Meditation - Show Me Health

If stress has you anxious, tense and worried, consider trying meditation. Spending even a few minutes in meditation can restore your calm and inner peace.

What is Meditation?

Meditation is the practice of focusing your attention to bring the mind to a deep state of concentration. Our mind wants to think in a linear fashion about past worries and future anxieties.  Meditation brings our mind to the present moment to witness what is happening here and now.

There are many different meditation styles and techniques. Some are practiced sitting still while others can be set in motion, such as Tai Chi.

Why Meditate?

A regular meditation practice can reduce stress and anxiety, improve focus, stabilize emotions, promote physical health, and increase compassion towards others and ourselves.

■ It brings your attention to the current moment and helps you realize that life’s conditions
are not permanent which can reduce stress and anxiety.

■ It shifts your mind from a state of distraction to deep concentration and focus.

■ It trains you to observe your thoughts and feelings before acting on them which stabilizes emotions.

■ It changes gene expression patterns that bring biological systems into better balance which improves physical health.

■ It disrupts habitual thought patterns which can increase compassion towards others and ourselves.

■ It allows you to discriminate between useful and non-useful thoughts. With practice, you will be able to identify the non-useful and negative thoughts quickly and push them away to find ease in everyday life.

Anyone can practice meditation. It's simple and inexpensive, and it doesn't require any special equipment.

You can practice meditation wherever you are — whether you're out for a walk, riding the bus, waiting at the doctor's office or even in the middle of a difficult business meeting.

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. Meditation originally was meant to help deepen understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life. These days, meditation is commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction.

Meditation is considered a type of mind-body complementary medicine. Meditation can produce a deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind.

During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process may result in enhanced physical and emotional well-being.

Benefits of meditation

Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both your emotional well-being and your overall health.

And these benefits don't end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day and may help you manage symptoms of certain medical conditions.

Meditation and emotional well-being

When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress.

The emotional benefits of meditation can include:

•  Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations

•  Building skills to manage your stress

•  Increasing self-awareness

•  Focusing on the present

•  Reducing negative emotions

•  Increasing imagination and creativity

•  Increasing patience and tolerance

Meditation and Illness

Meditation might also be useful if you have a medical condition, especially one that may be worsened by stress.

While a growing body of scientific research supports the health benefits of meditation, some researchers believe it's not yet possible to draw conclusions about the possible benefits of meditation.

With that in mind, some research suggests that meditation may help people manage symptoms of conditions such as:

•  Anxiety

•  Asthma

•  Cancer

•  Chronic pain

•  Depression

•  Heart disease

•  High blood pressure

•  Irritable bowel syndrome

•  Sleep problems

•  Tension headaches

Be sure to talk to your health care provider about the pros and cons of using meditation if you have any of these conditions or other health problems. In some cases, meditation can worsen symptoms associated with certain mental and physical health conditions.

The health center is hosting an “Introduction to Meditation” Class Series every Wednesday at 12 Noon for six weeks.  The class is led by Kasey Peyton, a local yoga instructor popular with many of our residents.  The first class was an introduction to meditation and a short practice of one style.  The remaining classes will feature a different type of meditation each week

Meditation isn't a replacement for traditional medical treatment. But it may be a useful addition to your other treatment.

Sources: WebMD, Kasey Peyton