“I am still keeping at it and expanding my practice every day. My core routine is 10 postures, each held for a minimum of 30 breaths. In between, I stretch in ways my body tells me to, some times rocking gently to loosen things up.

I always play soothing music or chanting; there are great chants on you tube. I was burning incense but have stopped because I find it a distraction.

Each day I discover new ways to attend to the present while meditating. Every day I feel a benefit; sometimes great, sometimes subtle.

Some ideas

• We can be slaves to time. Being constantly aware of the clock and where you need to be an hour from now, robs you of the present. While meditating, do not fall into the trap of counting breaths, as if they are grocery list on which you are striking off items. Immerse yourself in each breath and adhere to your body’s natural relaxed breathing pattern. Time can become quite elastic when you are not measuring it in your mind. I suspect that the perfect present is infinite.

• If you have trouble stilling noisy thoughts, try some mental exercises.
  • When you breath in, think of what it feels like to exhale and then, as you exhale think of the feeling of breathing in.
  • Think about the sound of wind on your face, of how sunshine smells and what the color green tastes like. Imagine that your body is floating or rotating slowly. Imagine you are slowly melting into the ground.

• I realize as I try to attain complete tranquility while meditating, that the way I breathe can disrupt this goal. I have found at times a great rush of peace as I slowly exhale but, as I transition to breathing in, I am susceptible to errant thoughts. In order to avoid this undesirable distraction, I have begun to try to think of breathing in and breathing out as a continuum, rather than a transition. As I breath out and feel peace flow in, I concentrate on holding that feeling and I begin to breath in. I do not concentrate on the change of direction of my breath. This is helping me sustain and deepen the feeling of calmness over multiple breath cycles.

Benefits  I gained

• I went to a social event where I knew nobody. I felt more relaxed than usual in this situation and felt like I was more focused on the person I was talking to at any given moment.

• During the day when a worrisome thought clouds my mind, I am better at addressing it and filing it away where it belongs, rather than have it put me in a foul mood.

• I am more easily amused.”

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 Adults – Feedback

Scanned images of the feedback forms

I came to know about this seminar from

• Anna McMahon – 2 responses
• Healthy Kids Committee – 2
• Husband/ Healthy Kids Committee
• Posters at the school
• Times Union – Bethlehem Blog
• Healthy Kids Committee Face book post

The seminar was …

I will use this technique to relieve my (concern)

 Children – Feedback

Scanned images of the feedback forms

I am in ….

• Grade 5
• Grade 4

(1) Documents for download

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Parent page: Past seminars

Scanned images of the feedback forms

Comments about the seminar

• Very useful – 25
• Useful – 4
• Somewhat useful – 1

Titles of the participants 

• Clinician – 2
• Family advocate
• Secretary
• Social worker
• Parent partner
• Program assistant
• Supervisor
• Training coordinator
• WSP (Waiver Service Provider)
• HR (Human Relations)
• HCI (Health Care Integrator)
• School Psychologist
• Not mentioned – 17

I will use this technique personally for my (concern) 

• Sleeping/ sleep/ more restful sleep – Total 5 resposes
• To get sleep, Relieve anxiety
• Sleep and Focusing
• Back pain, Sleep issues
• Sleep, Relaxation
• Insomnia, Stress, Eating
• Insomnia and Relaxation
• Better sleep and Overall  relaxation
• Anxiety, Back pain, Sleeping
• Stress reduction, Meditation and with my children for sleep
• Insomnia, Grief
• Chronic pain in hip, elbow and feet
• Back pain and Stress relief
• Stress
• Stress and Focus
• Stress relief, Dealing with anxiety
• Anxiety
• Happiness
• Self and daughter
• Work, Clients, Family

Comments about the seminar 

• Very simple approach that any one can use. The simplicity is wonderful.
• Very clear, simple & useful
• This seminar was very informative. The challenging part is putting it into practice.
• So simple but so helpful and useful
• Very simple & helpful. I know this stress but I forget!
• Lots of helpful tips.
• Very relaxing, helpful, excited to try the technique at home
• I plan to start using this and will remember to be patient with it. I am so glad I came to this workshop. Thank you for sharing.
• Extremely useful and easy to teach others.
• Very clear and practical
• Very informative, explained things very well
• Calming and informational
• I enjoyed it, very useful
• I loved it, so simple. Great presenter. Very personable.
• Excellent presentation. Very mindful & stress reducing
• Like that there are several variations/ methods so people can choose one they like best.
• Excellent presentation, clear and concise.
• I really like the “nibble on the cookie” metaphor
• Learned something new. Simple and helpful.
• Very interesting – 3 responses
• V. good
• Good

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____________________________________________________________________

Stress-relief, as easy as 1,2,3
Tuesday, May 7, 2013 by: Anna McMahon

Free presentation: Focusing on Breathing, at Bethlehem Central Middle School (Library Media Center)
Wednesday May 15, 2013 7-8 pm

Presented by Suryanarayana Chennapragada (“C.S.”), at the invitation of Bethlehem Healthy Kids Committee.

We all know that modern life is stressful. Work pressures, school pressures, family and relationship pressures…everyone suffers stresses of one kind or another, and too much stress can lead to health issues such as headaches, insomnia, anxiety or panic attacks.

Relief may be at hand – literally. With the Focusing on Breathing technique (2), instructor Suryanarayana Chennapragada (“C.S” for short), demonstrates how stressful thoughts and feelings can be brought under control through a simple process of focused breathing, using the fingers as counters. No pills, no special equipment, no mystical concepts. If it sounds ridiculously simple, well, it is! Even young children can learn it, and people of any age can practice it.

My personal experience includes using the technique successfully to get to sleep, and to calm myself in anxious situations. A good friend of mine has found relief from debilitating chronic insomnia. On C.S.’s website you will find testimonials from people who have used the technique to overcome numerous problems, including quitting smoking, improving blood pressure, building self-confidence and increasing focus for work or study.

Everyone is welcome to attend the one-hour seminar hosted by Bethlehem Healthy Kids Committee. Come and try the technique, and see if it works for you. You have nothing to lose but your stress!

____________________________________________________________________

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(1) Blog link
(2) Relax anywhere anytime by ‘Focusing on breathing’ (24)
(3) Testimonials 2012 (24)

Meditation practices and experiences

When you count your breaths try not to say the numbers in your mind. You might try replacing one, two and three with red, green blue and as you mark each color in your mind try to visualize it. Or make up three syllables to replace the numbers: aaaa, raaa, hum for example.

When practicing meditation be extremely gentle and loving of yourself. Do not think badly of yourself if your mind strays, simply redirect. If you find a position or mental place that makes you feel good then allow yourself extra time there and try to go deeper into tranquility. When you are done, stretch like a cat in ways that feel good, scratch your scalp with your fingers and pat yourself quickly and firmly all over with your hands.

As a boy I had dreams that I could fly. It was not flying like superman, more like I had figured out the secret to undoing gravity. I would rise up above the sidewalk and slowly float down again; like a slow motion jump. At times I would get quite high up so that the town below me looked like scenery in a model railroad set. These dreams were always elating. I felt like the world was filled with many happy secrets and, maybe, I was able to figure them out. Sometimes I would awake, and in my half sleep, still believe in the possibility of levitating. This belief sometimes carried through the day. Meditation is beginning to create a similar feeling of elation in me. Although I am firmly planted in the “real” world, meditation gives me a glimpse of hidden possibilities and is restoring my belief in magic.

Changes I attribute to my daily meditation

• Increased patience in traffic and with people

• I am less likely to judge people in a bad way

• The stretching has reduced some aches and pains I have had for a long time.

(1) Alfred

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Scanned images of the feedback forms

I came to know about this seminar from

• Amy Peeker – the librarian – 3
• ‘C S’ (my short name)

The seminar was …

I will use this technique to relieve my (concern)

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Honorarium: I am thankful to the library for voluntarily offering me an honorarium.   

Parent page: Past seminars

• Breathe as if breath was a wheel turning slowly. No end or beginning – the transition between breathing in and breathing out, infinite and smooth.

• Meditation is not work. It is not like stacking fire wood where there is a beginning middle and end. It is a gift you allow yourself. Like eating a bowl of ice cream when you eat it slowly savoring each taste.

• The goal of meditation is not to stop thinking. Thinking is like breathing and is always there. You can think differently however. You can silence loud thoughts that demand your attention. Redirect your thoughts towards physical sensations. Think of the sound of a woodland stream and imagine you are the water. Try to feel all parts of your body at once. Let these quiet thoughts put you into a calm and tranquil place.

(1) Alfred

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I have not missed a day of meditation yet which tells you that I am valuing it. On some days I am left with ideas which I call “Yoga Thoughts” which I write down and am sharing with you now.

Yoga Thoughts

• Breathing is an endless spiral, breathing in (taking), pause (stillness), breathing out (releasing), pause (calmness)
• It is simple and at the same time it is complex
• One of block to tranquility is excitedly thinking about what you are going to do next. Thinking about your next meal, your next conversation with someone you like, the upcoming trip to the beach, all these block you from the present. When you have these types of thoughts while meditating, you are valuing the future over the present, like a child who whines that they are bored on a long car trip. Being happy in the moment is the greatest show of gratitude and the only way to access grace.
• It is not profound every time you fill your car with gas.
• Our thoughts tether us. If you are afraid of flying, hold that thought.

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She read my handouts (1) and attended one class along with her daughter, to get to know the technique. She was happy with how it helped with her sleep problems after a short time of practice. On my request she sent this feedback.

“As a chronic sufferer of insomnia, I’ve found that the Counting Breaths technique enables me to fall asleep easily, have a better quality of sleep and get back to sleep if I wake in the night. I’ve not suffered from insomnia since I began using the technique. I would thoroughly recommend it.”

(1) Documents for download
(2) Sara Firisen Linkedin page

Related pages
Relief from insomnia – Success stories

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In the first class I demonstrated different modes of the technique and we all practiced each of the modes on one hand. In the  second class I asked for their verbal feedback on how they practiced the technique after the first class. I asked each of them to demonstrate any one mode and corrected the wrong demos. Several of them said they liked the ‘Staring mode’ (3) or the  ’911 mode’ (4).

At the end of the first class, I collected feedback from them in a simple form with 3 open ended questions. The scanned images of the completed feedback forms are presented at (2). A summary of their responses is presented below.

When I practiced the breathing in today’s class, I felt … 

• Calm and relaxed – 3 responses
• Calm/ Really calm – 3
• Good and happy
• Relaxed
• Relaxed, Calm, Focused

I want to try this technique when I …

• Go to sleep – 2
• Am mad – 2
• Mad or tired
• Stressed with school
• Mad at my sister or stressed
• Mad, angry and stressed
• Am taking a  test

I think this practice will help me for ….

• NYS test/ Tomorrow before the state tests – 2
• Calming down, Stop being stressed, angry and mad
• After being bullied
• Getting up in the morning
• When my sister is mad at me
• Settling down
• Falling asleep and calming down
• A lot of things

The principal also participated in the class and gave the following feedback in the same form -
During the class she felt relaxed, calm, focused and stress free. She wanted to try this technique when she needed to refocus, before running a race and after a stressful day. She felt that this practice will help her in refocusing and training.

Feedback from the school counselor after the first class: ”I heard great things about your class from the principal and the students.  You will be here again next week for the conclusion. Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to provide a stress free learning opportunity for our students!”

Honorarium: Before doing the classes the counselor inquired about my charges. I said I loved teaching the simple technique to children and if the school was happy with the classes, they could offer me whatever they like. I am thankful to the PTA (Parent Teacher Association) of the school for the generous compensation they offered me. My plan is to follow up this group of students till they adopt the technique as their own, practicing it whenever they needed to  calm themselves or maintain their focus.

(1) How to be Calm and Focused? - Handout for children
(2) Scanned images of the feedback forms
(3) Staring mode
(4) 911 mode

Related page
Training children

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