Meditation

Meditation, or the art of stilling the mind, has been practised for thousands of years. It is surprisingly straightforward and can be applied to everyday life with ease. Meditation is effective in relieving stress, both physiological and psychological, and can involve many other activities than just sitting or laying still. Meditation can be as refreshing as a short sleep because of the deep, restful frequency that it brings about in the mind.

Meditation is merely about creating cam in the mind. A vast majority of meditators achieve this by sitting still or laying down in a quiet place (without falling asleep!), listening to music and becoming aware of ones thoughts. But this can be achieved in a variety of activities. My own personal form of meditation is baking; it allows me to create, which soothes my energy, and allows me to thin, which clears my mind. Running, walking, yoga, reading, bathing, swimming etc are all fantastic avenues for achieving a meditative state.

What can Meditation assist with?

• Rejuvenation of cells
• Reduces hypertension, serum cholesterol and blood pressure
• Reduces effects of angina, allergies, chronic headaches, diabetes and bronchial asthma
• Can lessen dependence on cigarettes and alcohol
• Decrease in anxiety, depression and irritability
• Memory improvement and faster reaction times
• Gives more stamina and happier disposition

How To Meditate

You can meditate anytime, anywhere, once you master the art of calming your mind. The following is an example of basic, sitting meditation.

• Sit with an alert, yet relaxed body posture, feeling comfortable. Keep your back straight, aligned with your head and neck and relax your body.
• Start to breathe slowly, steadily and deeply. Py attention to your breathing and observe the breath as it flows in and out of your body.
• Focus completely on your breathing no outside thoughts. If you find you attention starts to wander, simply acknowledge the thought and bring yourself back to your breathing.
• Try and sit for about 20 minutes. Dont jump up immediately after you finish; bring yourself back to normal consciousness slowly, have a gentle stretch and rise slowly.

Meditation can be accompanied by candles, music, chanting and even counting, anything to alow you to experience the ful calming benefits of this ancient form of relaxation.