MEDITATION
Taking a few minutes to focus your mind each day can reduce stress, pain, depression, and more. With stress you can always feel the effects on your mind and body. Stress quickens your heart rate, breathing and increases your blood pressure. When you are constantly under stress, your adrenal glands on top of your kidneys produce too much of the hormone cortisol. Too much exposure to this hormone can affect the function of your brain, immune system, and other organs. Chronic stress can contribute to headaches, anxiety, depression, heart disease, and even premature death.
Although you may not be able to remove the roots of stress, you can reduce the effects on your body. One of the easiest stress relieving techniques is meditation, you draw your attention inwards to induce deep relaxation.
Types of Meditation
Meditation comes in many forms, including the following:
Concentration meditation teaches you how to focus your mind.
Heart-centred meditation involves quieting the mind and bringing the awareness to the heart, an energy centre in the middle of the chest.
Mindfulness meditation encourages you to think differently about your negative thoughts as they move through your mind, so you can achieve a state of calm.
Moving Meditation - Tai chi is a moving form of meditation that combines physical exercise with breathing and focus.
Transcendental Meditation you repeat a word, phrase, or sound, this will quiet your thoughts and achieve more awareness.
Walking meditation allows you to focus on both body and mind as you breathe in time with your footsteps.
Starting your practice
Find a quiet space and make time for a few minutes each day. "Start with 10 minutes, or even commit to five minutes twice a day. "Preferably meditate at the same time every morning. That way you will establish the habit.
Choose a place to meditate with nice surroundings that make you feel relaxed. Maybe use candles, flesh flowers or incense.
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Sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor with your back straight.
Close your eyes, breathe slowly, deeply, and gently.
Keep your mind focused inward, if it wanders, gently steer it back to the centre.
Breathe peace and quiet into your heart and mind. While you are breathing out, imagine your breath as a river or a tide that is carrying your thoughts away.
Within a couple of weeks of regular meditation, you should see a noticeable change in your mood and stress level. You will start to feel a bit of inner peace, even if you lead a busy life.