Beth Gibney first turned to yoga and meditation to help her slow down the pace of her life.
“The practices helped me to shift my attention inward, away from the busy distractions of life,” she said. “Gaining this skill of turning inward has helped me navigate all the challenges of my adult life.”
Some of those challenges have included chronic pain, chronic illness, cancer treatment, and big milestones like childbearing challenges and multiple out-of-state moves.
“Mindfulness doesn’t stop hardships from happening,” said Gibney, who started her practice in 1996. “It gives us the awareness to choose how we want to respond to them. Yoga has given me the ability to be with emotions and sensations without judgment, while meditation has given me strong muscles of hope.”
Investing in mental and physical health with mindfulness practices, like meditation and yoga, pay off immediately and create lasting, positive change.
“I watch clients transform their tension to relaxation and hear stories about their increased clarity and sense of peace after just one $15 session,” Gibney said. “Mindfulness is an investment in wellness that affects us personally and improves how we connect in relationships at home and work.”
So what exactly are mindfulness, meditation, and yoga?
“I describe mindfulness as an umbrella term for any activity in which we are choosing to be present, on purpose, without judgment,” Gibney said. “We are naturally mindful when we listen to the sound of a baby laughing, play with a pet, or admire a beautiful sunset.
“In Hatha Yoga, postures and breathwork draw attention inward and prepare us for sustained concentration in meditation,” she added. “While we can move mindfully or meditate for just one minute and feel better, we feel best with consistent practice.”
Research on yoga and meditation shows clear benefits to well-being and longevity. “I see my yoga clients gain strength, balance and flexibility, and an even more important ability to respect the needs of their body,” Gibney said. “I witness my meditation clients develop focus, an ability to ride the waves of life, and a deeper trust in their intuition. My group class clients laugh with each other and appreciate connecting with people who want to enhance their life. Mindfulness, yoga, and meditation all build stronger muscles of awareness and connection to ourselves and others.”
How To Unwind
Gibney suggests weaving a mindfulness practice into each day, starting in the morning.
“Pausing for five minutes in the morning shifts my attention from the to-do list over to a long list of what’s already going well in my life,” she said. “I pause to give thanks before eating and notice that I can relax my tense shoulders and slow my fast pace. Sitting in meditation in the evening helps me let go of the day and sleep well. I can tell if I haven’t meditated enough when I have bad dreams. My mind is used to the unwinding that happens in meditation!”
Start by noticing your intention for your practice. Gibney asks every client, “If you could receive something from this practice, even if it feels like a miracle, what would you like to feel or heal?”
Desire for growth, she said, is the foundation of your practice. “Look around at the space where you are reading this sentence to notice the colors and sounds around you,” she said. “Notice the movement and the stillness. Observe your breath flowing in and out, and decide if you want to soften any muscle tension. You’re being mindful! Mindfulness is simply making the choice to be present without judgment. I teach mindfulness techniques to help people feel comfortable with pausing to be present. If it doesn’t feel comfortable to be still, that’s OK. Take a walk and notice what you see in the space.”
Gibney frequently hears people say their minds are too busy to sit still in meditation. “In that case we create a practice that links steady body movement with the mind in the present moment,” she said. “I also hear people say, ‘I’m not flexible enough for yoga,’ so we want to find a yoga class where they will see they’re not alone in feeling stiff and achy! Mindfulness classes are a nice way to use active techniques to stay present and don’t require postures or sitting completely still.”
Accessible To All
Many free resources are available online, although Gibney encourages people to choose reputable teachers. “I notice that apps are used more consistently by people who have practiced in a class with a teacher,” she said.
Most yoga and meditation centers, including An Anchored Life, offer new student discounts, special offers, and coupons to make the practice even more accessible. “I offer birthday coupons to encourage clients ‘to come back to themselves’ if they slip out of practice!” Gibney said.
Today, the research on meditation is irrefutable. Invest the time, and you’re sure to reap the rewards. “We know these practices enhance health and well-being,” Gibney said.
To learn more about An Anchored Life, go to ananchoredlife.com.
“Mindfulness doesn’t stop hardships from happening. It gives us the awareness to choose how we want to respond to them. Yoga has given me the ability to be with emotions and sensations without judgment, while meditation has given me strong muscles of hope."