According to The Stress Management Society, 1 in 20 people consider Christmas more stressful than a burglary. Whilst spending time with the family may be something to look forward to for some, for others it is not such a pleasant surprise. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to make sure you stress less this Christmas. Fortunately, not all of these options are as extreme as the one I chose, just after Christmas in 2005.
On my first meditation I remember wondering when the results would arrive. Unfortunately, it took me eight days of excruciating pain in order to have some idea of what it was that I was supposed to be experiencing. Would I have ever found this out if I hadn’t spent longer than just a few minutes wondering what the fuss was about?
Almost definitely not. In fact, it was only the final comments of my friend before I left telling me that I would probably not make it past the first day before I gave up, that made me stay. Ironically, it was this that kept me going through my darkest times on that retreat, rather than the promise of a clearer, more focussed mind. I had to get up at 4am every day, could not speak, read, write or communicate with anyone. It was excruciating for someone who had never meditated before.
For this reason, attending a silent meditation retreat is not my recommendation for you over the festive period, though I know for some this would still be better than the alternative! What I will recommend for you is a phone shui.
I’m not even talking about the radiation that your phone gives off which damages your body. I’m talking about the numbers you are keeping on your phone which are draining your energy. Each person you keep as a contact on your phone affects your energy. The test is to run through your phone numbers and rate every name between 1-10. 1=I wouldn’t answer the phone to them, 10=I’m smiling and feeling better before I even answer.
