Calm Winds from the East
The calmer and more centered you are, the better speaker you can be because you will have better control of all your faculties. And you certainly will be less bothered by the passing symptoms of the fear of giving speeches. Following are a few more advanced techniques from Asian cultures that can help you stay physically calm before a speaking engagement (and there is no need to even know about the spiritual theories behind them).
Martial Arts
Some five million Americans practice a form of martial arts (not counting those enrolled in kickboxing, Tae Bo, and other aerobic spin-offs at gyms). Although there are styles that come from elsewhere in the world (including Israel and Brazil), the East Asian schools emphasize mental and spiritual preparation as much as physical training. Balancing the chi, or the body's energy flow, is considered essential, just as it is in acupuncture and other forms of traditional Asian medicine.
Fact
Karate and tae kwon do are famous for using fast hand and foot thrusts for self-defense. Wing Chun kung fu is the only style created by a woman and is especially suited for those who have a small frame (this was martial arts star Bruce Lee's specialty). Tai chi is known for its graceful, dance-like movements.
All martial arts require dedication to master, but practitioners extol the results, including a feeling of centeredness and increased control over body and mind. And few health practices can instill the self-confidence that learning a martial art can, something that will improve your ability to talk from the podium.
Meditation
Transcendental Meditation, or TM, one of many schools of meditation, became popular in the United States starting in the 1960s. Today, its advocates point to 600 studies they say have provided scientific support that, among many other claims, TM decreases anxiety, lowers blood pressure, and improves memory and sleep.
TM advocates advise spending 20 minutes twice a day sitting in a comfortable position, focused on a word in the Sanskrit language (known as a mantra), which helps keep the mind clear and calm. At the same time, putting awareness on taking and releasing slow breaths helps to keep the mind from being distracted by trivial thoughts.
Alert
Meditation is best undertaken with the guidance of an experienced and reputable teacher. Some people who spend an excessive amount of time doing meditation can undergo psychological and physiological problems, including disorientation, experiencing upsetting emotions, and physical discomfort.
Other methods of meditation involve visualization of an image or contemplation of a spiritual truth, but the general effects are the same.
Yoga
Increasingly popular in the United States, yoga is a series of postures, breathing exercises, and movements that originated in India as spiritual practices (to revitalize psychic energy networks). There are different systems, all of which relieve tension and stress and improve flexibility, muscle tone, and stamina. Research has shown that yoga can also give a boost to the immune system and alleviate a long list of health problems, from arthritis to heart disease. Concentration, creativity, and self-esteem are also said to improve.
