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Exam time is per definition filled with stress and tension. This week, we bring you a suggestion to help you cope meditation. For those who have never come across it, it may sound strange at first. Do try it. You may be surprised at the difference it can make.
Our emotions can be overwhelming. Sometimes, they take over the whole of you, making you feel as if you have no control.
You can train your mind not to let that happen.
It’s very simple. Everyone can do it. And it doesn’t have to take a lot of time.
Sit down in a quiet space, on the floor or in a chair, with your back supported. Set an alarm – start with five minutes; you can make it more as you get used to the practice. Now forget the time: the alarm will tell you when it’s up.
Close your eyes.
Feel your body resting on the earth. Breathe in, drawing the strength and solidity of the earth into yourself. Feel the cool air flowing in through your nose. Breathe out, letting your tension and anxiety flow out with the breath. Do it again.
Strength and support in, tension and anxiety out.
Strength and support in, tension and anxiety out.
Then simply focus on your breath. Cool air in through your nose, warmer air out the same way. In, out. You may become aware of your heartbeat in the little pause before the in-breath. In, out.
Accept where and who you are in this moment. Do not fight it. Do not fight any thoughts. Let them be.
In, out. Heartbeat. In, out.
If your thoughts return to whatever is worrying you, don’t fight it. Instead, imagine that you yourself are the centre of a big wheel and the issue worrying you is out there on the rim. You can see it, you know exactly what it is, you will get back to it, but in this moment, it does not take over the quiet centre. Let it go.
Return your attention to your breath. In, out. A heartbeat. In, out. You are the centre of the wheel, the quiet centre. Everything else is out there on the rim. In, out. In, out. In, out.
Many people find it helpful to imagine themselves in a quiet, peaceful place with nothing and no one to disturb them. It can be anywhere that you find beautiful and peaceful – on soft grass under a big tree, on the beach with the waves coming and going, or on a hilltop watching the sun go down. Build the picture in your mind and take yourself there. Now do the breathing: in, out. In, out.
Even if you don’t usually listen to the podcast version of this newsletter, it may be a good idea to try it as a shortcut to get you into this practice. Here’s the link again.
If you practise this regularly, it will become easy to calm yourself down when something stressful happens. Close your eyes, breathe. Withdraw in your mind to your quiet centre, even if it’s just for a minute or two. It can work wonders.
When complete stillness and this kind of concentration is impossible, like when you sit down to write an exam, you could try another, shorter exercise. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Breathe in for four counts, hold the breath for four counts, out for four, pause for four. In for four again … This is known as “box breathing”. It immediately calms down the nervous system and makes you relax. Try it.
Good luck with the exams. We are all rooting for you!
The GRAD team
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GRAD – your guide to university success is a partnership project of Ruda Landman, StudyTrust, Van Schaik Publishers and Capitec Bank.