When you were in kindergarten, did the teacher have a "Time-out chair"— a place a child was sent to sit alone & quietly for about five minutes when he or she misbehaved or "broke the rules" in some way?
I'm 60+, so I came along before that idea took its present shape. We were simply told to go stand in the corner— those of us who didn't have a tennis ball thrown at our heads or have Sister Mary Margret Machette rap us on the knuckles with a ruler. Surely, it is a kinder & gentler & safer world for children today— as well as more "politically correct" and parentially enlightened.
Enough backstory. As with the kindergartener's chair, an "Adult Time-Out" is a five-minute go away to a place & space sans every distraction you can manage; quiet, no other sounds (as best you can).
You do NOT have to be "bad," or break any rules or misbehave to take an Adult Time-out. But if you have been, it's a perfect thing to do. It's useful any time you get "off center" or even just to refresh and re-align yourself during the day.
You can do it standing (recommended) or sitting (just fine). Standing is recommended because your skelton is doing it's whole-body job, instead of your butt doing a half-as... You got the idea. <smile>
If you stand, do so with feet shoulder's width apart, knees slightly flexed NOT locked, arms hanging at your sides comfortably. You might want to roll your shoulders & shake out your arms and legs first, just to get loose & relax.
If you're sitting, do so with feet flat on the floor, arms positioned so as NOT to have your shoulders hunched up in any way; palms up or down, on your thighs or in your lap. Most importantly, back straight and eyes level aimed at the horizon.
Game is, "assume the position" and begin to breathe in and out... slowly... naturally... deeply (as you can), but gently (do NOT force your breathing). And breathe from your center, what the Japansese call your "Hara," a palm's width below your navel half way between your back and your front, and centered left to right.
As you breathe, FOCUS your attention on your breathing: In... Out... In... Out... In... Out... Again, breathe from your center and be AWARE of breathing from your center.
That's it. That's all there is to it. Five minutes. An "Adult Time-out."
Some hints: You WILL get distracted with thoughts other than In... & Out... Just let them go. If they get too "sticky," just let that go. Let go. Let GOD, if that's your style.
& I HIGHLY recommend you have a timer. If I don't have a timer, I get all busy thinking about how long its been, how much more time to go and that fakaka. My timer came from Amazon and cost $10 and change. Unfortunately, as soon as my wife Katyusha saw mine she wanted one for her & the kids to time their music lessons... and one for the kitchen... and one for measuring our sex lives... Okay, the last one was a joke (I hope <smile).
So... that's the deal. I won't share now how my Adult Time-out are going. Later— after I hear from you about yours.
Please, let me know how this goes for you.
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Thanks.
I appreciate you!
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