Many of you are sitting exams at this time and for those of you who are not, the dreadful time will soon come. We have had people writing in to gieMAGAZINE saying that they are too stressed when it is time for an exam and they can't sleep and function properly. For those of you who feel like this, a way to calm oneself before an exam is by meditating. Meditation can get rid of nerves and enhance mental performance. This way you can do your best in the exam.Remember that once you prepare there is nothing to worry about. If that little worrisome thought steps in say to yourself: "I have prepared and there is no reason why I won't do well." Always try to keep calm.Try this technique for a stress free exam. The technique was taken from www.meditation-is-for-everyone.com and may work for some but not all.
1. Prepare your mind
Start each study session with meditation - this could last from five minutes to an hour depending on how experienced you are and how much time you have., Close your eyes and visualise something that makes you feel very calm and peaceful, such as a waterfall or a rainforest. Take slow deepbreaths and sit still for as long as you feel necessary before opening your books.
2. Focus your mind
While you are studying, make sure that your minds remains attentive and that you concentrate on everything that you are reading. Check that the information has been kept by stopping often to test yourself to make sure that you remember the facts. After each study session, close your books and take your mind back to that calm scene you visualised before you began your session. Try a walk in the fresh air or some other activity that helps you to feel calm and relaxed.
3. Developing your self-belief
Start each day with a mantra, a positive affirmation such as "I can do this" or some other statement that helps you to feel good about yourself and believe in your abilities. This will also help you prepare for exams, self-belief is very important, you must be able to believe that you can achieve whatever you set out to achieve.
4. Activating Calm
The night before and the day of the exam, get rid of nerves by visualising your calming scene. Remind yourself that you have done as much as you can and the nerves will only distract you from your goal. By now you should have enough experience to be able to achieve relaxation fairly quickly - just before entering the exam room, activate those feelings of calm.
5. Engaging your mind
When your exam begins, take time to read the exam paper before you answer the questions.This will allow your mind the time to focus on the job at hand and recover the right information. It will also give you time to calm yourself so that you can avoid making needless mistakes.
6. The Power of Positive Thinking
If you have put all the necessary work in and stay calm, there is no reason why you won't do well in your exam so stay positive!Remind yourself that everyone else is in the same situation and that you are intelligent, prepared and
YOU ARE GOING TO SUCCEED. Exam success can be achieved by positive thinking and focusing on your goals and using meditation to help you calm and centre yourself and also be confident in your abilities.