Meditation is a revered mindfulness activity, bringing peace and calm to its practitioners for millennia; it’s especially helpful right now, when we’ve been through an unbelievably challenging year and a half. But mantras and conscious breathing are not the only ways to center yourself. Here are five other ways to unwind your mind. —Kelly Magyarics
Devotees of ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) experience euphoric sensations that generally start at the scalp and travel down the neck and spine when they hear or see triggers like whispering, tapping, crinkling, or personal attention. Even those who aren’t self-proclaimed “tingleheads” can get relaxing effects by donning earbuds and selecting from among millions of videos on YouTube; popular and prolific ASMRtists include Gibi ASMR, WhispersRed ASMR, and ASMR Zeitgeist. // youtube.com
Different from conscious breathing, Yoga Nidra aims to completely relax the body via a set of verbal instructions. “Yoga nidra is a guided deep form of relaxation [that] can be incredibly rejuvenating for the nervous system and supportive of recovery,” says Maryam Ovissi, director and founder of Beloved Yoga in Reston. “It offers an organized method to gently quiet and stimulate the relaxation response, which also releases a cascade of neurotransmitters like serotonin to stabilize our sense of well-being.” // belovedyoga.com
The rise in popularity a decade ago of coloring books designed for adults meant boxes of crayons were no longer just for the elementary-school set. Not only does coloring evoke feelings of childhood nostalgia and help tune and retain vision and fine motor skills, staying inside the lines requires a focus that can temporarily take our thoughts away from worries and anxieties. Plus, it’s a no-tech alternative to all that screen time you’ve been engaged in. Snag a sophisticated coloring book at Scrawl Books in Reston and One More Page Books in Arlington. // scrawlbooks.com, onemorepagebooks.com
Not quite a maze, a labyrinth only has one path in and one way out, so rather than viewing it as a puzzle, you can use the walkway to ground yourself. Most modern versions borrow their designs from the labyrinth in the nave of the early-13th-century Chartres Cathedral in France. They’re often found at churches, though there’s no longer necessarily a religious component to them. Local labyrinths include the ones at Judy Lowe Neighborhood Park in Alexandria and United Christian Parish in Reston. // alexandria.gov/recreation, ucpreston.org
We all have scents that evoke memories, feelings, and moments in our lives. With essential oils and other ingredients, you can use aromatherapy to affect your physical and emotional well-being by inducing states
of calmness, energy, alertness, or contentment. While lighting a scented candle, taking a bubble bath, and using incense are all easy ways to use aroma as a mood-booster, many proponents prefer diffusers filled with water and a few drops of scented oil, set up where you work, read, or sleep. WFMed in Lorton sells oils from bergamot and basil to sandalwood and spearmint, solo or in sets, as well as accessories. // wfmed.com
Feature image courtesy Wolfhard Ramm
This story originally ran in our June issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
