REASONS TO MEDITATE AND THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA
By Salochanee Reddy – Chopra Certified Holistic Wellbeing Facilitator
The practice of Yoga asanas develops strength and flexibility, while soothing your nerves and calming your mind. The asanas affect the muscles, joints and skin, and the whole body – glands, nerves, internal organs, bones, respiration and the brain. The physical building blocks of Yoga are the posture and the breath.
Health benefits of Yoga include:
Cardiovascular system (heart and arteries) – This improves cardiovascular fitness and circulation. Studies show that regular Yoga practice may help normalise blood pressure.
Digestive system – Improved blood circulation and the massaging effect of surrounding muscles speeds up sluggish digestion.
Musculoskeletal – Joints are moved through their full range of motion, which encourages mobility and eases pressure. The gentle stretching releases muscle and joint tension, and stiffness, and also increases flexibility.
Maintaining many of the asanas encourages strength and endurance.
Long-term benefits include reduced back pain and improved posture
Nervous system– Improved blood circulation, easing of muscle tension and the act of focusing the mind on the breath all combine to soothe the nervous system.
REASONS TO MEDITATE
The reasons we meditate are as varied as the many ways there are to meditate. The most common reason most people are drawn to meditation is to quiet the internal chatter of the brain and to reduce stress. Meditation is, indeed, a very effective stress reducer, but its benefits—sometimes are mysteriously hidden and are far more bountiful.
The actual act of meditation can be as simple as sitting quietly and focusing on your breath or a mantra—a word or phrase. There are countless traditions and no singular “correct” way to practice meditation. Find a practice that you like and stick with it for a while. Notice how you feel as you go about your days. If you find that you have more patience, feel grounded and better able to respond to stressful situations, and are more in touch with your intuition or “gut feelings,” you are enjoying the many benefits of meditation.
Because It’s Good for Our Bodies
Scientists gathering data on meditation have found that a consistent practice not only boosts the mind, but it also bolsters the body. Studies bear out that meditation can help reverse heart disease, reduce pain, and support the immune system, better enabling it to fight disease.
The mind-body connection between stress and disease is abundantly apparent as science is finding that meditation can lower production of the stress hormone cortisol. This means meditators are better able to adapt to stress in their lives and its common physiologic responses, which can include:
Heart disease
Osteoporosis
Sleep problems
Digestive problems
Depression
Obesity
Memory impairment
Skin conditions
Because It’s Good for Our Relationships
Paradoxically, while meditation helps us tune in and turn inward to our true essence, it also helps us detach from our own egos to connect with others in more meaningful ways. Couples counselors have found when they assign their clients meditation, the couples become less angry, more self-reflective, and more loving.
When we become aware of—and honor—our interconnection with other beings, we are able to recast our perspectives, see our worries in a different light, and embrace gratitude, which is the heart’s memory.
Because it Can Change Our Lives
In a world rife with never-ending fast fixes, crash diets, and get-rich-quick schemes, it’s nice to know there is a proven practice that really can change your life (or at least bring about dramatic effects) in just a little time in each day.
Yogis and doctors both agree: meditating—even just a few minutes of deep breathing—relaxes the brain, reduces anxiety, and decreases depression. When we feel as though we can't afford the time to meditate, but the truth is we can't afford not to.
How to Start Meditating
Getting started is simple, but it’s helpful to have a teacher or guide to coach, motivate, and encourage you along as you start. Here are some options to help you get started in meditation:
Find a teacher near you: It doesn’t get better than having a real, live person teaching you how to meditate. Make sure you choose someone you really connect with and respect, so that it will be easier to see them consistently. The Equilibrium Wellbeing Centre offers instruction in Primordial Sound Meditation—a powerful meditation technique rooted in the Vedic tradition of India.
Try a Guided Meditation: If you don’t have the time or means to find a teacher near you, guided meditations can be a great way to learn. They walk you through the steps and help you find a calm and peaceful state—one step at a time. Try one of these guided meditations, each with a unique theme. You can also sign up for the 21-Day Meditation Experience with Oprah and Deepak.
Go on a Weekend Retreat: If you’re ready to dive in and begin a consistent practice, it may be time to sign up for a meditation retreat. A retreat weekend is a great learning experience for the first-time meditator and is perfect for those seeking a true celebration of the power and beauty of meditation and exploring a yoga practice. A weekend retreat is a powerful weekend of awareness and rejuvenation, perfect for those that want to learn to meditate and begin a practice.
Source and resource supplied by Salochanee Reddy , Founder of The Equilibrium Wellbeing Centre. For further details on Learning to Meditate and Weekends Retreats, contact 011 568 0329 or email salochanee@www.eqcentre.co.za
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