Hey everyone – I wanted to take a break from posting “3 Ways to Relax in NYC This Week” and ask for your feedback. Are these weekly posts helpful? Are you taking my suggestions? How could I make the lists better, and/or what would you like to see me writing about instead?

For reference, here’s last week’s list, and here’s another one.

Let me know what you think!

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Spa Week! Spas all over town are offering discounts and specials, including a vast array of treatments available for $50; see the directory of participating spas. If you’re on Twitter, send @michellejoni a message with the kind of treatment you’re looking for, and what part of town you’re in, and she’ll reply with recommendations; you can also read her list of 9 hidden spa gems in NYC (she highlights the $50 treatments each featured spa is offering).

Meditate NYC – Learn meditation techniques and receive inspiration from speakers representing a range of traditions (see speaker list here) on Saturday, October 16 from noon – 4pm at Judson Memorial Church in the Village (get directions). Following Saturday’s event, sample a week of free open houses at dozens of meditation groups and dharma centers throughout the NYC area.

A friend of mine was recently having a stressful afternoon at work, so I emailed her a description of a short relaxation sequence that helps me find distance from tension and become grounded in my true self. I practice this sequence most mornings, and sometimes during the day, when I feel myself getting tense and losing that feeling of being grounded in my body and breath. Please note, I didn’t invent this out of thin air – it represents a cobbling together of teachings from people such as Kimberly Wilson and David Nichtern and books like Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn. I owe these teachers a debt of gratitude.

Preparation

1. Sit in a cross-legged position on the floor, or on a meditation cushion or yoga mat, if you have one (hint: a folded blanket makes a good make-shift cushion). Or, feel free to sit on your bed, sofa or office chair instead…it will just be a little harder for you to root into the earth, but better to be comfortable.
2. Imagine rooting your seat down to the earth. Feeling your seat as a strong base, visualize your spine stretching straight up, right out through the crown of your head. Feel the crown of your head reaching for the sky.
3. Close your eyes.
4. Give yourself a quick face rub. Neck and shoulders too. Whatever you need to work out the kinks and transition into relaxation mode.
5. Rest your palms face down on top of your thighs.

Quieting the Mind

1. Scan your body. Where are you holding tension? Any other discomfort? Visualize those body parts and imagine sending them love and warmth. Imagine them melting like butter, with the tension falling away. (You might also imagine these areas as sand bags, with the tension leaking out like sand, creating lightness.)
2. Scan your brain. What are you thinking about? Worrying about? Just name it: “I am worried about the mean things my sister said to me.” “I am thinking about the presentation I have to give tomorrow .”
3. Now, visualize putting each thought and worry into a suitcase as you identify it. The thought is like a piece of clothing, and you’re folding it up and packing it for a trip.
4. When you have exhausted your list, go ahead and close up the suitcase, and imagine putting it on a conveyer belt that carries it away from you.

Be There

1. Now sit and breathe naturally. Your eyes are still closed. Feel the air on your skin, and feel the air as it comes in and out of your nostrils.
2. If you find yourself thinking (and you probably will!), don’t judge it or be harsh – just label your thoughts as though you are a detached observer: “I am thinking,” or, “thought.”
3. If you find yourself labeling a lot of thoughts, maybe take that suitcase back out. Maybe you forgot to pack a few things…
4. Try to sit for about 5 minutes.
5. When you’re done, gently open your eyes.

Transitioning Out

1. How do you feel? Check in with yourself, body and mind, and reflect on how you feel now compared to before you began.
2. Reflect with gratitude. Honor yourself for taking this time to take care of yourself. Be grateful that you were able to carve out this time to take care of yourself – mind, body and spirit.
3. Take a deep breath.
4. Gently stand up and continue with your day.