TAKE A MOMENT TO CHILL - THREE WAYS TO KEEP A BREAKDOWN AT BAY

(© The Hartford Courant 2005)

When Dr. Judith Orloff is stuck in an airport and buffeted by harried crowds, she often retreats to the one oasis where she can restore her sagging life energy. No, it's not Starbucks or the cocktail lounge. It's the restroom.

"I do the mini-meditation in bathrooms in airports," says Orloff, a Los Angeles psychiatrist and author of last year's best-selling book, "Positive Energy," which has just been issued in paperback. "I go in a stall. That's the only place you can go and be alone in airports."

Although Orloff's book lays out a 10-step program designed to revitalize weary, anxious Americans, she says even a brief moment of quiet awareness can convert a hectic day into something more tranquil.

With that in mind, here are three quick ways -- taken from recently published or republished books -- to chill out in the midst of what New Haven author Millie Grenough calls "the overwhelm."

A Mini-Meditation

You don't have to save this three-minute mini-meditation for the airport lavatory. Orloff writes that a hot bath at home is ideal. The "chakra" she mentions refers to the body's midline energy centers identified in yoga theory that run from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. The heart chakra is in the center of the chest at heart level.

Settle down in a peaceful place. Separate yourself from any possible interruptions -- phones, beepers, people. Then get comfortable. Get very quiet. Relax your body. Slowly inhale. Then exhale. Allow your breath to bring you back to center.

Gently rest your palm over your heart chakra. Concentrate on a person, place, song or memory you cherish. You may want to start with nature. Visualize a sublime dawn, or picture a puppy napping in your lap. If you prefer, focus on a higher power. The purpose is to feel love in a general sense, then specifically as a localized energy in your midchest.

Visualize any thoughts as clouds drifting in the sky. Try to detach from thoughts; just let them float by as they pass in and out of your awareness. Keep returning to the breath to center yourself.

Observe the sensations, dramatic or subtle. Heat. Coolness. Tingling. Vibration. Expansion. Bliss. Pressure releasing. Compassion. Let it happen. Don't hold back. With time, you'll feel a vortex of positive energy growing in your heart that spontaneously flows out into your body.

Based on "Positive Energy: 10 Extraordinary Prescriptions for Transforming Fatigue, Stress & Fear Into Vibrance, Strength and Love," Dr. Judith Orloff, Three Rivers Press, $14, 384 pages.

One Stone

Millie Grenough, executive coach and clinical instructor in social work of psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine, learned this technique from Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, who taught it to children one summer at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, N.Y., while the adults watched. No stone handy? Try a penny, a pencil or a paperweight.

Place a stone or any object of comfort in the palm of your hand.

With relaxed attention, look at the stone. Notice the variations in its color, its texture, its grain. Feel the stone in your hand. How heavy does it feel? Is it cool or warm? With your eyes open, breathe in and out very slowly as you look at the stone.

Take nine more in-and-out breaths as you continue looking at the stone. If your mind wanders somewhere else, that's OK. That's what minds do. Gently bring your attention back to the stone and your breath. When you finish with the breaths, stay with your stone a bit longer. What do you notice now about your body? Your breathing? Your heartbeat? Your thoughts?

Gradually let your eyes move from the stone to your surroundings. Keep on breathing as you let the larger picture come into your consciousness. Take this easy awareness with you as you make the transition into the next moment of your day.

Based on "Oasis in the Overwhelm: 60-Second Strategies for Balance in a Busy World," Beaver Hill Press, $16.95, 157 pages.

Falling-Out Breath

Michael Lee, author of "Turn Stress Into Bliss" and founder of the Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy program, based in West Stockbridge, Mass., includes this extremely simple exercise as part of an eight- week program outlined in his book. However, he says that this method alone has the power to instantly transform one's outlook.

"You may be surprised to find that in the space of three or four deep breaths, you get a different perspective," he says. It's best to do this in a place where you can close your eyes. He suggests making a "ha" sound each time you breathe out. "It's almost like you're restarting your day with a clean slate," he says.

Take a deep breath, letting the exhalation just fall out. Focus on the falling-out breath for several breaths and notice the stillness that follows each breath after you let it go.

Based on "Turn Stress Into Bliss: The Proven 8-Week Program for Health, Relaxation and Stress Relief," Fair Winds Press, $19.95, 192 pages.