“Meditation teaches the mind and body to relax”, says Rachel Zinman.

Divabetic partners with Yoga For Diabetes Director & Author Rachel Zinman to present five guided meditations to help you live your best diabetes life.

“Meditation just means concentration,” says Rachel Zinman. “After meditation, you’ve left feeling a sense of peace that can help relieve the stress you may experience from managing your diabetes.

She has been practicing yoga since she was 17. It’s been a natural part of her life ever since. Rachel feels the mind training in yoga has helped her cope with the stress, fears, and anxiety associated with managing diabetes.

Sit somewhere comfortable. You can sit in a chair, on the floor, or on your bed to participate in Rachel’s guided meditation.

Each guided meditation begins toward the end of each podcast episode.

Rachel Zinman leads us in a Hamsa guided mediation. The Sanskrit word Hamsa translates as a swan. In yoga, the word breath is also known as Hamsa. A swan symbolizes the ability to discriminate or recognize the difference between one thing and another.

“Judgement and discrimination are extremely useful when making decisions in our diabetes lives,” says Rachel.

Focusing on our breath can help us visualize something that’s real and tangible. One method of using the breath in meditation is to focus on the mantra hamsa. This meditation comes from the short Hamsa Upanishad, which explains the mystical nature of Hamsa, the inner swan located within all.

Rachel Zinman presents the five-element guided meditation that can be done anywhere. Every sense relates to an element. This meditation minimizes fatigue in the mind and body and can reconnect you to the universal flow of nature. As you read through the prompts, allow your mind to relax so you can experience what is suggested. It’s that simple.

Rachel Zinman helps you to work with your subconscious mind to set an intention for the New Year and visualize a luminous lotus.

Sankalpa mediation helps you set an intention. Sankalpa is the Sanskrit word for intention. San means “to become one with,” and Kalpa means “time” and “subconscious mind. You set the intention through sound, repetition, and breathing. Once you choose a word or phrase to move and support you into the New Year, repeat the word to create a mantra to calm your mind.

You can repeat your Sankalpa to yourself at any time to reconnect with your positive intention.

Feel free to listen to all of Rachel Zinman’s guided meditations anytime you feel stress or tension.