Meditation
Many people are now
adding meditation into their daily lives
and certainly into part of their healing
process. Meditation is being used to
enhance personal growth, relaxation, as a therapeutic tool for physical & mental
healing, for stress reduction, to
enhance mental acuity, to balance
emotional states, to create inner peace
and as a spiritual pursuit. Meditation
has its origins found in spirituality as
a means of quieting the mind so that one
may come to know the Truth or hear the
wisdom of God. Meditation is an aspect
of Yoga. Yoga has been defined as
“Union” and also as, “the ability to
stop at will the fluctuations or
modifications of the mind which is
acquired through constant practice in
the spirit of renunciation.”
Meditation supports the well being of
the body in a number of ways. It has
been the topic of research at Harvard
medical school for years and Dr. Herbert
Benson’s mind-body research has done
much to bring meditation as a tool of
healing to the forefront. Meditation
supports balance of the Autonomic
nervous system (ANS) which is
responsible for the fight or flight
response (sympathetic nervous system)
and the rest and digest
(Para-sympathetic nervous system). In
today’s fast pace society many people
suffer from anxiety, sleeplessness,
digestive disorders, irritable bowl
syndrome, ulcers, reflux, chronic pain,
fibromyalgia, fatigue, hypertension
(high blood pressure) and other
conditions directly related to the
imbalance of the ANS. The sympathetic
nervous system is engaged in battles
with long ago demons or recurrent tigers
in the unconscious and is perpetually
firing and stimulating the body. The
adrenal glands are over taxed, heart
rates elevated and breaths shallow on
account of this stimulation. The
parasympathetic functions are diminished
leading to many of the above mentioned
conditions.
Dr. Benson’s research
demonstrated that daily meditation of 20
minutes over a months time lowered blood
pressure, lowered heart rate, decreased
adrenaline and epinephrine production
and stimulated production of
parasympathetic neuro transmitters
aiding in improved systemic functions
and sleep. It has been used consistently
since the 90’s at Harvard Medical Mind-Body Institute in the treatment of
Chronic pain and depression. Enhanced
circulation from vaso dilation and
muscular relaxation has been noted as
benefits of meditation and the
relaxation response contributing to pain
reduction. There is plenty of medical
evidence supporting meditation as a
healing modality, yet the real proof is
in the pudding. Try it for yourself and
see! Come meditate with us and lower
your anxiety, enhance your relaxation,
improve your digestive system, lower
blood pressure and decrease your pain!
Perhaps some of the
most tangible benefits of meditation at
least for me has been its profound
impact on my ability to create and
sustain joy in my life. Meditation
changes the topography or landscape of
your mind and helps you to change the
lenses by which you see the world.
Meditation is a process of becoming
conscious, learning to be present and
expanding one’s Awareness. It is an
invaluable tool in self discovery,
breaking bad habits and creating
happiness and personal freedom no matter
what the circumstances of your life.
Our thoughts truly
create our reality. We see the world not
as it is, but how we are. No one
perceives an object or experience the
same way. Everyone’s take of the
perceptual world varies based on up
bringing, past experience (karma),
culture etc. What may feel spacious to
you may be cramped to a friend; what one
person sees as beautiful another may
find repulsive. Hence, the old adage,
‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’
or should it be ‘life is the eye of the
beholder’. Is the glass half empty or
full? Through a practice of meditation
one may come to recognize the glass is
both half empty and half full and that
it is neither good nor bad. Through
meditation it becomes clear what lens
you are filtering the world through, and
this clarity gives you the opportunity
to change what is not working for you
and enhance what is benefiting you and
others! The power to create your destiny
and make a life worth living is released
through a consistent meditation
practice. In fact what may begin as a
little discipline soon becomes the best
part of your day and what you look
forward to most! So not only do you reap
the benefits of a meditation practice,
but you love the process too! There is a
lot more to say about the benefits of
meditation and how it will change your
life, but I will save that for the
meditation class.
Call now to inquire
when our next 4 week session of
meditation class begins held at
Integrative Physical Therapy. Or sign up
now with Kimberly for your personal
meditation instruction and life coaching
through the Eastern Wisdom of Yoga and
Meditation. (518) 373-0735. Change your
mind, Change your world, Be happy…
Meditate!
|
