Control Stress With Active Meditation

Over time on the CHEK Blog, I’ve shared a variety of strategies you can use to practice meditation (even taking it everywhere you go).

This week, I want to share an approach you may have heard about if you’ve studied the work of Osho known as active meditation.

Unlike sitting in a quiet room with your eyes closed, active meditation is a practice in which you use physical activity to calm common emotional windups you experience throughout the day, like navigating rush hour traffic or having an argument with your boss at work.

With this method, you’ll use physical exertion to counterbalance the stress you’re feeling inside, with one important caveat: The level of exercise or exertion you use must come close to matching the strong emotions you’re feeling.

So, instead of getting medieval with the nearest garbage can or cutting someone off in traffic just because you’re angry, try out these four exercises you can do intelligently with a Swiss ball that not only benefit your body but channel your anger and frustrations in more constructive ways.

A reminder: Just because you’re emotionally wound up doesn’t mean you can slack on good form and breathing properly!

Love and chi,

Paul