The Best Way To De-Stress, Based On Your Zodiac Sign

If you're feeling stressed or anxious, you might want to try out some meditation practices that are proven to be correlated with mental health. But you'll want to consider what mindfulness technique you should try based on your zodiac sign, as the cosmos have some valuable intel on your intrinsic nature, which could help to pair you with the best practice for your character.

Mindfulness is a practice that's employed to foster the ability to be fully present for the sake of mental and physical health benefits. The act of practicing mindfulness pertains to a conscious and active effort to stay in the moment, with patience and without judgment. Though the practice originated in the Eastern world, Western practices often refer to the type of mindfulness that clinical psychologists use, which is meditation based. Clinical studies show a direct connection between the practice of mindfulness mediation and reduced stress, anxiety, and depression, so there's a lot of incentive to give this practice a shot.

Bustle spoke to astrologer Kyle Thomas about what type of mindfulness practice is going to be most conducive to each sign's use. Keep reading to find out how you can become more in-tune with your feelings.

Aries (March 21 – April 19): Stand, Stretch, Or Get Moving

"Aries are prone to racing forward until they burn out, so scheduling time in the gym for lifting or cardio will help them to feel strong within their bodies and allow them to get out of their heads," Thomas says. If you're looking for mindful practices you can turn to in heated moments when you can't run off to them gym, try stretching. Thomas says engaging their muscles and connecting to their physical body can help Aries connect to their quiet mind.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20): Mindful Body Scan

Taurus rules the physical world. Because of this, "Taureans hold a lot of tension physically in their bodies," Thomas says. "The best way to assess what you are feeling is to do a mindful body scan. This technique is a meditative practice where one focuses on each part of the body, often beginning at the toes and moving to the head." With this practice, you're essentially just checking in with each inch of your body, noting how it feels, making sure you're not holding tension, and moving on.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20): Mindful Listening

Geminis are known to speak impulsively. According to Thomas, "mindful listening is an excellent skill that can help within a group mindfulness exercise." Aka, Geminis can work on redirecting the focus. "This allows them to receive rather always being the driving intellectual force," Thomas says. Make a conscious effort to listen to what each person is saying and resist the urge to respond, interrupt, or use other people's words as jumping off points for your own.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22): Eat Breakfast Mindfully

Not only does mindful eating include being mindful of your food choices, it "allows you to slow down and appreciate the food you're eating, [which] allows you to feel grounded as you begin your day," Thomas says. Taking the time to really think about what your body is craving, making the effort to get that food or prepare that food for yourself, and slowly savoring it will help you redirect your energy and attention away from intense emotionality, and allow you to be in the moment and connected to your body.

Leo (July 23 – August 22): Mindful Facial Cleanse

Leos care about how they look; they're very in-tune with their outward appearance as they find that it's often a direct reflection of their inward state. According to Thomas, taking the time to be ritualistic and intentional about your face-washing efforts will help Leos connect the body and the mind. "They should spend time each morning or night on simple facial spas," Thomas says. "This will allow them to unwind and recharge and balance their soul, minds, and bodies."

Virgo (August 23 – September 22): Practical Mindful Creativity

According to Thomas, the best way for Virgos to get present is to get away form their natural tendencies, which are very future-minded. "As the perfectionist of the zodiac, Virgos can become frustrated if everything isn’t exactly as they want it," Thomas says. "In order to preserve their energy, they should pick up a creative hobby that doesn’t have set standards of perfect." This will allow them to let get out of their heads and "embrace expression rather than just logic."

Libra (September 23 – October 22): Notice Your Thoughts

"Libras are prone to anxiety and obsessing over every single detail," Thomas says. "This can cause problems in their health. However, by adopting a very simple new habit — observation — this can affect them less." Observation is a mindful practice that simply requires you to separate yourself from your thoughts and notice them with detachment. By doing this, "you remove some of the power that they have over your emotions," Thomas says, which can help reduce your anxious thoughts and even help you find a new perspective.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21): Use Aromatherapy

Scorpio is likely the last zodiac sign you'd imagine would stop and smell the roses, but they really should. "Simple mindful meditation using aromatherapy can help them relax rather than allowing their emotions to cloud their minds," Thomas says, who notes that stopping and focusing on a scent can help provide them with a simple anchor to stay in the moment. If you're feeling overwhelmed from a stressful situation or thought, Scorpio, aromatherapy can help you endure the moment.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21): Smile In The Mirror

When Sags aren't feeling good about themselves, it's easy for them to feel deflated or lose their confidence. Because smiling mimics confidence, it "slows down the heart rate and relaxes the body, as well as releases endorphins and hormones that diminish stress," Thomas says. "By looking into the mirror and admiring themselves for who they are and bring to the world, they’ll be able to refocus.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19): Practice Morning Meditation

Capricorn is one of the hardest working signs in the zodiac, and they have a tendency to overdo it and stress themselves out. The remedy? "A 10-minute morning meditation can be the perfect mindfulness technique that you need where you can assess yourself, observe the patterns and habits of your mind, and gain more control over your thoughts," Thomas says. Set your alarm early, or re-work your morning routine to fit this new step in. It might make all of the difference.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18): Mindful Reading

"Aquarians are known for their active minds that can never settle down," Thomas says. "Taking time to read for pleasure or relaxation will allow them to let their minds soothe rather than stressing on the day-to-day demands." To prepare, make a reading list of articles that look interesting to you or books that you want to read and keep these materials with you. That way, when you're ready to make the effort, you have all of your resources.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20): Gratitude Journaling

As the zodiac sign most connected to spirituality and meditation, Pisces need to learn to recharge their soul and connect to the physical world. "Sometimes they can feel overwhelmed by their emotions, but a simple way to calm this is to journal daily about the people and things they are grateful for," Thomas says. "Then, when feeling intense, they can look upon it and come back down to Earth." Pisces might be tempted to wax poetically about their spirituality, but keeping this journal straightforward will help balance out Pisces' intense thoughts.