Saturday, 06.30.12: STRESSED?

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SET ASIDE TWENTY MINUTES IN THE MORNING AND THE EVENING WHEN YOU CAN SIT ALONE IN A QUIET PLACE WITHOUT BEING INTERRUPTED OR DISTURBED. TURN OFF YOUR PHONE AND YOUR BEEPER. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND DO NOTHING FOR FIVE MINUTES LETTING YOUR BREATHING RATE SETTLE NATURALLY. OBSERVE YOUR MIND CHATTERING AWAY BUT DON'T INTERACT WITH IT. LET YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS SIMPLY BE WHAT THEY ARE.

NOW PLACE YOUR ATTENTION GENTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR CHEST. AS YOU DO, FOLLOW YOUR BREATH AS IT GOES IN AND OUT. FEEL EACH EXHALATION AS IF IT WERE REALEASING THE BREATH FROM YOUR WHOLE BODY; FEEL EACH INHALATION AS IF IT WERE SPREADING YOUR IN-BREATH TO EVERY PART OF YOUR BODY. DON'T IMPOST A TEMPO ON YOUR BREATHING. DONT TRY FOR DEEP OR SHALLOW BREATHS, BUT HAVE THE INTENTION THAT OVER TIME YOUR BREATHING WILL BECOME SUBTLER AND MORE REFINED. CONTINUE THIS MEDITATION FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES. IT'S OKAY TO FALL ASLEEP. THIS JUST MEANS YOU HAVE TO CATCH UP BEFORE YOU CAN MEDITATE. AT THE END OF THE SESSION TAKE A MINUTE TO COME OUT OF THE MEDITATIVE STATE; DON'T JUMP IMMEDIATELY INTO ACTION.

DEEPAK CHOPRA

THE SOUL OF LEADERSHIP