The image most often associated with meditation is that of a sitting Buddha fixed in a crossed-legged posture. While such a representation is undoubtedly inspirational and aesthetically pleasing, it unfortunately suggests to the uninitiated that meditation is merely a static, "statue-like" pursuit practiced only in temples.

If meditation is to have any relevance to everyday life it has to be done at home. This does not just mean your residence but wherever your attention happens to reside. To meditate at home requires a 'hands-on', dynamic practice that is not restricted to any particular time, place or posture. When applied in this way, it naturally becomes integrated into the ordinary activities of life and becomes the basis for a meditative lifestyle in everyday life.

Yet it has to be acknowledged that integrating meditation into daily life is not easy. Therefore you need to purposefully set yourself up to do it; good intention is not enough. There has to be commitment. So consider your priorities, what is more important, hours sitting in front of the TV screen (or computer monitor :-) or a half to an hour or so of sitting meditation. The regular daily home sit is the anchor for the practice. Even if it is only used as a form of mental hygiene, as in unstressing, it will greatly contribute towards harmonising family and work relationships.

Essentially meditating at home is about paying attention. The actual meaning of 'attention' indicates its practice: 'to attend upon', 'to be present with'. So by being attentive 'presence of mind' is developed. While there are degrees of attention (down to lack of attention), it can be said that there are two types: natural attention, which is 'automated attention' and the intentionally 'deployed' attention that is developed in 'meditative attention'.

Deployed attention is either passive, or in the sense of being applied, active. The passive mode is 'bare attention', that is just registering what is happening, in a receptive state of mind, without reaction. While the active mode of attention is applied when any kind of movement or action is done, including active reflective thought on things observed.

So what do you pay attention to - your own body and mind. There are four areas to establish attention on:

• Body - either tuning into its elemental qualities and/or sensations or actively monitoring body movements and actions;
• Feelings - knowing the feeling tone as either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral (not to be confused with emotion);
• Mind-states - happiness, sadness, calm, elation, etc.;
• Mental Content - the things of the mind e.g. thinking, concepts, ideas. Whatever is the predominant experience in any of these 'four spheres of attention' is used as a frames of reference to help guide the practice of paying attention to whatever is happening in your body and mind from moment to moment.

It is important to get your bearings. So it is a matter of literally coming to your senses, by being attentive at one of the Six Sense-Doors: these are the five senses, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching plus the sixth sense or mind-door which is the consciousness or knowing. By being present with bare attention at any of these six sense-doors you observe what happens between the senses and their objects during a sense impression.

One thing to notice when watching at a sense-door during a sense impression is the feelings that arise. If the feeling is unpleasant a negative reaction occurs; if it's pleasant grasping arises. Thus the mind is mostly just reacting: liking, disliking. The result is that you are being caught in the conditioned cycle of suffering at the linkage of feelings and grasping. But there is no need to be. By intercepting the primary feeling at a sense-door, without the following emotion, the feeling will go no further, therefore no attachments, no liking or disliking, end of story, end of suffering.

The ability to 'home in' is really the key to this practice. Get your bearings at a sense-door and keep in mind the 'four areas of attention'. Success in doing so also depends very much on the way you are relating to things: witnessing the experience rather than just reacting to it; having an attitude of acceptance of all thoughts, feelings and mind states into awareness without discrimination or selection. The kind of 'spaciousness in the mind' allows you to be more receptive and intimate with what is observed.

Awareness of Daily Activities

For awareness to deepen, continuity of attention, which gives momentum to the practice, needs to be maintained for at least a few hours in the day. Continuity arises through careful and precise attention to movements, actions, feelings and mind-states, whatever is prominent, for as long as possible in whatever situation you are in during the daily routine.

Nothing can be dismissed as unimportant: domestic chores, eating, cleaning your teeth. Any and every movement and activity is repeatedly noted in order to establish the habit so that it becomes your second nature to note during the daily routine. Of course, this is not easy to establish and so requires patience, perseverance and a sense of humour, especially when you feel frustrated by constant forgetfulness.

Set yourself up to do a daily mindfulness exercise using 'triggers' as reminders. Such a trigger can be every time there is contact with water to remind you to be present with whatever you are doing while you are doing it. So what are the situations when you come into contact with water: washing your hands, the dishes, hosing the garden, washing the dog, etc. If you succeed only once in paying full attention it can be the start of establishing the habit of being mindful at home.

It is very helpful as well to reinforce your efforts by reviewing or taking stock of you daily notings at the end of the day. You can record your efforts in a meditation diary, so long as you do not make judgments on the quality of the practice or be discouraged by blank pages.

It is important to maintain the daily meditation sits at home as a way of sustaining and stabilising your practice. With a busy life it is easy to convince yourself that you really haven't the time any more to maintain the regular sitting or when you are feeling tired, just want to drop it. Naturally, when you get stressed or overtired there is resistance to facing the stress by meditating. But it is usually only an initial resistance you have to face before you go through it. Also, do not evaluate your practice, thinking if the meditation isn't of sufficient good quality you are wasting your time. It is all grist for the mill, you must persist as it is vital to maintain the habit of practice to get the long term benefits.

It is worth quoting from His Holiness, the Dalai Lama for the more compassionate aspect of the practice.

"I myself feel and also tell other Buddhist that the question of Nirvana will come later. There is not much hurry. But if in day-to-day life you lead a good life, honestly with love, with compassion, with less selfishness then automatically it will lead to Nirvana. Opposite to this, if we talk about Nirvana, talk about philosophy but do not much bother about day-to-day practice, then you may reach a strange Nirvana but will not reach the correct Nirvana because your daily practice is nothing. We must implement the teaching in daily life."

There is a saying that the beginning and the end of a journey are essentially the same. This is especially true of meditation. For there is nowhere you need to go to discover your true nature other than where you are now - at your home-base.

In our busy lives, the ability to create a relaxing and inviting home for us to unwind is essential to a healthy home. Creating a space that has natural fibers, nature inspired colors and awe-inspiring interiors is what a relaxing Zen environment is all about. If you are tired of feeling stressed out and overworked, creating Zen inspired interiors will make you forget your worries, and relish in relaxation and peace. Here are tips for adding relaxing Zen inspired decor to your home.

• Uniting the outdoors with the indoors: Zen inspired decor is largely based on creating the union between the outdoors and the indoors. By using natural finishes such as cork, seagrass, bamboo, wood and plant materials, blurring the line between your outdoors and your interiors can create a peaceful space that you will love to retreat to daily. Take advantage of large windows in your home to bring the outdoor views inside and to mimic colors of the outdoors in your space.
• Natural colors are relaxing: Whether the cool blue ocean or the airy sky are your inspiration, or the sage green plants and sand tones of the nearby brook are more your style, natural colors are relaxing. They can uplift, relax, or transport your mind to far away places that make you be imaginative and creative. Bring in natural colors into your living, dining, and family rooms to relax your guests and your family. Consider using softer pastel or muted color versions for bathrooms and bedrooms.

• Bringing Zen details to your exterior: Minimalistic architecture lines and strong wood, concrete and natural materials can make the exterior of your home feel just as relaxing and inviting as your living room. Consider using a Zen garden to spend time outdoors with relaxing waterfalls, ponds and seating areas to bring nature and peace to your property. Zen detailing can also be reflected in lush greenery, Asian sculptures, and large boulders placed amongst sand to create wonderful meditation areas of your outdoor home.

• Find what relaxes you, and bring it into your space: The term “Zen Interiors” has been synonymous with luxury spas and resorts that evoke a sense of relaxation, and devote the interior spaces to helping people find inner peace. Find what relaxes you and bring it into your home. From soft music and nature filled artwork, to decorating with artisan baskets and Asian inspired sculptures around your bathroom and bedroom. A Zen inspired home will lead you to a sense of connecting with nature, and also connecting with your inner self. Find what is inspiring, and build your interiors around them.

One of the advantages of creating a Zen inspired decor is it gives you an excuse to have to relax, slow down, and breathe in the atmosphere of your home. If you are looking for inspiration, search the internet for interiors of spas, as well as cultural homes that have interiors that are centered on relaxing colors, sounds, and moods. Many people believe a feng shui professional can also help you create a home that will bring in positive energy and deflect negative energy through placement of furniture and interior elements in your home. Try these tips to bring you inner peace, and a home that you will rush home to!

Freshome reader’s do you have any Zen inspired decor tips to add to the list?

Stress is a major problem for many people — a hectic, stressful job, a chaotic home life, bills to worry about, and bad habits such as unhealthy eating, drinking and smoking can lead to a mountain of stress. If your life is full of stress, like mine once was, there are some simle things you can do to get your life to a more manageable level. Now, your life will probably never be stress-free — I don’t think that’s even desirable, even if it is possible, because stress is something that challenges us and helps us grow. At a reasonable level. But when stress gets too high, it causes us to be unhappy and unhealthy. It wasn’t that long ago when I was working long hours in a very stressful job, with little time for my family, smoking and eating fatty foods and not exercising. I had a lot of debt and too many bills. I was unhappy and stressed out all the time. I was losing hair … OK, actually that was because of genetics, but still. I was pretty stressed. So I made some drastic changes. I quit my job. I simplified my life. I quit smoking and started exercising and eating healthier. I began to eliminate my debt. And I learned some habits that, when applied on a daily basis, can really transform the way you live, in a positive way. How did I do all of this? One thing at a time. I didn’t do a major rehaul of my life. I changed one habit a month, and gradually over the course of a year or two changed a lot of things in my life. I won’t guarantee that all of these will work for you. They worked for me, but each person is different. Pick and choose the ones that will work best for you, and give them a try. One at a time. 1. One thing at a time. This is the simplest and best way to start reducing your stress, and you can start today. Right now. Focus as much as possible on doing one thing at a time. Clear your desk of distractions. Pick something to work on. Need to write a report? Do only that. Remove distractions such as phones and email notifications while you’re working on that report. If you’re going to do email, do only that. This takes practice, and you’ll get urges to do other things. Just keep practicing and you’ll get better at it. 2. Simplify your schedule. A hectic schedule is a major cause of high stress. Simplify by reducing the number of commitments in your life to just the essential ones. Learn to say no to the rest — and slowly get out of commitments that aren’t beneficial to you. Schedule only a few important things each day, and put space between them. Get out of meetings when they aren’t absolutely essential. Leave room for down time and fun. 3. Get moving. Do something each day to be active — walk, hike, play a sport, go for a run, do yoga. It doesn’t have to be grueling to reduce stress. Just move. Have fun doing it. 4. Develop one healthy habit this month. Other than getting active, improving your health overall will help with the stress. But do it one habit at a time. Eat fruits and veggies for snacks. Floss every day. Quit smoking. Cook something healthy for dinner. Drink water instead of soda. One habit at a time. 5. Do something calming. What do you enjoy that calms you down? For many people, it can be the “get moving” activity discussed above. But it could also be taking a nap, or a bath, or reading, or having sex (which can also be considered a “get moving” activity if you do it for longer than 5 minutes). Other people are calmed by housework or yardwork. Some people like to meditate, or take a nature walk. Find your calming activity and try to do it each day. 6. Simplify your finances. Finances can be a drain on your energy and a major stressor. If that’s true with you, figure out ways to simplify things. Automate savings and bill payments and debt payments. Spend less by going shopping (at malls or online) much less. Find ways to have fun that don’t involve spending money. 7. Have a blast! Have fun each day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. I like to play with my kids — they take my mind off everything and are really hilarious. I also like to play sports (again, often with my kids). Board games are fun. Sex, again, can be a fun activity. Whatever you choose, be sure to laugh. 8. Get creative. Throwing yourself into a creative activity is another great way to de-stress and to prevent stress. I like writing, but others like to paint or play music or sketch or make pottery or do interior design or build things. 9. Declutter. This is a favorite of mine. I like to take 20-30 minutes and just go through a room, getting rid of stuff we don’t use or need anymore. I look around at anything that’s cluttering up a room, and get rid of it or find a better place for it. When I’m done, I have a nice, peaceful enviornment for work, play, and living. Do this a little at a time — it can be one of your “fun activities”. 10. Be early. I will admit that it’s hard to be early when you have to get 6 kids ready (seriously — try it!). But being late can be very stressful. Try to leave earlier by getting ready earlier, or by scheduling more space between events. Things always take longer than normal, so schedule some buffer time: extra time to get ready, to commute, to do errands before you need to be somewhere, to attend a meeting before another scheduled appointment. If you get somewhere early, it’s good to have some reading material. How do you keep the stress in your life to a manageable level? Share in the comments.

Brain training games, programs, classes, and books are everywhere. Society’s is becoming increasingly competitive, and everyone seems con concerned about aging, Alzheimer’s and dementia. So naturally there is no shortage of companies and “experts” trying to cash in on the brain training methods to help you boost your mental fitness. But is there really anything you can to boost (or keep) your brain power?

Anyone who loves to get their exercise though outdoor activities knows quite well just how hard the winter months can be to stay in shape. Whether it’s the shorter days, the holidays or something else, we struggle to find the time and energy in our already busy days to workout. Some may take refuge at their local gym, while others try to stay motivated with their own home exercise equipment. Regardless of how you maintain your fitness level, the important thing is that you do. Here are a few tips to help keep you fit through the winter.

Find A Workout That Works

The first place to start is by developing a workout that will fit your schedule and your fitness needs. Focus on using gym equipment to incorporate both strength training and cardiovascular fitness. This will mostly likely entail the use of a weight machine and some variation of an aerobic activity (ie. exercise bike, treadmill, elliptical). If you do not enjoy lifting weights or utilizing stationary equipment, you will need to find an alternative. Many people find classes to help keep them going. Programs like Cross Fit are becoming very popular for this reason. Cross Fit is notorious for working all the major areas of fitness in one short, intense class that can also offer great comradery as a social event that also helps keep you motivated.

Stay Positive

The winter can be a long few months when you are struggling to motivate every other day for a routine workout. Staying positive is critical to your success with staying in shape. A positive attitude will help the time during your workout go by much faster and leave you feeling renewed.

Have Fun

Just because old man winter is hanging around does not mean you can not get outside and enjoy the weather. Cross country skiing, snow shoeing, alpine skiing and snowboarding are terrific ways to stay in shape while having fun during the winter months. If you are new to any of these sports consider a lesson as it will give you the knowledge to be able to enjoy the sport that much more.

Hopefully these tips will help you maintain your physical fitness throughout the winter months and bring you eager and motivated for the coming spring!