| Most of us take time off to journey to new | | | | to the sounds in your immediate environment. |
| places within our own country or to travel to | | | | Then use the word Relax as a kind of mantra. As |
| different countries. | | | | you breathe in, think "Re" and as you breathe out, |
| We do this to take some time off the treadmill | | | | think "lax." |
| and to rest and rejuvenate so that we can return | | | | You can continue this exercise for ten to fifteen |
| refreshed to our daily routine. | | | | minutes. |
| Sometimes going on holiday can be even more | | | | This exercise should relax the rhythm of your |
| stressful than daily life. Flight delays, dodgy hotel | | | | breathing, slow down the speed of your thoughts |
| accommodation, lost luggage and other obstacles | | | | and release the tension in your body. |
| can conspire to ruin our plans for restful | | | | Once you have achieved a degree of relaxation, |
| recreation. | | | | you can then take a wander through your own |
| But most of the time, it can be a liberating | | | | imagination and see what images present |
| experience to take time out of our daily cycle to | | | | themselves to your psyche. |
| explore other places. In fact, two of the older | | | | Get to know and interpret the visual symbols in |
| meanings of the word 'vacation' are 'freedom' and | | | | your mind's eye and how they connect with the |
| 'release'. | | | | issues that you are currently experiencing in your |
| A holiday within can be just as, or even more, | | | | life. |
| fascinating than a journey outside to a far-flung | | | | You can sometimes obtain interesting insights, |
| corner of the planet. | | | | creative ideas or solutions to dilemmas and |
| These are the internal journeys that we take | | | | problems simply from taking ten to fifteen |
| when we practise certain forms of meditation. | | | | minutes to sit in silence and allowing your |
| Another meaning of the Latin word 'vacare' is 'to | | | | unconscious mind to communicate with you. |
| be empty'. Traditional forms of meditation often | | | | We cannot always drop everything and go on an |
| require you to empty your mind. | | | | exotic holiday or a luxurious cruise. |
| And just like with an external holiday, after | | | | But we can continue to travel within and take |
| travelling within, you can return to your daily life, | | | | time out from the stresses of daily life through |
| renewed and refreshed. | | | | the practice of meditation. |
| So how do you travel within? | | | | With internal journeys, there are no flight delays |
| There are several ways. But taking some quite | | | | and no luggage mix-ups. And of course, these |
| time alone to sit in silence and in stillness is | | | | journeys are absolutely free. The only cost is |
| perhaps the simplest method. It can be a very | | | | fifteen minutes of your own time. |
| restorative and healing practice. | | | | So instead of getting lost in a maze of activity |
| In silence and stillness, you can declutter your | | | | and stress, we can take a few minutes each day |
| mind of stressful thoughts and temporarily | | | | to connect with our unconscious and then return |
| remove yourself from the hassles of daily life. | | | | to our conscious life rejuvenated, relaxed and |
| Start off by observing your breathing and listening | | | | refreshed. |