June is here and with it comes summer, as well as a new calming routine to experience! Yay! While I’ll get to that in a minute, it’s now time to reveal May’s results. Last month I focused on the power of the human touch. Three times a week I set aside 20 minutes to massage my feet and activate my reflex points thereby quelling any stress. At first, I wore my reflexology socks and used the massaging tool that came with them. But after a week, I abandoned both and simply rubbed my feet. Ha! While I planned to just focus attention on my feet, I soon began massaging my hands, as well. And I found it easier to give my hands a deep rub rather than my feet while going about my day. However, in the evenings and especially before going to sleep, giving my feet a little extra love and care did wonders!
It was interesting to learn which parts of the feet and hands correspond to other parts of the body. Like the band at the base of the big toe relates to the throat. Good to know if a sore throat occurs! Or rubbing the outer edge of an instep, may relieve stiffness in one’s back. Or a good remedy for eye strain is massaging the middle and index fingers. Although I did buy a set of reflexology socks and gloves, they weren’t a necessity. A simple chart would have sufficed. But on the flip side, the $10 price tag was minimal and if I really want to target a specific area of my body, I can use my socks or gloves.
I had two big takeaways from this experience. The first was that applying pressure to and rubbing my entire feet and hands relaxed my whole body. The second was that the effects lasted quite a while, oftentimes for an hour or more. Soothing for sure. Most likely I will continue to incorporate reflexology into my weekly routine.
Now that I’ve tried new ways to unwind through the sense of sight, smell, and touch, this month’s practice will involve tuning into…the sound of music!
From my journal: February 8, 2004, Newbury Park, California
“Symphony at the Disney Concert Hall today…the orchestra performed Vivaldi…relaxing. Best one yet. “
Long time fans of classical music, we used to attend the Los Angeles Philharmonic symphonies on a regular basis. Although driving into downtown L.A. could be grueling, once we were in our seats and the musicians took to the stage, all the stress melted away. Looking around it was common to see other concert goers in a state of repose, and sometimes even nodding off!
Perhaps you’ve experienced the soothing power of music, too. Studies have shown that music can have a profound impact on how we feel. While upbeat songs can make us feel more alert and positive, slower tempos can quiet our minds and relax our muscles. Research also suggests that music with 60 beats per minute allows our brains to sync with the beat, which produces alpha brainwaves that bring us to a tranquil place.
Other benefits of listening to calming music are a decrease in heart rate, as well as blood pressure. No wonder it is used in therapeutic settings to help people struggling with conditions such as depression, anxiety, pain, and insomnia. But what type of music is the best to listen to? Four main genres have been identified as stress reducing. With its gentle melodies and rhythms, classical music is a frequent go-to. Think Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach. Simple instrumental tunes that allow the mind to focus on the harmonies without the distraction of lyrics, are another good choice. Combining sounds of nature like rain, waves, and birds with instrumental music works well, too. And meditation songs that are produced specifically for practicing meditation and yoga can lead people into a peaceful state of mind and body.
In preparation for this month’s quest for calm, I perused our music cabinet. Among my finds: CDs of classical Brahms concertos, meditative music produced by artists like Sting, Peter Gabriel, and Sheryl Crow who also practice yoga, nature sounds and instrumental songs by a band named The Blessed Blend, and even a Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo De Silos disc of Gregorian chants. In addition to these CDs, I can easily tune into SiriusXM Channel 745 to hear the classical sounds of Yo-Yo Ma, Mozart, the Boston Pops, and the like.
A music lover all my life, I am looking forward to switching up my usual jazz listening time to include classical, instrumental, and meditation melodies at least three times a week for 30 minutes. Adding new genres to my current repertoire, sounds really good to me…in fact, it sounds like music to my ears!
A Journal Journey 