Meditation

I've been trying meditation again, to try and keep my brain calm.  In the past this hasn't really worked as I can't keep my mind quiet long enough, but my girlfriend got me a book called 'The 5-minute meditator' by Eric Harrison.  I haven't read it all yet, but I've tried one or two meditation techniques and found that I can best halt my thoughts by focusing on my senses whilst outdoors, walking or sitting -feeling the breeze/sun, or listening to birds, or looking at trees etc really helps calm me.  Its much easier to quieten my mind this way, than the usual deep breathing excercises I've been told to practice in the past.  Eric explains why - its kind of obviously really, but deep breathing provides an energy boost, and if we relaxing then it is not being used and so we feel more alert.  If you walk whilst deep breathing then you can burn off the extra energy and therefore can meditate easier than sitting still.  I really recommend this book if your mind races, or you get stuck in thought-loops.  I feel good being more aware of my senses, and looking forward to trying this technique somewhere really peaceful - where there are less distractions to interrupt my meditation.

I also recommend hypnotherapy, as I tried this several years ago and it really cleared my head and I felt I could take on anything.  It did fade after few days, but it gave me a glimpse of what being really relaxed is like - I crave to return to that calm, more positive state as would feel more capable of being around people, and working.