01 Oct What are the Benefits of Meditation?
I LOVE the following image of our minds at work. I think it helps to really see what our goal is in having a regular meditation practice. Notice I did not say daily practice, give yourself a break. It is beneficial whenever you can do it and however you can do it. There are no rules.
Normal Mind
Concentrating Mind
Meditating Mind
Contemplating Mind
www.meditationsociety.com
Back to the Health Benefits of the Meditation…
More and more research is being done and showing that Meditation can contribute to an individual’s psychological and physiological well-being. The list of benefits is long and although I thought I would try to keep this a short blog post, I really wanted you to see the VAST amount of benefits we can gain from simply being still or practicing being present in the moment instead of in our heads and outside of ourselves all the time. Which one of these could you use?
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- Leads to a deeper level of relaxation – as measured by decreased metabolic rate, lower heart rate, and reduced workload of the heart
- Builds self-confidence
- It increases serotonin production, which influences mood and behavior. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, obesity, insomnia and headaches
- Good for people with high blood pressure as it brings the B.P. to normal
- It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate
- Decreases muscle tension (any pain due to tension) and headaches
- Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate and the stress hormone cortisol
- Helps in chronic diseases like allergies, arthritis etc.
- Reduces pre-menstrual syndrome
- Helps in post-operative healing
- Enhances the immune system. Research has revealed that meditation increases activity of ‘natural-killer cells’, which kill bacteria and cancer cells
- Also reduces activity of viruses and emotional distress
- Drop in cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is associated with cardiovascular disease
- Decreased anxiety
- Decreased depression
- Decreased irritability and moodiness
- Greater creativity
- Improved learning ability and memory
- Increased happiness
- Increased emotional stability
- Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation
- Improvement of body luster and overall health – When your mind focuses on a particular part of the body, the blood flow to that part increases and cells receive more oxygen and other nutrients in abundance
- Improvement in concentration and mental strength- Athletes and sports professionals regularly employ meditation methods that strengthen the mind. Studies have found a direct correlation between concentration exercises (meditation) and the performance level of sports professionals
There are many ways to do meditation, simply increase your awareness of your breath, stay present in whatever activity you are doing and allow yourself time to simply BE STILL!
-Heather Winia