People have used meditation for thousands of years in their quest for inner harmony. All the major religions, including Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism and Christianity, use it in their teachings to help attain spiritual enlightenment.
Meditation improves concentration, increases self-awareness and enables us to combat stress by helping us to relax and think more clearly. It also assists us to live more harmoniously with those around us. When practiced effectively, it improves physical and mental well-being. It has even been known to help deal with depression and addictions.
Mind Control
There is no doubt that the mind’s ability to analyse, discriminate, plan and communicate, has helped us reach where we are today. Yet it can be a double-edged sword. Although the brain may help us to reason, to think creatively and to relate to others, if we aren’t able to switch it off, it can overwhelm us. It can persecute us with fears of failure, our appearance, what others think of us. Meditation can bring relief from these anxieties by helping us learn to silence the inner chatter; to recognise and dismiss negative thoughts and to create a feeling of peace and serenity.
“All you need is deep within you, waiting to unfold and reveal itself. All you have to do is be still and take time to seek for what is within, and you will surely find it.” Eileen Caddy – spiritual teacher.
Health and Work Benefits
Clinical studies into the effects of meditation have shown reductions in migraines, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and panic attacks, as well as lower levels of stress hormones, lower blood pressure and improved circulation. They have also shown that meditation can help control pulse and respiratory rates. All of these positive effects assist in improving work performance and ultimately, job satisfaction.
Meditation is For Everyone
Nowadays meditation is no longer the preserve of mystics, yogis and philosophers. Its value has been recognised by many well-known individuals and groups. One doesn’t have to set aside huge amounts of time. Meditation is something that everybody can do and can benefit from. One does not have to ‘empty one’s mind’ to meditate successfully.
So, What Exactly is Meditation?
Meditation is much more than simply relaxing: during relaxation the mind can wander all over the place, whereas during meditation the mind stays alert and focused. It is learning to shut out the outside noise and to bring your focus inwards. By using meditation to control the wandering mind, we can bring ourselves back to full awareness and to start learning to live in the moment.
Practicing Meditation
Meditation is a time-honored method of controlling the mind and there are many different ways to do it. All start with ensuring that you feel grounded, centred and relaxed. It is important to slow down the brainwaves and to try and achieve a brainwave frequency of between 7 and 8 Hz or cycles per second. This frequency is the same as the heartbeat of the earth. Practice full and even in and out breaths to do this.
Choose one point of focus and concentrate on only this. This could be your breathing, an object, a pastime you enjoy, a special friendship. If your mind wanders, bring it back to your chosen subject. Start with 5 minutes and slowly build it up from there. The more you practice, the easier it becomes. The easier it becomes, the more enjoyable it is and you will start finding yourself looking forward to carrying out your meditation exercises.
Restoring balance
Meditation helps us to restore balance between the left and right sides of the brain.
The left side of the brain deals with thinking, speaking and writing. When we are awake and in a busy and thinking state of mind, the brain emits faster electrical patterns called ‘beta’ waves. In this state we are able to rationalise and think about the past and the future.
The right side of the brain deals with intuition, imagination and feeling. When we are sensing something, such as listening to music, we are in a receptive rather than an active state and the brain emits slower electrical patterns called ‘alpha’ waves. In the alpha state we are more passive and open to our feelings. The alpha state is most likely to occur when we let ourselves live in the present rather than in the future or the past.
When we are awake, we are usually in beta and only spend about an hour in alpha. Meditation helps to restore the balance by increasing our time spent in alpha. It helps us to recover feelings and sensations and to experience the world directly, in the present, before the sensations become ‘interpreted’ by the left side of the brain.
Examples of Meditations
Always keep it simple; start with 5 minutes and with practice, extend the time
Counting the breaths – count to four as you breath in, hold for a second, count to four as you exhale
Relaxing the body – consciously release tension from every part of your body, starting at your crown
Mindfulness – focus with intention on only one thing; an object, having a shower, eating a meal
Affirmations – choose a few positive affirmations and repeat them with deep intention
Walking with mindfulness – focus on the contact your feet make with the ground, how your weight shifts from foot to foot, the movement of your arms, your breathing
Guided meditation – allow someone’s voice to guide you through a meditation
Benefits of Meditation
There are so many benefits to be gained by practicing meditation:
• Reduces stress. Stress is one of the leading causes of high blood pressure and heart disease
• Reduces anxiety. Anxiety is a negative emotion that slows our energy vibration
• Enhances self-awareness. Self-awareness is vital for personal development
• Increases blood flow and slows the heart rate in a healthy way
• Enhances the immune system
• Enhances mental clarity and focus
• Promotes spiritual growth
• Improves overall wellbeing
The best place to start is at the beginning, book a meditation and discover the wonderful benefits that are waiting for you.
The first three people to book will receive a 10% discount. I look forward to connecting with you.
