MEDITATION
Take a deep breath and relax – this is a simple, yet powerful piece of advice that has been given by yogis for centuries! Meditation is indeed one of the healthiest mind and body exercises that you should incorporate in your daily life. Both anecdotal and scientific evidences can attest to its amazing health effects. If you’re lacking reasons to spare just several minutes of your time to meditate, here are the fascinating facts that will sure get you learning more about this ancient practice:
Changes Your Brain (for the better!)
For centuries, scientists believed that our brain stops evolving once we reached adulthood. Well, meditation disproves this! Using fMRI scanners, researchers found that people who regularly meditate develop neuroplasticity – a condition wherein the brain literally changes and develops its structure and functions!
Sharpens Your Mind!
Have problems concentrating? Then this is the time that you consider meditating. A study conducted in 2006 found that people who meditate are more alert than those who took a nap and watched TV.
Lengthens Your Life
You may not know when you are going to die. But, you can definitely do something to live a longer life! Research shows that meditating helps protect our telomeres – the protective caps at the end of our chromosomes. According to experts, longer and stronger telomeres are linked to longer life as they help counter the negative consequences of ageing.
Takes Your ‘Pain’ Away
Whether it’s a headache, migraine, or back pain you are having – meditation can give you comfort more than pharmaceutical drugs could give you! That’s what the researchers from Wake Forest Baptist University discovered in their study. They found that meditation reduces pain intensity by 40% and unpleasantness by 57%, whereas morphine only reduces pain by 25%. And take note – meditation doesn’t have side effects!
Lowers Your Blood Pressure
In his study, Dr Randy Zusman from Massachusetts General Hospital found that three months of regular meditation could result to significant reduction in blood pressure. According to Dr Zusman, relaxation stimulates the production of nitric oxide – a compound that opens up our blood vessels.
Slows Down the Progression of HIV
The development of HIV drugs has been quite slow for the past years, which resulted to the increase in the number of people suffering from HIV-related diseases. However, scientists found that an ancient therapy, which is no other than meditation, could slow down the progression of HIV in the human body. In a 2008 study, researchers found that patients who meditated for eight weeks did not reduce their lymphocyte levels for such period of time as compared to those who did not meditate. Lymphocytes are crucial to maintaining a strong immune system.
Increases Your Gray Matter
The gray matter is the area in the brain that is responsible for most of our major cognitive functions such as our intellect and decision-making skills. In a study carried out in 2005, scientists found that people who meditated for 40 minutes a day had thicker cortical walls than those who didn’t. Thick Cortical walls are linked to better memory, attention and intelligence.
Makes You Fall Asleep Better
Meditation improves the quality of your sleep – though it isn’t a substitute to sleep. Sleep and meditation, both are important. In fact meditation complements sleep. With daily meditation, we experience a deeper and a more restful sleep.
Body Scan Meditation
This is a simple and effective body scan meditation. The aim is to train your focus while remaining mindful and accepting toward any sensation that may arise. In cases of pain and muscle tension, science shows that accepting sensations is more effective than trying to control them.
Are you lying down, relaxing, breathing softly, feeling your way into yourself. This is a simple and effective body scan meditation. The aim is to train your focus while remaining mindful and accepting toward any sensation that may arise. In cases of pain and muscle tension, science shows that accepting sensations is more effective than trying to control them. The aim is to be aware of different regions of the body, allowing yourself to experience how each part feels, without trying to change anything .
Tapping Meditation
Meditation Body Tapping combines ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology with startling results. From pain relief, to healing childhood traumas, to clearing limiting financial beliefs, to weight loss, body image and food cravings, to fears and phobias. Tapping utilizes the body’s energy meridian points by stimulating them with your fingertips – literally tapping into your body’s own energy and healing power. Your body is more powerful than you can imagine… filled with life, energy, and a compelling ability for self-healing.
Sports Athletic and Peak Performance Meditation
As an athletic, you spend so much time training your body – you put in the hard hours, make the sacrifices and take the pain. This requires single-mindedness and dedication, determination and discipline. When you are competing, you push your body hard and go beyond the pain. You will hold your goal in mind and go after what you know is attainable without letting any obstacle stop you.
Athlete meditation research has proven that training the mind nearly always helps in training the body. Meditation creates balance and allows energy to flow more freely through the mind and body. Visualization techniques help athletes in all sports and athlete meditation research has proven to help physically as well.
One major benefit of meditation is the release of tension. Any athlete will tell you that when they are relaxed they perform at a much higher level. When relaxed, energy flows easier through the nervous system and therefore maximizes performance.Concentration is an absolutely vital part of any sport. It can be significantly improved through the use of meditation. Being able to block out the outside world and focus on the task at hand is a valuable skill
Self Love Meditation
One of the major reasons many people have trouble truly loving themselves is because they think they must become more or better than they are right now in order to be lovable. This meditation will help you learn to accept and love yourself “NOW” regardless of any changes or improvements you may make later.
OM Laughing Meditation
Many people might be surprised to think of laughter as a form of meditation. Yet not only is laughing meditation one of the simplest forms of meditation, but also it is a very powerful one. The physical act of laughing is one of the few actions involving the body, emotions, and the soul. When we laugh, we give ourselves over to the immediacy of the present moment. We also are able to momentarily transcend minor physical and mental stresses. Practiced in the morning, laughing meditation can lend a joyful quality to the entire day. Practiced in the evening, laughing meditation is a potent relaxant that has been known to inspire pleasant dreams. Laughter also can help open our eyes to previously unnoticed absurdities that can make life seem less serious.
Couples Meditation
Transcend your relationship to a new level by cultivating emotional awareness and experience a deeper connection to your partner, towards raw fulfillment, acceptance and pleasure, feel a deeper intensity and connection with your partner by tapping into your inner energy, through breathing, touching , movement and setting intentions.
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