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Meditation Tip No. 2: Chill With a Puppy (or a Guppy)
How it works: Simply sitting with a cat or dog and petting it for a few minutes can be extremely meditative, says wellness and lifestyle expert Denise Baron. The act of stroking an animal causes our bodies to release endorphins, stimulating an automatic relaxation response and reducing stress.
If you don't have a access to a four-legged friend, try finding one with fins. Studies show that watching a fish swim for five minutes a day drops the body's cortisol levels (aka, your stress hormones) and boosts serotonin, a happiness-inducing chemical.
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Meditation Tip No. 3: Find an App for That
How it works: We do everything else on our phones, so why not open the third eye with it, too? "Apps can make meditation fun, convenient and accessible," says Craig Perkins, master yogi and founder of the Yandara Yoga Institute.
We are particular fans of Headspace (and so is Emma Watson, if that's any more convincing). The app offers guided meditations for beginners in 10 minute sessions, once a day for 10 days. Headspace co-founder Andy Puddicombe leads the meditations, and his (British) voice is relaxed and personable -- not at all hippie dippie. Plus, the animated interface is playful and fun to use.
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Meditation Tip No. 4: Get Out of the House
How it works: Meditation doesn't have to mean sitting still with your eyes closed -- in fact, focusing your attention on the outside world can help quiet the world within.
"With walking meditation the idea is to walk slowly and mindfully, while maintaining a soft and conscious breath," Mortali explains. "Every footstep is conscious and you remain mindful of the environment around you -- the wind, the sound of the leaves blowing, the cars going by." Every few minutes you bring your attention back to your footsteps. Simple.
You don't have to go out of your way on an ambitious nature walk, either. "Choose a path that you walk routinely, such as from your front door to your car," suggests mindfulness meditation expert Charles Francis, author of "Mindfulness Meditation Made Simple." You can either focus your attention on each footstep, or your entire body as you walk, he says. This helps slow down the mind (without grossly inconveniencing your daily life).
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Meditation Tip No. 5: Breathe
How it works: What many people don't realize is that you don't have to set aside special time to meditate -- you can work meditative thinking into everyday activities.
"Instead of feeling guilty for not being able to sit around like a monk all day, realize that we live in a very different world and need to get it in when we can," says meditation master, acupuncturist and herbalist Pedram Shojai.
This means at red lights, in line at Starbucks, waiting on hold, at the water cooler at work -- Shojai says that whenever we get a free minute, a few quiet breaths down to your lower abdomen can make a real impact on our mental calm. "You don't need to be in lotus posture to anchor the breath and calm the mind," he says. "Just seize the opportunity and hack your way into a quick meditation."
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Meditation Tip No. 6: Go Zero Gravity
How it works: Into a more tricked-out meditation experience? Baron recommends checking out your local "float clinic." Float clinics are trendy, spa-like locations containing "float tanks" or "isolation tanks," which are sound-proof, lightless tanks filled with skin temperature water. The water is filled with Epsom salt, which allows you to float effortlessly on top of it, like a cloud.
You float within your tank for 60 to 120 minutes for a deeply relaxing experience. (We get that this sounds a little claustrophobic, but floaters swear by it.)
This method was first used in the '50s by neuroscientist John C. Lilly to test the effects of sensory deprivation. Now, Baron says that more and more of these float tanks are popping up all over the country, introducing people who wouldn't otherwise meditate to a swankier form of the practice.
