When the world seems off-kilter and you're feeling overwhelmed, the best thing you can do for yourself (besides the common sense things: eat well, stay active, and get lots of sleep) is meditate. Brooklyn-based yoga expert Gabrielle Stratton has put together not one, but two awesome meditations just for you. There's a short, five-minute one for beginners (or for anyone who wants to squeeze in a quick session) and a longer 10-minute meditation for those at more advanced levels (and anyone who wants to delve into a deeper session). BTW, this is the third part in a four-part yoga series on Galbraith (here are parts one and two).
Gabrielle has been meditating for about 12 years (!), but she made it a routine two years ago.
"A lot of the time we're doing all the right things—eating right, exercising, etc.—but we aren't reaching our goals or we're still riddled with anxiety. Meditation is the bridge between where we can be and where we are right now. For me, it's the best way to stay grounded, aware, and connected with myself, and present with others."
So find a quiet, comfortable place to sit, take a few deep breaths, and push play.
Thank you to Gab for putting together these awesome calming guides. Isn't her voice super soothing?!
More about Gabrielle Stratton:
Gabrielle began her yoga practice over 10 years ago. It was five years into her practice that she fully realized the benefits of yoga beyond the physical practice, which she says she owes fully to the discipline of meditation. Since becoming a certified 200-hour registered yoga teacher (RYT), she has been studying yoga medicine to earn her 500-hour teacher training, with an emphasis on anatomy and the integration of therapeutics in a regular vinyasa practice.
Photograph by Tom Schelling.