Meditate | Judy Moon and Associates

Posted by Judy Moon

“Hello , my name is Judy and I am addicted to The Body Scan”

There must be a support group out there somewhere for us Body Scan junkies. What the heck is “the body scan” you may be asking?

It is a meditation that is part of the eight week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Course, that was the brainchild of Jon Kabat- Zinn. It involves lying on your back and moving your mind through different regions of your body while breathing in and out from each region.

I have dabbled in meditation in the past and have always wanted a more formal practice, but for whatever reason, it kept falling off of my priority list. Sleeping in seems to win out more often.

Recent life challenges prompted me to stop making excuses and get busy with this practice I have been dreaming about. Heck, it’s even on my vision board!

So I decided that my week at the beach in September was going to be the kick off. I packed my copy of Full Catastrophe Living, and my practice CD’s, series 1 and 2, (yes, I still use CD’s) I decided to act as if I was enrolled in the eight week course and follow the guidelines in the book. I was going to do this finally!

Beach chair, beautiful view, sunny sky, warm breeze, meditation – piece of cake, right?

Well, the first day as I lay there listening to Jon’s soothing voice saying – “let go of the tendency we all have to want things to be different from what they are right now and allow things to be exactly as you find them.” It triggered an immediate reaction in me (and a few profanities) – “Are you out of your mind? Of course I want things to be different! Why the hell else would I be listening to this while I am on my vacation! I am supposed to be reading the September issue of Vogue right now – it’s tradition!!” Arguing with the CD – not very mindful Judy.

But I went with it, and breathed in and out of each region of my body and each day it got easier and there were fewer distractions. By weeks end I was hooked.

Would I be able to keep up my commitment when vacation was over? The answer is yes. I have to be honest and say that during week 3 and 4 when you alternate the body scan with some other practices, some involving gentle yoga poses and then in week 5 and 6 you don’t do the body scan at all – gasp! It was a little tricky. I was always waiting to get back to the body scan.

But I completed my 8 weeks and continue to meditate daily.

Mindfulness is not about “getting anywhere”, or “letting go of anything”, it’s about trying to be fully where you already are. In Full Catastrophe Living, the body scan is described in this way, and I think this says it best – “By the time we have completed the body scan, it can feel as if the entire body has dropped away or has become transparent…It can feel as if there is nothing but breath flowing freely across the boundaries of the body.”

It is because of that description and feeling that I remain – addicted to the body scan.

Photo Credits // 1 Tsizaivandor // 2 Seeking Indio

Posted by Judy Moon

It Started With a Hangover: Yes, that’s right, I said a hangover! There are beliefs out there that massage therapists are vegetarians, do yoga daily, meditate daily, don’t smoke or drink, don’t eat sugar. You get the picture.

Some of that is true. And a lot of that is true for me. However, I do like red wine. I actually love red wine. On an occasion where my love for it surpassed the need to stop drinking it, I woke up tired, headachy and dehydrated.

I went to my corner Walgreens looking for something that would quench a thirst like I had been in the Sahara desert for a month. I spotted the coconut water. I had read about it, heard some buzz about it and I bought one.

I was reborn! It was a miracle! I did some research on coconut water. Here’s what the Zico Coconut water website said – “ZICO is loaded with 5 electrolytes: sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium and phosphorus. These work together to support your body with what it needs to stay hydrated and to help it perform at its best. ZICO contains as much potassium as a banana, which helps prevent cramping. Plus, ZICO is gluten-free, lactose-free and dairy-free.”

Whether you drink ZICO before a big meeting or after a hard workout, ZICO Pure Premium Coconut Water is full of natural Oomph—and it’s all from coconuts. And we think that whoops major butt.

Works for me! I should contact Zico and tell them to add – “works for hangovers” to their list.

I like all different brands and use coconut water in my green smoothies sometimes. I reach for it when I feel tired instead of drinking coffee. Give it a try when you need some “natural Ooomph” in your day.

Photo Credits // 1 Pinterest // 2 Vitamix // 3 Gnet // 4 Flickr // 5 Huffington Post