST FROM OUR RSS FEED, CLICK HERE.

Listen to A Father’s Day Tribute Podcast in iTunes, CLICK HERE or below.

 

Happy Father’s Day! 

 

Mom and Dad on their Wedding Day, November 5, 1956

Mom and Dad on their Wedding Day, November 5, 1956

 

 

 

 

Share

Healing Meditation & Prayer Podcast

Posted on by

Many studies have been conducted that demonstrate that those who believe in a higher power, pray and meditate, tend to be healthier and happier.  The reasons for this, in part, may find its roots in the recognition of being loved by a Divine power, a sense of purpose, and for the general well-being these practices promote.  Both prayer and meditation have been linked to fighting depression, lowering blood pressure, reducing stress and keeping an individual in balance mentally and physically – all factors that contribute to positive health.

To pray and to mediate, it’s important to find time where you can be free from distraction.

For meditation in particular, it’s important to clear at least 20-30 minutes of alone time.

Meditation is something you’ll be doing for yourself, but that will impact not only you, but those around  you – in a positive way.

Some tips to get you started:

•Wear comfortable clothing

Meditate in your PJs, in your yoga pants, baggy sweats — something comfortable!

•Create a quiet space that is free from distraction

Turn off the phone, TV and Music. No technology, please.

•Get in a comfortable position

Sit cross-legged, lay down – whatever position makes you the most comfortable.  You’ll be in it for at least 20-30 minutes, so comfort is key.

•Close your eyes

•Breathe

Take deliberate breaths. Develop an in and out rhythm.

•Accept thoughts in to your mind and then let them leave

The goal in meditation is to clear the mind of all thoughts. Concentrate on your breathing can help you quiet your mind.

The more you meditate, the easier it will be and the more you will realize the benefits of the calm and harmony it creates.

There are many helpful books about meditation and prayer available.  I personally enjoy the guided meditation tapes for health, well-being, spiritual wellness.

Some great resources include:

How To Mediate:  A Practical Guide by Kathleen McDonald and Robina Courtin

Meditation for Beginners by Jack Kornfield

Your Present:  A Half-Hour of Peace:  A Guided Imagery Meditation for Physical & Spiritual Wellness by Susie Mantell

Getting in the Gap:  Making Conscious Contact with God Through Meditation by Dr. Wayne Dyer

How to Pray When You Don’t Know What To Say:  More than 40 Ways to Approach God by Elmer L. Towns

and of course, there is always the Bible – Old and New Testament!

 

LISTEN TO: HEALING MEDITATION AND PRAYER PODCAST,

CLICK HERE!

 

Enjoy!

Maryann

Share