Be a Zen Bride with Meditation – So Long, Bridezilla!
Skip the Drama – Seize the Joy
It is June and the busiest wedding season is upon us. My congratulations and best wishes to all brides and grooms. Weddings should be happy and light-hearted, but from what I hear, weddings often seem to morph into a time of pressure and crisis management. Brides – and grooms, too – often feel tremendous pressure to get everything right, to be perfect, and in the process lose sight of what really matters. We need to center, keep calm, and claim all the joy that we deserve with each wedding.
Causes of Wedding Stress
At its heart, each wedding is a celebration of love and commitment. It is important for all to remember that this day is all about love. Repeat: weddings are all about LOVE. The centerpiece of the day is the ceremony, which seals the commitment of love between two people, supported by all who love them. All the other things are lovely trappings that often bring lots of stress – for the bride, the groom, their parents, bridal parties, and all the people providing bridal services. Today’s weddings involve a never-ending list of details and decisions: rings, dates, dresses, flowers, tuxes, venues, music, photographers, guest lists, invitations, seating arrangements, lodging, transportation, showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, honeymoon, family issues, and on and on. Bridesmaids may pout, in-laws may seem to meddle, and budgets can be an issue. Will the outspoken guest do his/her thing and embarrass you? All of this can make one’s head spin. Tensions can mount and perspective can be lost along the way. Nerves can fray and feelings can be hurt. Anxiety levels can soar to unreasonable heights. Nervous brides and grooms have flubbed vows, giggled uncontrollably, and fainted (tip to prevent fainting: keep at least one of your knees slightly bent, not locked). While we’re on the subject, let’s eliminate the whole “Bridezilla” image. Every bride is already the center of attention, and behaving in a way that compares her to a monster is hardly the image any bride would want if she is really honest with herself. Keep in mind that no matter how carefully we plan, chances are pretty darn good that something unexpected will happen (the “oops moments”). It is best to take those things in stride and stay focused on what matters. When you’re calm, the oops will not detract from the celebration.
Because our weddings are milestones to be celebrated with love and joy, we owe it to ourselves to savor every minute as best we can. I think every would agree with that. So how do we get past stress, avoid getting caught up in the details or frustrations, and free ourselves to savor the joy of the day? Meditation to the rescue.
Conquer Wedding Stress with Meditation
Meditation centers us, finds and holds our sense of calm and serenity, keeps our sense of humor, and keeps our focus on what matters – love. With just a little bit of meditation, we can find the calm, the peace, and the joy that the day holds under all the details. The bride and groom and other members of family and wedding party can maintain that calm through the day, including the oops moments.
My advice to brides and grooms, wedding parties, parents, and wedding service providers: include a meditation lesson or two as part of the wedding planning. Banish stress from your wedding day. My lessons include simple techniques you can do quickly; breathing exercises and visualizations to relax, center, and create the right frame of mind for that special day. Meditation will help you savor the joy of that special, special day. Do yourself a favor and make it part of your wedding preparations.
Contact me for more information on how No Place Like Aum can make meditation part of your wedding plans.