Do you need an energy boost? Do you experience depression or anxiety?

Here are some simple, powerful tools to support your mental and emotional well-being. The best part? They are completely free.

Try one exercise each week, notice how it feels, and decide which works best for you. Once you find what resonates, practice it for 10 minutes daily for one month—you may begin to notice meaningful transformations.

Preparation for These Practices

1. Sit or lie down and become aware of how you feel in this moment before scanning and observing your body. This helps you notice changes afterward and build awareness of subtle shifts.
2. Begin by relaxing your body. Take at least three deep breaths, releasing tension, pain, and worry with audible sighs. Feel the tension melt away.
3. Connect with the different aspects of yourself.
4. Tune into your physical body. Slowly scan from the base to the crown and back down, breathing deeply. Notice areas of tightness or ease with compassion.
5. Shift your awareness to your thoughts. As you continue scanning, observe what arises. Are your thoughts positive, negative, or neutral?
6. Move into your emotional body. Scan again and notice any dominant emotions. Where do you feel them? Simply observe with compassion.
7. Now begin one of the practices below. When finished, repeat the scan to notice any subtle changes.

1. Toning

Your voice is one of your most powerful tools. This practice helps open the heart and release stuck energy.

Using sound can help restore balance on mental, emotional, and energetic levels. Disharmony in these areas can contribute to dis-ease.

For this practice, use the sound “Ah”, the first vowel sound.

Steps:

1. Close your eyes and breathe into your heart. Notice any sensations present before you begin.
2. Release the sound “Ah” nine times, allowing each tone to move through any blocks or emotional tension.
3. When finished, return to your heart and observe any changes.

2. Mantras

The word mantra comes from Sanskrit: manas (mind) and tram (tool or protection). A mantra helps focus and steady the mind.

It can reduce excessive thinking, improve concentration, and elevate your energy. Repeating a mantra allows you to tune into a powerful frequency through sound and intention.

Mantra:
Aum Gung Ganapataye Namaha

This mantra is associated with removing obstacles and inviting clarity and support.

Preparation:

1. Before chanting, reflect on where you want to direct this energy—perhaps a new opportunity, relationship, or life path.
2. Take a few deep, heartfelt breaths.
3. Begin chanting aloud, whispering, or silently.

For deeper practice, you can repeat this for 40 days, ideally 108 times, or as often as feels right. Consistency strengthens the effect.

3. Affirmations

As the Buddha said, “What we think, we become.”

Affirmations help reshape limiting beliefs through repetition. By consciously choosing supportive thoughts, you can shift your mindset and emotional state.

Many people carry beliefs like “I am not good enough” or “I am not worthy.” Affirmations help replace these patterns with empowering ones.

Examples:

• I love and approve of myself just as I am
• I am worthy of all that I am
• I am whole, complete, and enough

You can also create your own affirmations. Use present-tense language and repeat them regularly to build new, supportive beliefs.

Completion

After your practice, return to stillness.

Scan your body, thoughts, and emotions again. Notice how you feel now compared to the beginning. Observe any shifts with awareness and compassion.

Written by Sequoia Henning