Meditation
Meditation
Check out the two guided videos at the end of this article.
Meditation is the most neglected part of many healing programs. It is more powerful than we can imagine as I will discuss in this article.
You can start your day with meditation which can help you deal with the tasks of your day. Ending your day with meditation can assist with sleep. Do both when you have time and notice all the benefits of meditation.
Meditation Benefits:
1. Meditation decreases the heart rate while increasing blood flow. This allows the body to work more efficiently and with less effort which can result in lower blood pressure, improved circulation, and numerous other health benefits.
2. Meditation reduces anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, and other negative emotions while enhancing your ability to forgive yourself and others.
3. Meditation reduces inflammation. Inflammation is related to hundreds of illnesses and diseases. Often, we understand how meditation is helpful in our spiritual development, but we unaware of how beneficial meditation is our “physical” body; helping heal and reducing pain.
Most of us live in a constant state of chaos; always moving, worrying, working, or “doing” which evokes the sympathetic nervous system. We need to shut off the sympathetic nervous system. Meditation turns off this “fight of flight” system and allows the parasympathetic system to turn on so the body can heal on a deep level.
4. Meditation increases calmness, peace, and clarity. It enhances our creativity as our minds open to new ideas and thoughts. Reducing the clutter in our mind allows creativity to flow.
5. Meditation helps us control our thoughts instead of allowing our thoughts to control us. This can result in less drama and impulsive actions, or reactions, that we later regret.
6. Meditation reduces stress which is the cause of all illness. When we reduce stress, we allow our body the opportunity to heal. As we heal, our body can repair, and future disease/illness may be prevented.
7. Meditation facilitates holistic healing on all levels- physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual and should be part of every holistic healing program.
How to Meditate:
1. Wear comfortable clothing.
2. Find a comfortable place where you will not be disturbed.
3. Sit or lie in a position that is comfortable for you.
4. Turn off you phone.
5. Turn on meditation music or use a guided meditation of your choosing.
6. Apply essential oils and use crystals of your choosing (optional).
7. Begin by focusing on your breath as it moves through the body.
8. Bring the breath downward and feel your body connect to the earth.
9. Remain quiet and still for 5 to 60 minutes – start with short sessions until you are comfortable meditating for longer.
10. Let thoughts “pass” through your mind as you meditate. Thoughts will come up. Do not judge them but let them go and bring your attention back to your breath.
11. At the end of your session, begin bringing your awareness back to your body. Slowly move the fingers and toes, then the ankles and wrists and finally stretch or hug your body until you are ready to gently move to a seated or standing position.
Namaste!
The entire contents of this website/article are based upon the opinions of Doreen McCafferty NLC, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Doreen McCafferty, NLC and her community. Doreen McCafferty encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content. All information in this article is for educational purposes only and not designed to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.