Hot Springs in Colorado: Submerging in the Relaxation of the Rockies

When it comes to relaxation, soaking in natural hot springs is top on the list for enhancing wellness and stress reduction.  And there is no better state in the country than Colorado to find an abundance of these wonderful hot springs.  

Colorado has a long history of drawing the attention of those who seek out and enjoy some of the most unique and lovely mineral springs in the country.  We have Glenwood Springs just across the street from the historic Colorado Hotel, and the beautiful Pagosa Springs, which boasts of 52 soaking pools and cold plunges.

You can find many of the best hot springs Colorado has to offer by traveling the Colorado Hot Springs Loop, which is an 800-mile stretch of 23 different hot springs soaking locations.   Anywhere along the way you can rest your weary bones and rejuvenate your body and mind.

So why is it that soaking in some of these great water sources is so good for relaxing and healing the human body?  

Well, the hot springs contain minerals from the rocks they pass through and as long as the water is of tolerable temperature for the human body, it helps to relax muscles and tendons to promote healing.  

Use of hot springs all over the world traces back thousands of years and in our modern world it is a lucrative industry centering on tourism, rehabilitation clinics, and spas.

You can find my previous blog entry from 2018 about soaking in hot springs here, where I provide a list of 30 different Colorado Hot Springs you can try.

If you are unable to find a way to get to some of these great locations, then soaking in a hot bath at home is still worth its weight in gold.  You can find my prior blog entry from 2015 about the great benefits of soaking in a hot bath here.  And don't forget to look around for one of many mineral products you can safely add to your bath water, which can bring some of the benefits of natural hot spring water right to your home.

"It's Hot Springs o'clock somewhere"

What Meditation Is and Is Not.

Knowing what meditation is and is not can help you develop a good meditation practice with realistic expectations.

What meditation is not:  

Meditation is not a technique used to get us into some sort of emotional state.  So if you are trying to get out of anger, or into a steady attitude of joy, meditation is not the way.  It's not a form of escapism in which you can run away from your addictions, boss, annoyances, or problems.  It's also not meant to put an end to your ruminations, although it probably can help with them, that's not the aim.  It's not therapy in that if you sit down and meditate your problems will begin to resolve themselves from the effort.  So don't assume meditation will bring that your way, either.  And meditation is not a religion, although it can be practiced by individuals from a wide range of various religious beliefs.

There are plenty of ways to rest, relax, and find leisure, but these are not meditation, either.  A guided imagery exercise is nice and even enjoyable and entertaining, but it is not meditation.  So a "guided meditation" is a little misleading and leaves you vulnerable to the decisions, directions, and reality of someone else.  It also keeps you from being aware of your true present moment, unless you just want to be aware of your relaxing and entertaining guided imagery, which is perfectly fine, but it's not meditation.

What meditation is:

Meditation is best thought of as ways in which you practice staying mindful, which means you are aware of the present moment as it is, not as it once was or how you want it to be.  So it is a state of awareness and many meditation techniques are those that help you stay present and aware of your moment-to-moment existence in this life.

When you hear someone say they have meditation as a "practice" it means they are literally practicing mindfulness and possibly using mindfulness techniques to do that, and the reason this is important is because humans have a tendency to miss out on reality itself because they are either dwelling on the past and ruminating about the things that have already been, or they are worried and anxious about the future and those things that have not ever actually happened.  

For instance, if you drive to the grocery store and upon arrival can't really recall all the traffic lights and things you saw along the way because you spent the drive angry about the thing your boss said yesterday, or you were busy ruminating about something a friend said about something you did or said, or your mind was focused on and worried about some upcoming event next week, then you actually missed out on that entire drive that was a part of your real and actual moment-to-moment life.  

But with practice, we can all get much better over time at being present for our lives and actually aware of the goings on, the things sensed, the people coming in and out of our awareness, that series of traffic lights on the way to the store, and the true reality of every moment of our very short and limited precious lives.

So meditation is not the things that help us escape reality and the present moment, but it is awareness itself of the present moment.  So if you are using the present moment to escape reality, you are not meditating, but if you are fully present then your meditation is sound.

You can find some great guidance as a beginner in this wonderful book by Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation

Meditation is not really about seeking relaxation, but it does help with relaxation by bringing your mind to the present and pulling it away from future oriented worry which produces stress.  You can find my prior blog entry about the ways meditation helps with relaxation here 

"Just being in the moment in this place is the deepest practice of meditation"     ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Thanks to luckey_sun for the great photo, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

How Bike Riding Helps with Stress

Maybe it's been a while since you've hopped on a bicycle and gone for a leisurely ride.  But there are many reasons to consider it as one of your many forms of exercise, and one of those reasons is the way it relaxes the body and can help reduce stress, anxiety, and even depression.

Among the many reasons bike riding is so good for your mental and physical well-being is that it reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), and releases endorphins (the feel-good hormone), while physically, your heart, lungs and blood vessels all get a good workout.

According to the League of American Bicyclists, riding a bike has many benefits to one's mental health including stress relief, mood improvement, and improved mental clarity.  You can find their article about the 5 Mental Health Benefits of Riding Your Bike here 

If you are older, it's also a good idea to keep in mind that bike riding is not just for kids.  If you are worried about injury or discomfort, consider the following tips for older bike riders:  Always wear a helmet, wear bright reflective clothing so you can be seen, go in the same direction as the traffic, get a bike that fits you for comfort, stay hydrated, follow all the same rules that apply to cars, don't go faster than feels comfortable, choose bike routes that have bike lanes, and never assume a driver sees you (make sure to make eye contact with them so you know they see you).  You can find a wonderful video about an 80yr old cyclist named Wendy Skean from Nathrop Colorado here, and though you don't have to be as ambitious as she is or win medals like she does, it should inspire you to know that you are never too old to get out and pedal a bike.

You can find my previous blog entry Reducing Stress by Going for a Bike Ride here 

"You are one ride away from a good mood"     ~Sarah Bentley

Thanks to Esteban Chiner for the great photo, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

Forest Bathing to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Shinrin-yoku.  That's what the Japanese call Forest Bathing.  It's a practice of immersing oneself in nature (especially forests), and the reason it is so helpful for stress is because it is a mindfulness practice that has a direct impact on all the various anxiety responses that get triggered in the human body during stress.

In any forest you will find a unique ecosystem made up of trees, animals, and other living plants and organisms that may vary depending on where you are at on the planet.  It's a complete interconnected system of dense trees, water, and air that creates an atmosphere of quiet relaxation.

One of the most noticeable things about Forest Bathing is that it speaks directly to the senses.  From the soft gentle lighting that is created by the tree coverage, to the sound of running streams, birds, and other living creatures that inhabit most of these environments.  In your every breath you can taste and inhale the wooded smells of the surrounding area.  It's an earthy smell of pine, moss, plants, flowers, and damp soil.  Usually the dense trees create a muffling of sound which makes time in the forest nice and quiet, with the right combination of gentle noises that feel accepting (and familiar) to the human body.  

The greenery from the combination of trees, plants, wood and soil in most forests is welcoming to the eyes as it creates a view that is not too bright and not too dark.  And the softness of the moss and aged leaves on most forest floors creates a gentle massage on one's feet when walking over the trails and paths.  There isn't too much in these environments that the human body doesn't like and so it feels welcoming and is an environment our bodies can relate to.

Scientifically, the proof supports the feeling that Forest Bathing brings.  According to Dr Qing Li, who is considered to be the foremost expert on Forest Bathing or "forest medicine," there are many medical benefits from practicing Forest Bathing.  Including, strengthening the immune system, lowering blood pressure, lowering levels of depression, anxiety and stress, reducing fatigue, lowering levels of cortisol steroids in the system (the stress hormone), and increasing a sense of mental focus (mindfulness).

Forest Bathing is one of the most affordable kinds of stress-reduction therapy you will ever find.  It's reachable and manageable for many and talks to that part of us that knows we are a part of nature.  If you are looking for ideas about how you can get back into nature, you can find my earlier blog entry here about ways to get out and get connected with the great outdoors.  There is no time like the present to submerge yourself in the relaxing practice of Forest Bathing.

"Go out in the forest, go out.  If you don't go out in the woods nothing will ever happen and your life will never begin."     ~Clarrisa Pinkola Estes

Thanks to Jan Hazevoet for the great photos, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

Sleep Disruption: Taking an Inventory and Changing your Lifestyle

Coffee keeping you awake at night?  Or maybe it's something else.  If you are having trouble with sleep, then you are probably having trouble with a lot of other mental and emotional forms of functioning also, as lack of sleep can enhance the symptoms of depression, anxiety and cognitive functioning.

When you've been having trouble with sleep, you can develop symptoms like irritability, poor concentration, poor response time, and poor decision-making skills.  The lack of rejuvenating rest can lead to a disruption in brain activity, which in turn leads to poor problem-solving skills and poor reaction time.

There are many reasons why people have difficulty sleeping, and from person to person it will vary.  Causes range from medical disorders like sleep apnea, to poor regulation of caffeine intake and lack of exercise.  Taking a very careful inventory and being honest with yourself about the answers is important.  

Don't brush aside two cups of coffee as insignificant, or believe medical conditions like restless leg syndrome are things of irrelevance.  They do matter and they do contribute to why an individual may have insomnia or be waking in the night.  Signing up for a local sleep study can help you discover things you may not know about your own sleep patterns and help you gain advise to address your sleep difficulties.

An honest review of your habits is also important in order to address whether you have developed a lifestyle that has caused you to stay up too late, sleep in too long, or adhere to a diet that is chemically altering your alertness at bedtime.

In addition, having a good routine for preparing for bedtime is also key in developing good habits for a good night's sleep.  You can find my previous blog about ideas for getting ready for bed and increasing your chances of a good night's sleep here.

Thanks to Daniel Max for the great photo, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

Suffering: Learning to Sit in the Discomfort of Temporary Feelings

According to the philosophy of Buddhism, one of the Four Noble Truths is that all of life is suffering.  Or better put, suffering is just a part of life.  But you might say you have good and happy days, so not "all" of life is suffering.  But the idea is that if you think those good and happy days will last, you will suffer.  Reality will wake you to the fact that all things constantly change (which is another of the Four Noble Truths), and that even good and happy days will change.  So learning to sit with suffering is a skill that can lower anxiety and stress, which is related to our faulty beliefs that life should be good all the time.  In fact, another of the Four Noble truths is that suffering can end when we stop hanging on to such beliefs that life should have no suffering, or if it does have suffering, we should be exempt from it and have a way out.

Now, this doesn't mean we should go around seeking things to suffer about.  Nor does it mean we should try to find joy in suffering, or pretend it's not really true suffering.  But the idea behind learning to sit with suffering when it occurs is to help us see that we can be present even when things aren't going so swell.  It also helps us see that suffering doesn't last any more than happiness does.  They both occur, but nothing (not even joy or sadness), lasts indefinitely.

For example, when a person is trying to break a bad habit, such as drinking, they may find that when cravings come, they are suffering.  To run from the suffering they might reach for alcohol or other substances to try to make the discomfort stop.  But if an individual can learn to sit in the discomfort instead, they will eventually see that cravings don't last, and so the suffering doesn't either.  But if we try to run from the reality of life's discomforts, we only get even more uncomfortable and suffer even more.

So too, when we experience anxiety it's also a good idea to try to decipher if it's the kind of anxiety that just comes with life, or if it is excessive anxiety.  If it is normal to feel anxiety about a particular event in life, then trying to escape it might not be the best answer.  Avoidant behavior and isolation can prevent the realization that anxiety doesn't last any more than relaxation does.  Therefore, trying small steps towards exposing oneself to the stressful life event is good medicine.  Taken in small steps, one can learn to face some of the more anxiety provoking things that come with life.  

One of the things that Buddhists learn from practicing meditation is that sitting for prolonged periods of time is actually very difficult.  Your legs fall asleep.  Your back hurts.  Your seat hurts.  You want to scratch an itch on your nose but are encouraged to not move.  And so suffering is in full force.  But what happens is that the meditator learns that when the final bell rings to signal that the round of meditation is over, everything changes, and the question is... did the practitioner miss the whole thing because they were only focused on how to escape all of that suffering?  Or were they sitting in the discomfort as a practice in the present moment of what was really happening.  In only the latter case does one learn to accept that life is not all happiness and comfort, nor should it be.

If we spend most of our life trying to escape suffering, we don't really experience life itself, because as was said at the start of this article... reality is full of suffering.  It's a part of what life is.  Running from suffering is what substance abuse, over-spending, over-eating, gambling, excessive sex, and many other behaviors looks like.  But all of these just lead to more awareness of the facts of life.  That it's going to keep changing, and it's going to be full of many moods, many feelings, many events, and none will be permanent.

Anything we want to do to make improvements in our lives will come with some form of suffering.  It's up to us if we want to perfect our skill of studying suffering and what we are like when in it, or if we want to perfect our skill of pretending we can escape the sufferings that come with human life and live in the false belief that we should be exempt from that reality.

You can find my previous blog entery about learning to accept things as they are, rather than always wanting them to be other than what they really are here.

"It's not impermanence that makes us suffer.  What makes us suffer is wanting things to be permanent when they are not."     ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Thanks to Brett Jordan for the great image, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Abdominal Breathing: Your Number One Tool for Fighting Stress

This month marks the achievement of 10 years for this blog and to celebrate we'll travel back in time to the very first blog entry in March of 2015 where we looked at the importance of abdominal breathing in the reduction of stress and anxiety.  You can find that blog entry here

There are so many good things that come from learning and practicing slow, relaxed, abdominal breathing that once you've experienced the benefits, you will keep this technique close at hand to help you in any stressful situation that leads to increased anxiety.

The benefits of abdominal breathing are plentiful.  On top of decreasing muscle tension, it lowers your blood pressure and heart rate, which are two of the most common symptoms experienced by individuals who have panic and anxiety disorders.  It also reduces the stress response and lowers the levels of cortisol steroids in the body, which tend to flood the system when a stress response is present.

In addition, slow relaxed breathing releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals that relieve pain, reduce stress, and improve mood.  It also helps to reduce insomnia and improve sleep, as well as improve overall energy.  This kind of breathing helps get more oxygen to the lower third of the lungs, which helps overall bodily functioning, muscle tension, and getting needed oxygen into the tissues.

All of the benefits mentioned here are why most people turn to slow abdominal breathing as the first- choice method for reducing symptoms of panic, anxiety, and stress.  It requires no pills, gadgets, tools, or devices and costs nothing at all.  It is readily available and can become your number one mindfulness exercise with the fastest results.

So, using the link above, travel back to the first entry of this blog from ten years ago and see what you can do with your breathwork.  It's one way to gain more control over your symptoms and see for yourself the results of slowing your breathing.  

"Breathing in I calm my body.  Breathing out, I smile."     ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Thanks to karoly czifra for the great photo, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/