To accommodate crews working on the Senior Center, from Thurs., Aug 1 through Sat., Aug 3 the Recreation Center elevator will be out of service. On Thurs., Aug 1, from 8am to noon, the Recreation Center locker rooms will be closed and the entrance to the Center will be limited to the southeast side, next to the lobby and the emergency exit.  Also, on Thurs., Aug 1, from noon to 5pm, the Recreation Center’s pool and locker rooms will be closed and the hot water will be shut off. We appreciate your patience during this time.

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4 Calming Ways to Help You De-Stress Over the Holidays
4 Calming Ways to Help You De-Stress Over the Holidays

December 12, 2022

Meditation is a wonderful way to “de-stress” during stressful periods during this holiday season. Busy calendars full of obligations can keep us from spending time with people we cherish, and distance ourselves from our emotions.  “Calm down meditation” helps improve our self-awareness and refocus our energy.

Here are some calming meditation techniques recommended by Lisa Hodges, Yoga Instructor at the Recreation Center of Highland Park:

  1. Progressive muscle relaxation: tense each muscle for a minimum of 5 seconds, and then release.  Start either at the top or bottom of the body and work your way up/down.
  2. Mantra meditation: repeat a calming word, phrase, or sentence. Examples are: “My life is love”, “I am calm and relaxed”, and “Ommmm”.
  3. Mindful meditation: this uses the technique of focusing on the breath which gives the mind free rein to discover that it is okay to have emotions without doing anything about them.
  4. Guided meditation: there are meditation classes and apps that are specifically designed to help calm the mind.  Lie down or relax in a comfortable chair, listen, focus, and let the meditation do the rest.