How Meditation can improve your Health
by Lorraine Town.
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years as a means to attain a greater understanding of life and to explore the meaning of our existence. In today’s modern context, many are turning to this ancient and yet ever evolving practice to restore inner balance, regeneration and a renewed sense of inner peace.
Over a period of 40+ years researchers have found that taking just a few minutes each day to be still can actually change our experience of life physically, emotionally and mentally as we are supported to regenerate while achieving a greater level of harmony and wellbeing. Some of the recorded benefits of regular meditation are that it can reduce stress, quietens the mind, lowers blood pressure, increases confidence, improves memory and sleep patterns, regulates blood sugar levels, strengthens our immune system and brings a deeper sense of inner peace and equilibrium.
Meditation and breathing techniques are currently being offered to returned veterans from Afghanistan with positive results, in the high level stressful corporate arena and also to children in school to assist them to be more aware that they have a safe, still place inside from which they can make self-loving choices. Taking the time each day to be still also brings a deeper sense of self-acceptance, purpose and of developing an inner compass by which to navigate through life. In this way we can be fully present, more emotionally stable and able to make clear choices from the heart rather than the busy-ness of the mind.
There are many forms of meditation, some based on the breath, some on a particular belief system, some on activating and honing the mind and others in stilling the mind so as to enter the inner silence and peace of the heart and all are valid. The choice is ours to discover, learn and regularly practice a style that works for us to reduce stress, mental activity and noise creating more peace and self-acceptance. In this way our eyes open to the beauty and potential within, and around us, for each of us holds a greater capacity for love and compassion, for self-healing and creativity than we have been previously told.
We can make changes in our life and perhaps the lives of others, with a regular meditation practice to nurture ourselves and fill up from the inside and then live from that heart space. If you would like to explore meditation further Lorraine facilitates a 4 week Learn to Meditate course at The Healing Rooms, beginning on the first Wednesday of each month between 6.30 – 8pm. Those with previous or no experience are warmly welcome, phone 9305 9933 to register.
Reference: Emma Seppala – The Science of Happiness, Health & Success
Image courtesy of nenetus at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
