When considering wellness for the body, mind, or spirit, meditation can be one of the best things to do. But why is meditation so powerful? It has the ability to slow down racing thoughts, to ease an overly stressed brain, and to nurture a tired soul, so that peace can be transferred to the rest of the body and the potential for healing on many levels can open up.
Many experts have made connections between mental, or emotional, difficulties and physical ailments or health challenges. They know that stress can cause digestive disorders and skin irritations, along with a host of other problems.
Health professionals and holistic healers realize that busy and frazzled minds, and even minds that seem to have it all together but are full all the time, do well to take a break once in a while and settling down to focus only on simple things. This could be the body’s breath, posture, or heartbeat. This focus can lead to more appreciation for being alive, to moments of joy that may have previously been non-existent.
So, what is the power of meditation, and what specifically can it do for you? Meditation has the ability to lead the body into a quieter, more gentle, and overall healthier state. What we love about meditation is that it can be practiced in nearly any place as long as the practitioner feels comfortable.
Meditation for Stress Reduction
Living with a lot of stress can be harmful to our bodies. To deal with stress, take time out of each day (even if it’s just for 10 minutes) to meditate. Meditation allows the mind, body, and spirit to break away for a bit from everything that’s going on mentally, emotionally, and physically, and it also helps the body to relax.
When meditating, the body produces less of the stress-related hormone called cortisol, and more of the feel-good chemical serotonin. Because of this, entire moods can be enhanced through meditation.
Meditation for Better Health
Meditation has the power to improve digestion, to strengthen the immune system, maintain normal cholesterol and blood pressure levels. People with chronic issues often turn to meditation for some type of alleviation.
Meditation has helped reduce the recovery process in those with excessive stress in their life. Calming the mind, body, and spirit through meditation can help the body to rest more deeply so that it can focus on health and healing.
Meditation to Improve Sleep
For those who may have trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep, consider meditation before bedtime. Meditation can help clear the mind of everything that has gone on during the day, and it can instead help the brain focus on the peace one feels from simply being alive.
To practice meditation before bedtime, set aside about 10 minutes to first calm the body and then to relax the mind. Try to release any worries you may be holding on to from your long day of work. Rest the muscles, joints, and emotional body. Then, imagine that all those troubles are gone, so that your body can once and for all concentrate on sleep.
Meditation: A Very Powerful Tool of Healing
The power of meditation goes well beyond these three basic benefits. It includes the ability to assist with positive thinking and emotional stability, and to bring about a general sense of happiness in one’s life. If you don’t already include meditation practice in your day, or at least once during your week, consider putting a practice into place today.
Sources:
http://psychcentral.com/lib/the-relationship-between-mental-and-physical-health/
http://www.asaging.org/blog/can-meditation-slow-aging-process
http://www.everydayhealth.com/headache-migraine/headache-relief-meditation.aspx
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancers-in-general/treatment/complementary-alternative/therapies/meditation
http://eocinstitute.org/meditation/how-meditation-helps-with-digestion-515/
http://eocinstitute.org/meditation/how-meditation-lowers-your-cholesterol-levels/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/31/mindfulness-meditation-cortisol-stress-levels_n_2965197.html
